THERE IS NO QUESTION THIS HAITIAN NEW ORLEANIAN CAN HUSTLE WHEN YOU HEAR HIM. THE MUSCLE FLEX IN HIS TONE IS SURE TO MAKE ANYONE FEEL THREATENED. HIS HIT RECORD “BLACK & GOLD (WHO DAT!!)” IS THE OFFICIAL NEW ORLEANS SAINTS’ ANTHEM IN THE CRESCENT CITY. THIS YOUNG WORDSMITH CAN RAP CIRCLES AROUND MOST ARTISTS ON THE RADIO TODAY. A PIMP’S SLANG, KNOCKOUT PUNCHLINES, AND PASSION WEAVE A TALE SO CINEMATIC THAT ANY DIRECTOR WOULD COVET THE FILM RIGHTS. NOT TO MENTION, HIS MALICIOUS TALENT ALLOWS HIM TO RIDE A RHYTHM LIKE A CHILD ON A BIGWHEEL; AND, THE GAME STAYS ON HIS TONGUE LIKE NOW & LATER COLORS.

IN NEW ORLEANS, “SWAGGER” IS THAT GRIMY MOJO, THE VICIOUS MAGIC MUSCLE THAT MAKES A GANGSTER STAND UPRIGHT WHEN THE WEIGHT AND WORK OF THE GAME HAVE DOUBLED WIMPS OVER. IT’S THE STUNNA STRUT, MARKING A GUY WHO KNOWS WHAT HE WANTS AND IS GOING TO GET IT ALLOWING NOTHING TO STAND IN HIS WAY NO MATTER WHAT. IT’S THE HEART OF A HUSTLER WITH A KNOT IN HIS POCKET; AND RIGHT NOW, K. GATES’S SWAGGER IS MOST DEFINITELY THE NEXT TO PEAK.

IF A HUSTLER IS ONLY AS GOOD AS HIS LAST HUSTLE, K. GATES SHOULD BE KING. A FEW YEARS BEFORE HURRICANE KATRINA DEVASTAED NEW ORLEANS, HE WAS KNOWN IN THE HOOD AS “HUSTLE SIMMONS.” WHEN TWO-WAY PAGERS AND CELL PHONES, THROWBACK JERSEYS, WATCHES, AND ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANTED BUT WOULDN’T PAY FULL PRICE FOR, K. GATES HAD THE MERCHANDISE. WITH ONLY A BUTTON AWAY TO UNLOCK THE TRUNK OF HIS CAR, THE BUYER HAD WHATEVER HE/SHE WANTED. AT AGE 18, TOO AMBITIOUS TO STAY LOCAL, K. GATES TOOK HIS HUSTLE NATIONWIDE. WITH THE DRIVE OF A MOGUL AND A MOUTHPIECE THAT COULD TALK A BENT PENNY FROM A GUMBALL MACHINE, HE SOON HAD AN ALL-STAR HOST OF CLIENTS AND COULD EASILY BE SEEN MINGLING WITH THE ELITE, RUBBING ELBOWS WITH THE UPPER ECHELON, PARTYING IN MUSIC VIDEOS, AND HANGING OUT AT AWARD SHOWS.

RAISED WITHOUT A TV OR A FATHER BY A REVOLUTIONARY MOTHER WITH A PH.D. WHO DECIDED TO SACRIFICE HER LIFE TO THE COMMUNITY AND NOT FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE FAMILY’S FINANCIAL GAIN, AND AN UNDERGROUND HIP-HOP-HEAD OLDER BROTHER WHO EXPOSED HIM TO THE MUSIC THAT WOULD EVENTUALLY SAVE HIS LIFE, K. GATES ENDURED A CONSTANT TUG-OF-WAR RAGING WITHIN BETWEEN TRUTH, LIGHT, LOVE, AND HIS FETISH FOR THE LAVISH LIFESTYLE. THE OUTSIDE FORCES USUALLY WON.

REGARDLESS OF WHAT DAME DASH’S ILL-FATED REALITY SERIES SHOWED, K. GATES IS THE ULTIMATE HUSTLER. TO THE SHOCK AND AWE OF EVERYONE WHO KNOWS HIM, THE UBER-OPPORTUNIST WAS OUSTED FROM THE SHOW ON THE 3RD EPISODE FOR CHALLENGING SWIZZ BEATS TO A DICE GAME DURING A RECORDING SESSION. IT WAS A TRAVESTY. HOW COULD THIS BE? THROW OFF WHOM? THIS MAN WAS DRIVING A BRAND NEW JAGUAR S-TYPE SEDAN BEFORE HIS NINETEENTH BIRTHDAY. WHO HUSTLES HARDER THAN K. GATES? A TV SHOW, SEVERAL NEW YORK RADIO APPEARANCES, A POTENTIAL MOVIE, AND MORE THAN 5 MIXTAPES LATER, BET WILL UNDOUBTEDLY GRACE HIS FACE AGAIN. HIS UPCOMING ALBUM, “NEW ORLEANS’ SAVIOR,” VIRTUALLY GUARANTEES IT. K. GATES LOVES THE CITY THAT MADE HIM AND HE SHOWS THAT LOVE EVERY CHANCE HE GETS; AND, THE CITY SHOWS LOVE BACK. HIS ENTIRE ALBUM EXPRESSES IN A VARIETY OF WAYS HIS DESIRE TO SAVE NEW ORLEANS. LAID ON A PLATE OF MUSIC BY DJ ZELLA, MANNIE FRESH, JAZZE PHA, AND DANI KARTEL, K. GATES’S STREET-LIFE MONOLOGUES ARE SURE TO LIFT THE CITY UP ONTO DRY LAND.

HIS MOTTO, “HAVE A MILLION DOLLAR DAY,” THE CREED HE LIVES BY, IS BALLER BIBLE VERSE IN A WORLD WHERE LESSER HUSTLERS DIE TRYING. IT DARES PEOPLE TO REALIZE THEIR DREAMS TO HUSTLE HARDER NOW AND COME WITH LAUGHTER AFTER. IT PAINTS A BLUEPRINT FOR NEW ORLEANS. THE “SWAGGER” IS AN I.D. AND K. GATES’S “HUSTLE” HAS MADE HIM MAYOR. THAT’S THE WAY IT OUGHT TO BE.