Kieve is a rapper and full-time father making his name on the Colorado music scene. Originally from Akron, Ohio, near Canton, he now lives in Colorado, where he has become a familiar face at open mic nights in Colorado Springs. His goal is simple: to take his music more seriously than ever and keep building, one release at a time.
“Right now I’m focused on staying productive, fighting a major lawsuit against the USPS and getting ready to drop my next project,” he says.
Family as fuel
Passionate, optimistic and versatile, Kieve says his biggest source of motivation is at home. “I draw my inspiration from my family, my wife and my son. They give me the reason to keep going,” he explains. To sharpen his skills, he writes every day, whether that is a verse, a hook or a complete song.
He credits the women in his life with helping him grow. “My wife, the mother of my son, helped me see the error of my ways, and she and my mother have taught me patience and understanding.” He also keeps the memory of his grandmother, Peggy Vinetta Mayfield, close. She died of lung cancer in 2012, and her initials, PVM, have become a personal motto: “Everything for PVM.”
A difficult start
Kieve’s path has not been easy. He grew up in a single-parent household with a parent who was battling a serious drug addiction, and as a teenager he made poor decisions. At 18 he was involved in a high-speed police chase and later served four years in prison, including time for felony drug possession.
He used that experience as a turning point. “I turned it all around, went to college for the arts, moved to Colorado and started a family with my now-wife,” he says. In 2020 he finally released his first EP, aptly titled Better Late Than Never.
Facing battles one day at a time
Kieve is honest that the struggles have not disappeared. “I still face daily battles,” he says. “To get through it, I had to be brave enough to talk to strangers, go to counselling and reach out to loved ones. That helped me feed my faith and starve my doubt. Tomorrow isn’t promised, so I take it one day at a time.”
His advice to other artists is to tune out the noise. “People will say anything to get your attention. Ignore it, get started now and never stop chasing your goals.”
What’s next
After pandemic restrictions limited live performances for many independent artists, Kieve is now focused on strengthening his foundation and getting back on stage. “More music, more visuals, and we’re about ready to start taking shows,” he says. “Stay tapped in. I’m dropping again soon.”
He believes success comes from investing in yourself and in the people who invest in you, and he hopes his story shows others that it is never too late to change direction.
Follow Kieve
Instagram: @juscallme_cuzzo
Feature by @focuseddd_, the #Focuseddd brand that shares the stories of artists with a reason for doing what they do.
