Where Is Kid Ink From?

Where is Kid Ink from? Kid Ink is from Los Angeles, California, where he was born Brian Todd Collins on April 1, 1986. Although Kid Ink is primarily known as a rapper, he grew up wanting to be a producer. As he told USA Today, his original inspirations included Pharrell Williams, Timbaland, and Swizz Beatz. “These were artists and producers who were writing for other people in all types of genres,” Kid Ink said. “It just gave me an open ear for all different types of music and that’s how I approached it just doing my own stuff. There’s no real limitations to the sound or anything like that.”

Now that he’s turned to rapping, the Los Angeles native is making his hometown proud. He’s released two studio albums, “Up & Away” and “My Own Lane,” and the latter has spawned three hit singles, including “Show Me,” his collaboration with Chris Brown. “Show Me” peaked at no. 13 on the Billboard Hot 100, and according to Kid Ink, he and Chris Brown were natural workmates in the studio.

“He kind of works in the same way I work,” Kid Ink said. “Same energy and vibe, not really writing stuff down, but just having more fun in the booth, then coming out and picking it apart later.”

While he’s just now becoming a major star, hardcore hip-hop fans have likely been asking, “Where is Kid Ink from? since 2010, when he dropped his first mixtape, “World Tour.” Then again, in those days, he was known as Rockstar, and he didn’t release his first mixtape under the name Kid Ink until 2011. That collection, “Crash Landing,” prefaced two 2011 mixtapes — “Daydreamer” and “Wheels Up” — and in 2012, he made XXL Magazine’s “freshman class” alongside artists like Macklemore and Future.

Kid Ink isn’t yet as big a star as those MCs, but the L.A. rhymer is on the rise. “My Own Lane” climbed all the way to no. 3 on the Billboard 200, and next time around, this West Coast MC may well land at the top spot.