Getting a cancer diagnosis can put a screeching halt to someone's life. One Aurora artist continued to create despite battling the disease.
Brandy Gilliam is used to battling other rappers, but a couple of years ago he found himself fighting in another arena.
Gilliam, also known as K.I.K., is a part of the underground rap group Sonz of K.A.O.Z. The duo is part of a larger group called P.O.B.U.M.S. Society. Underground rap is created by independent artists whose music may not sound like mainstream hip-hop.
Sonz of K.A.O.Z. started working on their eighth album in January 2024. Gilliam said a couple of months in, something felt off.
"I didn’t have an appetite,” he said. "And then I had a small nodule on my neck. This was in late March or April, and so I went to the doctor, and they did a couple of biopsies."
He was diagnosed with T-cell lymphoma. He started chemotherapy but said the creative process was healing.
"I think that helped a lot," he said, "by me being able to make the music and just not lay in bed all day."
DJ N.A.K.A.I.L. is the other half of the duo. He said he was impressed with the work Gilliam put in while going through treatment.
"Anybody who's known anybody who had to go through chemo — it's rough," he said. "But he showed up. I mean, like, yo, I’d be looking like, man."
He said Gilliam's perseverance gave him motivation.
"So this brother can, you know, be going through this, and he’s got a lot on his shoulders already," DJ N.A.K.A.I.L. added. "And his health, you know, he's working to get his health right. It's like, yeah, we’re going to work."
The diagnosis also changed the tone of the album. The original title was "K.A.D.A. — Kill All Death to All."
"When I got diagnosed with cancer, I was like, you know, probably should change the title from Kill All, you know, Death to All to something more positive, because I’m trying to live."
The updated title is S.O.M.A.S. (Sonz of Marsha and Shean), "Psalm 91."
Gilliam said the health scare had a big impact on the writing for this project. It made him reflect on life and the conditions many people go through.
Gilliam is in remission, and the project is complete. He said he wants to encourage those going through a tough time to keep fighting and stay positive.
Copy Edited by Eryn Lent
