Kev Decor Declares His Drive on New Single Don’t Wi$h Me Luck

In a world where too many artists chase the algorithm, Kev Decor is chasing something else entirely: purpose.

Born and raised in New Jersey with Puerto Rican and Dominican roots, Kev is a rare breed of artist—multi-disciplinary, self-sufficient, and rooted in real-life experience. His upcoming single Don’t Wi$h Me Luck isn’t just another song to toss into the mix. It’s a full-bodied statement of intent. A declaration. A sonic chest-thump that says: I’m not waiting on chance—I’m working for certainty.

With its unpredictable beat switches, razor-sharp bars, and emotional undercurrent, the track is both an adrenaline shot and a mirror. It speaks to those grinding in silence, building in the background, betting the house on the dream—people just like Kev himself.

The Long Game Since Day One

Kev’s journey didn’t begin on TikTok or go viral overnight. He started producing music at just 15 years old in 2005, learning the language of audio engineering and songwriting by obsession. After graduating from the Institute of Audio Research in 2010, he committed himself fully to the craft.

That dedication paid off in a big way in 2017, when he dropped a new song every single day for 284 straight days. That marathon earned him the attention of Alex Da Kidd and Marc Jordan—two industry giants responsible for developing acts like Imagine Dragons, Rihanna, and Skylar Grey. But even with major-label eyes on him, Kev didn’t stray from his independent roots.

Instead, he doubled down. Today, Kev produces 96% of his music, writes it all, engineers it, and pushes it out into the world himself. And when you hear it? You know it’s Kev.

The Craft. The Credits. The Credibility.

Kev’s not just a prolific artist—he’s a sharp songwriter with a growing résumé. He’s landed placements with major names like Flyana Boss (“Really Really” via Atlantic Records) and Kierra Luv (“Out of Bounds”), and his track Red String Theory earned him a mention in Rolling Stone, solidifying his rep as someone who blends lyricism with sonic atmosphere in a way that sticks.

He’s also stepping into the performance lane with fresh energy—recently hitting the stage at High Tide in Los Angeles and submitting for NPR’s Tiny Desk Contest. As he enters 2025, it’s clear that Kev’s artistry is evolving and expanding in real-time.

Don’t Wi$h Me Luck Is for the Doers

The new single is gritty, cinematic, and dynamic—but it’s the message that hits hardest. Don’t Wi$h Me Luck is for the people whose side gig is their main gig, whose dreams are paid for in sacrifices most wouldn’t even consider. It’s for the ones eating one meal a day but still showing up to the gym. The ones doing “backwards” things because, for them, it’s the only way forward.

The song is raw motivation, but not the corny kind. It’s a journal entry from someone who’s lived it. Kev paints a picture of hustle that isn’t filtered through fantasy—it's sweat, late nights, overdrawn accounts, and unwavering self-belief.

It’s not about asking for a shot. It’s about taking it.

A Rare Voice in a Noisy Industry

There’s something undeniably refreshing about an artist like Kev Decor in today’s music landscape. He doesn’t posture. He doesn’t chase trends. He crafts with precision, writes with intention, and speaks directly to those who understand that greatness isn’t handed out—it’s earned.

Don’t Wi$h Me Luck is Kev at his sharpest. The production is layered, the flows are tight, and the message couldn’t be clearer: he’s not asking for luck, because he already has the mindset, the work ethic, and the vision to make it all happen.

If you're sleeping on Kev Decor, now’s the time to wake up.

Because he’s not waiting around for anyone to crown him. He’s already doing what kings do—building his own kingdom.

"Don't Wi$h Me Luck" feels like a personal statement and an anthem for people grinding behind the scenes. What was the headspace you were in when writing this track, and who did you have in mind while creating it?

You know, there have been many recognized painters throughout time who painted landscapes.

Some of those works depicted a very exact portrait, while others were very distorted or fantastical. No matter which of the two, the wonder and beauty of each piece is not in how perfect each flower was drawn but in how distinct the painters' perspective was when choosing the colors, shapes, and stroke patterns.

Printers can generate any image with perfect exactness, but they pale in comparison to hand-painted art. It doesn't move us. Even machine-printed paintings are reproductions of hand-painted works—kind of like AI. It's the human margin of error that makes anything strike a chord with another human on a deeper level—the place beyond words that no one really understands but we all feel and know exists.

So, in writing this song, as I always do, I try my best not to shy away from the imperfections of my strokes, colors, and shapes. So when I paint, or write - in this case, about the landscape in which I exist… I portray the sometimes harsh realities we have to contend with in these times, such as the topic of ICE raids and colorism. I'm not an activist. I am just a painter of the landscapes that I see around me.

The middle-aged people are trying to save up enough money to start a business because they don't have a retirement fund and fear how they'll survive in old age. The young people are faced with the decision of taking on predatory loans for an education with no promise of career success once they graduate. The ones who brave the world without education because they don't have the money to get into higher education are working front desk security somewhere while simultaneously trying to come up with some way or idea to reclaim power and agency over their life and financial future. The people who are toiling away at something, anything that they care about with purpose behind it, for years who, instead of slowing down and fitting into the neat space that society has carved out for them, keep going despite any lack of evidence of their efforts being a great success - that's who was on my mind when I made this track.

You've been building your career independently since your teens, producing almost all your own work. What have been the biggest challenges—and biggest freedoms—that come with doing it all yourself?

The biggest challenge has been obtaining information. Information is the key to everything. It's not that you or I cannot turn a knob and pull a handle in order to open a door and access what is on the other side. Any person with their basic faculties can do that. It's the key to the lock, the information, which not everyone has access to. It ultimately prevents or enables us to access what is behind the door and, in this case, the ability to do and achieve things in different areas of any endeavor. I reached out to everyone in my area that I could find a phone number, email, or social media profile who had a studio or set up to try to learn from them. When met with rejection, I took matters into my own hands and got what I thought I needed to learn myself. That only got me so far. The next step was to go to the only place I could to get the information: school.

Once I graduated, the journey began from zero again because knowledge and application are different. I learned the principles in school, but the trade and application of its secrets are learned in the field. And in this business, as in many industries, that's not something people give you. So, my journey has been a cycle of seeking, knocking, learning, applying, trying, failing, and repeating it until I refine my craft to be what I envision it to be. And that is not a challenge most people take on willingly.

The other day I heard "an artist lives through a mid-life crisis their entire life" and it made me laugh because I related to that.

The freedom of it all is the reward you receive in exchange for your sacrifice. Expertise, mastery, and being able to alchemize a thought or idea into a physical, tangible thing that can interface with the world. For example, the first time I signed a deal and went to the mansion that housed the recording studio, I remember running my hands across the bricks of the facade and thinking to myself, "This home exists because of a song." That was a powerful moment. I realized the power of thought and ideas in that very instance; I'll never forget it.

I have an idea, and I can bring it to life. I don't need to wait for John, the engineer, or Peter, the producer, to create something because they are on a family vacation for the weekend. Through my commitment to my craft, I can wake up on any given day at 5 am and write chords, a verse, or a song that holds the power within to affect change on many fronts and in many lives. If ideas can move people to action, build houses, and feed families, and you have the tools to manifest said ideas… you're a powerful individual. That's freedom. I'm grateful.

In 2017, you released a song every single day for 284 days. That's insane discipline. What did that experience teach you about consistency, creativity, and your relationship with music?

It taught me a lot about what's possible with laser focus. It also taught me about what I don't want my creative relationship to be. I did that mostly out of what I felt was necessity at the time to create opportunity and push my craft to the next level from a practice standpoint.

It did both of those things but as a result my well being, health and relationships were not in the best place.

So balance was a big take away. I don't regret it however it's not something I would do again with such ferocity. It's a cool feat that I'm proud of although doesn't define my work because most of my craft has been developed over the course of the marathon that I've been running, not just the months of that race. It's a tricky one to answer, very nuanced.

Your writing and storytelling clearly speak to people who don't often see themselves represented in music—people hustling through real-life struggles. How has your own experience shaped the kind of artist you've become?

My life experience, and the experiences of those who I've observed as being overlooked or underrepresented as a whole has undoubtedly shaped me as an artist. We all process information and experiences differently. On top of that, we are have unique character traits that affect how exactly we interface with the world.

For example, if a customer is wrongfully beating a cashier person - it is simply in my DNA to not stand for that kind of injustice without at least saying or doing something about it. Every case calls for discernment, of course, but in general, I can't just stand by and do nothing. My art can easily be about the high life, escapism, and superficiality. And it does exist in doses within my work. But if my unique path has given me a certain kind of exposure that allows me to see things happening in my environment, including injustices or situations that are often overlooked because it's not "as cool" to talk about it… me choosing to ignore those topics altogether is the equivalent of standing in line at Target and watching a disgruntled customer degrade a cashier person wrongfully and not saying or doing anything about it. I just can't. It's not in my DNA to not stand for something. So I'm going through the many experiences I have and witnessing them around me - it has 100% shaped my work and impacted the color of the lens through which I see and engage with the world.

2025 feels like a significant energy shift for you—live shows, new momentum, this new single. What's your vision for this year, and what does success look like to you now versus when you started?

This year is very special for myself and team, The Enterprise. We have a lot in store for our patrons.

The vision for the year is to continue to be focused and intentional in everything that we do as a team. We need to be disciplined and unafraid of any challenges we may face. Every step we take is firm and confident.

When I started, I wanted to reach the world as it was. Today, I am building my own. Success used to look something like being on the radio and having many cars, homes, and toys. Now, it looks something like waking up every day and having the freedom to do what I love and to make a comfortable living as a byproduct. I aim to contribute to society in the ways that I am most useful - that is, through my passion for music, art, creativity, and ideas. To pay all my bills, have a comfortable means of transportation, a flexible schedule, the ability to go to and work from anywhere in the world, and provide for my loved ones and those who are in need and are deserving because I have it and I am in a position to unlock doors. And the best part is that I don't need to be on the radio or have a billion dollars to my name to do it. It's already coming to fruition as we speak.