Biography

Kev Choice is a pianist, composer, emcee, producer, educator, and activist, hailing from Oakland, CA. He began studying piano and rapping at the age of eleven. After graduating from Skyline High School in Oakland, he went on to earn music degrees from Xavier University of Louisiana and Southern Illinois University. Kev has worked and toured with artists such as Lauryn Hill, Michael Franti, Goapele, Too Short, and more. His own band, Kev Choice Ensemble, combines elements of Hip Hop, Jazz, soul, funk, and classical to create his own unique sound as a pianist and lyricist. He has also produced five solo albums, including his most recent work Social Distancing, created while sheltering-in place. In 2018, he composed the orchestral Hip Hop work Soul Restoration Suite on commission from the Oakland Symphony. Kev Choice is currently on the faculty at Oakland School for the Arts, and he also serves as Vice-Chair of Oakland’s Cultural Affairs Commission.