“I wasn’t that confident growing up,” admits Aminé. It’s surprising to hear from an artist celebrated for his playful flow and laid-back charisma, with a 3x platinum single (“Caroline” from 2016), numerous albums and mixtapes, and sneaker collaborations. Born Adam Aminé Daniel, the rapper’s journey is anything but conventional. “I got cut from sports teams and faced many setbacks. Music was the first thing that made me feel confident and genuinely happy.”
Raised by Ethiopian and Eritrean immigrant parents, Aminé didn’t start rapping until the end of high school, writing verses as a joke with friends. “I found myself working really hard at it and wondered, ‘Why am I so passionate about this? I don’t even rap,’” he recalls. “It was my first transformative moment with hip-hop.”
Now, Aminé has toured globally and collaborated with artists like Ty Dolla $ign, Saba, Vince Staples, and Kaytranada. The latter discovered Aminé on SoundCloud in the 2010s and became an early supporter. About eight years later, the duo rented a house in Malibu to create *KAYTRAMINÉ* (2023), an album that blends Kaytranada’s synthy baselines with Aminé’s rapid-fire braggadocio. The result? A record that feels like a boozy beachside party, becoming an instant summer hit.
As Aminé approaches 30, he’s riding a new wave of creativity. Before hip-hop, he was passionate about footwear—a natural interest growing up near Nike’s global HQ in Portland. Recently, he rekindled this passion through a partnership with New Balance, reviving the 610 silhouette with his “The Mooz” and “Mini Mooz” collaborations, with more to come. Between his work in footwear and music, Aminé is more creatively fulfilled than ever. The once shy kid from Northeast Portland is now a creative force in LA, with an open mind and boundless potential.
