An Antigua-born DJ with roots in New York is set to perform at one of the world’s largest hip-hop festivals, marking a major step in his growing career.

Kamari Simon, who performs professionally as Killakm, will take the stage at Rolling Loud, a globally recognised hip-hop event known for featuring some of the genre’s biggest names.

Simon was born in the Bronx but spent much of his early life in Antigua after the death of his father, when his mother sent him to live with his aunt. He attended Francis Pre School and J.T. Ambrose Primary School, moving between Antigua and New York before returning to the Bronx full-time in the sixth grade.

Despite being based in the United States, Simon maintains close ties to Antigua, where members of his family, including educator Nalda Carr, remain active in the community. He continues to visit regularly.

He has been building a reputation through high-energy DJ sets that blend hip-hop, trap, Jersey club and R&B, gaining attention for his crowd engagement and rapid transitions.

One of his recent performances drew significant online attention after he held a crowd while awaiting an artist’s arrival, a moment that went viral and generated more than one million views across TikTok and Instagram.

The upcoming Rolling Loud appearance forms part of what Simon describes as a growing list of opportunities, as he continues to expand his presence in live DJing and international music spaces.