Khemist

Songwriter, poet, rapper and multi-instrumentalist, Khemist Mayfield is a Philadelphia-bred artist and musical savant beloved as a bonafide lyrical force. Hailing from the city's Logan Valley section of North Philadelphia, Khemist turns hard truths into songs, drawing from a life lived among shadows, steel, and silent dreams. His voice is steady, his tone unshaken — worn like armor, shaped by love and loss, by friends taken too soon, and the weight of systemic neglect. Through poetry and song, Khemist gives dignity to the overlooked and light to the forgotten corners of his city. From open mics to orchestras, he’s grown into an artist who blends bars with ballads, stories with strings. Inspired by legends like Sonia Sanchez, Lauryn Hill, Nas, Black Ice, Curtis Mayfield, Jay-Z and Octavia Butler, Khemist honors the lineage of Black artistic truth-tellers. He made early noise with Death 2 Wack Rappers (Hosted by Black Thought), then sharpened his craft on projects like Khemist x DJ Aktive, Scrap Metal, and All In A Day’s Work. With Khemtrails, he pushed the form. His debut album, A List of Demands by Khemist Mayfield, executive produced by DJ Jazzy Jeff, arrived in 2023 — a body of work rooted in soul, struggle, and boundless skill.