Saint Lucian rapper KAYO Guevarra (né Filbert Salton) was one of the big winners at last weekend’s Music Nova Scotia Awards, taking home the DJ of the Year and Hip-Hop/Rap Recording of the Year trophies for his project EXTENDED TRIP. The 37-year-old Saint Lucian/Haligonian was also nominated as African Nova Scotian Artist of the Year and Entertainer of the Year at the awards ceremony, which was held October 26 at the Rodd Grand Yarmouth.
“Thank you @musicnovascotia,” said the 37-year-old KAYO on his Facebook page. “The love & support that I’ve received from this community over the past few years has been nothing short of transformational. I don’t take that lightly. I intend to honour that by going over harder every time. Lucia we large. Million Vibes to the world.”
KAYO was one of just three artists to collect two awards at the annual festival, which brings musicians and the music industry together for four days of shows and professional development workshops, capped off by the Music and Industry Awards. Only two other performers had as many as four nominations.
Born and raised in Ciceron, Saint Lucia, KAYO has described his sound as “Future meets Fugees,” referring to the American rap group.
“It’s a lush blend of hip-hop, R&B, and reggae. A raspy delivery mixed with unique cadence, catchy melodies, and a certain rhythm that could only stem from his island upbringing,” he says on his website.
KAYO moved to Halifax, Nova Scotia in 2008 to study marketing at Saint Mary’s University on Canada’s east coast. In recent years, he has become accustomed to earning recognition for his talent and hard work. This is actually his second time winning DJ of the Year, having taken that title at the 2023 Awards as well.
He also adds his latest Music Nova Scotia Awards to his 2023 African Nova Scotian Music Association Award win for Artist of the Year, and his 2024 East Coast Music Association Award (ECMA), winning R&B/Soul Recording of the Year for his album TRIP. At the same awards, he was also nominated for Fusion Recording of the Year for the song Afrobeats & Affirmations. His ECMA win last year came the day the album dropped.
Members of Music Nova Scotia had the chance to vote in the 2025 Music & Industry Awards, as long as they were in good standing and voted for a minimum of 50 per cent of the categories this year, with there being 30 categories in total. This vote, along with jury scores, determined the winners in each category.
