Michigan-based indie artist E-Kaine dropped his latest single “Fake Smile” earlier this month, diving headfirst into the raw realities of addiction and mental health struggles. The November 8th release marks yet another stepping stone in the rapper’s impressive journey from rock bottom to redemption.
Looking at today’s hip-hop scene, you’d be hard-pressed to find voices as genuinely unfiltered as E-Kaine’s. His story isn’t your typical comeback tale—it’s a gut-wrenching testament to human resilience. Having crawled his way out of addiction, homelessness, and gang life, he’s turned those dark chapters into something more: a lifeline for others stuck in similar struggles. His tracks aren’t just songs; they’re honest conversations with anyone who’s ever felt trapped in their own personal hell.
Born Elijah Eubanks, E-Kaine first picked up a pen at 15, though life had already dealt him a tough hand by then. As one of the few kids from a working-class background at his private school, he found solace in Tech N9ne’s music, particularly relating to the rapper’s brutally honest verses about being an outsider.
Life had other plans, though, and Eubanks soon found himself caught in the undertow of gang involvement and an eight-year battle with drug addiction. The wake-up call? News that he was going to be a father at age 25. That moment lit a fire under him, pushing him to enroll in Music Production at the Los Angeles Film School.
“This song is a piece of my soul,” E-Kaine says about “Fake Smile,” a haunting 3:08 track that opens with gentle piano notes. “It dives into my struggles with addiction and mental health, where I hid my pain behind a smile. Every lyric is raw and real, coming from some of my darkest times.”
The single lays bare E-Kaine’s vulnerability, weaving together threads of self-destruction, bittersweet nostalgia, and the crushing loneliness that often shadows addiction. It’s a powerful addition to his growing body of work, which includes fan favorites like “Disappear,” “Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop,” and “Krown Me King.”
When he’s not in the studio, E-Kaine’s life revolves around his kids—he’s their sole caregiver—and giving back to his community, especially in addiction recovery circles. He’s been making waves in the Michigan music scene, with performances across Lansing, Mt. Pleasant, and Jackson.
Right now, E-Kaine’s pouring his energy into “Tethered to Torment,” a seven-track EP tackling addiction and mental health head-on. He’s also crafting his debut album, which promises to shine an unflinching light on the gritty realities of gang life, homelessness, and personal demons—not to glorify them, but to show them for what they really are.
Want to dive into E-Kaine’s world? You can find his music on Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music. For exclusive content and updates, follow him on Instagram, Twitter/X, TikTok, Facebook, and SoundCloud. His TikTok presence has already made waves, with a single post garnering over 100K views.
