Dylan MacKenzie
A&E Reporter

In the post-Soulja Boy age of hip-hop, you could say all it takes is a keyboard and an Internet connection to send a song to the masses.

While cyberspace is booming with rap hopefuls, Humber radio alumni Khiry Cummings has found a career in rapping and producing.

“It’s inspiring,” said fellow rapper Ray “Chadwick” Chad. “He’s still young, he’s got so much energy and so much knowledge on the hip hop game.”

Khiry “TroNic” Cummings said returning home to Jamaica when he was 11 years old sparked his love for music.

“When I started living there, a lot of people were deeply into music. People aren’t fans of reggae music in Jamaica, people feel like artists are their family,” Cummings said.

At 13, Cummings started rapping, freestyling and battling other schoolboys on the playground.

“We use to just freestyle randomly in the schoolyard,” he said. “I was always the person that was, like, ‘c’mon guys, somebody start freestyling, somebody start beating on the table, let’s go, let’s go.’”

Shortly thereafter, Cummings bought a home recording studio to start producing beats.

Through a connection at Jamaican recording studio Gambling House Productions, Cummings had the opportunity to produce for Jamaican superstars Vybz Kartel and Mavado.

Back in Toronto at 18 years old, Cummings used this knowledge to produce and make connections with local artists.

Today he is busy pressing his EP, The Unfinished Robot.

“I’m not complete yet. I haven’t told my whole story. I haven’t given my whole emotion. This is half what a robot can do. I can’t be fully perfect.”

There are hints of inspiration from Jay-Z and fellow Canadian rapper Drake, but Cummings masters his own style with electronic sounds and “robotic” noises.

“With TroNic, it’s not just music. It’s his image. It’s everything he’s doing,” said Shawn Daley of Euphonic Studio, where Cummings’ EP was recorded.

“As far as I’ve been working with him for the past year, I see it every time he comes in here,” Daley said.

Cumming’s EP will drop Mid-November. For show dates, visit www.atroniclife.com.