This story originally appeared in our July 22 – Aug. 4 print edition. Check out the edition online here and find where you can get a print edition near you here.
Michael Jackson and Quincy Jones. 21 Savage and Metro Boomin. Timbaland and Missy Elliot. Sometimes when two artists find each other, things just click.
At least, that’s how it was for Cincinnati rapper Khari and producer Montana, whose partnership feels like it was just meant to be. The duo has been working together for around two years now, Montana said, almost surprised it hasn’t been longer.
“We met at a beat battle,” Khari said. “I was there just listening and trying to catch some waves, and he was there cooking.”
From that first encounter, they fell into an easy chemistry, one that extends outside of the studio.
“When people ask us that, it’d be like, ‘Damn, it feels like I’ve known this dude longer though,’” Khari said. “That’s how we knew our chemistry was instant outside of the music, you know what I’m saying?”
It’s a familiar story, the way local music scenes pull people together, but the bond these two have built in those two years feels deep.
“Outside of just making songs together, the chemistry, just as a Black man, as a brother to brother, was there immediately,” Khari said. “I feel like I’ve known him for 10 years plus.”
Both Khari and Montana grew up with music as a constant presence.
“I don’t know a life without hip hop,” Khari said. “I feel like I just was born into it and just been around it my whole life. I always wrote. I always went to the studio with my dad and my uncles and write songs and record songs. But I really started taking it serious about four or five years ago. Putting out music, forming my digital footprint, marketing myself.”
Montana’s story mirrors Khari’s.
“It’s kind of been around me all my life,” Montana said. “Not kind of. It’s been around me all my life. But I really started taking matters into my own hands, really trying to dive into it two years ago.”
Family musical backgrounds run deep for both: Montana’s grandfather sang in the Cincinnati group The Ditalians, his mother and grandmother sang, and his father is Cincinnati-born rapper and producer Hi-Tek, who has worked with artists like 50 Cent, Nas, Talib Kweli and many more.
“As much as we tried to not identify as musicians, we couldn’t escape it because it was just always part of our plans,” Montana said.
And while not every artist finds support at home, both Khari and Montana credit their families with providing the right kind of environment.
“My parents never wanted me to shy away from my creativity,” Khari said. “When I told them I wanted to take music seriously, they was all behind it. They support everything I do.”
Outside of family, their influences span both music and unexpected corners of culture.
“My biggest inspirations were [Tupac], Allen Iverson, Ryan Coogler,” Khari said. “Allen Iverson really — just his revolutionary spirit, being outspoken, not being afraid to speak your mind. And Ryan Coogler, the way he paints pictures, tells stories. He was an athlete and switched lanes to the arts. I did a similar thing, moving from basketball into rap.”
For Montana, it’s the sound that catches him.
“The first time I heard Slum Village, I was stuck there,” Montana said. “Dr. Dre for sure. That whole ‘Aftermath’ sound was always catchy to me. And Michael Jackson, Michael Jackson, Michael Jackson.”
While Montana is driven by the textures and rhythms that shape a song, Khari’s approach to rap is rooted in tradition.
“Hip hop was built on, you know, being in the parks, somebody making a beat on the wall, the table, whatever, and rapping freestyle. You talk about what you see,” he said. “I think it’s a great practice tool for artists. It should definitely be something we hold near and dear, especially fans of hip hop and being a part of the culture. Can’t let that die at all.”
When it comes to creating together, Khari and Montana have found a rhythm that’s both organic and efficient.
“My creative direction when I’m by myself, I never really think about what no one else likes until I catch my groove,” Montana said. “I just try to let it come to me and vibe out.”
Digging through vinyl, following the day’s tempo — his process is all about keeping it natural.
Khari’s inspiration often comes on the move.
“I got to be outside, in motion or driving. I got undiagnosed ADHD, so I need to be doing something to get it going,” he said, laughing. “But when we get in the studio, it’s efficient. We’re not playing around.”
The duo is currently working toward their debut album, “Ghetto Nerd,” and in the process, they’re crafting something bigger than just a set of songs. They’re creating a universe.
“University is like the universe around the album,” Khari said. “We’re building something that people can attach themselves to — bigger than just putting out an album. We wanted people to feel like they’re a part of something, a community-based effort.”
You might ask, what does it mean to be a ‘ghetto nerd’?
“The main thing behind it was like coming from a place and not being of that place — seeing beyond that, being able to dream within a dark environment,” Khari said. “It’s being yourself within it. I think a lot of times, as Black people, we get boxed in. They say you got to be a gangster, you got to be this or that. But I know a lot of people in the hood that never sold drugs, never went to jail, never fit those stereotypes. It’s really the idea of Black people not being a monolith, but being able to see beyond your environment, rise above it and be yourself.”
Montana added: “It made it easy for me to just be myself. Eventually, I just started to truly commit to it. The journey in life of choosing you and not falling into the trap of the masses, or the path that’s traveled by your peers. It’s okay to be positive and not be a street dude. It’s okay to like music and read books.”
For anyone wanting to join the world of Ghetto Nerd, there’s even a number to text: 513-796-4807 with the word “enroll.”
“They get updates, exclusive things, access to different things,” Khari said. “We really want to go direct to the people with it.”
It wouldn’t be a Cincinnati story without talking about the city’s legacy and the artists who’ve taken it further. Cincinnati’s creative lineage is impossible to ignore for Khari and Montana. In a freestyle, Khari mentions that they would like to purchase the now-defunct Cincinnati record label.
“I mean, it’s manifestation right now. Like that’s definitely something we would love to do,” Khari said, reflecting on the legendary local landmark. “James Brown, Bootsy Collins — everybody coming through, the rich musical history in our city. That building was a forerunner of that.”
But their vision isn’t just about honoring the past — they’re also building connections with the next wave, collaborating with popular Cincinnati-born R&B singer Arin Ray.
For Khari and Montana, Cincinnati artistry means respecting the city’s deep musical roots while collaborating with peers who are shaping its future.
It’s a mindset that shapes not only their music but also the way they bring it to an audience.
Khari’s live show philosophy has been shaped by experience.
“When I first started, I was rapping over my lyrics. But you can’t really give a good show that way. What I learned from Jay-Z is you don’t want to give people the same show every time,” he said. “Now, it’s about committing to it, being practiced. If you say you want to do the splits and do a backflip, you better do it with full confidence.”
Practice brings confidence.
“Before we did Jadakiss (they opened for the hip hop artist), we practiced two weeks straight, just going, going, going. Practice makes greatness.” Khari said.
And the rewards?
“Opening up for Freddie Gibbs was dope for me,” Khari said. “That was the first time I saw a crowd that was already screaming. Being able to perform overseas — I’ve toured in Spain two years in a row. By the time I get to the second hook, they’re repeating it to me. That was a high. That’s what I could see myself doing forever.”
As for the album, there’s no rush.
“We’re just building up the buzz around it because we believe in the music that much,” Khari said. “Come into the world, see what it’s about, and be invested into it first. We want to show people: this is Khari and Montana. This is our duo, our tandem. Really bring it back to hip hop — a rapper and a producer, branded as that. I feel like that’s missing in hip hop right now, and we got exactly what’s missing right now.”
This article appears in July 22 – Aug. 4, 2026.