King Malachi doesn’t just walk into a room—he arrives with purpose. A towering figure draped in authenticity, legacy, and lyrical fire, he carries a voice steeped in Southern gospel, tempered by life’s trials, and inspired by divine frequency. With over 25 years in the game, this South Carolina native is boldly staking his claim as the “new sheriff of Southern Soul Country Music”—a genre-bending title that’s not just branding, but a bold affirmation of identity, culture, and mission.
From pews to pageants
Raised in the pews and polished in talent shows, Malachi’s journey into music began early. By the ninth grade, he had already received the kind of crowd reaction artists dream of. “We came out singing ‘Always and Forever’ at the Miss Expo Pageant,” he recalls. “The girls went crazy… and I knew right then, this is what I’m meant to do.”
But his path hasn’t been a straight line. Expelled from school and facing an attempted murder charge as a teen, music became more than a passion—it became salvation. “My gift made room for me,” he says. “Music got me back into school halls I wasn’t even allowed in anymore.” That gift would eventually take him to Africa and introduce him to rooms filled with legacy and opportunity.
The Atlanta connection
His group, Finesse, found its way onto the roster of Death Squad Records, co-founded by Steven Spielberg and Eric Sermon, sharing a label with the likes of Dave Hollister. It was that deal that launched him to Atlanta—an essential move that would align him with the legendary Dungeon Family.
And then the universe stepped in.
Just one week into his Atlanta relocation, a serendipitous run-in at the mall led to Malachi linking directly with Rico Wade, the late, great visionary behind Organized Noize. What followed was more than a mentorship—it was prophecy. “Rico told me that L.A. Reid once said, ‘There’s gonna be an artist who embodies the whole Dungeon Family,'” Malachi recalls. “Then Rico looked at me and said, ‘That artist is you.'”
That anointing wasn’t taken lightly. Malachi went on to record with Wade, embedding his voice into the spiritual DNA of the Dungeon Family’s next chapter. “It was validation. But it also came with responsibility.”
Divine frequency
Through every pivot, Malachi has maintained a soulful sincerity. His songwriting process is spiritual—divinely intuitive, never forced. “When the Most High drops something in your spirit, you don’t question it. You honor it,” he says. “That’s how the classics are made.”
His voice—bold, bluesy, and unmistakably Southern—is a lineage of sound passed down from his grandmother and deepened, he says, by the spirit of his father. “The day after my father passed, I woke up with a deep voice. It was like his soul moved in.”
Legacy over lifestyle
Now with eight children of his own, Malachi’s mission is fueled by legacy. He’s left the party lifestyle behind, traded bottles for sunbathing and grounding, and is focused on creating music that uplifts, resonates, and endures. “I’m here for the Super Bowl,” he says. “I need to be mentioned with James Brown, Bob Marley, and Tupac. I came to leave nothing on the table.”
King Malachi is not asking for respect—he’s earning it with every note, every lyric, every memory etched in his growing discography. He is, quite literally, commanding a new frontier in music. And like any great sheriff, he’s not here to fit in. He’s here to take over.
Follow King Malachi on his journey and discover more from his evolving catalog on all streaming platforms. Exclusive visuals and interviews available now at rolling out.com.
