Spanning from the Wu-Tang Clan to the early work of Childish Gambino, hip-hop and nerd culture have exchanged knowing nods. Lyrical references and full blown collaborations — Fantagraphics’ comic Hip-Hop Family Tree and RZA’s soundtrack for Afro Samurai, for example — are mementos of the cross-genre.

Enter Vancouver rapper Massiah and his manga-style webcomic Massiah Profit: Angel of Sin. Born Kai Joseph Williams and formerly known as Kai Sky Walker, Williams returns from a five year hiatus, taking his name from the titular protagonist. The webcomic follows a black teenage vigilante fighting a totalitarian government in the dystopian future of 2091. Telling the story through eye popping art and conscious lyrics, Williams sets out to do something different.

“Being away for so long was like… I wanted to … make my own splash and set myself apart.” Williams wanted “more freedom to tell more of a story than just music, and this comic thing fell into my lap. So I just started writing,” he says. “I wrote a whole story, kind of like a mini-book, and then I essentially set out my intentions and I was like, ‘I’m going to find a black manga artist.’ You know, like Afro Samurai and The Boondocks.” After some research, Williams discovered an artist from Virginia named EndOfDaysOnMars. The two went back and forth on the project until the story was developed into a comic book. “The music and the energy of the music and the lyrics are inspired by [the story] and vice versa.”

After coming back into the fray with something massively ambitious, Williams’ return isn’t without worry. He left the rap game behind as a young man and in now back in the ring as a father. Wisened by the years, Williams’ is not the same man he was making music under the Kai Sky Walker moniker. 

“It was definitely an anxiety filled, pressure filled feeling. I always likened it to playing sports or something. You get injured and you’re like, ‘Oh I haven’t played for a long time. Am I going to be the same?’” the artist reminisces. “I wanted to do it right this time. I just didn’t want to waste my opportunity to be able to share my art and doing it for the right reasons instead of just doing it to blow up or get famous or whatever cliche reason you have in your head when you’re younger, you know?”

Overcoming the initial fear of getting back into the scene has morphed into relief, thanks to powering through the comic book and putting it into the world. “I grew a little bit and now my perspective has changed. At first I was tentative, but once I got back into the studio by myself for a couple weeks in a row I kind of got the rhythm back. Now I feel like I’m better than I was because I have life experience, I’m more patient and dedicated.” Being a dad has changed the way Williams approaches his work. “With having kids, it’s like, this is my night to go to the studio. I can’t not be inspired that night. No matter what, I have to draw the inspiration to create.”

Through Massiah’s sprawling, high-concept sci-fi adventure, Williams wants to tell the personal story of how he flourished from his younger self to the man he is today.

“I used to regret who I was when I was younger but, at the same time, I was reacting to my surroundings and the obstacles of my life.” I don’t regret it anymore, but now I’ve learned from it and I’m stronger, you know?” Williams says. “I want to show that progression with the comic as I do new stories while developing that character and showing that growth.”