Ken Carson is 26 years old, has a No. 1 album to his name, and has never drank alcohol.
The Atlanta rapper made the shocking revelation during his new Complex cover story interview, telling Jordan Rose, “I never had a drink at all.”
In the full written cover story, Carson expanded on his reasoning, saying, "That kill a lot, you feel me? I ain't trying to be in no club. I'm chilling. I'll never be drunk,” he said.
Carson's sobriety is one part of a wider portrait of an artist who operates largely on his own terms, separate from what may be considered the “norm” in hip-hop.
He estimates he releases only about 7% of the music he records, and he’s equally sparse when it comes to his social media presence. "You wouldn't want us to be posting on Instagram all day. That's not working," he said. "You can take all the money and music away right now. I feel like I found my way. Doubt? I don't feel like I got an inch of doubt."
Carson’s next project, Cartunez, arrives on Aug 7. A collaborative album with Destroy Lonely is also in progress, described as roughly half-finished.
Beyond music, Carson has launched an exclusive WWE capsule collection featuring shirts honoring Stone Cold Steve Austin, the Undertaker, Rhea Ripley, John Cena, and Danhausen, among others — available now at the Complex Shop. He is also headlining ComplexCon 2026 alongside Playboi Carti.