Kansas Day is a reminder that our state’s story is still being written — and sometimes, it’s best told through music. One of our favorite Kansas Day traditions comes from a 2023 release that gave the state song, Home on the Range, a fresh and unmistakably Kansas voice.
That year, Kansas Tourism commissioned Wichita-based rapper XV to create a hip-hop reinterpretation of the song as part of a Kansas Day celebration. The result was a modern take that honored the spirit of the original while reflecting what Kansas looks and sounds like today.
XV — born Donovan Johnson — is no stranger to blending authenticity with evolution. As we reported in 2023, the artist stepped away from music in 2017 after years of national touring and industry pressure, choosing instead to focus on family, personal growth, and redefining success on his own terms. His return wasn’t about chasing charts. It was about creating work that felt honest and meaningful.
That mindset shows up clearly in his version of “Home on the Range.”
Rather than radically reinventing the song, XV treats it with respect — grounding it in rhythm and lyricism that feel contemporary without losing its sense of place. The accompanying video makes that connection even stronger. Wichita viewers will immediately recognize familiar streets, settings, and everyday scenes woven throughout. These aren’t abstract symbols of Kansas — they’re real places people live, work, and pass through every day.
That local recognition matters.
The song doesn’t feel like Kansas from the outside looking in. It feels like Kansas speaking for itself.
For us at The Community Voice, that’s why this rendition stands out — and why we’re committed to sharing it every Kansas Day. It captures something essential about who we are as a state: rooted in tradition, shaped by community, and always evolving.
Kansas Day isn’t just about history. It’s about identity. And XV’s take on “Home on the Range” reminds us that our state song still has room to grow — just like Kansas itself.
