Aiden John Rustin, known to many as AJ, lost himself in the rhythm of his own making. Stretching his arms toward the amplifier, a gentle smile tugged at his lips, a quiet acknowledgment of the music’s power to speak what words could not. It was around 10 p.m at The Kitchen KW studio as the scene unfolded.
“The location that we’re at, they don’t let us make noise until 5:30 p.m.,” he said as he turned the volume higher.
On the wall of his cozy studio, lit by warm LED lights, hangs a special billboard plaque from American rapper, OMB Peezy. It was a gift to AJ from his producer friend, Jamal Abdul aka Abdul Keyz, who worked on the billboard song. The plaque is a sign of success and a way to celebrate Abdul’s contribution.
The colour of the plaque blending with the studio, this modest space is AJ’s sanctuary, a place where his dreams meet the pulse of the community he loves. The rhythm of his music was as much a reflection of his inner world as it was of the city that had nurtured him.
Born in Kitchener, AJ, 24, had a childhood that was a blend of beauty and struggle, a patchwork quilt woven with both triumphs and challenges.
“Growing up in Kitchener, it was good,” he recalled, but the simplicity of the sentence doesn’t quite capture the duality of his upbringing.
As a young boy, his mother noticed his growing isolation due to struggles with anxiety, depression, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). She insisted on enrolling him in music lessons, at the age of 12.
AJ’s world shifted when he discovered the piano. It was an instrument that would become his first real companion, one that listened without judgment.
The piano didn’t just offer a way to escape; it gave him a language for his emotions, one that words had failed to provide. The more AJ played, the more he realized that music had a way of personifying life. It could wail with despair, hum with hope, or roar with triumph.
By the time high school rolled around, he had joined bands and by the time he turned 20, he had recorded his first song.
During his hip-hop event in March 2024, attended by 150 community members, including his co-founder, Estebon Ayala-Meza (aka Premo), AJ realized that hip-hop music wasn’t just his passion; it was his purpose.
“We come from a community that likes to listen to rap, but there wasn’t anybody that’s putting the city on the map for rap music,” said Premo, reflecting on the shared vision that brought him and AJ together.
From this revelation emerged The Kitchen KW, a name that the two founders chose with intention. With that kind of name, the studio isn’t just a place where music is made, its where raw ingredients are transformed into masterpieces, each track seasoned with their passion and dedication to serve their community.
Like a pot full of flavours, The Kitchen KW has recorded and promoted local artists, hosted events and workshops, and brought new life to spaces that were often overlooked in the city.
“AJ and I have a very close relationship with our community alone, that kind of tells a lot about how we are trying to influence our community” Premo said.
AJ and Premo also went corporate by registering an official business name, The Kitchen Music Inc., which acts as the main company overseeing everything they do.
“We’re growing a team of people skilled in different areas, people working on marketing, graphic design, content, A&R (artists and repertoire). We are covering all the bases,” AJ said while pointing at each member of the team seated in the studio.
By becoming a music producer and focusing on behind-the-scenes roles that generate steady income, AJ has found a balance that eases his parents’ worries while still allowing him to follow his passion.
“My parents have given, you know, positive and negative feedback,” he shared, reflecting on their cautious yet supportive stance when he expressed the desire to make music a career.
“They want me to do well in life,” he explained, acknowledging their concerns. “Sometimes music can be very difficult to make money if you’re not like a tradesperson.”
Ironically, while music spoke to AJ’s soul, psychology appealed to his mind. His personal experiences with mental health ignited a desire to help others navigate their own inner battles.
“I went through a lot of therapy, I took medication and stuff,” AJ shared. “When I overcame a lot of the struggles, I wanted to help other people.”
He enrolled at the University of Waterloo to study psychology, but even as he poured over textbooks, his heart often wandered back to his piano.
By day, he was a diligent student, absorbing the theories of cognitive behaviour and research. By night, he transformed into a music producer, composing beats that pulsed with raw emotion.
“I would say psychology is the intellectual interest that I have. Music is more of my passion,” he said.
After graduation, AJ worked at different places, helping people with special needs.
“I even worked at the Canadian Mental Health Association,” AJ shared, his voice carrying the pride of someone who completed a life mission.
Looking to the future, AJ dreams of expanding the studio, making their business a record label, and hoping to help more people with special needs.
“I’m doing my masters in spiritual care and psychotherapy at Laurier University,” he said.
As the night deepens at The Kitchen KW studio, AJ’s fingers return to the piano, the melody now swelling with hope.
From a boy struggling with mental health to a man making a difference in his community through music and helping people with special needs, his story is still unfolding, as he works on a legacy that will endure long after the last note fades.
