In 1989, aged 16, Kwamé released his debut album, Kwamé the Boy Genius featuring a New Beginning, which he also produced with the aid of Hurby "Luv Bug" Azor. The 'A New Beginning' of the title refers to his backing band, which was unusual amongst emcees of the time. The album spawned the singles "The Man We All Know and Love" and "The Rhythm." The accompanying music videos featured a polka-dot motif in the costumes and production design. This was to become Kwamé's trademark and a hip hop fashion trend