Tyga Biography

 Tyga is an American rapper best known for being signed by Lil Wayne's Young Money Entertainment and having dated reality star Kylie Jenner.

Synopsis

 In August 2016, Tyga told Harper's Bazaar magazine that he longed for the days in the early 2000s when you "didn't hear anything" about a star's personal life. As having dated Kylie Jenner, youngest scion of the Kardashian dynasty, he has not enjoyed that luxury. His life in music has also been punctuated by highs and lows — though there has rarely been a dull moment. Early success as a rock-and-pop influenced rapper saw him release his debut album in 2008, before joining Lil Wayne's Young Money Entertainment label. More success followed, including high-profile collaborations with Rick Ross, Chris Brown and others, before he was let go from Young Money. He has recently signed to Kanye West’s GOOD Music imprint, kick-starting another chapter in an exciting and unpredictable life.

Tyga’s Take-Off

 Tyga was born Michael Ray Stevenson on November 19, 1989, in Compton, California, although his Vietnamese and Jamaican parents moved him to Gardena, California around the turn of the millennium. Inspired by listening to Fabolous, Eminem, Cam'ron and other rappers, he entered rap contests with friends from school and often posted songs that he made up in online chat rooms. His cousin, Travis McCoy, was a member of Gym Class Heroes and exposed him to a lot of music. He would eventually tour with the group, all the while making underground mixtapes. McCoy got Tyga his first record deal, sharing his music with Pete Wentz of Fall Out Boy, who told MTV News: “I liked Tyga’s voice a lot and his flow. I couldn’t believe he was related to Travis, because Travis is pretty geeky.” Wentz signed him to Bat Squad records, part of his Decaydance label, and executive produced Tyga’s first album in 2008, No Introduction.

Making That Young Money

 Three singles were released from that album, and while they received little critical or commercial attention, a remix of one, "Coconut Juice" featured a guest verse from Lil’ Wayne, who was looking to sign him to Young Money Entertainment. It would take Tyga – an acronym for Thank You God Always – four years to release his first studio album for the label, but a number of mixtapes and singles kept him in the public eye and raised his profile. He collaborated with Chris Brown on the single "Deuces," which would reach No. 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2010. It would go on to receive a Grammy nomination, while an official remix featured stars Andre 3000, Drake, Kanye West, T.I and more.

Big Music Collaborations, Falling Sales

 The transformation of Tyga’s style was complete by the time of the release of his Young Money debut album, Careless World: Rise of the Last King in 2012. Its initial impact was dulled by its inclusion of an uncleared sample of Martin Luther King Jr.’s "I Have a Dream" speech, which meant many retail stores couldn’t stock it until it was reissued with the snippet removed. Sales were strong, however, the album debuting at No. 4 on the US Billboard 200; featured guests included T-Pain, Pharrell, Nas, Robin Thicke and J Cole.

 His third album, Hotel California, was released on April 9, 2013, and leaned heavily on features from Wiz Khalifa, The Game, 2 Chainz and Lil Wayne. Sales were weak compared to his previous album, while critical reaction was mixed – Spin’s Jeff Weiss called it, “the least creative major-label rap album in recent memory.” Relations with Young Money soured shortly afterwards with his third album for the label, The Gold Album: 18th Dynasty, held in limbo. Tyga tweeted in October 2014, “Gold album been done. My label holding me hostage so I can’t release nothing.” He’d go on to release the album himself digitally in June 2015. A duet with Justin Bieber, "Wait for a Minute," did not make the final cut due to Young Money owning the song, and the mixtape/album received middling reviews and weak online sales.

Tyga & Kylie Jenner, Signing on With GOOD Music

 Tyga has a son, King Cairo Stevenson, with a former video performer, Blac Chyna (she’d appeared in the video for his "Rack City" single). King Cairo was born in October 2012 and while the couple got engaged the same year, they split in 2014. Tyga began dating reality TV star Kylie Jenner, but their on-and-off again relationship ended in April 2017. Jenner is the sister-in-law of Kanye West, whose GOOD Music label signed Tyga in the fall of 2016. Only time will tell whether or not he’ll make another rise to the top. As Forbes’ Gary Suarez wrote about the signing recently, “teaming with West is perhaps the only way to salvage a damaged music career.”

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2012	Mac & Devin Go to High School	Student
2015	Dope	De'Andre
2016	Barbershop: The Next Cut	Yummy
2016	Boo! A Madea Halloween	Rap Artist
2017	Going Under	Salvatore Lopez

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2018	Scream	Jamal	Main role; (Season 3)

Awards and nominations

Year	Awards	Category	Recipient	Result
2011	Grammy Awards	Best Rap/Sung Collaboration	"Deuces" (with Chris Brown and Kevin McCall)	Nominated
	BET Awards	Best Collaboration
2012	BET Awards	Best Collaboration	"The Motto" (with Drake and Lil Wayne)
		Coca-Cola Viewers' Choice
	BET Hip Hop Awards	Reese's Perfect Combo Award
		Best Club Banger
	MuchMusic Video Awards	MuchVIBE Hip-Hop Video of the Year		Won
	MTV Europe Music Awards	Best US Act	Himself	Nominated
	American Music Awards	Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Artist
2014	World Music Awards	World's Best Male Artist
		World's Best Live Act
		World's Best Entertainer of the Year
		World's Best Song	"Bubble Butt" (with Major Lazer, Bruno Mars and Mystic)
		World's Best Video
		World's Best Song	"Wait for a Minute" (with Justin Bieber)
		World's Best Video
		World's Best Album	Hotel California
		World's Best Song	"Loyal" (with Chris Brown and Lil Wayne)
		World's Best Video

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BIOGRAPHY OF JAY Z

                     BIOGRAPHY OF JAY Z

Jay-Z Biography

Who is Jay-Z?

 Born Shawn Corey Carter in New York City on December 4, 1969, Jay-Z grew up in Brooklyn's drug-infested Marcy Projects. He used rap as an escape, appearing for the first time on Yo! MTV Raps in 1989. After selling millions of records with his Roc-a-Fella label, Jay-Z created his own clothing line and founded an entertainment company. He wed popular singer and actress Beyoncé in 2008.

Early Life

 Rapper Jay-Z was born Shawn Corey Carter on December 4, 1969, in Brooklyn, New York. "He was the last of my four children," Jay-Z's mother, Gloria Carter, later recalled, "the only one who didn't give me any pain when I gave birth to him, and that's how I knew he was a special child." His father, Adnes Reeves, left the family when Jay-Z was only 11 years old. The young rapper was raised by his mother in Brooklyn's drug-infested Marcy Projects.

 During a rough adolescence, detailed in many of his autobiographical songs, Shawn Carter dealt drugs and flirted with gun violence. He attended multiple high schools, including George Westinghouse Career and Technical Education High School in downtown Brooklyn, where he was a classmate of the soon-to-be-martyred rap legend Notorious B.I.G. As Jay-Z later recalled in one of his songs ("December 4th"): "I went to school, got good grades, could behave when I wanted/But I had demons deep inside that would raise when confronted."

Rise to Hop-Hop Fame

 Carter turned to rap at a young age as an escape from the drugs, violence and poverty that surrounded him in the Marcy Projects. In 1989, he joined the rapper Jaz-O—an older performer who served as a kind of mentor—to record a song called "The Originators," which won the pair an appearance on an episode of Yo! MTV Raps. It was at this point that Shawn Carter embraced the nickname Jay-Z, which was simultaneously an homage to Jaz-O, a play on Carter's childhood nickname of "Jazzy" and a reference to the J/Z subway station near his Brooklyn home.

 Even with a stage name, Jay-Z remained relatively anonymous until he and two friends, Damon Dash and Kareem Burke, founded their own record label, Roc-a-Fella Records, in 1996. In June of that year, Jay-Z released his debut album, Reasonable Doubt. Although the record only reached No. 23 on the Billboard 200, it is now considered a classic hip-hop album, including songs such as "Can't Knock the Hustle," featuring Mary J. Blige, and "Brooklyn's Finest," a collaboration with Notorious B.I.G. Reasonable Doubt established Jay-Z as an emerging star in hip-hop.

 Two years later, Jay-Z achieved even broader success with the 1998 album Vol. 2 ... Hard Knock Life. The title track, which famously sampled its chorus from the Broadway musical Annie, became Jay-Z's most popular single to date. He scored a Grammy win for Vol. 2 and another nomination for "Hard Knock Life," marking the beginning of a fruitful period in which Jay-Z would become the biggest name in hip-hop.

During those years, the rapper released a slew of No. 1 albums and hit singles. His most popular songs from this period include "Big Pimpin'," "I Just Wanna Love U," "Izzo (H.O.V.A.)" and "03 Bonnie & Clyde," a duet with future bride Beyoncé Knowles. Jay-Z's most acclaimed album of this period was The Blueprint (2001), which would later pop up on several music critics' lists of the best albums of the decade.

 In 2003, Jay-Z shocked the hip-hop world by releasing The Black Album and announcing that it would be his last solo record before retirement. Asked to explain his sudden exit from rap, Jay-Z said that he once derived inspiration from trying to outshine other great MCs, but had simply gotten bored due to a lack of competition. "The game ain't hot," he said. "I love when someone makes a hot album and then you've got to make a hot album. I love that. But it ain't hot."  

Rap Comeback

 In 2006, Jay-Z ended his retirement from making music, releasing the new album Kingdom Come. He soon released two more albums: American Gangster in 2007 and Blueprint 3 in 2009. This trio of albums marked a significant departure from Jay-Z's earlier sound, incorporating stronger rock and soul influences in their production and offering lyrics that tackled such mature subjects as the response to Hurricane Katrina, Barack Obama's 2008 election and the perils of fame and fortune. Jay-Z noted he was trying to adapt his music to befit his own middle age. "There's not a lot of people who have come of age in rap because it's only 30 years old," he said. "As more people come of age, hopefully the topics get broader and then the audience will stay around longer."

 Jay-Z next teamed up with former Roc-A-Fella protégé Kanye West for 2011's Watch the Throne. The album proved to be a triple hit, topping the rap, R&B and pop charts shortly after its August release. It went on to garner multiple Grammy nominations, winning the Grammy for Best Rap Performance with "Otis," which sampled the late R&B singer Otis Redding.

In July 2013, Jay-Z unveiled his 12th studio album, Magna Carta Holy Grail. The effort earned a mixed reception from critics but otherwise fared well with fans, going on to top the Billboard 200 and achieve double-platinum status. That winter Jay-Z earned a whopping nine Grammy nominations, sharing the win for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration with Justin Timberlake for the hit single "Holy Grail."

Rocawear & Tidal 

 During his hiatus from rapping, Jay-Z turned his attention to the business side of music, becoming president of Def Jam Recordings. As president of Def Jam, Jay-Z signed such popular acts as Rihanna and Ne-Yo, and helped Kanye West's transition from producer to best-selling recording artist. But his reign at the venerable hip-hop label wasn't all smooth sailing; Jay-Z resigned as Def Jam's president in 2007, complaining about the company's resistance to change from ineffectual business models. "You have record executives who've been sitting in their office for 20 years because of one act," he lamented.

 In 2008, Jay-Z signed a $150 million contract with the concert promotion company Live Nation. This super deal created a joint venture called Roc Nation, an entertainment company that handles nearly all aspects of its artists' careers. Along with Jay-Z, Roc Nation signed such top artists as Rihanna, Shakira and T.I., among many others, to its roster.

Jay-Z's other business ventures include the popular urban clothing line Rocawear and Roc-a-Fella Films. He also owns the 40/40 Club, an upscale sports bar that opened in New York City and later added venues in Atlantic City and Las Vegas (since closed), as well as Atlanta. 

A part-owner of the New Jersey Nets basketball team since 2004, Jay-Z helped spur the relocation of the franchise to a brand-new home in downtown Brooklyn, the Barclays Center, in 2012. In 2013 he launched a full-service sports management company, Roc Nation Sports, and sold his Brooklyn Nets shares in order to pursue certification as a sports agent. As Jay-Z once rapped about his business empire, "I'm not a businessman / I'm a business, man."

 The business of Jay-Z made headlines once again in March 2015, when he and several of his high-powered friends, including Madonna, Nicki Minaj and Jack White, announced the relaunch of Tidal, a streaming music service. The service gained a reasonable stream of followers — a touted 1 million in September 2015 — but also endured a revolving door of top management and legal issues. In early 2017, Jay-Z agreed to sell a 33 percent stake of Tidal to telecommunications giant Sprint.

'4:44'

 On June 15, 2017, Jay-Z became the first rapper to be inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. He tweeted about the honor: “I remember when rap was said to be a fad. We are now alongside some of the greatest writers in history.”

Later that month, on June 30, Jay-Z released his 13th solo album, 4:44, exclusively to Tidal and Sprint subscribers. It was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America less than a week after its release, solely based on download numbers. The highly personal album, which includes guest artists Beyoncé, Damian Marley and Frank Ocean, was an immediate commercial and critical success, praised for the rapper’s candid lyrics and a new level of artistic maturity.

In an interview which aired on iHeartMedia, Jay-Z called the title track, "4:44," "one of the best songs I've ever written." His lyrics appear to address the marital issues and infidelity his wife Beyoncé sang about in her confessional album Lemonade:

“I apologize, often womanize / Took for my child to be born / See through a woman’s eyes / Took for these natural twins to believe in miracles / Took me too long for this song / I don’t deserve you,” he says in the song, referring to the birth of their children.

 Other tracks include "Kill Jay-Z," which the rapper told iHeartMedia "is about killing off the ego," and "The Story of OJ," a comment on the culture of success. "'The Story of OJ' is really a song about we as a culture, having a plan, how we're gonna push this forward," he said in the iHeartMedia interview. "We all make money, and then we all lose money, as artists especially. But how, when you have some type of success, to transform that into something bigger."

When the list of the year's Grammy hopefuls was announced November, Jay-Z led the way with eight nominations for his work on 4:44.

Political and Charitable Work

 After staying out of the political arena for much of his career, Jay-Z emerged as a strong supporter of Barack Obama during his first campaign for president in 2008. He appeared at rallies and had only high praise for the African-American candidate. During one rally, Jay-Z told the crowd that "Rosa Parks sat so that Martin Luther King could walk. Martin Luther King walked so that Obama could run. Obama's running so we all can fly."

Jay-Z once again backed Obama for his 2012 reelection bid. That same year, he stepped forward as a supporter of gay marriage. As he told CNN, denying same-sex couples the right to wed "is no different than discriminating against blacks. It's discrimination plain and simple."

 In October 2015, Jay-Z held his first annual charity concert called Tidal X: 10/20, starring Beyoncé, Nicki Minaj, Lil Wayne, Usher and other top-selling artists. The following February, it was announced that Tidal was donating $1.5 million from concert proceeds to numerous organizations, including Black Lives Matter and Sankofa, a nonprofit started by Harry Belafonte.

Personal Life

 Very protective of his private life, Jay-Z did not publicly discuss his relationship with longtime girlfriend, popular singer and actress Beyoncé, for years. The couple even managed to keep the press away from their small wedding, which was held on April 4, 2008, in New York City. Only about 40 people attended the celebration at Jay-Z's penthouse apartment, including actress Gwyneth Paltrow and former Destiny's Child members Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams.

Jay-Z and Beyoncé welcomed their first child, a daughter named Blue Ivy Carter, on January 7, 2012. Concerned about their privacy and safety, Jay-Z and Beyoncé rented part of New York's Lenox Hill Hospital and hired extra guards.

 Shortly after the birth of his daughter, Jay-Z released a song in her honor on his site. On "Glory," he expressed his joy of becoming a father and revealed that Beyoncé had previously suffered a miscarriage. Jay-Z and Beyoncé also posted a message along with the song, saying "we are in heaven" and Blue's birth "was the best experience of both of our lives."

In February 2017, Beyoncé announced on Instagram that she and Jay-Z were expecting twins. "We would like to share our love and happiness. We have been blessed two times over. We are incredibly grateful that our family will be growing by two, and we thank you for your well wishes. The Carters, " she posted.

 Jay-Z and Beyoncé welcomed twins, a boy and a girl, in June 2017. Although the couple didn't immediately confirm the twins' birth or their names, People magazine reported that they had filed trademark documents at the United States Patent and Trademark Office for the names Sir and Rumi. In the early morning hours of July 14, Beyoncé made it official, posting a photo in which she holds their 1-month-old twins.

In an article published by T: The New York Times Style Magazine in November 2017, Jay-Z opened up about his marital problems, acknowledged his infidelity and discussed how he and his wife were able to rediscover their bond through therapy.

"I grew so much from the experience," he said. “But I think the most important thing I got is that everything is connected. Every emotion is connected and it comes from somewhere. And just being aware of it. Being aware of it in everyday life puts you at such a … you’re at such an advantage."  

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DJ KHALED HISTORY

                     DJ KHALED HISTORY

Who Is DJ Khaled?

 Originally known as Arab Attack, DJ Khaled is a record producer, radio personality and DJ who has produced 10 studio albums of his own since 2006, the latest being Grateful (2017), which has spawned his first no. 1 single "I'm the One." As a music producer, he's collaborated with artists such as Lil Wayne, Jay-Z, Mariah Carey, Beyoncé, Justin Bieber, Kanye and Nicki Minaj. As a Louisiana native, he became president of Def Jam Records South in 2009 and also co-founded the record label We the Best Music Group.  

Born and Raised in Louisiana

 Born as Khaled Mohamed Khaled on November 26, 1975 in New Orleans, Louisiana, DJ Khaled was exposed to music at a young age. His Palestinian parents were musicians who encouraged their son's love for rap and soul music. He has a brother, Alec Ledd (Alla Khaled), who is an actor. 

How DJ Khaled Became Famous

 Khaled began working in record stores, helping artists like Lil Wayne and Birdman in their music careers before they made it big. After jumping into the DJ circuit, Khaled moved to Miami in 1998 where he began working in radio, co-hosting with Luther Campbell of 2 Live Crew on The Luke Show on WEDR "99 Jamz." A few years later he snagged his own weeknight radio show at the station. Throughout his career, he has gone through many monikers: Arab Attack, Terror Squadian, Beat Novacane, Big Dog Pitbull and Mr. Miami, to name a few. As a music producer, he's worked on rap and hip-hop albums like True Story by Terror Squad, Real Talk by Fabolous, and All or Nothing by Fat Joe .

From 'Listennn... the Album' to No. 1's 'Major Key' and 'Grateful'

 In 2006 Khaled released his debut album entitled Listennn... the Album, which successfully reached no. 12 on the Billboard 200 charts. A year later he also received attention for the release of his sophomore album We the Best, which featured chart topping singles like "I'm So Hood" and "We Takin Over," collaborating with notable artists like Rick Ross, Akon, T.I., Fat Joe and Lil Wayne. Riding on a wave of success, Khaled launched his own record label, We the Best Music Group, and became president of Def Jam South in 2009. 

 In 2010 Khaled's single "All I Do I Win," featuring the likes of Ludacris and Snoop Dogg, went double platinum as he continued to work his magic collaborating with big stars and churning out albums, which include We the Best Forever (2011), Suffering from Success (2013), I Changed A Lot (2015) and Major Key (2016), which gave him his first no. 1 album in his career. In 2017 his tenth studio album, Grateful, became his second album to hit no. 1 and included his very first no. 1 single "I'm the One," featuring Justin Bieber and rappers Quavo, Chance the Rapper, and Lil Wayne. 

Snapchat Turns Khaled into a 'Living Meme'

Khaled's larger-than-life personality has made him an Internet sensation. In 2015-2016 his Snapchat videos went viral via a YouTube channel, in which he discusses how to achieve success. 

Other Ventures

 2016 was a big year for Khaled. He not only became a father to a son with fianceé Nicole Tuck, but he also authored the book The Keys and became a spokesperson for Ciroc. In October 2017 Khaled and Demi Lovato announced plans to go on tour together, and he also recently signed on to be one of four judges, which includes P. Diddy (aka 'Brother Love') in the upcoming Fox reality-singing competition called The Four, which is slated for January 2018.

How DJ Khaled revived his career and captured the pop charts on the strength of his marketing

 In October 2015, DJ Khaled's eighth album, "I Changed a Lot," debuted at No. 12 on the Billboard album chart, moving an unremarkable 19,000 copies in its first week.

It was the lowest-selling album of Khaled's career.

The LP's tepid performance suggested that the once-ubiquitous Miami DJ — who boasted several platinum-selling hip-hop posse cuts ("We Takin' Over," "All I Do Is Win," "I'm on One") between 2007 and 2011 — had steadily lost his tastemaker's touch in popular culture. 

Everything changed in December 2015, when Khaled got lost on a jet ski in the Atlantic Ocean and took to Snapchat to document his journey to safety. Khaled's footage of the event went viral, and he became a Snapchat phenomenon.

 Now, with over six million followers on Snapchat, Khaled's daily presence on the app and other social media has proven to be a colossally rejuvenating marketing tool for the 41-year-old producer.

In July 2016, buoyed by his millions of new followers and revived visibility, Khaled rode a wave of popularity to his first number-one album, "Major Key."

On the strength of his biggest single to date, "I'm the One," his new tenth album "Grateful" (out this Friday) is looking like it will be the blockbuster event of his career.

He has turned Snapchat and social media into a powerful marketing force.

 By rapidly accumulating over 15 million followers across Snapchat, Twitter, and Instagram, DJ Khaled has been able to resurrect a career that appeared somewhat lifeless just two years ago. 

Deemed the "King of Snapchat" by Coca-Cola Senior VP for Content Emmanuel Seuge, Khaled has used the app to share self-help advice dotted with his many catchphrases ("Major Key," "We the Best," "Bless Up"), promote various consumer products, and tease behind-the-scenes studio updates.

"Being authentic always wins," Khaled told CNBC last week of his social-media presence. "When people see somebody that is just real, they love it. It ain't no act. It ain't no fake."

He's gone after the biggest names in the industry with "persistence."

 Since he released his first album "Listennn..." in 2006, Khaled has routinely attracted hip-hop stars like Lil Wayne, Kanye West, and Drake. But to get the upper-upper-echelon artists — namely JAY-Z, Beyoncé, and Rihanna — he's had to put in years of effort and networking.

I spoke to Khaled briefly last year and asked him to elaborate on how he bought a condo and stayed in New York for a year just to get a verse from JAY-Z on his 2015 single "They Don't Love You No More."

"Yeah. I stayed in New York for a year to pull that off. Persistence and passion and dedication," he told Business Insider of the effort. "It's something I wanted to do for myself and the culture and the fans. It's JAY-Z. All his verses are forever."

Jay would go on to feature with rapper Future on Khaled's 2016 single "I Got the Keys" and with his wife, Beyoncé, on Khaled's 2017 single "Shining."

He's moved away from making traditional hip-hop and forged inventive pop hits.

 Lil Wayne, Justin Bieber, Quavo, Chance the Rapper, and DJ Khaled (L-R) in 2017's "I'm the One" video 

Known for most of his career for facilitating conventional hip-hop group tracks, Khaled has moved more toward the mainstream this year by assembling a diverse collection of artists for innovative pop singles that sound like nothing he's made before. 

Khaled's single "I'm the One," featuring Chance the Rapper, Lil Wayne, Quavo, and Justin Bieber, became his first ever No. 1 single in May.

His most recent single "Wild Thoughts" pairs him with pop superstar Rihanna for the first time ever and features R&B singer Bryson Tiller and a guitar sample from Carlos Santana.

He had a son and made the kid a human meme.

 The two album covers for "Grateful," Khaled's new album.We The Best

Khaled turned heads and raised eyebrows in October 2016 when he took to Snapchat to document the entire birth of his first son, Asahd.

In the following months — in yet another genius, though slightly concerning, marketing ploy — Khaled has essentially turned Asahd into a human meme.

His infant son frequently appears on all of Khaled's social-media accounts, and each of Khaled's 2017 singles has featured Asahd in various adorable poses in the artwork.

The two album covers for Khaled's new album "Grateful" find Asahd — the "executive producer" of the album — sitting in a gold chair and lounging in a hot tub. 

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DESIIGNER BIOGRAPHY

             DESIIGNER BIOGRAPHY

Quick Facts About desiigner 

Also Known As: Sidney Royel Selby III, Designer Royel

Famous As: Rapper

Nationality: American

Birth Date: May 3, 1997

Age: 20 Years

Sun Sign: Taurus

Height: 1.93 M

Born In: Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn, New York

City, States, Provinces & Districts: New Yorkers

Net Worth: $ 5 Million As Of Jan 24, 2017

 Desiigner is the stage name of Sidney Royel Selby III, a talented American singer, songwriter, rapper, record producer, and actor, who achieved stardom with the launch of his first single “Panda” in 2016. The song ultimately went to top the charts on the US ‘Billboard Hot 100’. The acclaimed rapper Kayne West was very impressed when he listened to the song and signed up Desiigner for his recording label ‘Good’. He lent his voice for two distinct tracks included in ‘The Life of Pablo’ which was the 7th studio album of Kanye West. Thereafter Desiigner collaborated with rapper and colleague, Phresher and the duo came up with several tracks, prominent amongst them being “On the Low” and “Danny DeVito”. A close friend of Desiigner suggested him to repurpose a song he had heard on YouTube which was eventually superimposed with rap, pop, R&B and trap elements. The reworked track described Sidney’s fondness for BMW X6 which according to him resembled a panda. Desiigner remains occupied in the studio pad of Kanye for the better part of the day and is making the most out of his camaraderie with the iconic rapper. However, he maintains a strict upper-lip when it comes to elucidating on his forthcoming projects.

Career

•  
• In the initial phase of Sidney’s professional career, he recorded songs under the soubriquet ‘Dezolo’ and later on the epithet was altered to ‘Desiigner Royel’. However, when his sister recommended Sidney to retain only the ‘Desiigner’ component and do away with the ‘Royel’, he found the tweaking quite appealing and the new alias stuck. “Zombie Walk” became the first song to be launched under the new stage name; the song was launched on 3 December 2015.
• Designer made his commercial debut on December 15, 2015, with the single "Panda" on SoundCloud. The song was re-released in February 2016. In the same month, Desiigner inked a deal to record music under the label ‘GOOD Music’ owned and managed by Kanye West.
• Afterwards, he featured on a couple of tracks integrated in ‘The Life of Pablo’ which was Kanye’s 7th studio record. Thereafter, Desiigner gave a performance in the ‘South by Southwest’ music event. He revealed to Billboard in a talk that he’d soon be launching his mixtape trap named ‘Trap History Month’.
• On 24 May 2016, Desiigner made it known that he’d be naming his forthcoming first studio album ‘The Life of Designer’ which would be produced by Mike Dean who also worked with Kanye West. Desiigner also went to feature as a guest performer in the lead single of the upcoming album ‘Cruel Winter’ named “Champions”. The single was released in June 2016 under the aegis of Kanye West’s ‘Good Music’ recording label.
• Desiigner featured on the track along with Kanye and other rappers including Quavo, Travis Scott, 2 Chainz, Big Sean, and Gucci Mane. He debuted on television by crooning his first single “Panda” at the ‘BET Awards 2016’. He belted out a live performance of his debut mixtape LP ‘New English’ on 22 June 2016 and four days later, ‘Tide’—a recording label—put it up for sale.
• Desiigner has performed as a guest actor in ‘Bill Nye Saves the World’—a TV series produced by Netflix.

Controversies & Scandals

• 
  
•  Desiigner was arrested on 8 September 2016, in New York City for being in possession of controlled substances and firearms. As reported by a spokesperson of the NYPD (New York Police Department), Desiigner and his co-passengers travelling in a SUV had an altercation with a person driving a Cadillac Escalade. In the incident which occurred near the junction of 42nd Street and 9th Avenue, there was a heated verbal duel between Desiigner and the victim following which a gun was aimed at the complainant’s vehicle. Law enforcement officials from the NYPD subsequently comprehended Desiigner and three other passengers in the SUV after the victim dialed 911.
• 
  

Personal Life

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• Desiigner was born in Brooklyn, New York on 3rd May 1997. His family is of Barbadian descent. He spent his growing up years in the Bedford-Stuyvesant locality of Brooklyn and started singing from an early age, lending his voice in the school choir. He began composing music under the pseudonym ‘Dezolo’ when he was just 14 years old. Designer admits to have been hugely influenced by his paternal grandfather, Sidney Selby, who was a consummate blues musician and released several albums under the stage name ‘Guitar Crusher’.

• What is Desiigner's relationship with Kanye West?

  Desiigner is signed to Yeezy's GOOD Music label alongside Big Sean, Pusha T, 2 Chainz and more. The 'Panda' rapper was actually stood behind Kanye at the epic premiere of his 'TLOP' album at Madison Square Garden earlier this year. 

14 Facts You Need To Know About 'Panda' Rapper Desiigner

1. Where is Desiigner from?

 Despite sounding like a rapper from Atlanta, Desiigner is actually from Bed-Stuy, New York. The same neighbourhood as The Notorious BIG, Aaliyah and Chris Rock.

2.  What is Desiigner's real name?

 Desiigner's real name is actually Sidney Royel Selby III. He began rapping under the name Dezolo, before changing to Designer Royel. His sister then convinced him to drop the second half of the name. He added the double 'ii' for effect. 

 3. Desiigner tried to give 'Panda' to another rapper.

 According to the man himself - "I didn't know what to really put to it," he told Genius. "I wanted rhyme to it but I wanted to give it away." Luckily his manager convinced him to finish the track and the rest is history.

 4. Was 'Panda' Desiigner's first song?

 Contrary to popular belief, 'Panda' wasn't actually Desiigner's first song. The rapper recorded a number of tracks including 'Jackie Chan' and 'Zombie Walk' before his hit single went viral.

5. Desiigner got shot as a teenager.

 He told Genius: “I got hit [by a bullet] in my hip. I was in the hospital 10 minutes, 30 minutes — but it was just that moment that really said ‘Yo mind your business.’ When that happened to me, I knew I wasn’t supposed to be there. I always had a voice in my head that said don’t do the bad.” 

6. The video for 'Panda' has over 80 million views.

 Despite the video initially being a TIDAL exclusive, the YouTube video currently has over 80 million views! The official audio video, which was released first, has over 237 million views.

 7.Desiigner has never been to Atlanta.

 Despite famously rapping about his "broads in Atlanta" on 'Panda', Desiigner has actually never been to the US city. He claims the line was inspired by a girl he met on Facebook who was from Atlanta, although he never went there himself. 

8. He was involved an 11-label bidding war.

"All of them was going nuts," he told Genius. "Some of them gave it to me and others were like lets see how 'Panda' does.... They lost!"

9. There are rumours that Desiigner is dating Lil Kim.

 After their performance at the 2016 BET Awards, she posted on Instagram: "I luh him. Your performance was so dope! I I'm so proud of you baby! So much fun when we're together!! He's a real one." Are the pair more than friends? 

10.  Desiigner is often compared to Future.

 Due to their familiar sound, Desiigner is often compared and critiqued alongside Atlanta rapper Future. Some fans claim that the New York rapper is stealing Future's style however Desiigner shrugs off the criticism: "God gave him a blessing, but he gave me a blessing too. He makes beautiful music," he told Complex.

11. His performances are show-stopping.

 Desiigner knows how to put on a show. From throwing up mid-dab, to picking up a disabled person during a performance, his shows are not to be missed. He calls his energetic moves his "funk"

12. Desiigner keeps breaking records.

 Desiigner is the first New York rapper since Jay Z to reach number one in the Billboard Charts. Hov previously had the accolade with 2009's 'Empire State Of Mind' featuring Alicia Keys.

13. What is Desiigner's first project called?

 Desiigner has only dropped one project so far called 'New English'. The 14-track mixtape, which features 'Panda', is filled with traps hits. Interestingly, the tape only features Pusha T.

14. When is Desiigner's debut album dropping?

His debut album 'The Life Of Desiigner' doesn't currently have a release date, although the project is expected to drop before the end of the year. Expect features from Kanye West and the rest of his GOOD Music label mates.

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