Jeffrey Mark Alexander (born November 29, 1997), known professionally as 22Gz ( ), is an American rapper credited as a pioneer of the

Brooklyn drill Brooklyn drill is a regional subgenre of drill music, centered in Brooklyn, New York City, New York, that began as derivative of the drill music scene in Chicago and later became derivative of UK drill with its 808 percussion and sliding notes by ...

scene. 22Gz released his first major mixtape, ''The Blixky Tape'', through

Atlantic Records Atlantic Recording Corporation (simply known as Atlantic Records) is an American record label founded in October 1947 by Ahmet Ertegun and Herb Abramson. Over its first 20 years of operation, Atlantic earned a reputation as one of the most i ...

in 2019.

Early life

Jeffrey Alexander was born on November 29, 1997 in the East New York section of Brooklyn, New York. He was raised in the Flatbush section of Brooklyn. His father died before he was born. He started his entertainment career on the

New York City Subway The New York City Subway is a rapid transit system owned by the government of New York City and leased to the New York City Transit Authority, an affiliate agency of the state-run Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). Opened on October 2 ...

performing

showtime Showtime or Show Time may refer to: Film * ''Showtime'' (film), a 2002 American action/comedy film * ''Showtime'' (video), a 1995 live concert video by Blur Television Networks and channels * Showtime Networks, a division of Paramount Global w ...

dance routines. He is of Guyanese descent.

Musical career

After releasing the singles "Blixky" and "Suburban" in 2016, 22Gz gained a following from his YouTube videos. "Suburban", produced by London based

drill A drill is a tool used for making round holes or driving fasteners. It is fitted with a bit, either a drill or driverchuck. Hand-operated types are dramatically decreasing in popularity and cordless battery-powered ones proliferating due to ...

producer AXL Beats, was regarded as one of the first major Brooklyn drill songs to become popular. 22Gz gained attention, leading him to signing with Atlantic in 2018 and his label A&R helping him getting noticed by Kodak Black One of his first songs released on the label, "Spin the Block", was a collaboration track with Kodak Black. 22Gz released his first mixtape with Atlantic, ''The Blixky Tape'', in July 2019. His follow-up mixtape ''Growth & Development'' was released on April 10, 2020, and was co-produced by London-based drill producer Ghosty. Torsten Ingvaldsen of ''Hypebeast'' praised the mixtape, stating, 22Gz has "riotous energy, bringing forth aggressive lyrics and militant deliveries that continue to sculpt out his fast-paced rise".

Legal controversies

In 2014, he was charged with conspiracy to commit murder, however the charges were dropped. 22Gz spent five months in jail in 2017 on second-degree murder charges related to a shooting in Miami, however these were later dropped. 22Gz recorded a Facebook Live video from an NYPD holding cell in 2018. In 2019, Alexander, along with four other New York rappers including Casanova, Pop Smoke, Sheff G, and Don Q, were removed from the Rolling Loud concert. NYPD cited "a higher risk of violence" if the artists were to perform. He has beefed with the "Woo's" Including Rappers Like Pop Smoke and Fivio Foreign. On June 12, 2022, 22Gz was arrested in New York City on attempted murder charges over a March shooting in which three people were injured. He was released on $500,000 bail four days later.

Discography

Mixtapes

Extended plays

Singles

As lead artist

As featured artist

Guest appearances

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:22Gz 1997 births Living people 21st-century American rappers 21st-century American singers 21st-century American male singers African-American male rappers American people of Guyanese descent Atlantic Records artists Drill musicians Gangsta rappers East Coast hip hop musicians People from Flatbush, Brooklyn Rappers from Brooklyn 21st-century African-American musicians