Rayshawn Lamar Bennett (born February 16, 1991), known professionally as YFN Lucci, is an American rapper and singer from

Atlanta, Georgia Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...

. In 2014, he signed a record deal with Think It's A Game Entertainment and released his debut

mixtape A mixtape (alternatively mix-tape, mix tape or mixed tape) is a compilation of music, typically from multiple sources, recorded onto a medium. With origins in the 1980s, the term normally describes a homemade compilation of music onto a cassette ...

, ''Wish Me Well''. In 2016, he released his second mixtape, ''Wish Me Well 2'', which included the hit single " Key to the Streets" (featuring

Migos Migos () is an American hip hop trio from Lawrenceville, Georgia, founded in 2008. The group was originally composed of Southern rappers Quavo, Takeoff, and Offset. Quavo is from Athens, Georgia; Offset and Takeoff were born and raised in Law ...

and

Trouble Trouble may refer to: Film and television * ''Trouble'' (1922 film), an American silent comedy-drama film directed by Albert Austin * ''Trouble'' (1933 film), a British comedy film * ''Trouble'' (1977 film), a Soviet drama film * ''Trouble'' ...

). His debut

extended play An extended play record, usually referred to as an EP, is a musical recording that contains more tracks than a single but fewer than an album or LP record.

, ''Long Live Nut'', was released in 2017 and peaked at number 27 on the ''Billboard'' 200 chart. The EP's first single " Everyday We Lit" (featuring

PnB Rock Rakim Hasheem Allen (December 9, 1991 – September 12, 2022), better known by his stage name PnB Rock, was an American rapper and singer. He gained a large following in 2016 with his song "Selfish", which peaked at number 51 on the US ''Billbo ...

; produced by June James), has peaked at number 33 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and became his highest charting single to date. In 2018, Bennett released his debut studio album ''Ray Ray From Summerhill'' which peaked at number 14 on the ''Billboard'' 200. In May 2021, he was amongst 11 others charged in a RICO indictment.

Early life

Rayshawn Lamar Bennett was born in

. He grew up listening to Atlanta rappers such as T.I., and

Jeezy Jay Wayne Jenkins (born September 28, 1977), known by his stage name Jeezy (or Young Jeezy), is an American rapper. Signing to Def Jam Recordings in 2004, his major label debut, '' Let's Get It: Thug Motivation 101'', was released the followin ...

. He discovered his own musical talent at age 16 and was encouraged to take it seriously by rapper Johnny Cinco. Lucci's older brother is also a rapper, who goes by the name YFN KAY.

Career

2014–16: Beginnings and breakthrough

In December 2014, Lucci signed a record deal with Think It's A Game Entertainment and released his debut mixtape, ''Wish Me Well''. In February 2016, he released the ''Wish Me Well 2'' mixtape, which peaked at number 183 on the US ''Billboard'' 200 chart. The mixtape's hit single " Key to the Streets" featuring

and

, peaked at number 70 on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart. The official remix version of the song featured

2 Chainz Tauheed K. Epps (born September 12, 1977), known professionally as 2 Chainz (or Tity Boi), is an American rapper. Born and raised in College Park, Georgia, he initially gained recognition as one-half of the Southern hip hop duo Playaz Circle, al ...

Lil Wayne Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. (born September 27, 1982), known professionally as Lil Wayne, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record executive. His career began in 1995, at the age of 12, when he was signed by rapper Birdman (rapper), ...

and

Quavo Quavious Keyate Marshall (born April 2, 1991), known professionally as Quavo (), is an American rapper, singer, and actor. He is best known as the co-founder and former frontman of hip hop group Migos. Quavo is the uncle of late fellow Migos m ...

. "Key to the Streets" was included on '' XXL'' magazine's 50 Best Hip-Hop Songs of 2016 list and ''

Vibe ''Vibe'' is an American music and entertainment magazine founded by producers David Salzman and Quincy Jones. The publication predominantly features R&B and hip hop music artists, actors and other entertainers. After shutting down productio ...

'' magazine's The 60 Best Songs Of 2016 list. The mixtape's second single is "''YFN''" which was accompanied by a music video. A behind the scenes of "YFN" was filmed by StayOnGrindTV's Director ''LookImHD'' and released on ''Risinghype.com'', ''YouTube.com'' & ''WorldStarHipHop.com''. In September 2016, Lucci along with Migos,

21 Savage Shéyaa Bin Abraham-Joseph (born October 22, 1992), known professionally as 21 Savage, is a rapper based in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Born in London, he moved to Atlanta with his mother at age seven. He became known after releasing two m ...

Kap G George Ramirez (born July 31, 1994), better known by his stage name Kap G, is an Mexican-American rapper. He is best known for his song " Girlfriend", which peaked at number 10 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart. Early life George Ramirez wa ...

Young Dolph Adolph Robert Thornton Jr. (July 27, 1985 – November 17, 2021), better known by his stage name Young Dolph, was an American rapper. In 2016, he released his debut studio album, '' King of Memphis'', which peaked at number 49 on the ''Billboar ...

and

Zaytoven Xavier Lamar Dotson (born January 12, 1980), professionally known as Zaytoven, is an American trap music record producer, disc jockey, and keyboardist from Atlanta, Georgia. He has released collaborative projects with artists including Gucci Ma ...

was featured on the cover of ''Rolling Out'' magazine's "Hidden Hip-Hop Gems of Summer 16" issue. In October 2016, rapper

Meek Mill Robert Rihmeek Williams (born May 6, 1987), known professionally as Meek Mill, is an American rapper. Born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he embarked on his music career as a battle rapper, and later formed a short-lived rap group, ...

released the track "You Know" featuring Lucci, which peaked at number nine on the

Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles (also known as Bubbling Under the Hot 100) is a chart published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine in the United States. The chart lists the top songs that have not yet charted on the main ''Billboard'' Hot 100. Chart ...

chart and appeared on Mill's '' DC4'' mixtape. In December 2016, ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...

'' magazine included Lucci in its 10 Hip-Hop and R&B Artists to Watch In 2017 list.

2017–present: ''Long Live Nut'', ''Ray Ray From Summerhill''

In April 2017, Lucci released his debut

extended play An extended play record, usually referred to as an EP, is a musical recording that contains more tracks than a single but fewer than an album or LP record.

, ''Long Live Nut'', featuring

guest appearance In show business, a guest appearance is the participation of an outsider performer (such as a musician or actor) in an event such as a music record or concert, show, etc., when the performer does not belong to the regular band, cast, or other p ...

s from

Rick Ross William Leonard Roberts II (born January 28, 1976), known professionally as Rick Ross, is an American rapper. Prior to releasing his debut single, "Hustlin'", in 2006, Ross was the subject of a bidding war, receiving offers from Sean Combs, D ...

, Dreezy,

Lil Durk Durk Derrick Banks (born October 19, 1992), known professionally as Lil Durk, is an American rapper and singer. He is the lead member and founder of the collective and record label Only the Family (OTF). Durk garnered a cult following with the ...

Boosie Badazz Torence Ivy Hatch (born November 14, 1982), better known by his stage name Boosie BadAzz or simply Boosie (formerly Lil Boosie), is an American rapper. Hatch began rapping in the 1990s as a member of the hip hop collective Concentration Camp, ev ...

and YFN Trae Pound. The EP debuted at number 27 on the ''Billboard'' 200. The lead single from the project, " Everyday We Lit" featuring PnB Rock, has peaked at number 33 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. On March 9, 2018, Lucci released his first studio album entitled ''Ray Ray From Summerhill''. The album features

s from a plethora of acts such as frequent collaborators Dreezy,

and YFN Trae Pound. On February 14, 2020, Lucci released his single " Wet (She Got That...)", which received a remix featuring

Mulatto (, ) is a racial classification to refer to people of mixed African and European ancestry. Its use is considered outdated and offensive in several languages, including English and Dutch, whereas in languages such as Spanish and Portuguese is ...

on September 18, 2020. "Wet" served as the lead single from Lucci's mixtape ''Wish Me Well 3'', released in December 2020.

Personal life

In 2018 and 2020, Bennett was in a publicized

on-again, off-again relationship An on-again, off-again relationship (also known as an on–off or off–on relationship) is a form of personal relationship between two persons who keep breaking up only to reconcile afterwards, thus repeating a cycle. Researcher Kale Monk, an a ...

with the daughter of

, Reginae Carter. He fathers 4 children from two different mothers.

Other ventures

In 2017, Lucci along with artist

Jacquees Rodriquez Jacquees Broadnax (born April 15, 1994), better known as Jacquees (pronounced jah-kwees), is an American singer, songwriter, and rapper from Decatur, Georgia. In 2015, he signed a recording and management contract with Cash Money Reco ...

were chosen to star in

Sean John Sean John is a privately held fashion lifestyle company created by music mogul Sean Combs. The line made its fashion debut with a men's sportswear collection for the spring 1998 season. Individuals of note who have represented the brand in advert ...

's holiday 2017 and spring 2018 campaigns.

Legal issues

In early 2021, warrants for Bennett's arrest were issued in Atlanta, Georgia, charging him with a December 2020 shooting that left a 28-year-old man dead and another man wounded,

Atlanta Police Department The Atlanta Police Department (APD) is a law enforcement agency in the city of Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. The city shifted from its rural-based Marshal and Deputy Marshal model at the end of the 19th century. In 1873, the department was formed with 2 ...

(APD) told the press. In addition to being a suspect for the shooting, the APD have also charged Bennett with "aggravated assault and participation in criminal street gang activity." He was arrested on January 13, 2021, after turning himself in to police. Bennett was released on house arrest after posting a $500,000 bond on February 8, 2021. In May 2021, Bennett is among 12 people charged in a 105-count

RICO The Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act is a United States federal law that provides for extended criminal penalties and a civil cause of action for acts performed as part of an ongoing criminal organization. RICO was en ...

indictment. Bennett faced charges including racketeering, violating the state's anti-gang law, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. The

stated that Bennett was a member of a faction of the

Bloods The Bloods are a primarily African-American street gang founded in Los Angeles, California. The gang is widely known for its rivalry with the Crips. It is identified by the red color worn by its members and by particular gang symbols, includin ...

. An attorney for Bennett argued that the rapper was innocent of all charges against him. On June 1, 2021, a

Fulton County Fulton County is the name of eight counties in the United States of America. Most are named for Robert Fulton, inventor of the first practical steamboat: *Fulton County, Arkansas, named after Governor William Savin Fulton *Fulton County, Georgia *F ...

judge denied Bennett bond.

Artistry

Discussing how he developed his sing-song style in an interview with

Noisey ''Vice'' (stylized in all caps) is a Canadian-American magazine focused on lifestyle, arts, culture, and news/politics. Founded in 1994 in Montreal as an alternative punk magazine, the founders later launched the youth media company Vice Media, ...

, Lucci said; "Growing up, I always had this high-pitched voice. I couldn't ever sing, you feel me, but I had a little high-pitched voice when I talked loud. I used to listen to Ja Rule. I knew how to rap, and I used to write my verses. And if it don't sound right when I rap it, I sing it. And it'd sound better. I used to let all my friends hear it, and they were like, 'I like that.' I just ran with it. If I can't rap it, I sing it."

Discography

Studio Albums *''Ray Ray from Summerhill'' (2018) *''Wish Me Well 3'' (2020)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Lucci, YFN 1991 births American male rappers Living people Prisoners and detainees of Georgia (U.S. state) Rappers from Atlanta 21st-century American rappers 21st-century American male musicians Southern hip hop musicians African-American male rappers 21st-century African-American male singers African-American songwriters