Keenon Dequan Ray Jackson (born March 9, 1990),
better known by his stage name YG (short for Young Gangsta), is an American rapper from
Compton, California
Compton is a city in southern Los Angeles County, California, United States, situated south of downtown Los Angeles. Compton is one of the oldest cities in the county and, on May 11, 1888, was the eighth city in Los Angeles County to incorporate. ...
. In 2010, he released his debut single, "
Toot It and Boot It" (featuring
Ty Dolla Sign), which peaked at number 67 on the
''Billboard'' Hot 100. The single's success resulted in his signing to
Def Jam Recordings
Def Jam Recordings (also simply known as Def Jam) is an American multinational record label owned by Universal Music Group. It is based in Manhattan, New York City, specializing predominantly in hip hop, contemporary R&B, soul and pop.
The ...
. In the following years, YG released mixtapes such as ''The Real 4Fingaz, Just Re'd Up,'' ''Just Re'd Up 2'', ''4 Hunnid Degreez,'' among others.
In June 2013, YG signed an additional deal with
Young Jeezy's imprint
CTE World
CTE World (or Corporate Thugz Entertainment also relaunched on October 14, 2022 as CTE New World) is an American record label founded by American rapper Jeezy & his former manager Demetrius “Kinky B” Ellerbee. In December 2012, Young Jeezy ...
. His 2013 single, "
My Nigga" (featuring Jeezy and
Rich Homie Quan
Dequantes Lamar (born October 4, 1989), known professionally as Rich Homie Quan, is an American rapper. He was previously signed to labels T.I.G. Entertainment and Motown, and is an independent artist as of 2021. Quan experienced commercial succ ...
), peaked at number 19 on the US
''Billboard'' Hot 100. He then released the singles "
Left, Right" (featuring
DJ Mustard) and "
Who Do You Love?" (featuring
Drake
Drake may refer to:
Animals
* A male duck
People and fictional characters
* Drake (surname), a list of people and fictional characters with the family name
* Drake (given name), a list of people and fictional characters with the given name ...
), leading up to the release of his debut studio album in 2014. The album, ''
My Krazy Life,'' was released in March of that year by Pu$haz Ink, CTE World and Def Jam, and receiving commercial success and critical acclaim. Later in 2014, he was featured on his highest-charting single to date, "
Don't Tell 'Em", with American singer
Jeremih, peaking at number 6 on the Hot 100. In 2016, he released his second album, ''
Still Brazy,'' to further acclaim.
In 2018, he released his third studio album, ''
Stay Dangerous'', to generally positive reviews. It included the single, "
Big Bank
"Big Bank" is a song recorded by American rapper YG featuring 2 Chainz, Big Sean and Nicki Minaj. Produced by DJ Mustard, it was released on May 25, 2018, as the second single from YG's third studio album, '' Stay Dangerous'' (2018).
Chart perf ...
" (featuring
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, ...
,
Big Sean
Sean Michael Leonard Anderson (born March 25, 1988), known professionally as Big Sean, is an American rapper. Anderson began his music career in 2007 and gained popularity in 2010 with his third mixtape '' Finally Famous Vol. 3: Big''. He then s ...
and
Nicki Minaj
Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty (; born December 8, 1982), known professionally as Nicki Minaj ( ), is a Trinidadian-born rapper based in the United States. She is known for her musical versatility, animated flow in her rapping, alter egos and accents. ...
)—his highest charting solo single peaking at number 16 on the
''Billboard'' Hot 100. His fourth studio album, ''
4Real 4Real'', was released in 2019 in memory of deceased rapper and close colleague
Nipsey Hussle
Airmiess Joseph Asghedom (August 15, 1985 – March 31, 2019), known professionally as Nipsey Hussle (often stylized as Nipsey Hu$$le), was an American rapper, entrepreneur, and activist. Emerging from the West Coast hip hop scene in the mid ...
. His fifth and sixth studio albums, ''
My Life 4Hunnid'' (2020) and ''
I Got Issues'' (2022) followed thereafter.
Early life
Keenon Dequan Ray Jackson was born on March 9, 1990, in
Compton, California
Compton is a city in southern Los Angeles County, California, United States, situated south of downtown Los Angeles. Compton is one of the oldest cities in the county and, on May 11, 1888, was the eighth city in Los Angeles County to incorporate. ...
.
His stage name "YG" stands for "Young Gangsta." YG joined 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 ...
gang in 2006 at age 16.
His father served time in jail for tax fraud.
Career
2012–2014: Signing with CTE World and ''My Krazy Life''
In 2012, he announced his debut album, then titled “I'm 4rm Bompton”. Later in June 2013, he revealed that Jeezy's record label
CTE World
CTE World (or Corporate Thugz Entertainment also relaunched on October 14, 2022 as CTE New World) is an American record label founded by American rapper Jeezy & his former manager Demetrius “Kinky B” Ellerbee. In December 2012, Young Jeezy ...
would release the album. He was then featured on
Yo Gotti's "
Act Right" also featuring Jeezy. It would peak at number 100 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. He was then prominently featured on the CTE World mixtape, ''
Boss Yo Life Up Gang'' in August 2013.
On September 4, 2013, YG revealed that his debut album would be released on November 19, 2013, via
Def Jam Recordings
Def Jam Recordings (also simply known as Def Jam) is an American multinational record label owned by Universal Music Group. It is based in Manhattan, New York City, specializing predominantly in hip hop, contemporary R&B, soul and pop.
The ...
and that he has changed the album title to ''
My Krazy Life''. He also revealed that
Drake
Drake may refer to:
Animals
* A male duck
People and fictional characters
* Drake (surname), a list of people and fictional characters with the family name
* Drake (given name), a list of people and fictional characters with the given name ...
would be featured on a song titled "Who Do You Love?", produced by DJ Mustard. Shortly thereafter he released the album's
lead single
A lead single (also known as a debut single) is the first single to be released from a studio album by an artist or a band, usually before the album itself is released and also occasionally on the same day of the album's release date.
Release s ...
"
My Nigga" featuring
Rich Homie Quan
Dequantes Lamar (born October 4, 1989), known professionally as Rich Homie Quan, is an American rapper. He was previously signed to labels T.I.G. Entertainment and Motown, and is an independent artist as of 2021. Quan experienced commercial succ ...
and Jeezy, also produced by DJ Mustard.
The song has since peaked at number 19 on the US
''Billboard'' Hot 100.
On December 10, 2013, YG released the DJ Mustard-produced "
Left, Right" as the album's second single. The following day, Def Jam announced that ''My Krazy Life'' would be released on March 18, 2014 and that "
Who Do You Love?" featuring Drake would be the album's next single. On February 18, 2014, YG revealed the cover artwork for his debut album ''My Krazy Life''. The artwork features YG posing for a mugshot, with his name and album title detailed in the placard around his neck. It was released on March 18, 2014.
2015–2019: ''Still Brazy'', ''Stay Dangerous'' and ''4Real 4Real''
On June 24, 2015, in an interview with ''
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 advertis ...
'', YG revealed that his second studio album would be called ''Still Krazy'' and it would be released in 2015 On July 15, 2015, YG teased the first single for the album, "Twist My Fingaz" on
Instagram
Instagram is a photo and video sharing social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. The app allows users to upload media that can be edited with filters and organized by hashtags and geographical tagging. Posts can ...
. The same day, YG released the single, "Cash Money" featuring
Krayzie Bone
Anthony Henderson (born June 17, 1973), better known as Krayzie Bone, is an American rapper, singer, producer, and entrepreneur. He is a member of the rap group Bone Thugs-n-Harmony.
Personal life
Henderson comes from a fourth generation famil ...
. The full version of "Twist My Fingaz" was released July 17, 2015. On December 12, 2015, he released the second single, titled "I Want a Benz" featuring rappers
Nipsey Hussle
Airmiess Joseph Asghedom (August 15, 1985 – March 31, 2019), known professionally as Nipsey Hussle (often stylized as Nipsey Hu$$le), was an American rapper, entrepreneur, and activist. Emerging from the West Coast hip hop scene in the mid ...
and
50 Cent
Curtis James Jackson III (born July 6, 1975), known professionally as 50 Cent, is an American rapper, actor, and businessman. Born in the South Jamaica neighborhood of Queens, Jackson began pursuing a musical career in 2000, when he produce ...
.
''
Still Brazy'' was released on June 17, 2016. The third single "
Why You Always Hatin?" premiered on OVO Sound Radio on May 21, 2016, featuring rappers
Drake
Drake may refer to:
Animals
* A male duck
People and fictional characters
* Drake (surname), a list of people and fictional characters with the family name
* Drake (given name), a list of people and fictional characters with the given name ...
and
Kamaiyah. On November 25, 2016, he digitally released the
Black Friday inspired ''Red Friday'', containing 8 new tracks.
YG announced through social media ''Just Re'd Up 3: Know Your Worth'' on December 17, 2016, and again on March 16, 2017. The project was to be executively produced DJ Mustard. It has yet to release, with no comment from YG or DJ Mustard.
On February 3, 2017, the song "
I Don't", by American singer and songwriter
Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey (; born March 27, 1969) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and record producer. Referred to as the " Songbird Supreme", she is noted for her five-octave vocal range, melismatic singing style and signature use of the wh ...
was released, featuring YG. Carey and YG performed "I Don't" live on ''
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
''Jimmy Kimmel Live!'' is an American late-night talk show, created and hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, broadcast on ABC. The nightly hour-long show debuted on January 26, 2003, at Hollywood Masonic Temple in Hollywood, California, as part of ABC's ...
'' on February 15, 2017. On March 24, 2017, a remix featuring
Remy Ma
Reminisce Mackie ( Smith; born May 30, 1980), known professionally as Remy Ma, is an American rapper. Discovered by Big Pun, she came to prominence for her work as a member of Fat Joe's group, Terror Squad. In 2006, she released her debut stud ...
and YG was released.
On February 19, 2018, YG announced his third studio album would be ''
Stay Dangerous'' on his Instagram page and would be released this summer. It was released in 2018.
On April 3, 2019, YG announced a "surprise album" titled ''
4Real 4Real'' via Twitter originally due for release on April 12, being delayed to May 24 due to the death of his close friend
Nipsey Hussle
Airmiess Joseph Asghedom (August 15, 1985 – March 31, 2019), known professionally as Nipsey Hussle (often stylized as Nipsey Hu$$le), was an American rapper, entrepreneur, and activist. Emerging from the West Coast hip hop scene in the mid ...
. It was released to positive reviews. The album includes the single "
Go Loko" and the diss track aimed at
6ix9ine, "
Stop Snitchin".
2020–present: ''My Life 4Hunnid'' and ''Kommunity Service''
As of 2020, YG has released a number of songs, including the protest track, "FTP (Fuck the Police)", with the video shot at a
Black Lives Matter
Black Lives Matter (abbreviated BLM) is a decentralized political and social movement that seeks to highlight racism, discrimination, and racial inequality experienced by black people. Its primary concerns are incidents of police brutali ...
protest in Hollywood, following the
murder of George Floyd
On , George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, was murdered in the U.S. city of Minneapolis by Derek Chauvin, a 44-year-old white police officer. Floyd had been arrested on suspicion of using a counterfeit $20 bill. Chauvin knelt on Floyd's n ...
. He also joined
Public Enemy
"Public enemy" is a term which was first widely used in the United States in the 1930s to describe individuals whose activities were seen as criminal and extremely damaging to society, though the phrase had been used for centuries to describe ...
, alongside
Nas,
Questlove
Ahmir Khalib Thompson (born January 20, 1971), known professionally as Questlove (stylized as ), is an American musician, record producer, disc jockey, filmmaker, music journalist, and actor. He is the drummer and joint frontman (with Black Thou ...
, and
Rapsody, among others, at the
2020 BET Awards for a performance of Public Enemy's classic track "
Fight the Power". On July 10, YG released the single "War", with a video where he is dressed as footballer
Colin Kaepernick
Colin Rand Kaepernick ( ; born November 3, 1987) is an American civil rights activist and football quarterback who is a free agent. He played six seasons for the San Francisco 49ers in the National Football League (NFL). In 2016, he knelt du ...
.
On September 15, 2020, YG took to his social media to announce his new album ''
My Life 4Hunnid'', which was released on October 2, 2020. The album was entirely recorded during the
COVID-19
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was identified in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. The disease quick ...
pandemic and was "highly influenced" by 2Pac. The same week, he released the single "Money Mouf", with
Saweetie
Diamonté Quiava Valentin Harper (born July 2, 1993), known professionally as Saweetie (), is an American rapper. After the release of her debut single " Icy Grl" in 2017, she was signed to her then-manager Max Gousse's record label Artistry W ...
and
Tyga
Michael Ray Nguyen-Stevenson[Micheal Ray Stevenson ...](_blank)
. On September 23, 2020, YG released the single, "Out on Bail", inspired by
2Pac
Tupac Amaru Shakur ( ; born Lesane Parish Crooks, June 16, 1971 – September 13, 1996), also known as 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper. He is widely considered one of the most influential rappers of all time. Shakur is among the b ...
's song of the same name.
On May 3, 2021, YG announced his first collaborative album, with
Sacramento
)
, image_map = Sacramento County California Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Sacramento Highlighted.svg
, mapsize = 250x200px
, map_caption = Location within Sacramento ...
rapper
Mozzy
Timothy Cornell Patterson (born June 24, 1987), known professionally as Mozzy, is an American rapper from Oak Park, Sacramento, California. He is signed with CMG, Interscope Records, Blackmarket Records.
He started rapping in 2004 under the ...
.
It was announced under the working title ''Perfect Timing'', but was later changed to ''Kommunity Service'' and released on May 21, 2021. The cover art serves as a tribute to late rapper
DMX and the film ''
Belly'', in which he starred in.
The album was supported by two singles: "Bompton to Oak Park" and "Perfect Timing" featuring
Blxst
Matthew Dean Burdette (born September 17, 1992), known professionally as Blxst (pronounced "blast"), is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer from Los Angeles, California. His record label Evgle partnered with Red Bull Reco ...
.
Other ventures
4Hunnid Records
When YG originally came up with the idea for a label (originally titled Pushaz Ink, stylized as Pu$haz Ink), he later attempted to co-found it with DJ Mustard and Ty Dolla $ign.
Originally the "label" was used as a promotional tool and a brand for YG and DJ Mustard's group of rap collaborators they had grown up with. But as they moved forward in laying the groundwork for the label and its roster, plans for the label were scrapped when their meeting with Capitol went south and the three artists decided to go their separate ways.
There were rumors throughout 2016 that YG would be launching a new label under the name 4Hunnid. They originally begun when YG released a fashion line prominently featuring the 4Hunnid logo. This was confirmed to be true on August 17, 2016, when Billboard magazine reported that YG signed a distribution deal for the label under the 4Hunnid name with
Interscope Records
Interscope Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group through its Interscope Geffen A&M imprint. Founded in late 1990 by Jimmy Iovine and Ted Field as a $20 million joint venture with Atlantic Records of Warner Mus ...
and
Empire Distribution
EMPIRE Distribution, Records and Publishing Inc. (marketed as EMPIRE) is an American distribution company and record label founded in by Ghazi Shami with offices in New York City, London, Nashville, and Atlanta. It has released albums in vari ...
.
Personal life
YG has two daughters from a previous relationship. YG is a member of the
Compton-based Westside Tree Top Piru gang.
On January 25, 2012, shots were fired during the filming of YG's music video "I'm a Thug". The police shut down and closed the set.
On June 12, 2015, YG was shot in the hip at a recording studio in
Studio City, California
Studio City is a neighborhood in the city of Los Angeles, California, in the southeast San Fernando Valley, just west of the Cahuenga Pass. It is named after the studio lot that was established in the area by film producer Mack Sennett in 1927, ...
, resulting in three separate wounds in his hip. Authorities said that YG was "very uncooperative" when asked about the incident. His manager later revealed that his injuries were not life-threatening and said he was "fine" and recovering. He returned to the studio the next day.
YG followed a
vegan
Veganism is the practice of abstaining from the use of animal product—particularly in diet—and an associated philosophy that rejects the commodity status of animals. An individual who follows the diet or philosophy is known as a vegan. ...
diet for about three months in 2016, citing health reasons.
On September 6, 2019, it was confirmed that he and singer
Kehlani
Kehlani Ashley Parrish (born April 24, 1995) is an American singer, songwriter, and dancer. Kehlani is originally from Oakland, California, and achieved initial fame as a member of the teen group Poplyfe in 2011.
In 2014, Kehlani released thei ...
were dating, but the relationship ended after he was caught
cheating
Cheating generally describes various actions designed to subvert rules in order to obtain unfair advantages. This includes acts of bribery, cronyism and nepotism in any situation where individuals are given preference using inappropriate crit ...
.
[
YG is a notable fan of the ]Los Angeles Rams
The Los Angeles Rams are a professional American football team based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Rams compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) West division. The Rams pla ...
NFL team, and was known to have befriended then-running back Todd Gurley. He was frequently spotted wearing a Rams home jersey in several video shoots and at several Rams’ home games, including one instance during the 2017 season against the Houston Texans
The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston. The Texans compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) South division, and play their home games at NRG ...
in which Rams’ receiver Robert Woods caught a touchdown and jumped onto the table in the back of the endzone to celebrate alongside YG.
On January 1, 2020, YG apologized for having made homophobic comments in the past.
Controversies
YG was the subject of media attention and protests in October 2016 when it was reported that he had advocated for the targeted robbery of Asian Americans
Asian Americans are Americans of Asian ancestry (including naturalized Americans who are immigrants from specific regions in Asia and descendants of such immigrants). Although this term had historically been used for all the indigenous peopl ...
in his music. YG's song "Meet the Flockers", from his 2014 debut album "My Krazy Life", was widely accused of racism against the Asian American community, especially Chinese Americans. In the song, YG raps "First, you find a house and scope it out / Find a Chinese neighborhood, cause they don't believe in bank accounts." Receiving little controversy when first released, the song drew renewed scrutiny in 2016 after an uptick in burglaries targeting Asian-Americans. YG has described "Meet the Flockers" as being representative of the culture he grew up in.
YG faced controversy on October 28, 2019, after kicking out 17-year-old fan, Austin Joyner, at his concert after the fan refused to curse out "Fuck Donald Trump
Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021.
Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of P ...
" on stage. Joyner was pushed by the rapper and called a racist
Racism is the belief that groups of humans possess different behavioral traits corresponding to inherited attributes and can be divided based on the superiority of one Race (human categorization), race over another. It may also mean prejudice, d ...
before being escorted off stage. Turning Point USA
Turning Point USA (TPUSA), or Turning Point, is an American nonprofit organization that advocates for conservative politics on high school, college, and university campuses. It was founded in 2012 by Charlie Kirk and Bill Montgomery. TPUSA's ...
interviewed the 17-year-old on February 23, 2020, revealing that he was celebrating his birthday with friends and that he was apolitical
Apoliticism is apathy or antipathy towards all political affiliations. A person may be described as apolitical if they are uninterested or uninvolved in politics. Being apolitical can also refer to situations in which people take an unbiased p ...
. After being kicked off stage he was advised by staff to leave due to "YG putting a target on isback". Afterwards, Joyner received attention online from social media
Social media are interactive media technologies that facilitate the creation and sharing of information, ideas, interests, and other forms of expression through virtual communities and networks. While challenges to the definition of ''social me ...
and news publications soon leading to hate comments.
YG was arrested on January 24, 2020 at his Southern California
Southern California (commonly shortened to SoCal) is a geographic and cultural region that generally comprises the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. It includes the Los Angeles metropolitan area, the second most populous urban ag ...
home on robbery
Robbery is the crime of taking or attempting to take anything of value by force, threat of force, or by use of fear. According to common law, robbery is defined as taking the property of another, with the intent to permanently deprive the perso ...
charges, and was held on $250,000 bail at the Men's Central Jail
Men's Central Jail is a Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department county jail for men in Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California, United States. Built in 1963, it is one of the oldest county jails in California. The Men's Central Jail is located ...
for arraignment
Arraignment is a formal reading of a criminal charging document in the presence of the defendant, to inform them of the charges against them. In response to arraignment, the accused is expected to enter a plea. Acceptable pleas vary among jurisd ...
on January 28, 2020. YG had been scheduled to perform on January 26, 2020, at the Grammy Awards
The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
.
Discography
;Studio albums
* '' My Krazy Life'' (2014)
* '' Still Brazy'' (2016)
* '' Stay Dangerous'' (2018)
* '' 4Real 4Real'' (2019)
* '' My Life 4Hunnid'' (2020)
* '' I Got Issues'' (2022)
;Collaborative albums
* '' Kommunity Service'' (with Mozzy
Timothy Cornell Patterson (born June 24, 1987), known professionally as Mozzy, is an American rapper from Oak Park, Sacramento, California. He is signed with CMG, Interscope Records, Blackmarket Records.
He started rapping in 2004 under the ...
) (2021)
Filmography
Tours
;Headlining
* Fuck Donald Trump Tour (2016)
* Stay Dangerous Tour (2019)
;Supporting
* Drake vs. Lil Wayne (2014)
* Forest Hills Drive Tour (2015)
* Endless Summer Tour (2016)
* The Damn Tour (2017)
* Legendary Nights Tour (2019)
Awards and nominations
References
External links
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Yg
1990 births
Living people
African-American businesspeople
African-American male rappers
African-American–Asian-American relations
American music industry executives
American shooting survivors
Businesspeople from Los Angeles
Def Jam Recordings artists
Gangsta rappers
West Coast hip hop musicians
Musicians from Compton, California
Rappers from Los Angeles
21st-century American rappers
21st-century American male musicians
Bloods
21st-century African-American musicians