Who’s a little bit Drake and a little bit Gucci? That would be Kevin Gates, a (relative) newcomer to the rap scene. The Baton-Rouge native is in his thirties, but he didn’t put out his first mixtape until 2007. If you’ve never heard it, his gangsta-rap style that has reflective Drake-style lyrics is the perfect music to put on when you’re in a “get it done” mood, but you don’t want to scare your coworkers. He’s been on the scene less than ten years, but he already has multiple hits on the charts, proving that he’s a rap force to be reckoned with.

Early Life

Kevin Jerome Gilyard was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the same state which Lil Wayne hails from. Though he didn’t know Wayne, he was still influenced by his music and his lifestyle. His teens were spent listening to rap music and occasionally getting in mild trouble with the law. He figured out he wanted to rap in his twenties and began working on his skills, putting out his first mixtape in 2007. That mixtape was called the Pick of da Litter and was the first of many.

From Mixtapes to Major Label Success

It wasn’t until he released The Luca Brasi Story mixtape that he got national attention, and once he got it, success came quickly. Within months he was getting offers to work with established rappers and got signed with Atlantic Records. He put out Stranger Than Fiction soon after, and it made it in the top 50 of the album charts. With that, Gates was on his way.