Biography & Career Of Kevin Gates

2 years ago

Biography & Career Of Kevin Gates

Kevin Jerome Gilyard who is popularly known as Kevin Gates is an American singer, rapper and business man. He came to prominence for his debut studio album, Islah, while being signed to Bread Winners’ Association with a partnership with Atlantic records.

Kevin also boast of numerous mixtapes releases such as; By Any Means, Stranger By Fiction and so on.

He also has three albums to his credit which include; Islah, I’m Him and Khaza. The album “Islah” was described by Inverse as “Best Album of 2016 so far”.

Early Life

Kevin Gates was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States on February 5, 1986 to parents; mother from Puerto Rico and his father, an African American.

Gates is of mixed ethnicity; of Moroccan and Puerto Rican descent. He lost contact with his father at a very tender age but reconnected back with him as a teenager. His family relocated to New Orleans, Louisiana before they later settle down in Baton Rouge.

However, his father passed away when he was 14 years of age.

He went to Baton Rouge Community College for his high school education.

Career

Gates began music with much influences from music stars such as Nas, Eminem and Jay Z.

He started singing professionally in 2007 while being signed with Dead Game Records. He collaborated with Boosie Badazz and Webbie on his first mixtape, Pick of Da Litter which was released in 2007. They also released another mixtape All or Nuthin in 2008.

He went to the prison and came back with more music releases. He released the mixtape, Make ‘Em Believe in 2012. His talent also attracted Lil Wayne’s Young Money Entertainment record label. He was not signed to the record label but rather signed to the mangement wing of the label.

Gates released the mixtape, The Luca Brasi story through Bread Winners’ Association record label. He layer signed to Atlantic records and released his first major label mixtape, Stranger than fiction in July 2013 and on March 18, 2014, he came through with a star studded mixtape titled “By Any Means” while featuring the likes of 2 Chainz, Rico Love and Plies.

He continued to thrill with numerous releases. His single “I Don’t get tired” became his first song to make the US Billboard Hot 100 and his first song to be certified Gold.

He released the mixtape, Murder for Hire in May 2015 and followed up with the song “Kno One” in July 2015, which is said to be one of the track off his debut album, Islah.

Gates eventually released his debut studio album, Islah on January 29, 2016 with guest appearances from Ty Dolla Sign, Trey Songz, and Jamie Foxx. The album also had positive reviews with Inverse describing it as the “Best Album of 2016 So Far”.

He released the EP, Chained to the City in May 2018 and followed up with another extended project, Only the Generals Gon Understand, on May 31, 2019.

He released “Only the Generals, Pt. II” as his first project of 2021 and later came through with an album titled “Khaza”.