Biography
Who is YG?
Early life and real name
Keenon Dequan Ray Jackson was born on March 9, 1990, in Compton, California. He spent his childhood in Paramount, California, attending Craig Williams Elementary School in Lakewood. Later, he attended Paramount High School and Mayfair High School in Bellflower.
The rapper represents the 400 block of West Spruce Street in Compton. This specific location inspired his 4hunnid tag, his clothing brand, and the name of his record label. He joined the Tree Top Piru Bloods in 2006 at the age of 16.
How YG became famous
His music career began with the release of the 4Fingaz mixtape in 2008. He followed this with The Real 4Fingaz in 2009. This project included the single Toot It and Boot It, which reached number 67 on the Billboard Hot 100 and earned a platinum certification from the RIAA.
In 2009, he signed a contract with Def Jam Recordings. He later entered a joint venture with CTE World, the label owned by the rapper Jeezy, in 2013. During this period, he also formed the Pu$haz Ink label and group alongside DJ Mustard.
Career highlights and albums
His debut studio album, My Krazy Life, arrived in 2014 and reached number two on the Billboard 200. This era featured the single My Nigga, which peaked at number 19 on the Billboard Hot 100. He also appeared on the Jeremih track Don't Tell 'Em, which reached number six on the Hot 100.
YG released several successful studio albums including Still Brazy in 2016 and Stay Dangerous in 2018. His 2018 single Big Bank, featuring Nicki Minaj, 2 Chainz, and Big Sean, reached number 16 on the Billboard Hot 100. Other well-known albums include 4Real 4Real in 2019 and My Life 4Hunnid in 2020.
Controversy and social impact
In 2014, he released the song Meet the Flockers, which faced accusations of racism toward the Chinese American community. Critics noted lyrics regarding home invasions in Chinese neighborhoods. While YouTube acknowledged the lyrics violated hate speech policies, the platform declined to remove the song for artistic reasons.
YG has also engaged with social issues through his music. He released the protest track FTP (Fuck the Police) following the death of George Floyd. He also performed the song Fight the Power with Public Enemy at the 2020 BET Awards.
Birthday and age
YG was born on March 9, 1990, which makes YG 36 years old today. That birthday falls under the Pisces sign. YG shares the date with 64 other famous people.
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