KEVIN GATES
BATON ROUGE BAD BOY
When Rapper Kevin Gates said, “I Don’t Get Tired” it was an understatement. Baton Rouge, Louisiana native Kevin Gates grew up like many in poverty, drug invested neighborhoods and in a single parent household. Surrounded by drugs, gangs, money and guns it was an all too familiar scene on a daily basis for Kevin. Growing up was never easy for the rapper who didn’t meet his biological father until he was in
junior high school. Kevin’s mother married his step-father and is the oldest of three children who lived in a household where his siblings were treated better than him. When the love fell short at home he had one very special person to turn too. Gates grandfather always gave young Kevin words of wisdom that would keep him on the road less traveled in his neighborhood. Kevin decided to build an in home studio, record a mixtape and get his buzz up as a local artist in Louisiana. His mixtape created plenty of notoriety in his hood and surrounding areas. Kevin Gates music career was born.
However, about a year later Gates lost his Grandfather and due to the frustration and anger Gates spiraled out of control. Gates took to the street life by any means. Once having a positive role model to turn too, Kevin now looked to the dealers and self- destruction to deal with the pain. Between getting shot in the leg and several arrest the Emcee maintained his music and generated a bigger buzz for himself. Louisiana embraced a new artist during a time when the rest of the world was nodding their heads to Cash Money.
Yet once again street life would catch up to Gates. In 2009, the rapper was incarcerated on drugs and firearm charges were he wasn’t released until 2011. Once released from jail Gates was offered to sign with his mentor Birdman of Cash Money and declined. While many speculated there was bad blood between the two Gates made it clear there wasn’t he just wanted more creative control of his career and would not be able to do so joining the Cash Money Camp .Instead Gates signed a partnership-deal with Atlantic Records that allowed him creative freedom to build from the ground up. To date Gates has a plethora of mixtapes flooding the internet and all social media outlets. Although Gates doesn’t have a Major Record Deal ,Gates has been known to make major moves with some mainstream artist such as French Montana, Rich Homie Quan, Dej Loaf and new comer August Alsina
One thing that can’t be denied is Gates always sparks hip hop heads with controversy and topics that keep us listening, questioning, and thinking. In 2014, Gates stunned the hip hop world when he admitted he has had and will continue to have sexual encounters with his cousin. Gates stated, “ I didn’t find out she was my cousin until my grandmother told me by that time we were already 3 months in why should I ruin a good thing”. This was a shock to many because such things are taboo and realistically speaking illegal. One things for certain if you are watching a Kevin Gates interview be rest assured a good laugh and some knowledge about how the Emcee lives his life. Gates speaks on subjects from music politics to eating the booty, to him and his life partner (his wife) on having threesomes. Surprisingly these interviews on taboo topics have not hindered his fans from supporting his movement .Gates is a very controversial, intelligent, no holds barred artist who on occasion you can catch ranting on Twitter and keeping his fans intrigued on Instagram. Don’t get it twisted Gates isn’t all about street life he also has a Masters in Psychology that he obtained while incarcerated. From pushing drugs to pushing Cd’s Gates didn’t ever for see anything but fame in his future. With his music now the product Gates continues to push and market himself by any means necessary and doesn’t plan on getting tired anytime in the near future.
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