In two months, Desiigner has gone from virtual unknown, just another anonymous rapper looking to gain any sort of foothold, to internet sensation. His breakout hit "Panda" has garnered 3.7 million plays on SoundCloud. It has earned him a record deal with G.O.O.D. Music and two appearances on Kanye West's The Life of Pablo.
But who is Desiigner, exactly? And what will be written in his next chapter? His debut mixtape Trap History Month is supposed to coincide with Black History Month, which ends in a few days... be on the look out for that dropping soon and click through the galleries to learn more about the 18-year-old emcee's rapid rise to prominence.
Panda... Panda, Panda, Panda, Panda.
He's from Brooklyn
Desiigner grew up in Bed-Stuy, the same neighborhood that spawned Biggie Smalls, Mos Def, Fabolous, Jay Z, Aaliyah, Chris Rock... something is in the water.
Desiigner sang in the school choir and at church. He started rapping when he was 14, the same age he got shot. The first song he ever recorded was called "Jackie Chan." The chorus goes: "I'm choppin' the bricks like I'm Jackie Chan."
It took him a year and a half to finish "Panda"
One day, while playing Grand Theft Auto, Desiigner realized that the white BMW X6 looked an awful lot like a panda. In an interview with XXL, he explained that he laid down the foundation for the hook during a music/chill session at his house, working off the Joker-inspired beat his friend bought online from British producer Menace for $200. He had the complete hook down a week later.
Desiigner had a reputation amongst his friends as "the hook guy," and he initially planned to sell the hook to an established rapper before his manager encouraged him to expand it into a complete song -- a process that would take a year and a half.
He was talking to labels months before "Panda" dropped
Desiigner met with Cash Money in August, four months before he released "Panda." On December 21, a week after "Panda" dropped, Pusha T told Sway in the Morning that he had deals in place with two new artists. In other words, it's possible that G.O.O.D. Music was the invisible force that orchestrated the viral sensation that "Panda" would soon become. As we recently learned, not all these viral hits are organic.
Was spotted in the passenger seat of Kanye West's vehicle at LAX in late January; Ebro tweeted (and quickly deleted) a congrats to Desiigner for signing to G.O.O.D. Music a week before Kanye made the official announcement at the TLOP Madison Square Garden premiere, on February 11th.
"I had my mom with me, my little sister out there in L.A., we was having fun," said Desiigner of signing to G.O.O.D. Music. "It was a great opportunity. My mom seen me sign that paper and it gave her the biggest smile of her life. I never forget that face. That opportunity for anybody that listening to this is great, definitely work hard and try to get there."
.@LifeOfDesiigner spotted with @kanyewest during an ambush from @TMZ: pic.twitter.com/c2xfchB30A
He's never been to ATL, doesn't mind the constant Future comparisons
"I got broads in Atlanta," Desiigner raps on the "Panda" hook. "Twisting dope, lean, and the Fanta." Contrary to what this line would have you believe, he has never been to Atlanta in his life. But surely, he will pay the city a visit soon. Perhaps the line was a prophecy?
Desiigner's deep, mumbly voice belies his lanky 6’5” frame and goofy demeanor. He was initially mistaken for Future when Kanye West premiered "Father Stretch My Hands Pt. 2," and the comparisons have dogged him ever since. But being called a Future knock-off doesn't seem to bother Desiigner. “It is what it is," he told ThisIs50. “We don’t really care about what the next man think... that’s how I talk.”
In an interview with XXL a few weeks later, Desiigner gave a more pointed response to "the Future question," implying that Future is merely a minor influence and promising that his next batch of music will prove the haters wrong.
"I smile at that, I blush at that, but I have no hard feelings for the dude Future," he said. "He does his thing. Actually, I like some of his songs. I think he’s a great artist and I ain’t going to ever turn him down. Just know I have plenty of more music. That’s all I got to say for the people who say I sound like him. Keep tuning in."
He is a dance machine
It is difficult to feel oneself as hard as Desiigner feels himself when he is performing. When he performs, his lanky 6'5" frame is constantly in motion -- gesticulating wildly, his arms a blur, like a drunk General Grievous furiously hitting his dab. Even his facial expression is constantly in flux. His signature move may be his Milly Rock -- absolutely devastating.
How does Desiigner describe his dancing style? “It ain't got no name, but I call it my funk," he told XXL. "It’s all with the mind. Whatever I think is creative, I just do it."
Desiigner stay turnt pic.twitter.com/9rxzJof86N
