Kevin Gates

Kevin Gates demands attention not through spectacle, but through sheer persistence. Emerging from the rap underground with a series of hard-hitting mixtapes, he built a dedicated following on the strength of a singular voice—one that moves easily between melodic confession and brute-force street narrative. Hailing from New Orleans, Gates made his name by honoring the mixtape circuit as a primary creative format, releasing project after project before the industry fully caught up. Works like Stranger Than Fiction and By Any Means were not just stopgaps; they registered on the Billboard 200, proving that a regional grind could translate into national charts without forfeiting raw credibility.

His first official studio album, Islah, arrived in 2016, peaking at number two on the Billboard 200 and cementing him as a hybrid artist—equally at home with introspective singing and unfiltered raps. Rather than resting, Gates kept the pipeline open, following the deluxe version with Murder for Hire 2 and By Any Means 2, each release reinforcing his consistency.

Gates’ discography reads less like a linear evolution and more like a prolonged study in self-reliance. By the time I’m Him landed in 2019, he had already lived several careers within one. No reinvention, just a steady accumulation of emotional depth and street gravity.

Discography

• Drug Dealer Potential (2011)
• Stranger Than Fiction (2013)
• Luca Brasi Story (2013)
• Luca Brasi 2: Gangsta Grillz (2014)
• By Any Means (2014)
• Islah (Deluxe) (2016)
• Murder for Hire 2 (2016)
• By Any Means 2 (2017)
• Luca Brasi 3 (2018)
• I’m Him (2019)