Kevin Gates is an American rapper, musician, and entrepreneur who goes by the stage name Kevin Jerome Gilyard. He is best known for his blockbuster studio album ‘Islah,’ which was published in 2016, as well as his mixtapes ‘Stranger than Fiction,’ and ‘By Any Means.’ He is one of America’s most successful contemporary vocalists, having released multiple hit singles and mixtapes over his career. Gates rose to prominence in the late 2000s, alongside rappers Webster Gradney, better known as Webbie, and Torrence Hatch, better known as Boosie Badazz, after signing to the local label Dead Game Records. In 2007, the trio released their first mixtape, ‘Pack of Da Litter.’ ‘All or Nuthin’ was released in 2008. Gates is well recognized for his compositions that contain autobiographical themes. After the publication of his debut studio album, ‘Islah,’ he became quite well-known. His influences include well-known performers such as Eminem and Jay-Z. Along with his musical brilliance, Gates has a darker side, having spent time in and out of prison on several occasions. He sparked outrage in 2015 when he kicked a female fan during a theatrical performance. He is currently serving a 30-month sentence in prison.
Career of Kevin Gates
Kevin Gates began his career in 2005, when he joined with the local label Dead Game Records. Torrence Hatch (now known professionally as Boosie Badazz) and Webster Gradney Jr. hooked up with him (also known now as Webbie.) In 2007, the three collaborated on the mixtape ‘Pack of Da Littler.’ ‘All or Nuthin,’ their second mixtape, was released in 2008. Gates, though, had a run-in with the law not long after, and he was sentenced to more than two years in prison. During this time, he attended a prison education program and received a Master’s degree in psychology. He was released early due to his exemplary behavior. He began working on his songs as soon as he was released from prison. He had a moderate amount of success with his mixtape “Make Em Believe.”
He released the mixtape ‘By Any Means’ in 2014. It was distributed by Atlantic Records and issued by his Bread Winners’ Association label. On the Billboard 200, it debuted at number 17. It featured the smash singles “Don’t Know,” “Posed to be in Love,” and “Amnesia,” and sold 17,000 copies in the United States. The majority of the feedback was good.
He released ‘Luka Brasi 2′ in December of the same year, which was another financially successful mixtape. It was issued by Bread Winners’ Association, his independent record company, and Atlantic Records. It debuted at number 38 on the US Billboard 200 and sold over 83,000 copies in the US within 10 months.
‘Murder for Hire 2’ in 2016 was another hit mixtape among the several he produced over the years. It was a major hit, debuting at number two on the Billboard 200 and selling 20,000 copies in its first week. ‘The Prayer,’ ‘Great Example,’ and ‘Click Mouse’ were among the songs included.
‘Islah,’ his first studio album, was released in January 2016. The album became a great hit thanks to popular singles including ‘2 Phones,’ ‘Time for That,’ and ‘Really Really.’ It debuted at #2 on the Billboard 200 and sold 93,000 copies in its first week in the United States. It was also ranked 16th on the Canadian Albums Chart.
Personal Experiences of Kevin Gates
Kevin Gates was born on February 5, 1986, in New Orleans, Louisiana, as Kevin Jerome Gilyard. His family moved to Baton Rouge shortly after his birth, where he grew up. He had a passion for music since he was a child, and he began rapping at the age of 14.
In 2015, he married Dreka Haynes, his longtime lover. Khaza and Islah, the couple’s son and daughter, are the couple’s only children. In 2016, the pair converted to Islam and performed hajj in Mecca.
Throughout the years, he has been embroiled in a number of disputes. He received a lot of bad press after admitting to having a sexual relationship with his cousin and for kicking a woman in the chest during a show in 2015. He is currently serving a 30-month prison sentence as of June 2017.
Estimated Net Worth
Kevin Gates is a rapper and musician from the United States and has a net worth of $1 million. Kevin Gates has risen to notoriety as a solo artist after releasing his debut album after partnering with a number of well-known performers over the years. Kevin Gates’ talents were showcased on the album, which included deep, meaningful lyrics that addressed issues such as sadness and poverty. He also frequently raps on his prison experiences, having been arrested numerous times for various offences.