Vince Staples

Born on July 2nd, 1993, Vincent Staples is an American singer, actor, songwriter, and actor who also happens to be a crucial part of the hip hop trio, Cutthroat Boyz. Known for rapping alongside fellow Californian rappers Joey Fatts and Aston Matthews, Staples was also close to Mike G, Odd Future, and Earl Sweatshirt. As of now, he is signed to Blacksmith Record and Motown.

Originally from California, Staples spent most years of his life in North Long Beach. Interestingly, his mother’s decision to move away from Compton was based on high crime rates in the area. He grew up among four other siblings and lived a poverty-stricken life for the most part. However, he describes his years studying in the Optimal Christian Academy as a positive experience.

He first rose to fame by appearing on Odd Future’s albums and his mixtape called Stolen Youth. His debut EP in 2014 consisted of two singles, “Blue Suede” and “Hands Up.” A year later, he released his debut album called Summertime’ 06, which received enormous critical acclaim.

Interestingly, Vincent Staples has been very vocal about his involvement with gangs when he was growing up. Moreover, he has also used the experience to educate his community’s youth about the dangers of this lifestyle. However, Staples saw a fair share of the good and the bad in his surroundings and did not let anything stop him from progressing into who he is today. As a child, he loved playing sports whenever he got the chance to play and also participated in a football league organized by none other than Snoop Dog.

Once during a YouTube interview with Sean Evans, he also recalled playing against some of the strongest men on the football field. He further stated, “Snoop did it well. From getting our names on the jerseys to getting the best helmets and cleats, he did it all.”

However, Vincent Staples did not emerge as an artist randomly. He was first discovered by Chuck Wun and Dijon Samo, who took Staples on a trip to LA. This is where he became friends with the members of Odd Future. After making a few guest appearances on some of their songs, Staples decided to pursue a career in rapping. Following the release of his first mixtape in December 2011, he released another collaborative one with Michael Uzowuru in less than a year.

Ever since then, he’s been the face of Sprite campaigns and has an upcoming Netflix show. He also released his latest project “Vince Staples” in 2021, the self-titled album is a 22-minute blast of fun but heavy thoughts about life in the trenches.