Rexx Life Raj | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Faraji Omar Wright |
| Born | January 30, 1990 Berkeley, California, U.S. |
| Genres | Hip hop |
| Occupation(s) | Rapper, singer |
| Labels | Rexx Life/EMPIRE, Emoji Goats, Dead at 27 |
| Website | rexxliferaj |
Faraji Omar Wright, also known as Rexx Life Raj, is an American rapper and singer. He has released five albums, including the Father Figure trilogy, and four EPs.
Faraji Omar Wright grew up in Berkeley, California. His mother was in a gospel group called The Marshall Quartet with his aunts, uncle, and grandmother. His father was a Black Panther. In middle school, Wright began recording his own music, making the beats on a Casio keyboard and singing with a karaoke machine, making CDs he sold at school. [1] Wright went to middle and high school with G-Eazy. [2] [3]
In 2010, he played offensive tackle and guard for the Fiesta Bowl-winning Boise State University football team. [4] After graduation, Wright returned home to California to pursue music while working at his parents' package delivery business. [5]
"Neo-soul music became my favorite when I could begin to appreciate it. I was into Lauryn Hill, Erykah Badu, and Musiq Soulchild. [Kid Cudi's] Man on the Moon: End of Day is one of, if not my favorite album of all-time", he told Billboard. [2]
Wright adopted the professional stage name Rexx Life Raj for his rap and singing career. He released his first EP for sale, Hidden Clouds, in 2014, which featured the single "Put On". That same year, he released the Portraits EP with producer Tele Fresco. [6] In 2015, he released another two projects, the full-length album, The Escape, [1] with guests Iamsu!, Will Fraker, City Shawn, and the EP, Dreamland: Telegraph Ave., with YMTK, Ellen Purtell, and Lolo Zouaï. [7]
In 2016, with his second album, Father Figure, [4] Raj developed his sound, combining rhymes with singing "confessional" and political lyrics in tracks like "Handheld GPS" and, the album's first single, "Moxie Java" [6] featuring another Vallejo-area rapper Nef the Pharaoh. [7]
Raj's sequel album, Father Figure 2: Flourish, came out in 2017 with features from G-Eazy, [3] Russ, and Iman Europe. [8] That year he toured with Mr. Carmack. [9]
In 2018, he released EP California Poppy, produced entirely by Kyle Betty, [10] and toured twice in support of both Marc E. Bassy and Bas, as well as his first headlining tour in Europe in 2019. [5]
In 2019, Raj released Father Figure 3: Somewhere Out There produced by Sango, Kenny Beats, [11] JULiA LEWiS, Avedon [12] and Bay Area producers Kyle Betty, [10] DTB, Wax Roof and Drew Banga. [13] Songs included "Burgundy Regal," about his two childhood best friends, one of whom was eventually killed, the other incarcerated; "Your Way", an acoustic duet with Kehlani that also featured. Russ, and was premiered on Zane Lowe's Beats 1 show. Father Figure 3: Somewhere Out was recorded most of the vocals in hotels and Airbnbs on the road touring as opening act for Bas. [5] [14]
Raj did a headline tour of the United States in 2019. [15]
In 2022, he released his fifth album The Blue Hour with features from Wale, Larry June, Russ, and Fireboy DML. [16]
| Year | Recording | Label | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Hidden Clouds | Dead at 27 | EP |
| Portraits | Dead at 27 | EP | |
| 2015 | The Escape | Rexx Life | Album |
| Dreamland: Telegraph Avenue | Rexx Life | EP | |
| 2016 | Father Figure | Rexx Life/EMPIRE | Album |
| 2017 | Father Figure 2: Flourish | Rexx Life/EMPIRE | Album |
| 2018 | California Poppy | Rexx Life | EP |
| 2019 | Father Figure 3: Somewhere Out | Rexx Life/EMPIRE | Album |
| 2020 | California Poppy 2 | Rexx Life/EMPIRE | EP |
| 2022 | The Blue Hour | Rexx Life/EMPIRE | Album |
| 2023 | California Poppy 3 | Rexx Life/EMPIRE | Album |
N.W.A was an American hip hop group formed in Compton, California. They were among the earliest and most significant popularizers and controversial figures of the gangsta rap subgenre, and the group is widely considered one of the greatest and most influential groups in the history of hip hop music.
Lorenzo Jerald Patterson, known professionally as MC Ren, is an American rapper, songwriter, and record producer from Compton, California. He is the founder and owner of the record label Villain Entertainment.
Eric Lynn Wright, known professionally as Eazy-E, was an American rapper who propelled West Coast rap and gangsta rap by leading the group N.W.A and its label, Ruthless Records. He is often referred to as the "Godfather of Gangsta Rap".
"Boyz-n-the-Hood" is the debut single by Eazy-E, then leader of a new rap group, N.W.A. Released in March 1987, the single was a local hit, reissued, by year's end on the unauthorized compilation album N.W.A. and the Posse.
Keenon Dequan Ray Jackson, known better as YG, is an American rapper from Compton, California. He released his debut mixtape 4Fingaz in 2008, and its follow-up, The Real 4Fingaz the following year. The latter gained recognition for its local hit song "Toot It and Boot It", which entered the Billboard Hot 100 at number 67 and received platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). He signed a recording contract with Def Jam Recordings in October 2009, which entered joint-venture with Atlanta-based rapper Jeezy's record label, CTE World, in 2013.
Colson Baker, known professionally as MGK, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and actor. He is noted for his genre duality across alternative rock with hip hop.
Gerald Earl Gillum, better known by his stage name G-Eazy, is an American rapper, record producer and actor. Based in Oakland, California, he began his career in 2006 and released two independent studio albums until signing with RCA Records to release his third album, These Things Happen (2014). It peaked at number three on the US Billboard 200, while its single, "I Mean It" received triple platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and marked his first entry on the Billboard Hot 100.
Victor Kwesi Mensah, known professionally as Vic Mensa, is an American rapper. Born and raised in Chicago, he was a member of the regional hip hop groups Kids These Days and Savemoney prior to releasing his debut solo mixtape, Innanetape (2013). As a solo artist, Mensa has been signed to Virgin EMI Records, Def Jam Recordings, Capitol Records, and Roc Nation.
Abbas Hamad, known professionally as Bas, is a French-born Sudanese-American rapper. He signed with J. Cole's Dreamville Records, an imprint of Interscope Records to release his debut studio album, Last Winter (2014). It was met with positive critical reception and entered the Billboard 200, along with his second and third albums, Too High to Riot (2016) and Milky Way (2018). His fourth album, We Only Talk About Real Shit When We're Fucked Up (2023) was met with continued praise despite failing to chart.
Kehlani Ashley Parrish, known mononymously as Kehlani, is an American singer and songwriter. They are originally from Oakland, California, and achieved initial fame as a member of the teen pop group PopLyfe in 2011.
Matthew Tyler Musto, professionally known as Blackbear, is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He has released six studio albums, six EPs, one mixtape and two collaborative albums. Musto is also a member of the alternative hip hop duo Mansionz with singer-songwriter Mike Posner.
Marc Griffin, known professionally as Marc E. Bassy, is an American singer and songwriter from the San Francisco Bay Area. He is the former vocalist of the Los Angeles-based pop band 2AM Club. His solo works include his 2014 mixtape Only the Poets, 2015 release East Hollywood, and the 2016 EP Groovy People, including the single "You & Me" featuring G-Eazy.
Russell James Vitale, known mononymously as Russ, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. After eleven self-released albums, Vitale signed with Columbia Records to release his twelfth studio album, There's Really a Wolf (2017). Met with critical and commercial success, the album received platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and spawned his first Billboard Hot 100 entries—"What They Want" and "Losin Control." His thirteenth and fourteenth albums, Zoo (2018) and Shake the Snow Globe (2020) both peaked at number four on the US Billboard 200; the latter spawned his highest-charting single, "Best on Earth". Outside of his solo career, he is part the Atlanta-based hip hop collective Diemon.
Adam Aminé Daniel is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. He first gained notability for his commercial debut single, "Caroline", which peaked at number 11 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. Aminé released his debut studio album Good for You, on July 28, 2017, and his second studio album, Limbo, on August 7, 2020.
Marco Anthony Archer, better known by his stage name Phora, is an American rapper and former tattoo artist from Anaheim, California. In 2011, he founded his own record label, Yours Truly. His debut studio album, Yours Truly Forever (2017), peaked at number 44 on the Billboard 200 chart.
Kyle Thomas Harvey, known mononymously as Kyle and SuperDuperKyle, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and actor from Ventura, California. He is best known for his 2016 breakout single "iSpy", which peaked at number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100. Signed to Indie-Pop and Atlantic Records, Kyle is also known for his association with the SuperDuperCrew which consists of Brick, Jesus, and Maxx.
"Playinwitme" is a song by American rapper and singer Kyle featuring fellow American singer Kehlani. The two had previously collaborated on the former's 2015 single "Just a Picture". The song was released for digital download and streaming on March 15, 2018, and serves as the third single from his debut studio album Light of Mine (2018). It was produced by Superduperbrick, Naz, Jake Troth, and M-Phazes.
Connected and Respected is a collaborative studio album by American rappers/cousins E-40 and B-Legit of The Click. It was released on April 6, 2018, by Heavy on the Grind Entertainment. It is featured guest appearances from Stressmatic of The Federation, P-Lo of The HBK Gang, Ocky, Uncle Murda, 4rAx, Decadez, JT The 4th, Prohoezak, Rexx Life Raj and The Click.
Danielle Balbuena, better known by her stage name 070 Shake, is an American rapper and singer. She is best known for her guest appearance on English singer Raye's 2022 single "Escapism," which peaked at number 22 on the Billboard Hot 100, peaked atop the UK Singles Chart, and won Song of the Year at the 2024 Brit Awards.
India Ambré Perkins, known mononymously as Ambré, is an American singer and songwriter. She is currently signed to Roc Nation. She has released three full-length projects with Wanderlust (2015), 2090's (2016), and 3000° (2022). Her debut major label EP, Pulp, was released in November 2019, by Roc Nation. She first gained recognition after collaborating with Kehlani on a cover of Drake's "Preach" in 2015. She also co-wrote two tracks which featured on H.E.R.'s 2017 self-titled album, which was nominated for multiple Grammy Awards.
| International | |
|---|---|
| Artists | |
