Vince Staples
Vincent Jamal Staples (born July 2, 1993) is an American rapper. Born in Compton, California and raised in Long Beach, California, he first became known for his appearances on projects by Odd Future members—Earl by Earl Sweatshirt, Journey to the 5th Echelon by The Jet Age of Tomorrow (both 2010), and Doris by the former (2013). He signed with Talib Kweli's Blacksmith Records prior to releasing his collaborative mixtape with Mac Miller, Stolen Youth (2013). The following year, he signed with No I.D.'s ARTium Recordings, an imprint of Def Jam Recordings to release his debut extended play, Hell Can Wait (2014)—which marked his first entry on the Billboard 200 and received critical acclaim.
His debut studio album, Summertime '06 (2015), was met with continued critical praise and spawned the single "Norf Norf", which received platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). He was selected as part of the XXL 2015 Freshman Class. His next albums, Big Fish Theory (2017), FM! (2018), his self-titled fourth studio album (2021), and Ramona Park Broke My Heart (2022), each diversified his artistry, being met with continued critical acclaim and moderate commercial response. His sixth album, Dark Times (2024), marked his final release with Def Jam. Staples' music is described as West Coast hip hop, often containing conscious subject matter while production experiments with avant-garde, dance and electronic influences.
Outside of his solo career, he is a member of the California-based hip hop trio Cutthroat Boyz with Aston Matthews and Joey Fatts. Staples has acted in the films Dope and White Men Can't Jump, and the television series Abbott Elementary. As a voice actor, he performed in the 2015 film Mutafukaz, as well as the animated series American Dad! and Lazor Wulf. In 2015, he became a spokesperson and brand ambassador for Sprite. In 2024, he delved into comedy on the Netflix show The Vince Staples Show.
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