22Gz Explained

22Gz
Birth Name:Jeffrey Mark Alexander
Birth Date:29 November 1997
Birth Place:Brooklyn, New York City, U.S.
Instrument:Vocals
Years Active:2015–present
Label:Blixky Ent./AtlanticFoundation Media, LLC[1]

Jeffrey Mark Alexander[2] (born November 29, 1997),[3] known professionally as 22Gz, is an American rapper credited as a pioneer of the Brooklyn drill scene.[4] [5] 22Gz released his first major mixtape, The Blixky Tape, through Atlantic Records in 2019.

Early life

Jeffrey Mark Alexander was born on November 29, 1997, the Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York City.[6] His father died before he was born. He started his entertainment career on the New York City Subway performing showtime dance routines.[7] He is Guyanese American.[8]

Musical career

He started releasing songs on SoundCloud at the age of 17 in early 2015. After releasing the singles "Blixky" and "Suburban" in 2016, 22Gz gained a following from his YouTube videos. "Suburban", produced by London-based drill producer AXL Beats,[9] was regarded as one of the first major Brooklyn drill songs to become popular.[10] [4] [11] 22Gz gained attention, leading him to signing with Atlantic in 2018 and his label A&R helping him getting noticed by Kodak Black.[12] [13] [10] One of his first songs released on the label, "Spin the Block", was a collaboration track with Kodak Black.[14]

22Gz released his first mixtape with Atlantic, The Blixky Tape, in July 2019.[15] His follow-up mixtape Growth & Development was released on April 10, 2020, and was co-produced by London-based drill producer Ghosty.[16] Torsten Ingvaldsen of Hypebeast praised the mixtape, stating, 22Gz has "riotous energy, bringing forth aggressive lyrics and militant deliveries that continue to sculpt out his fast-paced rise".[17]

Legal controversies

In 2014, he was charged with conspiracy to commit murder, however the charges were dropped.[10] 22Gz spent five months in jail in 2017 on second-degree murder charges related to a shooting in Miami, however these were later dropped.[18] 22Gz recorded a Facebook Live video from an NYPD holding cell in 2018.[19]

In 2019, Alexander, along with Casanova, Pop Smoke, Sheff G, and Don Q, was removed from the Rolling Loud concert. NYPD cited "a higher risk of violence" if the artists were to perform.[20]

On June 12, 2022, 22Gz was arrested in New York City on attempted murder charges over a March shooting in which three people were injured.[21] He was released on $500,000 bail four days later.[22]

Discography

Mixtapes

Title! rowspan="2"
Album detailsPeak chart positions
US
Heat.
The Blixky Tape
Growth & Development
  • Released: April 10, 2020[24]
  • Label: Atlantic Records, WEA International
  • Format: CD, digital download, streaming
12
[25]
The Blixky Tape 2
  • Released: March 19, 2021[26]
  • Label: Atlantic Records
  • Format: CD, digital download, streaming
20
[27]
Growth & Development II
  • Released: January 12, 2024[28]
  • Label: Blixky Entertainment
  • Format: Digital download, streaming
Brooklyn's Most Wanted
  • Released: June 21, 2024[29]
  • Label: Blixky Entertainment
  • Format: Digital download, streaming

Extended plays

List of extended plays, with selected details! Title! Extended play details
Year of the Blixky
  • Released: December 9, 2022[30]
  • Label: Atlantic Records
  • Format: Digital download, streaming

Singles

As lead artist

Title! scope="col" rowspan="1"
YearCertifications Album
"At The Light"2015
"Blicky"2016rowspan="12"
"Regular"
"Flexin"
"Up Next"
"Suburban"
"Vamanos"
2017
"Ain't Livin My Life"
"We On"[31]
"Invest in a Ratchet"[32]
"First Day Out / Stuck in the Yams"[33]
"Why"[34] 2018
"Blicky Da Blicky"
"Got Those"[35]
"Spin the Block"
"Spazz Out"[36]
"Drifting"[37]
2019
"Sniper Gang (Freestyle)"[38] The Blixky Tape
"Rerock"[39]
rowspan="2"
"Telephone"[40]
"Suburban, Pt. 2"[41]

Gold[42]

Growth & Development
"No Questions"2020
"YTB (Yellow Tape Blixky)"[43]
rowspan="2"
"Movie"[44]

As featured artist

Title! scope="col" rowspan="1"
YearAlbum
"Jet Li, Pt. 2"
[45]
2018rowspan="2"
"Drive the Boat"
[46]
2019
"Upset"
[47]
Excuse the Way I Came Up
"Faded Remix"
[48]
2021

Guest appearances

TitleYearOther artistsAlbum
"Flexin"2016Khay B Flockin, Kush BlixkyBlixky
"The Get Back, Pt 1"[49] 2018T'up TyT'd Up, Vol. 1
"Sick of Us"[50] Envy Caine2 Many Situations
"Wita Blixky"[51] 2019C-Clip BeatzRap & Beats
"Extra"[52] RoogaBack da Fuck Up
"Hoody Szn"[53] Nym Lo, 183rd, CasanovaHigh Horse
"Up the Score"[54] 2020Slayter, Maxo KreamWorld Got Me Fucked Up, Vol. 1

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 22Gz . atlanticrecords.com . October 27, 2020.
  2. Web site: ASCAP ACE Repertory information for 22Gz's works. American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. March 20, 2021.
  3. Web site: 22Gz . David . Crone . 2019 . All Music . October 27, 2020.
  4. Web site: 22Gz Proves He's The Brooklyn Drill General In Funk Flex Freestyle. Ben. Bijur. January 27, 2020. HotNewHipHop. October 27, 2020.
  5. Web site: How Brooklyn Drill Became the New Sound of New York. Eric. Skelton. August 12, 2020. Complex.com. September 15, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200915222946/http://story.complex.com/brooklyn-drill-the-new-sound-of-new-york/. dead.
  6. Web site: 7 NYC RAPPERS THAT SHOULD BE ON YOUR RADAR! . July 25, 2019 . Hot97 . October 27, 2020.
  7. Web site: 22Gz Wants You to Know He Started It All When It Comes to the Brooklyn Drill Movement. Robby . Seabrook III. XXL Mag. February 22, 2020. October 27, 2020.
  8. News: Reynolds . Mark . Lawsuit: Providence blocked rap artist's performance after resistance from police . 6 February 2024 . The Providence Journal . 30 March 2022.
  9. Web site: AXL Beats Is the London Rap Producer Bringing Brooklyn Drill to Drake and Travis Scott . Alphonse . Pierre . January 30, 2020 . Vice . October 27, 2020.
  10. Web site: McKinney . Jessica . April 16, 2020 . 22Gz, a Pioneer of Brooklyn Drill . October 27, 2020 . Complex.
  11. Web site: You're Not Paying Attention to New York's Most Exciting New Rap Scene . Alphonse . Pierre . August 4, 2017 . Vice . October 27, 2020.
  12. Web site: The Break Presents: 22Gz. Kai. Acevedo. XXL. August 22, 2019 . October 27, 2020.
  13. Web site: Rappers to Watch in 2020. Complex. January 15, 2020 . October 27, 2020.
  14. Web site: Premiere: 22Gz and Kodak Black "Spin the Block" in New Video . Kyle . Shokeye . November 30, 2018 . Complex . October 27, 2020.
  15. Web site: Zhang. Charlie. 22Gz Releases Highly-Anticipated Mixtape 'The Blixky Tape'. Hypebeast. July 20, 2019 . October 27, 2020.
  16. Web site: Brooklyn Drill Rapper 22Gz Reigns Supreme On New Mixtape 'Growth & Development' . Robyn . Mowatt . 2020 . Okay Player . October 27, 2020.
  17. Web site: 22Gz Invigorates His Drill Empire With New Mixtape 'Growth & Development'. Hypebeast. Ingvaldsen. Torsten. April 10, 2020 . April 10, 2020.
  18. Web site: He served time for murder he didn't commit — and the real shooter is dead, cops say . Monique Q. . Madan . December 30, 2017 . Miami Herald . October 27, 2020.
  19. Web site: Brooklyn cops may face questions over improper search after rapper's jail cell video (WARNING: GRAPHIC LANGUAGE) . Thomas . Tracy . John . Annese . February 12, 2018 . NY Daily News . October 27, 2020.
  20. News: 5 Rappers not Dropped From New York Music Festival at Police Request. Joe. Coscarelli. The New York Times. October 12, 2019. October 27, 2020.
  21. Donahue. Bill. Rapper 22Gz Arrested in NYC on Attempted Murder Charge. June 14, 2022. June 14, 2022. Billboard.
  22. Web site: Ivey . Justin . 2022-06-17 . 22Gz Released On Bail Following Arrest For Attempted Murder . 2022-07-04 . AllHipHop . en-US.
  23. Web site: The Blixky Tape. iTunes. October 27, 2020.
  24. Web site: Growth & Development. iTunes. October 27, 2020.
  25. Heatseekers Albums Chart: Week of April 24, 2020. live. June 2, 2021. Billboard. https://web.archive.org/web/20210604054112/https://www.billboard.com/charts/heatseekers-albums/2020-04-24 . 2021-06-04 .
  26. Web site: The Blixky Tape 2 by 22Gz. music.apple.com.
  27. Heatseekers Albums Chart: Week of April 2, 2021. live. June 2, 2021. Billboard. https://web.archive.org/web/20210603014200/https://www.billboard.com/charts/heatseekers-albums/2021-04-02 . 2021-06-03 .
  28. Web site: Spotify – 22Gz – Growth & Development II. . January 12, 2024.
  29. Web site: Spotify – 22Gz – Brooklyn's Most Wanted. . June 21, 2024.
  30. Web site: Year of the Blixky. iTunes. December 15, 2022.
  31. Web site: 22GZ Nas Blixky - We On . CDUniverse. October 27, 2020.
  32. Web site: Invest in a Ratchet - Single. iTunes. October 27, 2020.
  33. Web site: First Day Out / Stuck in the Yams - Single. iTunes. October 27, 2020.
  34. Web site: Why - Single. iTunes. October 27, 2020.
  35. Web site: Got Those - Single. iTunes. October 27, 2020.
  36. Web site: Spazz Out - Single. iTunes. October 27, 2020.
  37. Web site: Drifting - Single. iTunes. October 27, 2020.
  38. Web site: Sniper Gang (Freestyle) - Single. iTunes. October 27, 2020.
  39. Web site: Rerock - Single. iTunes. October 27, 2020.
  40. Web site: Telephone - Single. iTunes. October 27, 2020.
  41. Web site: Suburban, Pt. 2 - Single. iTunes. October 27, 2020.
  42. Web site: Gold & Platinum: 22Gz. . live. November 9, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211112033426/https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/?tab_active=default-award&se=22gz . 2021-11-12 .
  43. Web site: YTB (Yellow Tape Blixky) [feat. Shawny Binladen & Big Yaya] - Single]. iTunes. October 27, 2020.
  44. Web site: Movie - Single. iTunes. October 27, 2020.
  45. Web site: Jet Li, Pt. 2 (feat. 22gz) . iTunes . October 27, 2020.
  46. Web site: Up-And-Coming Brooklyn Rapper Nick Blixky Shot And Killed At 21 . 2020 . Torry . Threadcraft . Okay Player . October 27, 2020.
  47. Web site: Upset (feat. 22Gz) [Explicit] ]. Amazon . October 27, 2020.
  48. Web site: Premiere: B1 Returns With Hard 'Faded' Remix Featuring Dezzie, Ivorian Doll & 22Gz. Courtney. W. 2 December 2021. grmdaily.com. 2 December 2021.
  49. Web site: T'd Up, Vol. 1 . 2018 . iTunes . October 27, 2020.
  50. Web site: 2 Many Situations . 2018 . iTunes . October 27, 2020.
  51. Web site: Rap & Beats . 2019 . Deezer . October 27, 2020.
  52. Web site: Back da Fuck Up . 2019 . Amazon . October 27, 2020.
  53. Web site: High Horse - EP . 2019 . iTunes . October 27, 2020.
  54. Web site: World Got Me Fucked Up, Vol. 1 . 2020 . Beatport . October 27, 2020.