42 Dugg - Detroit rapper who developed his ruthless yet melodic style while serving jail time.
Detroit rapper 42 Dugg found his calling during an especially dark time locked up. While in solitary confinement, he began writing rhymes to keep his grip on sanity, and once free, he began pursuing music full-time. Within a few years, he signed on with Yo Gotti's label and brought his ruthless street style to his 2019 studio debut, Young and Turnt.
A native of Detroit's often-dangerous East Side, 42 Dugg found himself in trouble with the law early on in life. By age 15 he was serving a six-year jail sentence. He began rapping while incarcerated and took it more seriously when he was let out, releasing his first song, "Mama I'm Sorry," in January 2018. From there the rapper quickly ascended, self-releasing several projects like the 11241 Wayburn mixtape. He collaborated with other Detroit rappers like Babyface Ray and the 42 Twinz on his early material, and soon caught the attention of national-level stars.
Young & Turnt, Vol. 2Strong early singles like "The Streets" led to Yo Gotti signing 42 Dugg to his Collective Music Group label. A joint agreement allowed him to sign on with Lil Baby's label 4PF as well. Several singles surfaced before the release of 2019's Young and Turnt. The album featured guest verses from fellow Detroit artist Tee Grizzley as well as known names like Blac Youngsta and Peewee Longway. Young & Turnt 2, an entirely freestyled mixtape, appeared in 2020 and debuted at number 70 on the Billboard 200.