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Jeffrey Alexander (born November 29, 1997), known professionally as 22Gz (/tutuˈdʒiːz/ too-too-JEEZ), is an American rapper from the Flatbush section of Brooklyn, New York. He is credited as a pioneer of the Brooklyn drill scene. 22Gz released his first major mixtape, The Blixky Tape, through Atlantic Records in 2019.

Early life

Jeffrey Alexander was born on November 29, 1997 in Brooklyn, New York to parents of Haitian descent. He was raised in the Flatbush section of Brooklyn. His father died before he was born, and his older brother was sentenced to 16 years in prison. He started his entertainment career on the New York City Subway performing showtime dance routines.

Musical career

After releasing the singles "Blixky" and "Suburban" in 2016, 22Gz gained a following from his YouTube videos. "Suburban", produced by London based drill/UK grime producer AXL Beats, was regarded as one of the first major Brooklyn drill songs to become popular. 22Gz received the attention from mainstream hip hop, eventually joining Kodak Black's Florida-based label, and Atlantic subsidiary, Sniper Gang in 2018. One of his first songs released on the label, "Spin the Block", was a collaboration track with Black.

22Gz released his first mixtape with Atlantic, The Blixky Tape, in July 2019. His follow-up mixtape Growth & Development was released on April 10, 2020, and was co-produced by London-based drill producer Ghosty. 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".

Legal controversies

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

In 2019, Alexander, along with four other New York rappers including Casanova, Pop Smoke, Sheff G, and Don Q, were removed from Rolling Loud New York at the instruction of the New York City Police Department. NYPD cited "a higher risk of violence" if the artists were to perform.

Discography

Mixtapes

Singles

As lead artist

As featured artist

|- ! scope="row"| "Sick of Us" | rowspan="3"|2019 | C-Clip Beatz | Rap & Beats |- ! scope="row"| "Extra" | Rooga | Back da Fuck Up |- ! scope="row"| "Hoody Szn" | Nym Lo, 183rd, Casanova | High Horse |- ! scope="row"| "Up the Score" | 2020 | Slayter, Maxo Kream | World Got Me Fucked Up, Vol. 1 |}

References

1. Hensley, Nicole (May 30, 2017). "Brooklyn rapper arrested in Florida parking dispute killing". New York Daily News. Retrieved October 27, 2020.
2. ^ Bijur, Ben (January 27, 2020). "22Gz Proves He's The Brooklyn Drill General In Funk Flex Freestyle". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved October 27, 2020.
3. "22Gz". Masquerade Atlanta. Retrieved October 27, 2020.
4. ^ Ingvaldsen, Torsten (April 10, 2020). "22Gz Invigorates His Drill Empire With New Mixtape 'Growth & Development'". Hypebeast. Retrieved April 10, 2020.
5. "22Gz". atlanticrecords.com. Retrieved October 27, 2020.
6. ^ Crone, David (2019). "22Gz". All Music. Retrieved October 27, 2020.
7. Skelton, Eric. "How Brooklyn Drill Became the New Sound of New York". Complex.com. Retrieved August 12, 2020.
8. "7 NYC RAPPERS THAT SHOULD BE ON YOUR RADAR!". Hot97. July 25, 2019. Retrieved October 27, 2020.
9. ^ McKinney, Jessica (April 16, 2020). "22Gz, a Pioneer of Brooklyn Drill". Complex. Retrieved October 27, 2020.
10. Seabrook III, Robby (February 22, 2020). "22Gz Wants You to Know He Started It All When It Comes to the Brooklyn Drill Movement". XXL Mag. Retrieved October 27, 2020.
11. Pierre, Alphonse (January 30, 2020). "AXL Beats Is the London Rap Producer Bringing Brooklyn Drill to Drake and Travis Scott". Vice. Retrieved October 27, 2020.
12. Pierre, Alphonse (August 4, 2017). "You're Not Paying Attention to New York's Most Exciting New Rap Scene". Vice. Retrieved October 27, 2020.
13. Acevedo, Kai (August 22, 2019). "The Break Presents: 22Gz". XXL. Retrieved October 27, 2020.
14. "Rappers to Watch in 2020". Complex. January 15, 2020. Retrieved October 27, 2020.
15. ^ Shokeye, Kyle (November 30, 2018). "Premiere: 22Gz and Kodak Black "Spin the Block" in New Video". Complex. Retrieved October 27, 2020.
16. Zhang, Charlie (July 20, 2019). "22Gz Releases Highly-Anticipated Mixtape 'The Blixky Tape'". Hypebeast. Retrieved October 27, 2020.
17. Mowatt, Robyn (2020). "Brooklyn Drill Rapper 22Gz Reigns Supreme On New Mixtape 'Growth & Development'". Okay Player. Retrieved October 27, 2020.
18. Madan, Monique Q. (December 30, 2017). "He served time for murder he didn't commit — and the real shooter is dead, cops say". Miami Herald. Retrieved October 27, 2020.
19. Tracy, Thomas; Annese, John (February 12, 2018). "Brooklyn cops may face questions over improper search after rapper's jail cell video (WARNING: GRAPHIC LANGUAGE)". NY Daily News. Retrieved October 27, 2020.
20. Coscarelli, Joe (October 12, 2019). "5 Rappers Dropped From New York Music Festival at Police Request". The New York Times. Retrieved October 27, 2020.
21. "The Blixky Tape". iTunes. Retrieved October 27, 2020.
22. "Growth & Development". iTunes. Retrieved October 27, 2020.
23. "22GZ Nas Blixky - We On". CDUniverse. Retrieved October 27, 2020.
24. "Invest in a Ratchet - Single". iTunes. Retrieved October 27, 2020.
25. "First Day Out / Stuck in the Yams - Single". iTunes. Retrieved October 27, 2020.
26. "Why - Single". iTunes. Retrieved October 27, 2020.
27. "Got Those - Single". iTunes. Retrieved October 27, 2020.
28. "Spazz Out - Single". iTunes. Retrieved October 27, 2020.
29. "Drifting - Single". iTunes. Retrieved October 27, 2020.
30. "Sniper Gang (Freestyle) - Single". iTunes. Retrieved October 27, 2020.
31. "Rerock - Single". iTunes. Retrieved October 27, 2020.
32. "Telephone - Single". iTunes. Retrieved October 27, 2020.
33. "Suburban, Pt. 2 - Single". iTunes. Retrieved October 27, 2020.
34. "YTB (Yellow Tape Blixky) [feat. Shawny Binladen & Big Yaya] - Single". iTunes. Retrieved October 27, 2020.
35. "Movie - Single". iTunes. Retrieved October 27, 2020.
36. "Jet Li, Pt. 2 (feat. 22gz)". iTunes. Retrieved October 27, 2020.
37. Threadcraft, Torry (2020). "Up-And-Coming Brooklyn Rapper Nick Blixky Shot And Killed At 21". Okay Player. Retrieved October 27, 2020.
38. "Upset (feat. 22Gz) [Explicit]". Amazon. Retrieved October 27, 2020.
39. "Rap & Beats". Deezer. 2019. Retrieved October 27, 2020. {{cite web}}: Text "access-dateweb" ignored (help)
40. "Back da Fuck Up". Amazon. 2019. Retrieved October 27, 2020.
41. "High Horse - EP". iTunes. 2019. Retrieved October 27, 2020.
42. "World Got Me Fucked Up, Vol. 1". Beatport. 2020. Retrieved October 27, 2020.

• 1997 births
• Living people
• 21st-century American rappers
• 21st-century American singers
• 21st-century male singers
• African-American male rappers
• American people of Guyanese descent
• Atlantic Records artists
• Drill musicians
• East Coast hip hop musicians
• People from Flatbush, Brooklyn
• Rappers from Brooklyn