Lil B

Equally inspired by Prince and 2Pac, Lil B (Brandon McCartney) is an eccentric, ambitious rapper who utilized social media to its fullest and became an Internet-age celebrity, cultivating a fiercely loyal following and inspiring a generation of rappers and hipsters without ever signing to a major label. Lil B is known for his optimistic outlook, which he refers to as his "Based" philosophy, and preaches positivity and tolerance through his music. He also uses the term "Based" to signify his brand of freestyle rapping, and while much of his vast body of work sounds off-the-cuff, his more considered efforts take on serious subjects, particularly related to society and the age of information. While the majority of his output is overwhelmingly positive and encouraging, his dark side has emerged through his music and occasional feuds with fellow rappers or basketball players. A favorite of indie rock and experimental music types, he has received much coverage from Pitchfork and The Wire. 6 Kiss (2009), the controversial I'm Gay (I'm Happy) (2011), and Black Ken (2017) are among his most acclaimed rap releases, while he's thrown curveballs such as the spoken word new age album Rain in England (2011) and instrumental recordings like the jazz-inspired Afrikantis (2022).

From 🇺🇸 United States