Bronx-based rapper A$AP Twelvyy entered hip-hop circles in the late 2000s and joined the A$AP Mob around the time of A$AP Rocky's first mixtape. Over the following years he shifted from guest spots on other releases to his own full projects, applying his intense East Coast delivery to the 2020 album Noon Yung and the 2023 release Kid$ Gotta Eat, which ranged across multiple styles.
Born Jamel Phillips in Harlem in 1989, he took his initial nickname from the neighborhood's 212 area code but adjusted it slightly for his stage name after deciding that "A$AP 212" lacked the right rhythm. An early high-profile moment came when he contributed a guest verse to "Trilla" on A$AP Rocky's 2011 mixtape Live.Love.A$AP. After that he appeared frequently on A$AP-affiliated tracks and also showed up on songs by Flatbush Zombies, Smoke DZA, Tray Pizzy, and additional artists. Between 2014 and 2016 he issued several standalone tracks of his own. In 2017, following extensive studio and live experience, his debut album 12 arrived via the RCA imprint Polo Grounds. Several years passed before his next major output, which arrived in 2020 with both the extended mixtape Before Noon and the full-length Noon Yung; the latter included contributions from A$AP Rocky, Joy Postell, Conway the Machine, and further guests. After Noon Yung, Twelvyy maintained a low profile with few new releases or guest appearances until the 2022 EP A Quarter Til. In July 2023 he delivered his third studio album, Kid$ Gotta Eat. Certain tracks maintained his hard-edged New York rap approach, while others incorporated trap production, beats without drums, and subtle R&B elements. The project featured Zacari, SGBatman, ASAP NA$T, and additional collaborators.
