Capolow

Capolow, an Oakland rapper whose work highlighted Bay Area sounds, rose to international attention during the late 2010s through tracks such as "Outta Sight" and "Drip." Born and raised in East Oakland, California, he absorbed Southern rap influences as a youth and especially admired Boosie, the Hot Boyz, and Lil' Phat. Early recordings occurred with his older brother, himself an occasional rapper, and the teenager drew consistent praise for his microphone skills throughout those years. At age 14 he joined childhood friends to create the group Trill Youngins, which gained local traction via trap singles including 2014's "Like Me" and 2015's "I Look Fly." Managing legal complications and the first years of fatherhood, Capo launched a solo path while continuing group activity and delivered his debut single "Ruthless" plus the EP Gutta Gutta Island in late 2017. National momentum built in 2018 as singles like "Highway Robbery" and "Vomit" accumulated millions of views and he broadened the Bay-influenced, trap-driven qualities of his style. His first mixtape, Sandman, arrived in 2019 as a compact collection of Capo's brag-centric Bay Area trap. The most prolific period so far came in 2020, when the Oakland musician issued his sophomore mixtape Room 304 and joined Kamaiyah for the collaborative release Oakland Nights.