Fredo Bang

Rising from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Fredo Bang built his reputation on trap anthems that blend aggression with melody while exploring themes of intimacy, conflict, and hardship. He first gained notice in the early 2010s alongside the Top Boy Gorilla collective, distinguishing himself through the explicit and widely shared single “Oouuh,” which surfaced the same year he completed a lengthy prison term. That period of incarceration shaped much of the material he would release throughout the remainder of the decade, beginning with his initial solo mixtape, 2 Face Bang. In 2020 he stepped into the major-label arena by joining Def Jam and delivering the project Most Hated. He stayed active over the following years, issuing a pair of further mixtapes: 2021’s Murder Made Me, which included the Lil Durk collaboration “Top,” and 2022’s Two-Face Bang 2. His more introspective and emotionally direct second album, Yes, I’m Sad, arrived in 2024.

Born Fredrick T. Givens II, the rapper developed an early passion for music, participating in both his middle-school and high-school ensembles. Although he initially joined the program to pursue a romantic interest, he grew genuinely absorbed by the clarinet and French horn, performing in concert and marching-band settings alike. He declined a college scholarship in Texas, electing instead to remain in Baton Rouge, where street involvement led to his first incarceration in 2014. During the same period he began writing and recording with Top Boy Gorilla; selections from those sessions later appeared on the 2015 compilation Lost Files. From the start, his consistent flow and tuneful choruses set him apart, projecting an identity simultaneously hardened by neighborhood experiences and openly devoted to romantic pursuits.

He returned to prison in early 2016. While serving that sentence, his longtime friend Gee Money died, an event that deeply affected him. Following his 2018 release, the combination of that loss and his extended time behind bars fueled a wave of new songs. He unveiled his debut mixtape, 2 Face Bang, in October of that year; the project contained both the breakout track “Oouuh” and the reflective cut “Father,” which offered an intimate window into Givens’ mindset. This contemplative streak merged with his melodic approach on the 2019 releases Big Ape and Pain Made Me Numb, lending added dimension to his street-oriented material. As guest appearances with artists such as Tee Grizzley, Moneybagg Yo, YNW Melly, and Kevin Gates multiplied, Def Jam took notice. After signing, he released Most Hated in 2020, marking his first entry on the Billboard 200. Later that year he returned to the charts with the fourth mixtape In the Name of Gee, again featuring Gates along with Mulatto and Seven7Hardaway. In 2021 Givens joined Chicago rapper Polo G for the single “Bless His Soul,” included on the Murder Made Me mixtape.

Early 2022 brought the solo tracks “Throw It Back” and “4’s Up,” as well as the DJ Chose collaboration “She Luv Me.” Two-Face Bang 2 arrived in April, carrying guest spots from Roddy Ricch, Sleepy Hallow, and others, and it entered the Billboard Top 200. Later in the year he issued the mixtape UNLV. The EP Ape Talk and a series of standalone singles followed in 2023. In 2024 Bang presented Yes, I’m Sad, a reflective full-length that included contributions from Rick Ross, Rob49, NLE Choppa, and additional artists.