Guapdad 4000

Emerging from the Bay Area during the closing years of the 2010s, the smooth and charismatic Guapdad 4000 brought a humorous outlook to rap along with a consistent cadence that echoed earlier figures such as Mase and Fabolous. His breakthrough came via a featured role on the 2019 Dreamville compilation Revenge of the Dreamers III, after which he unveiled his first proper studio album, Dior Deposits.

Born Akeem Hayes, the West Oakland native spent his formative years admiring rappers including Dom Kennedy, Mac Dre, Pharrell Williams, and Kanye West. Aligning his own persona with those of Williams, West, Childish Gambino, and Tyler, the Creator, he positioned himself as an inventive outsider in hip-hop, pairing an expansive personality with precise rhymes, inventive wordplay, and lyrics dense with punchlines. Guapdad 4000 dropped his debut mixtape, Scamboy Color, near the end of 2017, enlisting Bay Area mainstay IAMSU to handle the production. As recognition grew within hip-hop circles, he drew attention from high-profile admirers such as Drake and J. Cole. A spontaneous encounter with the latter led to an invitation to contribute to Dreamville’s 2019 chart-topping compilation Revenge of the Dreamers III, where he appeared on “Don’t Hit Me Right Now,” “Costa Rica,” and “Wells Fargo.”

In the months that followed, Guapdad 4000 advanced the gradual rollout of his official debut by releasing the singles “First Things First” with G-Eazy and Reo Cragun, “Prada Process” with 6LACK, and “Gucci Pajamas” with Chance the Rapper and Charlie Wilson. These recordings formed part of Dior Deposits, which arrived that October and also included appearances by Tory Lanez, Denzel Curry, and fellow Californians E-40, Nef the Pharaoh, and Mozzy.

The subsequent year saw Guapdad 4000 issue two EPs—Platinum Falcon Tape, Vol. 1 and Platinum Falcon Returns—that featured Denzel Curry, Westside Boogie, and additional guests. A steady stream of collaborative singles carried him into 2021, when he issued the joint album 1176 alongside producer !llmind. A deluxe edition followed shortly thereafter, adding the track “How Many (Remix)” with Rick Ross.