Atlanta-based rapper Lil Gnar brings abundant flair and presence to his work, shaping instantly memorable songs through fluid and natural delivery. An informal start quickly yielded a deal with a major label, resulting in the 2018 mixtape Gnar Lif3. On the 2019 album Fire Hazard he joined forces with Lil Skies and YBN Nahmir, while the 2022 project Die Bout It paired him with Lil Uzi Vert and Trippie Redd.
Born Caleb Sheppard, he treated rapping as a casual pastime during his teenage years before deepening his engagement through skateboarding and the subsequent launch of his Gnarcotic clothing line. Another Atlanta skater, Germ, pursued his own rap goals with enough intensity to push Gnar toward greater seriousness with the form. Momentum arrived in 2017 when the early track “Ride Wit Da Fye,” which featured Germ and carried production by SS.Kev, neared half a million streams within weeks of upload. Label attention followed rapidly, leading to a 2018 signing with Capitol. That June the label issued “Drop Top Benz,” a Lil Skies collaboration that served as Gnar’s official introduction. The song anchored the mixtape Gnar Lif3, which surfaced three months afterward and included contributions from IDK and Skies along with Travis Barker and Zillakami; the latter pair infused the otherwise restrained yet charged material with a harder rock sensibility. Guest appearances on the 2019 album Fire Hazard came from Rob Bank$, Lil Yachty, YBN Nahmir, and additional artists. Throughout 2020 Gnar reunited with Germ for several singles before releasing the EP Big Bad Gnar Shit 2. That year also brought the collaborative cut “Diamond Choker” with Lil Uzi Vert and the single “HEY!” alongside Lil Keed. The following year continued in similar fashion with the Lil Skies track “Not the Same,” the Trippie Redd-assisted “Missiles,” and the ensemble piece “New Bugatti” that united Gnar with DJ Scheme, Chief Keef, and Ski Mask the Slump God. Numerous selections from these releases were later gathered on the 2022 project Die Bout It.
