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The Rise of Long Beach Rapper Vince Staples

Long Beach native Vince Staples has risen to become one of the most intriguing and acclaimed young rappers in hip hop today. With his vivid storytelling, social commentary, and versatile flow, Staples is carving out his own unique lane in the rap game. This blog post will explore Vince Staples’ background, his discography, musical style, and impact on hip hop culture.

Introduction Paragraph

Vincent Jamal Staples was born on July 2, 1993 in Compton, California and grew up in the neighboring city of Long Beach. From a young age, Staples was exposed to gang culture and violence in his community. As a teenager, he began rapping and eventually met Odd Future members Earl Sweatshirt and Mike G, who introduced Staples to their collective. Staples would embark on his rap career with several mixtapes before rising to prominence with his critically acclaimed debut album Summertime ’06 in 2015.

Staples is known for his stark and evocative storytelling documenting the realities of street life and growing up in Long Beach. His lyricism reveals a social consciousness and introspective side, as he reflects on poverty, police brutality, and institutionalized racism. However, Staples also has a dark sense of humor and employs satire in his observations on gang and street culture. His vocal delivery is versatile yet hard-hitting, with aggressive bars contrasted by a laidback West Coast flow.

Discography

Mixtapes (2010-2013)

Vince Staples first emerged with several mixtapes showcasing his talents as a lyrical street rapper. His 2011 mixtape Shyne Coldchain Vol. 1 introduced Staples to a wider underground hip hop audience. This was followed up in 2012 with the Winter In Prague mixtape produced entirely by producer Michael Uzowuru. His third mixtape, Stolen Youth, was released in 2013 and produced by Mac Miller under the alias Larry Fisherman. These early mixtapes featured guest verses from Earl Sweatshirt, Mike G, and Ab-Soul and helped establish Staples as one to watch in West Coast rap.

Hell Can Wait EP (2014)

In 2014, Staples released his Hell Can Wait EP, which included features by Teyana Taylor and producer No I.D. The EP track “Blue Suede” became his breakout single and earned praise from critics. Hell Can Wait showcased a more focused and conceptual direction for Staples, centered around growing up in an environment filled with gang violence and police brutality.

Summertime ’06 Album (2015)

Vince Staples’ proper debut album Summertime ’06 was released in 2015 to widespread critical acclaim. A concept double album, it was an ambitious and personal narrative centered around one summer in Staples’ life growing up in North Long Beach. Gritty tracks like “Senorita” and “Jump off the Roof” offered vivid storytelling on gang life, while songs like “Summertime” and “Surf” featured more melancholy and introspective themes on youth, poverty, and police violence. Summertime ’06 was named one of the best albums of 2015 by publications like Rolling Stone and Pitchfork.

Big Fish Theory (2017)

For his sophomore album Big Fish Theory, Staples embraced a more electronic and experimental sound, collaborating with cutting-edge producers like SOPHIE, Flume, and Justin Vernon. Songs like “Big Fish” and “Rain Come Down” featured abrasive, industrial production as Staples’ raps tackled themes ranging from materialism in rap to struggles with fame. While a departure from his previous work, Big Fish Theory expanded Staples’ sound and cemented him as one of the more creative voices in modern hip hop.

FM! (2018)

Keeping his experimental edge, Staples surprise-released the 22 minute album FM! in 2018. With each song inspired by a fictional radio station, the concept album featured productions from Hagler, GTA, and Kenny Beats. Highlights include the breezy summer anthem “FUN!” and the incisive “Don’t Get Chipped” criticizing technological invasions of privacy. FM! showed Staples’ ability to keep reinventing his style without losing the essence of his perspective.

Musical Style & Influences

Lyrically, Vince Staples stands out for his bracing realism and social commentary about growing up amid gangs, poverty, and police violence in Long Beach. He eschews rap braggadocio for more introspective tracks and observations on his environment. His perspective has been called cynical, bleak, and satirical at times. Musically, Staples has evolved from his early hardcore hip hop style to more avant-garde, electronic production. He has cited hip hop artists like Jay-Z, Nas, OutKast, and Eminem as influences, as well as rock acts like the Gorillaz and The Fugees. He is known for having a dynamic flow, able to rap in both fast-paced bars and a more laidback style.

Collaborations & Features

Vince Staples has collaborated with a diverse range of artists over his career. He was close with the Odd Future collective early on, featuring members like Earl Sweatshirt on his mixtapes. He’s recorded tracks with leading West Coast rappers Schoolboy Q, Casey Veggies, and Dilated Peoples. Outside hip hop, Staples has worked with artists like Damon Albarn of Gorillaz, electronic producer James Blake, and rock band Kucka. Some of his most notable features include contributing verses to songs by Common, Flume, ASAP Rocky, Big Sean, and Gorillaz over the years.

Tours & Performances

As his popularity has grown, Vince Staples has hit the stage at major festivals and tours across the US and abroad. He performed at the Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago in 2015 around his Summertime ’06 release. Staples has also brought his energetic live show to festivals like Primavera Sound, Reading/Leeds Festival, and Coachella. In 2018, he embarked on his first headlining concert tour across North America and Europe. Notable live performances include delivering a dynamic medley of his hits on NPR’s Tiny Desk series in 2015.

Personal Life & Background

Vince Staples has been relatively private about his personal life. However, some key facts are known about the rapper. He reportedly grew up in the Ramona Park neighborhood of North Long Beach surrounded by gangs, poverty, and violence from a young age. Staples has a sister and brother and was close to his late grandmother. He’s been dating model Kelsey Nakatsu since 2014. Staples has been outspoken about social issues and racism in various interviews over the years. Despite growing up amid crime and poverty, he’s stated he’s never been part of a gang himself. He is an atheist and has been critical of Christian hyprocisy in past lyrics.

Net Worth

Vince Staples has an estimated net worth of $4 million as of 2022, according to CelebrityNetWorth. Most of his wealth has been accumulated through music sales, touring, merchandising, and other business ventures associated with his rap career. With several popular studio albums and mixtapes under his belt, more commercial success likely awaits Staples as he continues his rise in hip hop.

Impact & Legacy

At just 29 years old, Vince Staples already stands as one of the most talented and respected young rappers today. His blunt, vivid storytelling and socially conscious lyrics have won him critical praise and hip hop credibility. More than just a street rapper, Staples has shown himself to be a dynamic artist through his varied production and continuous evolution. Whileoche remains under the mainstream radar, hisFingerprints are left all over modern hip hop culture. Essential albums like Hell Can Wait and Summertime ’06 cemented him as a leading voice of West Coast hip hop’s new school. Vince Staples has achieved much already, but his original perspective and creative ambition suggest his best work likely still lies ahead.

Top 5 Vince Staples Songs

  1. Blue Suede – Breakout track from Hell Can Wait mixtape.
  2. Norf Norf – Gritty street anthem from debut album Summertime ’06.
  3. Big Fish – Titular avant-garde single from Big Fish Theory album.
  4. BagBak – High energy cut and video critiquing systemic racism.
  5. FUN! – Infectious party jam from the FM! album.

Vince Staples Trivia Facts

  • Used the alias Alyson Stoner early in his career
  • Has collaborated with electronic artists like James Blake and Gorillaz
  • Directed dark videos for tracks like “Blue Suede” and “Senorita”
  • Was featured on the Spiderman: Into the Spider-Verse soundtrack
  • Co-starred in award winning short film “Locked and Loaded”

5 Frequently Asked Questions About Vince Staples

  1. Where is Vince Staples from?

Vince Staples was born in Compton and raised in the Ramona Park neighborhood of North Long Beach, California. His roots in his crime and gang-ridden hometown heavily inform his music.

  1. How did Vince Staples get discovered?

Vince Staples first met Odd Future members like Earl Sweatshirt in 2009, who helped connect him to their collective. His mixtapes gained underground buzz, leading to a record deal with Def Jam in 2014.

  1. What gang is Vince Staples affiliated with?

Despite growing up surrounded by gangs like the Crips, Staples has stated publicly that he never actually joined a gang himself. However, he is heavily familiar with gang culture.

  1. Who has Vince Staples collaborated with?

Some major artists Vince Staples has collaborated with are Gorillaz, Schoolboy Q, Mac Miller, Earl Sweatshirt, Kucka, James Blake, Tyga, A$AP Rocky and Flume.

  1. How did Vince Staples get the name Vince Staples?

Vince Staples is the rapper’s real given name. The origins of his stage name come from his actual birth name Vincent Jamal Staples.

In conclusion, Vince Staples has become one of the most compelling new voices to emerge from the West Coast rap scene in recent years. With his poignant lyrics, creative musicality, and tireless work ethic, the ceiling remains high for the young Long Beach native. As he continues maturing as an artist, Vince Staples has all the talents and perspective to leave a lasting legacy on hip hop culture for years to come.