Biography

Focusing on the realist side of Southern rap, EST Gee authentically documents day-to-day life in Louisville, Kentucky, incorporating trap and other contemporary variants of the genre. After developing a unique style on several self-released mixtapes, EST Gee signed with Interscope for the release of his 2021 project Bigger Than Life or Death, and in 2022 he delivered his debut studio album, I Never Felt Nun, a collection of tense street raps with occasional dips into melody provided by guest rappers like Future and Jack Harlow. The album made it to the Top Ten of the U.S. Billboard charts and his 2023 mixtape, Mad, wasn't far behind, peaking at the number 25 slot. Raised in the Newburg neighborhood of Jefferson County, Gee got a football scholarship to Indiana State University. He was the first in his family to attend college, but his studies were cut short when he went to prison. After getting out, he began making music in 2017, crafting a moniker by joining the acronym EST -- Everybody Shine Together -- with Gee, a reference to his first name, George. His relaxed but relentless lyrical style was often characterized by a signature trail-off in delivery at the end of a track. This is evident on El Toro, one of two albums -- the other being Die Bloody -- that he self-released in 2019. These projects coincided with the birth of his son. In September 2019, Gee was shot five times after filming a video in Atlanta. He was hospitalized for a short while due to his stomach injuries, but also sustained visual impairment in his left eye. He had already completed sessions for his next album, so his convalescence was punctuated by the release of singles such as "Morals," "Taught Different," and "On the Floor," material that all ultimately appeared on March 2020's Ion Feel Nun. Sadly, early 2020 saw the death of his mother, and his brother, tragedies that solidified his determination to make the most of the platform provided to him by his burgeoning music career. Within weeks, Gee was being interviewed online about his experiences and his growing catalog. In December 2020, he issued I Still Don't Feel Nun, which featured cameos by contemporaries such as Babyface Ray, Yo Gotti, and Jack Harlow. After signing with Interscope, the rapper's next project was 2021's Bigger Than Life or Death. The 15-song mixtape included appearances from a star-studded list of guest contributors -- Future, Young Thug, 42 Dugg, Pooh Shiesty, and many others. EST Gee continued his creative alliance with 42 Dugg in 2022 when the two joined forces for the shared mixtape Last Ones Left. The deep and menacing trap tape included guest spots from Tae Money, BIG30, 42 Cheez, and others, and debuted at the number seven slot on the Billboard Top 200 charts. Several months after Last Ones Left, EST Gee delivered his debut studio full-length, I Never Felt Nun. The album debuted again within the Top Ten of the Billboard charts, and featured guest appearances from Future, Machine Gun Kelly, Jeezy, and several other rappers already well acquainted with chart success. Six months later EST Gee returned with mixtape Mad. The project included 14 tracks and a handful of features from Kada, Young Scooter, and Boosie Badazz. Mad reached the number 25 slot on the Billboard Top 200 and number nine on the R&B/Hip Hop charts. ~ James Wilkinson, Rovi