Kevin Gates is a rapper who used his own painful experiences to write heartfelt and emotional lyrics about the struggles he faced early in life.
Despite the mistakes he made or the pain he felt, he knew that things would only get better if he used his time and experience well.
Kevin Gates serves as an example of why you should never give up, no matter how hard you've tried.
What is Kevin Gates Net Worth?
Kevin Gates net worth is $1 million after years as a musician, rap executive and student.
Sadly, Gates' career has been on hiatus for years due to the arrests the rapper has been sentenced to throughout his life.
Gates got into trouble when he was just 13 after he was found in the passenger seat of a recently stolen car.
This would not be the last time Gates would be arrested and would later face charges of assault, battery and weapons possession.
Despite his controversial past, Gates has managed to break through and gain the recognition he needs to succeed in his dream career.
The rapper had to be honest about the mistakes he made and he used them as dark inspiration for his music.
He was once noticed by Lil' Wayne's Young Money label, but they were more interested in signing Gates as an executive member of the label than as an artist.
Although Gates was a little bummed about this, he saw it as an opportunity to learn the craft from the inside, in hopes of starting his own record label.
Before Young Money hired Kevin Gates as a manager, he was a rapper who was signed to Dead Game Records in 2007.
During this time, Gates released his mixtapelitter selection,along with label mates Boosie Badazz and Webbie.
In 2013, Kevin Gates founded his own record label called Bread Winners' Association or BWA.
His record label was on the rise when Gates was again arrested and jailed, interrupting his previous work.
However, nothing could stop his entrepreneurial spirit.
Gates even made an energy drink once, following the path of many other rappers.
In recent years, the rapper has noticeably calmed down.
The Dead Game records years
Kevin Gates first signed to Dead Game Records in 20075 yearsafter Tommy Jones and Travis Johnson started the local record label.
The label was founded to help up-and-coming local artists in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
With no regional labels to compete with, Dead Game Records was able to attract the best local talent, including Boosie Badazz, Webbie and Max Minelli.
However, the most famous of its artists remains Kevin Gates.
It was at Dead Game Records that Gates met two of his closest musical friends, Boosie and Webbie.
Under the same label, the trio worked on Kevin Gates' debut album,litter selection.
After Gates' album was released, Boosie in Baton Rouge quickly gained popularity.
This also helped boost Kevin Gates' popularity, as the trio were never far apart.
With a little more help from his friends, Gates broke free.Everything or nothing.
This album focuses heavily on the struggles Gates faced during his childhood.
Kevin Gates had an extremely unhappy childhood that started without his father.
He was raised by his mother and grandmother, but tended to get into trouble.
He was arrested at age 13 for driving a stolen vehicle.
Sadly, the young rapper was arrested.
They affirmgoing to prison so young made him numb to the fear of going to prison.
If the officers had decided to take the driver to the police station, leave him in the car and take him to his mother's house, he would probably never have committed another crime.
EmEverything or nothing,The rapper emotionally laments the tragic childhood he grew up with and how he wonders if things could have been different.
It's time for young money
Although his first two mixtapes weren't very commercially successful outside of Baton Rouge, the success was enough to keep him afloat.
However, problems arose when Gates and Boosie were accused of crimes at the same time.
This was the first major stop in his career.
He was convicted as a felon with a firearm and surrounded by dangerous controlled substances.
Gates could face 10 to 15 years in prison, but he only served 31 months in prison and was released on good behavior.
While in prison from 2008 to 2011, Kevin Gates completed his Masters in Psychology through a prison program.
He also used this time to find mentors to help him improve.
When he was released from prison in 2011, he started working on his next biggest mixtape,make them believe, which would appear the following year.
make them believeit was the album that caught the attention of Lil' Wayne's Young Money label.
Gates was incredibly excited to join the Young Money team, but little did he know that they wanted him as a member of the management wing rather than a recording artist.
While it seemed like a painful blow at first, Kevin Gates quickly realized that this was the stepping stone he needed to succeed.
While it may not have been the direct path to stardom that Gates had hoped for, making the decision to view Young Money's leadership position as a learning experience was the best decision Gates ever made.
While working for Young Money, Gates discovered the hard work and dedication required to run his own record label.
If he owned the label, he could produce his own music.
Afteran inspiring conversation with Birdman, Gates knew what he had to do.
Breadwinners Association and the Florida Concert Incident
Later that same year, Kevin Gates releasedDie Luca-Brazil-Historysolo and the mixtape received critical acclaim.
This led to Gates being discovered by Atlantic Records, who helped launch him.Stranger than fiction.
stranger than fictionbrought Gates further fame, peaking at number 17 on the Billboard 200 in 2013.
Gates was on his way to success in 2013, even launching his own label, the Breadwinners Association.
Kevin Gates started the idea with his wife Dreka Gates in 2010.
This only happened in 2013.atlantean recordsjoined the Gates to bring the Breadwinners Association to its full potential.
Gates is the only artist on his label, but he has featured other artists on his songs, such asMoneybagg Yo e Dermont Kennedy.
Kevin Gates produced his album through Bread Winners' Association and Atlantic Records.satellites.
Gates also released his mixtapeby any meanssob Atlantic Records e BWA.
Gates also released his thirteenth album calledluca brazil 2,with the first Gates song to go gold.
I do not get tiredbecame a hit and became the name of Gatessouth american tourem 2015.
In the same year, he published the third entry inLuca Brassinamed seriescontract murder.
Kevin Gates got into trouble again for kicking a fan in the chest.
She was 18 years old.
When Gates was brought to trial, she admitted to wearing the shorts, which is why Gates decided to kick her in the chest.
Gates was ordered to do so180 ceilingsat the Polk County Jail.
After serving his sentence, Gates announced his latest album,correction.
No matter what happens, Gates keeps moving.
correctionAnd his conversion to Islam
em 2015, Kevin and Dreka Gates made the public announcement to convert to Islam and visit Mecca for Hajj.
Mecca is the holiest city in the Islamic faith and devotees make pilgrimage there during Hajj.
While there, Kevin Gates was asked to touch and kiss the Black Stone as part of the Tawaf ritual.
Pedra Negra dates back to the time of Adam and Eve and it is considered an honor to touch or even visit it.
A video was made of his experience touching and kissing the Black Stone.
The rapper broke down in tears at the honor and acceptance he felt on the trip.
This helped to inspire and empower him for the journey that would continue with his album.Correction.
correctionit was a huge success thanks to its loyal fan base.
In 2016 sold out25by Adele,this is actingfrom Sia enine track ghostde Charlie Puth.
Kevin Gates was the second most popular album in the United States.
Nobody expected the album to do so well, especially after the controversy surrounding the rapper's surprising admission that he hadhe went out with his cousinconsciously for two years.
Although the couple didn't know they were related for the first three months, the grandmother revealed the information after finding out about the romantic relationship.
However, Gates believed that he and his cousin made too good a couple to leave.
The relationship began in 2006 and lasted until 2008 because Gates "didn't want to ruin a good cause".
correctionfinally woncertified platinumState.
The album was named after his daughter and featured artists such as Jamie Foxx, Trey Songz and Ty Dolla $ign.
correctionit was their first platinum recording.
i am the aDakota do Norteonly the generals
After the revolutionary album that wasCorrection,Kevin Gates refused to stop working on his music and released the sequel mixtape,contract murder 2.
Served as a continuation.Luca BrassiSeries.
He decided to release the album soon after.correctionbecause Atlantic Records would not allow him to release a new album until the following year.
However, Kevin Gates was reportedly jailed for 30 months on weapons charges.
goals just servednine in 30 monthsbefore being released from prison for good behavior and banned from owning guns.
While he was in prison, his wife and co-owner of Bread Winners' Association released his next mixtape,Definitely 2.
em 2019, Kevin Gates joined Cardi B on part of her tour and appeared at shows in Tulsa, Wichita, Lincoln, Minneapolis, Indianapolis and Charlottesville.
During that time, he announced his latest album.am hewhen he released a music video for the lead tracks.
That same year, Gates released an expanded playlist calledOnly generals will understand.
Fans began to look forward to what was to come.
Although the album was received with as much grandeur asCorrection,Fans of his work seemed to appreciate it.more than you'd expect from Gates.
The themes of his songs range from an apology song to his daughter to a love letter to his wife.
Like many of her other albums, her songs range from the struggles she feels battling depression to songs that are said to be explicit due to their sexual nature.
Even though he has 17 tracks on the album, he managedno other featured artiston the entire album and wrote each song himself.
Other commercial ventures
With the help of the Bread Winners' Association, Kevin Gates released an energy drink based on his song.I do not get tired
The pineapple flavor was designed and approved by Gates himself before they could test the waters together.
At the shows that Gates would headline, they offered I Don't Get Tired as a drink option to the audience, and it sold out at every show.
Once it was clear that there was an audience for the beverage, Bread Winners' Associate decided to distribute the beverage to select retailers in Baton Rouge and New Orleans, Louisiana.
The energy drink was also sold in Los Angeles, Atlanta, Las Vegas, Baltimore and Washington D.C. sold.
Each can had a price1,99 $and came in individual 8.4-ounce cans.
Despite being an energy drink, it is healthier than most people might realize.
Rather than being packed with caffeine and added sugars, Gates' drink uses a combination of vitamins to keep consumers alert and give them the energy boost they need.
I do not get tiredIt has vitamin B12, vitamin B6, caffeine, niacinamide, taurine, potassium sorbate, glucuronolactone, sodium citrate, inositol, sodium benzoate, filtered carbonated water and high fructose corn syrup.
Most consumers can feel the effects of the beverage within 20 to 30 minutes of consuming it.
Anyone who wanted to order a package of 24 units of the drink had to pay US$ 55.99.
While the drink has since been sold on its own website and on Amazon, it appears to have been in production for longer.
Your family
Kevin Gates met his future wife Dreka Haynes early on in his rap career while he was still at Dead Game Records.
The longtime couple got married in 2015 and converted to the Islamic faith soon after.
Even before they got married, Dreka Gates did everything she could to help Kevin Gates become a rapper.
In her early years, she evenacted as your reservations managerafter doing extensive research on the best way to help your partner.
The couple had already proven they could pursue a music career together, making them the obvious choice for a Pan Winners Association business partner.
Dreka Gates has stated multiple times that her best relationship is with her husband, which gives her the determination to help him succeed.
Despite the publication of a sexually explicit video between Kevin Gates and another woman, their relationship has not been disturbed.
The rapper has stated in the past that their relationship is based on friendship, not just intercourse.
Kevin and Dreka Gates are very close with their son and daughter Khaza and Islah.
Islah was a newborn when her father released the album that bears her name.
The choices Kevin Gates made may be unique to him, but staying true to himself has always been at the core of who Kevin Gates is.
He is an animator who doesn't care about his past and who moves on to his next work of art and doesn't let anything stop him from making his art.