Brooklyn drill rapper Jay Gwuapo emerged on the scene when he was just a teenager. With his R&B-styled singsong delivery and reflective lyrics, he struck a chord with listeners, both on the streets and at his high school. After the early single "Downbad" heralded his breakthrough in 2018, he soon landed a record deal. Gwuapo's debut album, From Nothing, Pt. 1, arrived in 2019, establishing him alongside contemporaries Lil Tjay, Pop Smoke, and KJ Balla.

Born in 2000, Gwuapo decided to try his hand at rapping after seeing friends take the plunge. It was a wise decision as he soon became a local hit, self-releasing tracks until he caught the attention of the From Nothing label. He released his official debut single, "Downbad," in 2018. From there, he kept the songs coming, issuing "Steppin' Out," "Well Explained, " and "Drip, Sauce" with frequent collaborator KJ Balla. By 2019, he had garnered enough attention to attract the major labels, and he signed with Polo Grounds Music/RCA that March. Months later, Gwuapo issued his debut full-length, From Nothing, Pt. 1, which featured guests Lil Tjay, Calboy, and Don Q.

In 2020, the Brooklyn drill world was rocked by the deaths of Pop Smoke and KJ Balla. Those losses fed directly into the young emcee's music, most notably on "Black Mask," "Long Live the Woo," and "Lost Files," Gwuapo's tributes to his late friends. ~ Neil Z. Yeung, Rovi