Blueface
Biography
Johnathan Jamall Porter (born January 20, 1997), known professionally as Blueface, is an American rapper. He was born in Los Angeles, California, and grew up in various neighborhoods, including Mid-City and the Santa Clarita Valley, before settling in Oakland with his father. Porter attended multiple elementary schools and later Arleta High School in the San Fernando Valley. At Arleta High, he was the starting quarterback for the football team, leading them to an East Valley League championship in 2014, and also played the alto saxophone in the marching band. He briefly attended Fayetteville State University on a football scholarship but left in 2016.
Music Career
Blueface began rapping in January 2017 under the name Blueface Bleedem, a reference to his association with the School Yard Crips street gang. His career started after he was challenged to rap over a beat while at a friend's music studio. This led to his first song, "Deadlocs," produced by his friend Laudiano and released on SoundCloud. In June 2018, he released his first full-length project, "Famous Cryp."
Rise to Fame
In October 2018, the music video for his song "Respect My Cryppin'" was released on WorldStarHipHop's YouTube channel and quickly became a viral meme due to his off-beat style of rapping. This newfound attention brought popularity to his other songs, including "Thotiana." The following month, he signed a record deal with Cash Money West, the West Coast branch of Birdman's Cash Money Records. His 2018 single, "Thotiana," became a sleeper hit, eventually peaking at number eight on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2019 after remixes with Cardi B and YG were released. In 2019, he was also selected as a member of the XXL Freshman Class.
Notable Works
Blueface has released several projects, including the EPs "Two Coccy" (2018) and "Dirt Bag" (2019). His debut studio album, "Find the Beat," was released on March 13, 2020, after several delays and featured artists such as DaBaby, Lil Baby, and Gunna. Some of his other notable singles include "Bleed It," "Daddy," and "Stop Cappin'."
Other Ventures
In addition to his music career, Blueface has ventured into boxing. In June 2021, he signed with the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship. He has participated in several exhibition bouts, including a victory against TikToker Ed Matthews in April 2023.
Personal Life and Legal Issues
Blueface's personal life has been marked by public relationships and numerous legal troubles. He has three children. His on-and-off relationship with Chrisean Rock from 2020 to 2023 was highly publicized. Porter has faced multiple arrests and charges over the years. In November 2022, he was arrested for attempted murder in Las Vegas, for which he was later sentenced to three years of probation. In August 2024, he was sentenced to four years in prison for a 2021 battery incident and probation violation.