Biography

Khalif Malik Ibn Shaman Brown, known professionally as Swae Lee, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter born on June 7, 1993, in Inglewood, California. He was raised in Tupelo, Mississippi, where he and his brother, Slim Jxmmi, faced challenges, including a period of homelessness after high school. His early life in a tough neighborhood and his passion for music from a young age shaped his drive to succeed.

Rae Sremmurd and Rise to Fame

Swae Lee and his brother Slim Jxmmi began their musical journey in high school, forming the group "Dem Outta St8 Boyz". In 2013, the duo signed with Mike WiLL Made-It's record label, EarDrummers Entertainment, under the new name Rae Sremmurd, which is "Ear Drummers" spelled backward. They gained widespread recognition in 2014 with their hit single "No Flex Zone". Their debut album, "SremmLife" (2015), was a commercial success, featuring popular tracks like "No Type" and "Throw Sum Mo". The group's success continued with their second album, "SremmLife 2" (2016), which included the viral hit "Black Beatles". This song reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100, largely thanks to its use in the "Mannequin Challenge" social media trend.

Solo Career and Notable Collaborations

While still a part of Rae Sremmurd, Swae Lee began to establish himself as a solo artist. He was featured on French Montana's 2017 hit "Unforgettable," which became a global success and his first top ten hit as a solo artist. In 2018, he released his debut solo album, "Swaecation," as part of Rae Sremmurd's triple album "SR3MM". One of his most significant solo achievements came with the Post Malone collaboration, "Sunflower," for the "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" soundtrack in 2018. The song topped the Billboard Hot 100 and received two Grammy nominations. He has also collaborated with a wide range of prominent artists, including Travis Scott on "Sicko Mode," Ellie Goulding and Diplo on "Close to Me," and Madonna on "Crave".

Musical Style and Songwriting

Swae Lee is known for his unique musical style that blends hip-hop, R&B, and pop. He is particularly recognized for his melodic vocals and catchy hooks, which has led to him being described as "the songbird of our generation". He considers himself more of a singer than a rapper. Beyond his own music, Swae Lee is a talented songwriter, having co-written Beyoncé's single "Formation," which earned him a Grammy Award nomination.

Awards and Recognition

Throughout his career, Swae Lee has received numerous accolades. His work has earned him multiple Grammy nominations, including for "Sunflower" and "Sicko Mode". He has also been nominated for Billboard Music Awards and BET Awards. The single "Unforgettable" received diamond certification from the RIAA, and "Sunflower" became the first song in RIAA history to receive double diamond (20x platinum) certification.

Songs

Arms Around You (feat. Maluma & Swae Lee)

XXXTENTACION
SongSense

Sunflower

Post Malone
SongSense

Be Like That - feat. Swae Lee & Khalid

Kane Brown
SongSense

Hopeless Romantic (feat. Swae Lee)

Wiz Khalifa
SongSense

Calling (Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse) (Metro Boomin & Swae Lee, NAV, feat. A Boogie Wit da Hoodie)

Metro Boomin
SongSense

Nightcrawler (feat. Swae Lee & Chief Keef)

Travis Scott
SongSense

Powerglide (feat. Juicy J) - From SR3MM

Rae Sremmurd
SongSense

Close To Me

Ellie Goulding
SongSense

Sunflower - Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

Post Malone
SongSense

Unforgettable

French Montana
SongSense

Annihilate - Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

Metro Boomin

Bedtime Stories (feat. The Weeknd) - From SR3MM

Rae Sremmurd

CLOSE (feat. Travis Scott) - From SR3MM

Rae Sremmurd

Perplexing Pegasus - From SR3MM

Rae Sremmurd

T'd Up - From SR3MM

Rae Sremmurd

Hurt To Look - From Swaecation

Rae Sremmurd

Offshore (feat. Young Thug) - From Swaecation

Rae Sremmurd

Lean On Me (with Swae Lee)

Calvin Harris

My Life (ft. Swae Lee, PnB Rock, KABU)

Steve Aoki

Don't Judge Me (feat. Future & Swae Lee)

Ty Dolla $ign

Annihilate (Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse) (Metro Boomin & Swae Lee, Lil Wayne, Offset)

Metro Boomin

Reason (& Metro Boomin)

Big Sean

Calling - Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

Metro Boomin

Party Up The Street

Miley Cyrus

Sin Pensar

Ozuna

Turn Yo Cap Back (Cap Backwards) (feat. Swae Lee)

Nicki Minaj

CIRCUS MAXIMUS (feat. The Weeknd & Swae Lee)

Travis Scott

Chun Swae (feat. Swae Lee)

Nicki Minaj

Airplane Tickets

Pharrell Williams

Touchscreen Navigation - From Swaecation

Rae Sremmurd

Spoil My Night (feat. Swae Lee)

Post Malone

Crave (with Swae Lee)

Madonna

Guatemala - From Swaecation

Rae Sremmurd

Crave

Madonna

The Ways (with Swae Lee)

Khalid