03 Greedo

L.A. rapper 03 Greedo came into his own on a series of mixtapes that began with 2016's Purple Summer. His multi-faceted rhymes were heavy on references to drugs, struggle, and fame, and he churned out quality material at a prolific clip. He broke through to an even larger audience after signing a record deal, but not even a month after the release of his 2018 debut studio album God Level, he was sentenced to 20 years in prison for drug trafficking.

03 Greedo was born Jason Jamal Jackson in 1987 and grew up in the Los Angeles area. He first started rapping under the name Greedy Giddy, releasing mixtapes like his four-volume Bi-Polar series and 2012's Money, Powder, Regrets. His early work was influenced by Southern rap and the first phase of his career was marked by scattershot output in the form of online tracks and the occasional mixtape. In 2016 he changed his name to 03 Greedo and started the Golden Grenade Empire label to release his new music, his style developing into something more atmospheric and fluid. Self-produced mixtapes came one after another, with Purple Summer and Purple Summer 2: Sun Don't Shine arriving in 2016 and the next year Purple Summer 03: Purple Hearted Soldier, First Night Out, and Money Changes Everything