Reason thought he was on his last legs. The California native of South Central Los Angeles escaped an upbringing of violence and drugs by following his MC dreams, only to find limited financial success. Ironically, it was him expressing this struggle that led to him becoming one of TDE’s latest profound poets.

After a series of digital mixtapes remained under the radar since 2015, his debut LP, There You Have It, wowed executives so much with its raw lyricism and esoteric beats that it was re-released shortly after his signing in 2018. Reason has emphasized that his brand is largely intended to reflect the socially-conscious tone of the LP’s lead single, “Better Dayz.”

Despite his recent induction into the high-profile label, Reason already joined a legion of elite rappers when Top Dawg poster-child, Kendrick Lamar, brought him aboard the 2018 Black Panther soundtrack. Since then, he’s collaborated with EarthGang, Childish Major, Ari Lennox, Ab-Soul, and Dreamville. Amidst the rush of attention, he also garnered praise from the likes of Ice Cube. Still a budding lyricist, Reason continues to rocket from West coast obscurity to international recognition.