Memphis native Finesse2tymes has had a rocky start, but things are looking up for the rapper. With a signature voice noted for its boisterous quality, it’s hard not to listen to his work. His rap sound is unmistakable, owing to his Southern roots, but he’s carved out a distinct musical flow that’s purely his own. Finesse2tymes has now gained a fanbase of loyal listeners who are enthralled by his nostalgic, relatable lyrics.
Finesse2tymes has spent much of his teenage and adult life behind bars. Fortunately, this hasn’t deterred him from realizing his dreams. At 31, he made the coveted XXL Freshman List, less than a year after he was released from federal custody. Today, he’s not taking his freedom for granted, and is back on the grind, boosted by a music deal with Atlantic Records.
Early Life and Legal Issues
Before viral songs like “Back End” and “Humble” took over the airwaves, Finesse2tymes was making moves as part of Memphis Greatest Underrated, a musical collective with Moneybagg Yo and Blac Youngsta. The rapper was born Rocky Hampton on June 10 in 1992. When he was 15, he was charged with aggravated robbery and received his first prison sentence. While speaking with XXL, he narrated his experience of never attending high school.
“I actually got locked up my freshman year. I was 15 years old,” he said. “Got tried as an adult and bound over for some aggravated robberies when I was 15. So, my freshman year started off like I ain’t never seen a high school.” Finesse2tymes doesn’t shun down any of his experiences though, referring to the situation as what was meant to be. “Where I went is what was supposed to happen.”
His second jail stint came in 2018 when he began a prison sentence for being a felon in possession of a firearm. This was due to an incident in 2017 where he fired shots following an altercation at a nightclub in Arkansas. He was released on July 1, 2022, and three days later, his first compilation album, Singlez dropped.
Finesse2tymes’ Musical Rise
Finesse2tymes’ career spans back more than an entire decade. Memphis Greatest Underrated released a self-titled EP in 2016, four years after their formation in 2012. He began to make waves as a solo act in 2017 when he dropped the mixtape, Hustle & Flow. The Memphis star began gaining significant traction, as well as a slew of new fans. With a commanding voice and motivational lyrics, Finesse was poised to be the next big thing. However, his second prison sentence would derail his breakthrough by a few years.
While he and Moneybagg Yo had their differences over the years, the two squashed their beef, and Finesse signed to Moneybagg’s label, Bread Gang. He revealed to HotNewHipHop that he’s moved past old grudges and the pair is moving forward with music.
“As you see with the thing I did with Moneybagg Yo, you know, we put our ideas to the side and became a partnership and everything. You know, so this is how far it came. I can’t hold a grudge ’cause you can’t move forward,” he said. “When you’re holding negative energy in the universe, period, not just a specific person, it kind of creates a bad luck vibe for you. You want to have your name clean, your face clean.”
Musical Breakthrough
Now, Finesse2tymes can boast of having collaborations with several top names. He credits Gucci Mane as one of his influences, and worked with him on the tracks “Nobody” and “Gucci Flow.” His most recent mixtape, 90 Days, was released and boosted his profile even more. Coming off the back of his Atlantic Records signing, 90 Days became his first project to hit the Billboard charts. He’s also stated that new music is on the way, raising hopes of a debut album.
Read More: XXL Posts Finesse2Tymes Freshman Freestyle
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