YBN Cordae just might be the voice of the future. The young rapper has only been in the game for a few years, but he already understands the value of his platform and he’s looking to make a difference through his music. Born Cordae Dunston in 1997 in North Carolina, his family relocated to Suitland, Maryland when he was growing up. At just 15 years old, Cordae decided to give his rap career a try, and he has cited OGs like Jay-Z, Dr. Dre, Mos Def, Talib Kweli, and more as early influences. He showed promise on early mixtapes like 2014’s Anxiety and 2016’s I’m So Anxious, which were full of thoughtful and creative songs that incorporating funny anecdotes into commentary on current events and pop culture. But it wasn’t until 2018 that Cordae achieved widespread attention with his remixes and freestyles over classic rap songs.