BJ the Chicago Kid facts for kids

Quick facts for kids BJ the Chicago Kid
Sledge in July 2019
Background information
Birth name	Bryan James Sledge
Also known as	BJ
Born	(1984-11-23) November 23, 1984 (age 40) Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Genres	R&B neo soul soul
Occupation(s)	R&B Singer songwriter
Years active	2001–present
Labels	Motown M.A.F.E. Reach The World RCA
Associated acts	Black Hippy Dubb Union GLC Fly Union Freddie Gibbs Rapsody

Bryan James Sledge (born November 23, 1984), known as BJ the Chicago Kid, is an American singer and songwriter. He was born and grew up in Chicago, Illinois. BJ is famous for working with many other artists, including Schoolboy Q, Ab-Soul, Kendrick Lamar, and Jay Rock. He has also collaborated with Kanye West, Chance the Rapper, and Anderson .Paak.

BJ started his music career in 2001. He helped write a song called "For You" for Dave Hollister. In 2006, his voice was first heard on "Impossible" by Kanye West, which was part of the movie Mission: Impossible III. In 2012, he released his first album, Pineapple Now-Laters. Later that year, he signed with Motown Records. This famous label then released his song "Good Luv'n" as his first official single.

Life and Music Journey

Early Life and First Steps in Music (1984–2008)

Bryan Sledge was born in Chicago, Illinois. His parents were church choir directors, so he grew up surrounded by music. He lived in the Brainerd neighborhood on Chicago's South Side. Bryan was inspired to become a musician after seeing Janet Jackson perform live.

When he was 19, he moved to Los Angeles, California. There, he became a backup singer for the gospel group Mary Mary. He also sang on Stevie Wonder's album A Time to Love in 2005. Later, he wrote songs for R&B and gospel artists like Shirley Caesar and Lalah Hathaway. He also sang on Kanye West's song "Impossible."

Mixtapes and New Music (2009–2011)

In 2009, Sledge released his first mixtape called A Taste of Chicago. He used the name BJ the Chicago Kid for this project. Later that year, he released another mixtape, The New Beginning. In 2011, he put out his third mixtape, The Life of Love's Cupid.

Major Albums and Record Deals (2012–Present)

In February 2012, BJ released his first studio album, Pineapple Now-Laters. He released it on his own. In August 2012, he signed a recording contract with Motown Records. After this, Motown started promoting his song "Good Luv'n" from Pineapple Now-Laters as a single.

In February 2013, BJ released a song called "Honey." His song "Smokin' and Ridin'" with rappers Freddie Gibbs and Problem was even featured in the video game Grand Theft Auto V. In October 2013, BJ announced he was working on his first album with a major record label. He also released a free Christmas-themed album called A Soulful Christmas in December 2013.

On April 22, 2014, rapper Schoolboy Q released "Studio". This song featured BJ's vocals and became very popular. It reached the Top 40 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. On November 19, 2014, BJ released his fourth mixtape, The M.A.F.E. Project. This mixtape had 12 songs and featured artists like Freddie Gibbs and Schoolboy Q. Motown Records released the song "It's True" from this mixtape as a single. A music video for "It's True" was also released.

On February 19, 2016, BJ released his major label debut album, "In My Mind". His third studio album, 1123, came out on July 26, 2019. In May 2023, it was announced that BJ The Chicago Kid signed with Reach The World, a label connected to RCA Records.

Music Releases

Studio Albums

Collaborative Albums

Extended Plays (EPs)

Mixtapes

Singles

As Lead Artist

As Featured Artist

Guest Appearances

Music Videos

Awards and Nominations

BJ the Chicago Kid has been nominated for several Grammy Awards for his music.