Cordae facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Cordae
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Cordae performing at Openair Frauenfeld in 2019
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Cordae Amari Dunston |
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| Born | August 26, 1997 Raleigh, North Carolina, U.S. |
| Origin | Suitland, Maryland, U.S. |
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| Years active | 2014–present |
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Cordae Amari Brooks (born August 26, 1997), known as Cordae, is an American rapper. He was once known as YBN Cordae and Entendre. He started his music journey as part of the hip hop group YBN.
His first album, The Lost Boy, came out in 2019. It reached number 13 on the Billboard 200 chart. Critics really liked it! The album was even nominated for a Best Rap Album award. One of its songs, "Bad Idea" (featuring Chance the Rapper), was nominated for Best Rap Song at the 62nd Grammy Awards.
After the YBN group broke up in 2020, he dropped "YBN" from his stage name. His second album, From a Birds Eye View, was released in 2022. It also reached number 13 on the charts and got great reviews.
Contents
Growing Up and Music Dreams
Cordae was born in North Carolina. He spent most of his childhood in Suitland, Maryland. When he was little, he loved music because his dad played classic hip hop artists like Rakim and Nas.
Cordae started writing his own raps when he was about 15 years old. As he got older, he spent a lot of time on YouTube, looking for music similar to what his dad played. He became very interested in becoming a rapper. Even though he focused on school, he often got sidetracked by writing lyrics.
Before he became famous, he released three mixtapes under the name "Entendre": Anxiety (2014), I'm So Anxious (2016), and I'm So Anonymous (2017). He finished high school in 2015 and went to Towson University. But he left college in 2018. He explained that college felt "bigger than him" as the first person in his family to go. He mainly went for his mom. Soon after, he moved to Los Angeles to chase his music dreams.
Music Career Highlights
Starting Out and First Big Album (2014–2019)
Cordae started taking his rap career very seriously in early 2018. When he visited Los Angeles, he met up with YBN Nahmir and YBN Almighty Jay. He had connected with them online. Nahmir reached out to Cordae after hearing one of his songs. Cordae felt like he was already part of the YBN group, so he changed his name from "Entendre" to "YBN Cordae."
In May 2018, Cordae released his first single, which he called his "introduction to the world." It was a new version of Eminem's 1999 song "My Name Is." He released the song with a music video on YouTube.
Cordae performed live for the first time at the Rolling Loud music festival in May 2018. He performed with YBN Nahmir and YBN Almighty Jay. He also joined Juice Wrld on his North American tour from May to September 2018. This tour visited 28 cities.
Later, the YBN group announced a month-long tour in Europe. Cordae said he would release more songs until his first big music project was ready. On August 12, 2018, YBN Nahmir announced that an official YBN Mixtape with the three of them would be released on September 7, 2018.
On January 28, 2019, Cordae released a music video for his new song, "Locationships." In March, he released "Have Mercy." This was the first song from his debut album, The Lost Boy. He was also chosen as one of XXL's "2019 Freshman Class" on June 20. Cordae then released "Bad Idea" and "RNP" as more songs from the album. The album itself came out on July 26, 2019. The Lost Boy earned Cordae two nominations at the 62nd Grammy Awards: Best Rap Album and Best Rap Song for "Bad Idea." In November, Cordae announced his own tour, "The Lost Boy in America Tour," which started in January 2020.
New Beginnings and Recent Albums (2020–Present)
On August 6, 2020, YBN Nahmir announced that the YBN group had split up. Cordae then removed "YBN" from his stage name. On August 27, Cordae released a new song, "Gifted," featuring Roddy Ricch.
On April 22, 2021, Cordae released a shorter music collection called Just Until.... It featured artists like Q-Tip and Young Thug. This was a preview for his second main album. On October 7, 2021, he released the song "Super."
Cordae's second studio album, From a Birds Eye View, came out on January 14, 2022. This album had 14 songs and featured famous artists like Eminem, Stevie Wonder, and Gunna.
In July 2023, Cordae was featured on the Lyrical Lemonade song "Doomsday." He performed alongside the late rapper Juice Wrld. This song was the first single from the All Is Yellow album.
On November 15, 2024, Cordae released his third studio album, The Crossroads.
Cordae's Music Style
Cordae looks up to many famous rappers. He has mentioned Nas, Jay-Z, Kid Cudi, Kanye West, Eminem, Lil Wayne, J. Cole, and Kendrick Lamar as some of his biggest inspirations. After his album The Lost Boy came out, he said his five favorite rappers were Jay-Z, Nas, 2Pac, The Notorious B.I.G., and Big L. He has said that Nas's album It Was Written was a big influence on him.
Cordae often talks about how he can connect older hip-hop styles with newer ones. He believes he can bridge the gap between different generations of hip-hop fans.
Many people in the music world have praised Cordae. Respect Magazine said in 2018 that he was "ahead of his time" as a rapper. They noted that he mixes old and new styles. Revolt TV also said in 2018 that Cordae is special because he can create interesting music that stands out. They called him the "Gohan of the YBN collective," meaning he might seem calm but has amazing skills with words.
Personal Life
Before he left college, Cordae worked at a restaurant called T.G.I. Friday's in Maryland. He said he "hated" the job and knew he was meant for bigger things.
Cordae has been involved in social justice. He participated in a Black Lives Matter protest in 2016. In July 2020, he was part of a peaceful protest in Louisville, Kentucky.
He started dating tennis star Naomi Osaka in 2019. They met at a basketball game. On January 11, 2023, they announced they were expecting their first child. Their baby girl was born on July 7, 2023. Cordae shared her name, Shai, at a concert on July 11, 2023.
In September 2024, Cordae shared on Instagram that he legally changed his last name from Dunston to Brooks.
On January 6, 2025, Naomi Osaka announced that she and Cordae were no longer together. She said there was "no bad blood" and that Cordae is "a great person and an awesome dad."
Music Releases
Studio Albums
- The Lost Boy (Released: July 26, 2019)
- From a Birds Eye View (Released: January 14, 2022)
- The Crossroads (Released: November 15, 2024)
Extended Plays (EPs)
- Just Until... (Released: April 22, 2021)
Mixtapes
- Anxiety (as Entendre, Released: June 22, 2014)
- I'm So Anxious (as Entendre, Released: August 7, 2016)
- I'm So Anonymous (as Entendre, Released: August 15, 2017)
- YBN: The Mixtape (with YBN Almighty Jay and YBN Nahmir, Released: September 7, 2018)
Images for kids
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Cordae's signature
See also
In Spanish: Cordae para niños
