Kota the Friend facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Kota The Friend
Background information
Birth name	Avery Marcel Joshua Jones
Born	(1992-10-16) October 16, 1992 (age 32) New York City, U.S.
Genres	Hip hop East Coast hip hop
Occupation(s)	Rapper singer songwriter record producer videographer
Years active	2015–present
Labels	FLTBYS

Avery Marcel Joshua Jones (born October 16, 1992), known as Kota The Friend, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He grew up in Brooklyn, New York. His stage name, "Kota," comes from a Native American word meaning "friend." He found the word in the Disney movie Brother Bear.

Kota The Friend released his first mixtape, Palm Tree Liquor, in 2016. He followed this with Paloma Beach in 2017 and Anything in 2018. His first official studio album, FOTO, came out in 2019. He then released Lyrics to GO, Vol. 1 in January 2020 and his second album, EVERYTHING, in May 2020. More recently, he released Lyrics to GO, Vol.2 in January 2021 and To Kill A Sunrise with Statik Selektah in March 2021. Lyrics to GO, Vol.3 came out in January 2022, and his third album, MEMO, was released in July 2022. In January 2023, he dropped Lyrics to GO, Vol.4. He also released To See A Sunset with Statik Selektah in March 2023. His fourth album, Protea, was released on June 30, 2023. He started 2024 by releasing Lyrics to GO Vol. 5 on January 25.

Early Life and Music Beginnings

Avery Jones was born in Brooklyn, New York City, on October 16, 1992. He grew up in a neighborhood called Clinton Hill. From a young age, he loved music.

When he was 8 years old, Avery learned to play the trumpet. He really wanted to play the saxophone, but there weren't enough at his school. Later, he also learned to play the keyboard, guitar, and bass.

He went to the Brooklyn High School of the Arts. Then he studied trumpet at Five Towns College. While in college, he formed a rap group called Nappy Hair. They even released two mixtapes!

Avery spent a lot of time working weekend jobs. He saved money to build his own music studio at home. He remembers rapping into his laptop in the bathroom when he was a teenager. This helped him decide to make music his career.

Music Career Highlights

Kota The Friend has always chosen to be an independent artist. This means he manages his own music and business. He turned down offers from three major record labels. Instead, he created his own music label and clothing brand called FLTBYS. He believes in doing things himself. He films his own music videos and records his songs at home. He also produces most of his own music. He wanted the freedom to create music without limits.

First Studio Album: FOTO

His first studio album, FOTO, came out in 2019. It featured other artists like Saba. The album was known for its calm and jazzy beats. Many people praised its high quality. Rolling Stone magazine even named FOTO the 17th best hip-hop album of 2019. After the album's success, Kota went on his first tour, called the FOTO Tour.

Second Album: EVERYTHING

Kota's second studio album, EVERYTHING, was released in 2020. ..... The album also featured actors Lupita Nyong'o and Lakeith Stanfield in short spoken parts. EVERYTHING reached number 162 on the Billboard 200 chart. This was his first album to appear on a major music chart. Fans really liked the album.

Third Album: MEMO

His third studio album, MEMO, was released in July 2022. This album had only two guest artists. Hello O'shay returned, and singer Brianna Castro also appeared.

FLTBYS: Kota's Business

Kota The Friend owns a brand called FLTBYS. It stands for Flight Boys. This brand is about skate culture, music, and travel. He started FLTBYS when he was in 11th grade in Brooklyn. Kota has been making clothes since he was young.

In 2020, he bought a building in Midtown Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. His FLTBYS store is on the ground floor of this building.

Music in Movies and TV

Kota's songs have been used in popular films and TV shows.

• His song "Scapegoat" was played during the end credits of the Amazon Prime movie Emergency (2022).
• The song "Pomegranate" was featured in the Netflix movie You People (2023). This movie starred actors like Eddie Murphy and Jonah Hill.
• His song "Volvo" was used in the Netflix original series Survival of the Thickest.

Personal Life

Kota The Friend has shared some of his musical inspirations. He looks up to artists like Jay-Z, Kid Cudi, and The Beatles.

Kota The Friend has one son. He also sometimes practices veganism. This means he eats only plant-based foods. He does this to feel healthy and to have a clear mind.

Discography

Studio Albums

See also

In Spanish: Kota the Friend para niños