Vince Staples facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Vince Staples
Staples at the 2021 San Diego Comic-Con
Background information
Birth name	Vincent Jamal Staples
Born	(1993-07-02) July 2, 1993 (age 31) Compton, California, U.S.
Origin	Long Beach, California, U.S.
Genres	West Coast hip hop
Occupation(s)	Rapper songwriter actor comedian
Years active	2008–present
Labels	Motown Blacksmith Def Jam ARTium A.G.
Signature

Vincent Jamal Staples (born on July 2, 1993) is an American rapper, songwriter, actor, and comedian. He grew up in Long Beach, California. Vince first became known for working with members of the group Odd Future. He appeared on their projects like Earl (2010) and Doris (2013).

He later signed with Talib Kweli's Blacksmith Records. Then he released a mixtape called Stolen Youth (2013) with Mac Miller. The next year, he joined No I.D.'s ARTium Recordings, which is part of Def Jam Recordings. He released his first extended play (EP), Hell Can Wait (2014). This EP was his first to appear on the Billboard 200 music chart and was highly praised.

His first full album, Summertime '06 (2015), also received great reviews. It included the popular song "Norf Norf", which sold over a million copies. XXL magazine chose him as one of their "2015 Freshman Class" of new artists. His later albums, Big Fish Theory (2017), FM! (2019), his self-titled album (2021), and Ramona Park Broke My Heart (2022), showed his diverse musical style. They all received good reviews and did well commercially. His sixth album, Dark Times (2024), was his last release with Def Jam. Vince Staples' music is known as West Coast hip hop. It often talks about important social topics and mixes in sounds from avant-garde, dance, and electronic music.

Besides his solo music, Vince is part of the hip hop group Cutthroat Boyz. He is in the group with Aston Matthews and Joey Fatts. He has also done voice acting in the 2015 film Mutafukaz. He also voiced characters in animated TV shows like American Dad! and Lazor Wulf. In 2015, he became a spokesperson for Sprite. In 2024, he started a comedy show on Netflix called The Vince Staples Show.

Early Life and Education

Vince Staples was born in Compton, California. However, he grew up in North Long Beach. His mother wanted to move away from Compton because of the high crime rates. Vince is the youngest of five children. He has two brothers and three sisters. He grew up in a family that did not have a lot of money.

Vince went to Optimal Christian Academy from 4th to 8th grade. He said this was a very good and important experience for him. During high school, his mom sent him to Atlanta to stay with one of his sisters for six months. After returning to Southern California, Vince attended several other high schools. These included Jordan High School in Long Beach and Mayfair High School in Lakewood. He also tried homeschooling and attended Esperanza High School and Kennedy High School.

Vince has openly spoken about his childhood experiences. He uses his experiences to talk to young people in his community. He teaches them about making good choices and staying safe.

When he was growing up, Vince played sports whenever he could. He played football in Snoop Dogg's Snoop Youth Football League (SYFL). Vince said, "Snoop really did it big, we got our names on our jerseys, we had the best cleats, the best helmets, you know Snoop Dogg really loved football."

Music Career Highlights

Early Beginnings and Stolen Youth

Vince Staples was discovered by Dijon "LaVish" Samo and Chuck Wun. LaVish took Vince on a trip to Los Angeles. There, Vince became friends with members of the Odd Future group. These friends included Syd tha Kyd, Mike G, and Earl Sweatshirt. Vince did not plan to become a rapper at first. But he started making guest appearances on their songs. A notable one was "epaR" from Earl Sweatshirt's 2010 mixtape Earl. After appearing on more songs, he decided to become a rapper. He released his first official mixtape, Shyne Coldchain Vol. 1, on December 30, 2011. In October 2012, he released a mixtape with Michael Uzowuru called Winter in Prague.

In 2012, Earl Sweatshirt returned and reconnected with Vince. Earl then introduced Vince to rapper Mac Miller. In June 2013, Miller and Staples released a mixtape called Stolen Youth. This mixtape featured other artists like Miller, Ab-Soul, Schoolboy Q, and Joey Fatts. After Stolen Youth came out, Vince toured with Mac Miller on his Space Migration Tour. He also appeared on three songs from Earl's album Doris, including the song "Hive". The album notes showed that Vince had recently signed with the hip hop record label Def Jam Recordings.

Shyne Coldchain Vol. 2 and Summertime '06

Staples at NXNE in June 2015

On March 13, 2014, Vince released his fourth mixtape, Shyne Coldchain Vol. 2. This mixtape featured music produced by Earl Sweatshirt, Michael Uzowuru, and No I.D.. It also had guest singers like Jhené Aiko and James Fauntleroy. On March 2, 2014, Vince started touring the United States. He toured with rappers Schoolboy Q and Isaiah Rashad on the Oxymoron World Tour.

On August 15, 2014, Vince released a music video for his song "Blue Suede". He also made the song available on iTunes. On September 9, 2014, he released another new song called "Hands Up" on iTunes. He released the EP Hell Can Wait on October 7, 2014. Before the EP came out, Vince shared that it would include guest appearances from A$ton Matthews and Teyana Taylor. It also featured music produced by No I.D..

On May 4, 2015, Vince released "Señorita", the first song from his first album. He later announced that his debut album would be called Summertime '06. In June 2015, XXL magazine named Vince one of the top ten new rappers. He was on the cover with other rising artists like Dej Loaf and Fetty Wap. On June 15, Vince released "Get Paid" featuring Desi Mo. On June 22, he released the album's last single, "Norf Norf". This song became very popular online after a video of a mom complaining about it went viral. The album was released on June 30, 2015. It received widespread praise and reached number 39 on the US Billboard 200 chart.

Prima Donna and Big Fish Theory

Staples performing in 2017

On February 23, 2016, it was announced that Vince Staples would perform at the 2016 Osheaga Music Festival. On August 25, 2016, Vince released his second EP, Prima Donna. This EP had seven songs and came with a short film. On February 3, 2017, Vince released "BagBak". This was the first song from his next album. A remixed version of the song was later used in the trailer for the Marvel Studios film Black Panther. On March 23, 2017, he was featured on the Gorillaz song "Ascension" from their album Humanz. In an interview, he announced his new album would be called Big Fish Theory. He also released a song called "Big Fish". This was followed by "Rain Come Down" on June 8, 2017, which featured Ty Dolla Sign. The album was released on June 23 and received great reviews.

Vince and rapper Tyler, the Creator announced a North American tour together. It ran from January 26 to March 4, 2018. Vince then worked with film composer Hans Zimmer. They remixed the UEFA Champions League Anthem for the FIFA 19 video game trailer. On December 15, Vince and singer Billie Eilish released the song "&Burn". This song later appeared on a new version of Eilish's EP Don't Smile at Me. The song was certified gold in the United States in 2020.

FM!, The Vince Staples Show, and Recent Albums

Staples performing in March 2018

On October 2, Vince released his third album, FM!. The album was mainly produced by Kenny Beats. It is set up like a radio station takeover, with skits hosted by Los Angeles radio host Big Boy. Vince also contributed the song "Home" to the Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse soundtrack.

In 2019, Vince released three songs: "So What?", "Sheet Music," and "Ad 01: Hell Bound." Each song came with an episode of his YouTube series The Vince Staples Show.

By April 2021, Vince announced he was working on a new album. It was later revealed to be self-titled, Vince Staples. Released on July 9, 2021, this album received high praise. Critics liked its deep lyrics and simple music style. They noted its short length and meaningful words as important parts of Vince's music.

On April 8, 2022, Vince Staples released his fifth album, Ramona Park Broke My Heart. This album was released through Motown Records. The album explores Vince's connection to his Long Beach neighborhood, Ramona Park. It mixes personal stories with comments on society. The album was praised for its meaningful lyrics and good production.

On March 31, 2023, Vince was featured on Tyler, The Creator's album Call Me If You Get Lost: The Estate Sale. He appeared on the song "Stuntman."

On February 15, 2024, Vince Staples released a Netflix show called The Vince Staples Show. The show has five episodes and was well-received. Critics praised its unique mix of humor and realness. James Poniewozik of The New York Times called the show "an entertaining enigma." He liked how it made viewers want more. On May 30, 2024, the show was renewed for a second season.

In 2024, Vince Staples released his album Dark Times. This was his final project with Def Jam. The album was met with critical acclaim.

Other Projects

Brand Partnerships

Since 2015, Vince Staples has appeared in advertisements for Sprite. He also promotes the brand on his Twitter page. In June 2022, Vince partnered with Acura. He helped launch a campaign for the new Acura Integra car.

Giving Back to the Community

On June 14, 2016, Vince announced his support for a YMCA program. This program helps young people in North Long Beach. The Youth Institute teaches skills like graphic design, 3D printing, and music production. It also teaches filmmaking to 20 eighth and ninth graders at Hamilton Middle School. Vince donated money to this program.

Personal Details

Vince Staples lives in Southern California. He is a big fan of the Los Angeles Clippers basketball team. He also enjoys modern art. He has mentioned the French-American sculptor Louise Bourgeois in his song "Rain Come Down." He has also shared his appreciation for the painter and photographer Richard Prince.

Vince spent a lot of time with his grandfather, Andrew Hutchins, when he was growing up. His grandfather was a retired truck driver and construction worker. He was a young boy when he came to the United States. He later joined the army to help his family. When he returned, he became a huge fan of the Brooklyn Dodgers baseball team. He decided to move to Compton because a Dodgers player, Duke Snider, said he lived there and it was a nice area at the time.

Music Albums

• Summertime '06 (2015)
• Big Fish Theory (2017)
• FM! (2018)
• Vince Staples (2021)
• Ramona Park Broke My Heart (2022)
• Dark Times (2024)

Concert Tours

Headlining Tours

• Hell Can Wait Tour (2014)
• Circa '06 Tour (2015–16)
• The Life Aquatic Tour (2016–17)
• Smile, You're On Camera (2019)
• Black in America Tour (2024)

Supporting Tours

• Mac Miller - Space Migration Tour (2013)
• Joey Bada$$ - B4.DA.$$ Tour (2014)
• A$AP Rocky & Tyler, the Creator - Rocky and Tyler Tour (2015)
• Flume - Australian Tour (2016)
• Gorillaz - Humanz Tour (2017)
• Tyler, the Creator - Flower Boy Tour (2018)
• Childish Gambino - This Is America Tour (2018)
• Tyler, the Creator - Call Me If You Get Lost Tour (2022)

Acting Roles

Awards and Recognition