Westside Gunn facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Westside Gunn
Westside Gunn in March 2023
Background information
Birth name	Alvin Lamar Worthy
Also known as	Flygod Super Flygod Hall W.S.G. Gunn
Born	(1982-07-27) July 27, 1982 (age 42) Buffalo, New York, U.S.
Genres	East Coast hip hop boom bap alternative hip hop
Occupation(s)	Rapper songwriter fashion designer
Years active	2005 2012–present
Labels	Daupe! Griselda Roc Nation Shady

Alvin Lamar Worthy (born July 27, 1982), known professionally as Westside Gunn, is a rapper and fashion designer from the U.S. He started a hip-hop record label called Griselda Records in 2012. He co-founded it with his half-brother Conway the Machine and cousin Benny the Butcher. Westside Gunn is known for his unique rap style. He often tells stories about city life and high fashion in his songs. His music uses lots of interesting sounds and samples. He has released many albums and mixtapes since 2005. He worked with Shady Records for a few years. Now, he creates music independently.

Westside Gunn's Music Career

Westside Gunn released his first mixtape in 2005. However, he took a break from music for a few years. He did not release new songs from 2006 to 2011.

Starting Griselda Records

In 2012, Westside Gunn helped create the Griselda Records label. He started it with Conway the Machine and Mach-Hommy. He was inspired to get back into music. His first project for Griselda was a mixtape. It was called Hitler Wears Hermes. The name caused some talk. Gunn explained it was a play on the movie The Devil Wears Prada.

Over the next few years, Gunn released many mixtapes and EPs. These included more parts of the Hitler Wears Hermes series. His first official studio album was Flygod. It came out on March 11, 2016.

Working with Major Labels

On March 3, 2017, Griselda Records signed a deal. They joined Eminem's Shady Records. This made Westside Gunn and Conway the first rappers from Buffalo to sign with a major label. After joining Shady, Gunn performed at big music festivals. These included Coachella and Firefly. On October 2, 2020, Westside Gunn released his album Who Made the Sunshine. This was his only solo album with Shady Records.

He also signed a management deal with Roc Nation. This happened on August 6, 2019. His album Supreme Blientele was named one of the best albums of 2018.

On April 17, 2020, he released his third studio album, Pray for Paris. On July 3, 2020, he released his tenth mixtape. It was called Flygod Is an Awesome God II. This was a follow-up to his 2019 mixtape. The album featured other artists. These included Benny The Butcher and Boldy James.

Becoming an Independent Artist Again

On November 14, 2020, Westside Gunn shared some news. He said he had finished his work with Shady Records. He became an independent artist again. This means he now releases music on his own.

In 2021, he appeared in the movie Conflicted. Also in 2021, he released two songs. They were called "TV Boy" and "Julia Lang". The song "Julia Lang" was named after a fashion business owner. Both songs were later on his mixtape. It was called Hitler Wears Hermes 8: Side B. In 2022, Westside Gunn said he might stop rapping at the end of 2023.

On October 13, 2023, Westside Gunn released his fifth studio album. It was called And Then You Pray For Me. Many artists were featured on this album. The album is a follow-up to Pray for Paris. The covers for both albums were made by fashion designer Virgil Abloh. Westside Gunn has said this album will be his last. However, he plans to keep releasing new music.

On January 24, 2025, he announced a new band. It is a hardcore punk band called Dissension. He also shared a preview of a new song called "Black Hole".

Westside Gunn's Personal Life

Westside Gunn has often said he is a big fan of wrestling. He mentions wrestling in his song lyrics and titles. He can often be seen watching wrestling events. He is friends with many wrestlers. These include Parker Boudreaux and Finn Bálor.

In 2022, Gunn walked with wrestler Daniel Garcia to the ring. This was for a match on AEW Dynamite. Garcia won the match. In 2024, Gunn joined Swerve Strickland at AEW All In 2024.

Westside Gunn's Artistry

Gunn often works with other artists. Many of these artists are from the 1990s hip hop era. This era inspires his own music. He frequently collaborates with artists like Conway The Machine and Benny The Butcher. He also works with producers like Daringer and The Alchemist.

Discography

Studio albums

With Griselda

• Don't Get Scared Now (2016)
• WWCD (2019)

EPs

• There's God and There's Flygod, Praise Both (2016)
• Riots on Fashion Avenue (with Mil Beats) (2017)
• WestSide Doom (with MF Doom) (2017)
• Flygod Is Good... All the Time (with Mr. Green) (2018)
• 11 (2024)

Mixtapes

Collaborative Mixtapes

• Hall & Nash (with Conway the Machine) (2015)
• Griselda Ghost (with Conway the Machine and Big Ghost LTD) (2015)
• Roses are Red... So Is Blood (with The Purist) (2016)
• Hitler on Steroids (with DJ Green Lantern) (2017)
• Hall & Nash 2: The Original Version (with Conway the Machine & The Alchemist) (2023)
• Still Praying (with DJ Drama) (2024)

Charted Songs

Music Videos