Joey Bada$$, a blend of indie and street influences, gained popularity through the release of mixtapes and his involvement in the hip-hop group PRO ERA alongside fellow MC Capital Steez. Originally known as JayOhVee, Joey Bada$$ transitioned to his current stage name just before signing with Cinematic Music in 2012. In the same year, he introduced himself as a solo artist with the mixtape ‘1999’, followed by ‘Summer Knights’ in 2013. His official debut came with the EP ‘Summer Knights’, featuring tracks from the mixtape of the same title. The release of a PRO ERA mixtape titled ‘The Secc$ Tap.e, Vol. 2’ followed in early 2014.
In January 2015, Joey Bada$$ unveiled the full-length album ‘B4.DA.$$’, showcasing collaborations with renowned producers like Statik Selektah and DJ Premier, as well as PRO ERA members Kirk Knight and Chuck Strangers. Noteworthy was a track on the album where The Roots contributed to completing a lost beat by J Dilla. Over the subsequent years, Joey collaborated with artists such as Tablo from Korea and the UK band Glass Animals. He also landed a recurring role in the television series ‘Mr. Robot’. His second album, ‘All-Amerikkkan Bada$$’, arrived in 2017, featuring guest appearances by ScHoolboy Q, Styles P, J. Cole, and others on a politically infused collection that included hit singles like ‘Land of the Free’ and ‘Rockabye Baby’.