Dej Loaf
{{Short description|American rapper and singer (born 1991)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2020}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Dej Loaf
| image = DeJ Loaf in 2015.jpg
| caption = Dej Loaf in 2015
| birth_name = Deja Monét
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1991|04|8}}
| birth_place = Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
| genre = {{hlist|Hip hop|R&B{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/dej-loaf-mn0003333349|title = DeJ Loaf Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & More|website = AllMusic}}}}
| occupations = {{hlist|Rapper|singer|songwriter}}
| years_active = 2011–present
| label = {{flatlist|
- Yellow World
- Equity Distribution
- Roc Nation
- Fomily Foundation
- BMG
- Columbia}}
| associated_acts = {{flatlist|
- Aubreyus
- Chevy Woods
- Jacquees
- Lil Durk}}
| website = {{URL|dejloafmusic.com}}
}}
Deja Monét Trimble (born April 8, 1991), known professionally as Dej Loaf (stylized as DeJ Loaf), is an American rapper and singer from Detroit, Michigan. She is best known for her 2014 single "Try Me" and its 2015 follow-up, "Back Up" (featuring Big Sean). The latter received platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and served as lead single for her debut extended play ...And See That's the Thing (2015), which was released by Columbia Records.{{cite web | url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/dej-loaf-mn0003333349 | title=DeJ Loaf Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & More | website=AllMusic }} Both songs, along with her guest appearance on Kid Ink's 2015 single "Be Real", peaked within the top 50 of the Billboard Hot 100. Her debut studio album, Sell Sole II (2020), was met with positive critical reception despite failing to chart.
Early life
Trimble was raised on the east side of Detroit, Michigan.{{cite news |url= http://www.detroitnews.com/story/entertainment/music/2014/11/11/dej-loaf-makes-noise/18884261/ |title= Rapper Dej Loaf speaks softly, but makes a lot of noise |work= The Detroit News |date= November 11, 2014 |access-date= November 14, 2014 |last= Gray's |first= Adam}} As a child, she often listened to music with her parents and grandmother, including 2Pac, Rakim and Miles Davis. Her father was killed when she was four years old. A self-described "good kid and a decent student" who mostly kept to herself, she began writing her own original music at the age of 9. In 2009, she graduated from Southeastern High School in Detroit,{{cite magazine |url= http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/the-juice/6312219/rapper-dej-loaf-interview |title= 'Try Me' Rapper Dej Loaf: 'What I'm Doing Hasn't Been Done' |magazine=Billboard |date= November 10, 2014 |access-date= November 14, 2014 |last= Horowitz |first= Steven J.}} playing basketball at the junior varsity level. She then attended Saginaw Valley State University and studied nursing for three semesters before deciding to focus full-time on her recording career.
Career
In 2011, Dej Loaf began her career as a hip hop artist. Her stage name is a portmanteau of a shortened version of her first name, "Deja", and "loafer", as she took a keen interest in Air Jordans when growing up.{{cite journal |url= http://thesource.com/2014/09/09/exclusive-interview-dej-loaf-the-artist-behind-your-favorite-rappers-favorite-new-song/ |title= Exclusive Interview: Dej Loaf, The Artist Behind Your Favorite Rapper's Favorite New Song |journal= The Source |date= September 9, 2014 |access-date= November 14, 2014}} In 2013, she released her first official mixtape, Just Do It.. That mixtape attracted the attention of a fellow Detroit-native rapper SAYITAINTTONE. She was later signed to his indie record label, called IBGM (I Been Gettin' Money) under his management team. In July 2014, she released her track, called "Try Me" (produced by DDS), as a single, which earned her viral popularity. Canadian rapper Drake quoted lyrics from the song in his Instagram post.{{cite journal |url= http://www.complex.com/music/2014/09/dej-loaf-interview |title= Interview: Dej Loaf Talks 'Try Me' Success, Inspiration Behind Her Name, and Detroit's Music Scene |journal=Complex |date= September 10, 2014 |access-date= November 14, 2014 |last=Garvey |first= Meaghan}} In October 2014, she signed a major record deal to Columbia Records. After signing the deal, she released her second official mixtape, called Sell Sole. The mixtape was given an "A−" by music critic Robert Christgau, who wrote in his review for Vice, "What's irresistible is the form-content disparity—a rapper who brags so un-macho, a rapper whose greed is so explicitly for her family, a rapper who's "Grindin'" at music. Plus her flow is a brook, her producer respects her space, and her two sex rhymes are into it and into it more."{{cite web|last=Christgau|first=Robert|author-link=Robert Christgau|date=May 13, 2016|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/expert-witness-dawn-oberg-dej-loaf/|title=The Poet and the Hustler: Expert Witness with Robert Christgau|work=Vice|access-date=May 14, 2016}}
Dej Loaf rapped on the song "Detroit vs. Everybody" featured on Eminem's compilation Shady XV (2014). In 2015, she opened for Nicki Minaj during the North American leg of The Pinkprint Tour.{{cite web|last=Walker|first=John|title=Somebody Hold Me: Nicki Minaj Just Revealed The Opening Acts For The U.S. Leg Of The Pinkprint Tour|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/2107300/nicki-minaj-pinkprint-tour-us-openers/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150319135040/http://www.mtv.com/news/2107300/nicki-minaj-pinkprint-tour-us-openers/|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 19, 2015|work=MTV|publisher=Viacom|date=March 16, 2015|access-date=March 17, 2015}} Later that year, she was chosen as part of the XXL magazine 2015 Freshman Class.{{cite web |url=http://www.ballerstatus.com/2015/06/03/2015-xxl-freshman-class-revealed/ |title=2015 XXL Freshman Class Revealed |publisher=BallerStatus.com |date=June 3, 2015 |access-date=June 3, 2015 |archive-date=June 26, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150626101619/http://www.ballerstatus.com/2015/06/03/2015-xxl-freshman-class-revealed/ |url-status=dead }}
In February 2016, Dej Loaf released a mixtape called All Jokes Aside.{{cite web |last1=Camp |first1=Zoe |title=Dej Loaf Releases New Mixtape All Jokes Aside: Listen |url=https://pitchfork.com/news/64633-dej-loaf-releases-new-mixtape-all-jokes-aside-listen/ |website=Pitchfork |date=April 6, 2016}} In July 2017, she released a joint mixtape with Jacquees titled Fuck a Friend Zone.{{cite web |last1=Wang |first1=Steffanee |title=Download DeJ Loaf And Jacquees' Fuck A Friendzone Mixtape Now |url=https://www.thefader.com/2017/02/11/download-dej-loaf-jacquees-fuck-a-friendzone |website=The Fader |date=February 11, 2017}}
After several years of delays, Dej Loaf split from Columbia Records in 2019. She then independently released her debut album, Sell Sole II on October 23, 2020.{{cite web |last1=Williams |first1=Aaron |title=Dej Loaf's 'Sell Sole II' Is The Album She Always Wanted To Make |url=https://uproxx.com/music/dej-loaf-sell-sole-ii-review/ |website=Uproxx |date=October 26, 2020}} It features appearances from Big Sean, Gunna, Rick Ross, Lil Uzi Vert, and 6lack.{{cite web |last1=Zidel |first1=Alex |title=DeJ Loaf Reveals Debut Album Tracklist: Lil Uzi Vert, Rick Ross, Big Sean, & More |url=https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/dej-loaf-reveals-debut-album-tracklist-lil-uzi-vert-rick-ross-big-sean-and-more-news.119932.html |website=Hot New Hip Hop |date=October 20, 2020}} The album is the sequel to Dej Loaf's 2014 mixtape Sell Sole.{{cite web |last1=Espinoza |first1=Joshua |title=DeJ Loaf Shares 'Sell Sole II' Album f/ Lil Uzi Vert, Gunna, and More |url=https://www.complex.com/music/2020/10/dej-loaf-sell-sole-2-stream |website=Complex |date=October 22, 2020}} The album holds a 72/100 rating on Metacritic, indicating "generally favorable reviews".{{cite web |title=Sell Sole II by Dej Loaf Reviews and Tracks |url=https://www.metacritic.com/music/sell-sole-ii/dej-loaf |website=Metacritic |access-date=26 February 2021}}
In February 2021, Dej Loaf was featured on Sevyn Streeter's single "Guilty" along with Chris Brown and ASAP Ferg.{{cite web |last1=Powell |first1=Jon |title=Sevyn Streeter, Chris Brown, and A$AP Ferg are "Guilty" on new single |url=https://www.revolt.tv/new-music/2021/2/12/22279434/sevyn-streeter-chris-brown-asap-ferg-guilty-song |website=Revolt |date=February 12, 2021}}
Discography
= Studio albums =
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
! scope="col" style="width:12em;" | Title ! scope="col" style="width:16em;" | Album details |
| scope="row" | Sell Sole II
|
|
|---|
| scope="row" | Fuck a Friend Zone 2 (with Jacquees) |
|
= Extended plays =
= Mixtapes =
- Just Do It (2012)
- Sell Sole (2014)
- All Jokes Aside (2016)
- Fuck a Friend Zone {{small|(with Jacquees)}} (2017)
=Singles=
==As lead artist==
==As featured artist==
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|+ List of singles as featured artist, with selected chart positions, showing year released and album name ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:18em"| Title ! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Year ! scope="col" colspan="3"| Peak chart positions ! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Certifications ! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Album |
| scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| US ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| US R&B/ ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| US |
|---|
| scope="row"| "Money on the Flow" {{small|(Aubreyus featuring Dej Loaf)}} | rowspan="5"| 2014 | — || — || — | | rowspan="5" {{N/A|Non-album singles}} |
| scope="row"| "Hardcore" {{small|($pain featuring Dej Loaf)}} | — || — || — | |
| scope="row"| "I Ain't Got Time" {{small|(Young Klep featuring Dej Loaf)}} | — || — || — | |
| scope="row"| "Girls Love to Party" {{small|(Gueringer The13th featuring Dej Loaf)}} | — || — || — | |
| scope="row"| "Red Leather" {{small|(Jimmy Goodz featuring Dej Loaf)}} | — || — || — | |
| scope="row"| "Vest Up" {{small|(Locx featuring Dej Loaf)}} | rowspan="15"| 2015 | — || — || — | | No Plan BS |
| scope="row"| "Be Real" {{small|(Kid Ink featuring Dej Loaf)}} | 43 || 12|| 7 | |
| scope="row"| "What You Do To Me (Remix)" {{small|(Lil Durk featuring Dej Loaf)}} | — || — || — | | rowspan="2" {{N/A|Non-album singles}} |
| scope="row"| "Ryda" {{small|(The Game featuring Dej Loaf)}} | — || —{{efn|group=upper-alpha|"Ryda" did not enter the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, but peaked at number two on the Bubbling Under Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles chart.{{cite web|url=http://www.billboard.com/biz/charts/2015-05-30/bubbling-under-r-and-b-hip-hop-singles |title=Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop Singles – May 30, 2015|publisher=Billboard |date=May 30, 2015 |access-date=October 22, 2015}}}} || — | |
| scope="row"| "All Hands on Deck Remix" {{small|(Tinashe featuring Dej Loaf)}} | — || — || — | | Aquarius |
| scope="row"| "Tied Up"{{cite web|url=http://www.hotnewhiphop.com/casey-veggies-tied-up-feat-dej-loaf-new-song.1964185.html |title=Casey Veggies – Tied Up Feat. DeJ Loaf | Stream & Listen [New Song] |publisher=Hotnewhiphop.com |date=April 27, 2015 |access-date=July 28, 2015}}{{cite web|url=https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/tied-up-feat.-dej-loaf-single/id988985286 |title=iTunes – Music – Tied Up (feat. DeJ Loaf) – Single by Casey Veggies |publisher=iTunes |date=April 27, 2015 |access-date=July 28, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150929085550/https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/tied-up-feat.-dej-loaf-single/id988985286 |archive-date=September 29, 2015 }} {{small|(Casey Veggies featuring Dej Loaf)}} | — || —{{efn|group=upper-alpha|"Tied Up" did not enter the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, but peaked at number one on the Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop Singles chart.{{cite web|url=http://www.billboard.com/biz/charts/2015-08-29/bubbling-under-r-and-b-hip-hop-singles|title=Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop Singles – August 29, 2015|publisher=Billboard |date=August 29, 2015 |access-date=October 22, 2015}}}} || — |
| Live & Grow |
| scope="row"| "All Said and Done" {{small|(Chevy Woods featuring Dej Loaf)}} | — || — || — | | The 48 Hunnid Project |
| scope="row"| "I Just Wanna..." {{small|(Elijah Blake featuring Dej Loaf)}} | — || — || — | | Shadows & Diamonds |
| scope="row"| "Til the Morning" {{small|(DJ Carisma featuring Chris Brown and Dej Loaf)}} | — || — || — | | rowspan="4" {{N/A|Non-album singles}} |
| scope="row"| "Ride for Me" {{small|(Teddy Tee featuring Dej Loaf)}} | — || — || — | |
| scope="row"| "Its Just Money" {{small|(51 Reese featuring Dej Loaf)}} | — || — || — | |
| scope="row"| "On a Hater, Pt. 2" {{small|(Squirm G featuring Rambo K Kutta and Dej Loaf)}} | — || — || — | |
| scope="row"| "Lifestyle, Pt. II" {{small|(Oba Rowland featuring Dex Osama and Dej Loaf)}} | — || — || — | | Black Santa |
| scope="row"| "My Beyoncé" {{small|(Lil Durk featuring Dej Loaf)}} | —{{efn|group=upper-alpha|"My Beyoncé" did not enter the US Billboard Hot 100, but peaked at number two on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart.{{cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/dej-loaf/chart-history/hsi|title=Dej Loaf Chart History: Bubbling Under Hot 100|publisher=Billboard|date=January 16, 2016|access-date=December 9, 2021}}}} || 32 || — | | 300 Days, 300 Nights and Lil Durk 2X |
| scope="row"| "Serena" (Dreezy featuring Dej Loaf) | — || — || — | |
| scope="row"| "We Do This Shit" {{small|(Mod Sun featuring Dej Loaf)}} | 2016 | — || — || — | | Movie |
| scope="row" | "At the Club" (Jacquees featuring Dej Loaf){{cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/ca/album/at-the-club-feat-dej-loaf/1288812405?i=1288812408|title=At the Club (feat. DeJ Loaf) – Single by Jacquees|work=iTunes Store (US)|date=September 29, 2017|access-date=April 29, 2019}} | 2017 | 86 || 40 || — | | {{N/A|Non-album single}} |
| scope="row" | "Ride It" (Tink featuring Dej Loaf) | 2019 | — || — || — | | Voicemails |
| scope="row" | "Fear of GOD" (Conway the Machine featuring Dej Loaf) | 2020 | — || — || — | | From King to God |
| colspan="7" style="font-size:90%"| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. |
=Guest appearances=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|+ List of non-single guest appearances, with other performing artists, showing year released and album name ! scope="col" style="width:16em;"| Title ! scope="col" | Year ! scope="col" | Other artist(s) ! scope="col" | Album |
| scope="row"| "Baddest in the Building"
| rowspan="5"| 2014 | E-40, Luigi the Singer |
|---|
| scope="row"| "Allergic 2 Broke"
| Webbo | Independent Ballin |
| scope="row"| "Blah Blah Blah (Remix)"
| Rich Homie Quan, Fabolous, Ty Dolla Sign | {{n/a}} |
| scope="row"| "Possible"
| Mike Will Made It, Yung Joey | Ransom |
| scope="row"| "Givin N' Takin
| The Neighbourhood, Danny Seth | #000000 & #FFFFFF |
| scope="row"| "Found One"
| rowspan="9"| 2015 | Oba Rowland | Found One |
| scope="row"| "Post to Be (Remix)"
| Omarion, Ty Dolla Sign, Trey Songz, Rick Ross | rowspan="2" {{n/a}} |
| scope="row"| "League of My Own"
| Samantha J |
| scope="row"| "Real"
| Tha Truth |
| scope="row"| "Step Up"
| The Game, Sha Sha | The Documentary 2 |
| scope="row"| "I Don't Belong to You (remix)"
|{{n/a}} |
| scope="row"| "Fail to See Me (Remix)"
| K Jewlzz, Drey Skonie | Senior Year – The Evolution |
| scope="row"| "Go so Hard"
| Jerry Parker | The Illustration |
| scope="row"| "Possible"
| Yung Joey | Necessary Evil (The Preface) |
| scope="row"| "Set It Off"
| rowspan="5"| 2016 | Jacquees | Mood |
| scope="row"| "On a Hater"
| Rambo K Kutta, Squirm G | Drugz and Jewelz |
| scope="row"| "Good Good"
| Lil Durk, Kid Ink | {{n/a}} |
| scope="row"| "Nobody On Jupiter"{{Cite web | url=http://www.nylon.com/articles/jesse-boykins-iii-bartholomew#page-4 | title=Jesse Boykins III Breaks Down 'Bartholomew' Track by Track|website=Nylon.com| date=August 3, 2016}}
| Bartholomew |
| scope="row"| "Rider Life"
| Lil Durk |
| scope="row"| "Maybach Music V"
| rowspan="2"| 2017 | Rick Ross |
| scope="row"| "Ol Skool" |
| scope="row"| "Red Light"
| rowspan="3"| 2018 | Jacquees | 4275 |
| scope="row"| "What We Have"
| The Big Chang Theory |
| scope="row"| "Famous" |
| scope="row"| "White Lines"
| rowspan="3"| 2019 | Rick Ross |
| scope="row"| "Guapanese"
| Lil Pete | Hardaway |
| scope="row"| "Shoot My Shot"
| Investments 6 |
| scope="row"| "Gov't Cheese"
| rowspan="2"|2020 |Jadakiss, Nino Man, Millyz |
| scope="row"| "Can't Get Enough"
| Jackboy, Stevie J | Love Me While I'm Here |
| scope="row"| "Liar Liar"
| rowspan="1"|2024 | Houdini | HOU I'M MEANT TO BE |
Notes
{{notelist-ua|3}}
References
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}
{{Portal bar|United States|Biography}}
External links
- {{Commons category-inline}}
- {{official website}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Loaf, Dej}}
Category:21st-century American rappers
Category:21st-century African-American women singers
Category:21st-century American women singers
Category:21st-century American women rappers
Category:African-American women rappers
Category:African-American women singer-songwriters
Category:American women singer-songwriters
Category:American hip-hop singers
Category:Columbia Records artists
Category:Midwest hip-hop musicians