Hotboii
{{short description|American rapper from Florida}}
{{Other uses|Hot Boy (disambiguation){{!}}Hot Boy}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2021}}
{{Use American English|date=October 2020}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Hotboii
| image = Hotboii in 2021.jpg
| caption = Hotboii in 2021
| alias = {{hlist|Hotboii438|Double 0 Baby| Mr Kut The Fan On}}
| birth_name = Javarri Latre Walker{{cite web|url=https://www.orangepublicrecords.com/sample.php?id=27911|title=Javarri Latre Walker|publisher=Orange Public Records|access-date=January 5, 2021}}
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2000|6|13}}
| birth_place = Orlando, Florida, U.S.
| module = Criminal information
{{infobox criminal
| child = yes
| criminal_status = Incarcerated from July 2022 to September 2024
| penalty =
| criminal_charge = {{bulleted list|
- Conspiracy to engage in a pattern of racketeering act (×1)
- Failure to appear (×1) }}
| apprehended = June 30, 2022}}
| occupation = {{flatlist|
- Rapper
- singer
songwriter
}}
| years_active = 2016–present
| awards =
| genre = {{flatlist|
| label = {{flatlist|
- Geffen
- Interscope
- Rebel
- 22
- Hitmaker
}}
{{Infobox person
| child = yes
| children = 1
| website = {{URL|www.hotboiistore.com}}
}}
}}
Javarri Latre Walker (born June 13, 2000), known professionally as Hotboii (often stylized as {{nowrap|H O T B O I I}} or {{nowrap|HOTBOII}}), is an American rapper and singer from Orlando, Florida. His 2020 single, "Don't Need Time" received platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and spawned a remix featuring American rapper Lil Baby. He signed with Geffen Records, Interscope Records and Rebel Music, in conjunction with Hitmaker Music Group and 22 Entertainment to release three studio albums: Double O Baby (2020), Life of a Hotboii (2021), and Blinded by Death (2022)—the latter of which entered the Billboard 200.
Early life
Javarri Latre Walker was born on June 13, 2000, in Orlando, Florida, growing up in the Pine Hills neighborhood on the westside of Orlando as one of 17 siblings.{{cite news|url=https://www.the360mag.com/hotboii-anonymous/|title=HOTBOII – "ANONYMOUS"|work=360 Magazine|date=July 14, 2020|access-date=December 28, 2020}} He listened to artists such as Lil Wayne, Rich Homie Quan and Kodak Black.{{cite news|url=https://www.complex.com/music/2020/09/hotboii-interview|title=Hotboii Is Next Up From Florida|work=Complex|first=Eric|last=Wells|date=September 15, 2020|access-date=December 29, 2020}} He began rapping at the age of seven and began releasing music in 2016 with the help of his mother,{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/hotboii-mn0003934738/biography|title=Artist Biography|first=Fred|last=Thomas|publisher=AllMusic|access-date=December 28, 2020}}{{cite news|url=https://www.xxlmag.com/hotboii-interview-the-break/|title=The Break Presents: Hotboii|work=XXL|first=Robby|last=Seabrook III|date=September 30, 2020|access-date=December 28, 2020}} beginning by uploading music onto SoundCloud and YouTube.{{cite news|url=https://theknockturnal.com/hotboii-talks-100k-management-fatherhood-and-upcoming-project-00-baby/|title=Exclusive: Hotboii Talks Fatherhood, 100k Management, and Debut Album|work=The Knockturnal|first=Nishat|last=Baig|date=October 2, 2020|access-date=December 29, 2020}}
Walker served two years in a juvenile detention program from 2016 to 2018 for breaking and entering. It was during this time that he decided to take his career more seriously, further developing his songwriting while in juvenile detention.
Career
Just before his incarceration, Walker had begun to receive some attention locally for his song "Switcharoo". After his release in 2018, he began further pursuing a recording career, publishing his first music video in September of that year for his song "Life of a Dog".{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlPcKu9D1XI|title=HOTBOII – LIFE OF A DOG (OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO) Shot by @Stbr_films|publisher=YouTube|date=September 28, 2018|accessdate=December 29, 2020}} In 2019, he released the single "YG's", a "detailed walk through [his] experiences and survival tactics in the street" that quickly gained traction.{{cite news|url=https://www.elevatormag.com/meet-hotboii-another-amazing-artist-hailing-from-orlando-florida|title=Meet HOTBOII: Another amazing artist hailing from Orlando, Florida|work=Elevator Mag|date=August 5, 2019|access-date=January 2, 2021}} He began 2020 by securing features from Stunna 4 Vegas ("4PF Like Baby") and Rylo Rodriguez ("Sick of Cell") before releasing his breakout single "Don't Need Time" on April 27. Written in memory of his recently deceased friend Wolph, the piano-driven track was notably slower-paced and more self-reflective than his previous songs. In five months it accumulated more than nine million streams on Spotify and 24 million YouTube views on its music video, which was shot at Wolph's funeral. On August 25, a remix featuring Lil Baby was released along with a new music video that addressed the theme of police brutality following the killing of another one of Hotboii's friends, Salaythis Melvin, by an Orange County sheriff's deputy earlier that month.{{cite news|url=https://www.complex.com/music/2020/08/hotboii-lil-baby-dont-need-time-remix-video|title=HOTBOII and Lil Baby Drop Video for "Don't Need Time" Remix|work=Complex|date=August 25, 2020|access-date=January 2, 2020}}{{cite news|url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/crime/os-ne-salaythis-melvin-vanshawn-sands-gang-war-20200828-wdovm4dlzva7failk66avumrvu-story.html|title=Deputies had the man they wanted a month before Salaythis Melvin shooting. They let him go|work=Orlando Sentinel|first=David|last=Harris|date=August 28, 2020|access-date=January 2, 2021}} "Don't Need Time" was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in April 2021 and Platinum in July 2022.{{cite certification|region=United States|artist=Hotboii|access-date=July 16, 2022}}
Hotboii released his first mixtape, Kut Da Fan On, on May 22, 2020. It included previous singles such as "Don't Need Time", "YG's", and "Goat Talk", and guest appearances from Florida-based rappers including Plies, LPB Poody, Rico Cartel and 438 Tok. Many of its songs were written during his time served in the juvenile detention program.{{cite news|url=https://audiomack.com/world/post/hotboii-interview|title=HOTBOII Is Turning Pain Into Fuel|work=Audiomack|first=Donna-Claire|last=Chesman|date=December 11, 2020|access-date=January 3, 2021}} Pitchfork noted how he "came into his own by polishing his blend of painful street tales and witty punchlines" on the project,{{cite news|url=https://pitchfork.com/thepitch/hotboii-dim-new-song-listen/|title=The Ones: Hotboii's "Dim"|work=Pitchfork|first=Alphonse|last=Pierre|date=November 4, 2020|access-date=January 2, 2021}} while Audiomack called it "41 hyper-realistic and melodic minutes of contemporary hip-hop goodness." After releasing further music videos, he secured a guest feature from Chicago rapper Polo G on "Goat Talk 2", a follow-up to the original which became among his most popular songs.
He signed with Interscope Records, Geffen Records, and Jay Rebel's Rebel Music to release his debut studio album, Double O Baby on December 22.{{Cite web|url=https://imprintent.org/hotboii-releases-new-project-double-o-baby/|title=Hotboii Releases New Project, Double O Baby}} It contained guest features from Lil Mosey, Toosii and Pooh Shiesty.{{cite news|url=https://www.elevatormag.com/hotboii-drops-label-debut-project-double-o-baby|title=Hotboii Drops Label Debut Project 'Double O Baby'|work=Elevator Mag|date=December 11, 2020|access-date=January 3, 2021}} Expanding on the theme from his previous project, songs such as "Police Brutality", "Malcolm X" and "Problems (No Rights)" addressed social issues which faced the African-American community, in context of that year's George Floyd protests and specifically his friend Salaythis Melvin's killing by police.{{cite news|url=https://www.elevatormag.com/hotboii-gives-us-a-track-by-track-breakdown-of-double-o-baby|title=Hotboii Gives Us A Track By Track Breakdown Of 'Double O Baby'|work=Elevator Mag|date=December 18, 2020|access-date=January 3, 2021}} Elevator Mag praised his "masterful flow and soul-baring storytelling" on the album. Later that month, he performed on the Rolling Loud{{'}}s Home for the Holidaze livestream, headlined by Rick Ross.{{cite news|url=https://hiphopdx.com/news/id.59547/title.rick-ross-tapped-for-rolling-louds-home-for-the-holidaze-live-stream-featuring-pouya-fat-nick-hotboii-more|title=RICK ROSS TAPPED FOR ROLLING LOUD'S 'HOME FOR THE HOLIDAZE' LIVE STREAM FEATURING POUYA, FAT NICK, HOTBOII & MORE|work=HipHopDX|first=Marisa|last=Mendez|date=December 15, 2020|access-date=January 3, 2021}}
Following the February 2021 release of "Fuck Shit", Hotboii returned on May 28 with the single and music video for "Nobody Special", featuring Future. Hotboii was scheduled to perform at Rolling Loud Miami from July 23 to 25, 2021.{{cite web|url=https://www.complex.com/music/hotboii-future-nobody-special-video|title=Premiere: Hotboii and Future Team Up for "Nobody Special" Video|work=Complex|last=Mahadevan|first=Tara C.|date=May 28, 2021|access-date=June 1, 2021}}
On July 29, 2022, Hotboii released his third studio album, Blinded By Death. It contained higher-profile guest appearances from Lil Uzi Vert, Big30, and Kodak Black, with "Nobody Special" serving as its lead single. The album debuted at number 89 on the Billboard 200, marking his first project to appear on mainstream music charts. Shortly after its release, he was incarcerated once more due to legal circumstances which remain unbeknownst to the public. While on bail, in October of the following year, he released the single "N.A.S.A.", with frequent collaborator and record producer ATL Jacob.{{Cite web|url= https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/725688-hotboii-atl-jacob-nasa-new-song|title=Hotboii Teams up with Producer ATL Jacob for the Track "NASA"|website=HotNewHipHop.com}} He was released from prison in September 2024.
Legal issues
Walker was arrested on July 12, 2021, on charges of racketeering and conspiracy to commit racketeering.{{Cite web |last=Quincy |first=Peters |date=2022-04-08 |title=Florida's most wanted gangs: 9lokknine's AFNF The Army Vs Hotboii's 438 |url=https://raptology.com/insider-hotspot/floridas-most-wanted-gangs-9lokknines-afnf-the-army-vs-hotboiis-438/ |access-date=2022-04-09 |website=Raptology.com |language=en-US}} He was booked at the Orange County Sheriff's Office in Orlando and his bond was revoked.{{Cite web|last=Fitzgerald|first=Trent|title=HotBoii Arrested on Rico Charges, Held on $750,000 Bond|url=https://www.xxlmag.com/hotboii-arrested-rico-charges/|access-date=2022-02-24|website=XXL Mag|date=July 13, 2021 |language=en}}{{Cite web|last=Mates|first=Thomas|date=2021-07-13|title=Orlando rapper Hotboii arrested in Orange County gang violence investigation|url=https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2021/07/13/orlando-rapper-hotboii-arrested-in-orange-county-gang-violence-investigation/|access-date=2022-02-24|website=WKMG|language=en}}
Personal life
Walker has a son. Walker has symptoms of ADHD.
Discography
= Studio albums =
= Mixtapes =
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
! rowspan="2" | Title ! rowspan="2" | Mixtape details ! Peak chart positions |
| scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| US Heat. {{Cite magazine|title=Heatseekers Albums Chart: Week of September 19, 2020|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/heatseekers-albums/2020-09-19|access-date=June 2, 2021|magazine=Billboard}} |
|---|
| scope="row" | Kut Da Fan On
|
| 5 |
=Singles=
== As lead artist ==
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{AllMusic|class=artist|id=mn0003934738}}
Category:African-American male rappers
Category:21st-century American male rappers
Category:Musicians from Orlando, Florida
Category:21st-century American rappers
Category:21st-century American male musicians
Category:21st-century African-American musicians
Category:People charged with racketeering
Category:People with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder