Swae Lee Bio
Khalif Malik Ibn Shaman Brown (born June 7, 1993), known professionally as Swae Lee, is an American rapper and singer recognized for his wide-ranging, reverb-heavy vocals and melodic hooks. A native of Inglewood, California, he was raised in Tupelo, Mississippi, and rose to mainstream attention as one half of the hip-hop duo Rae Sremmurd. Outside the group, Swae Lee has built a parallel solo career, contributing guest vocals to chart-topping singles by French Montana, Post Malone, Madonna, and Ellie Goulding, among others. His 2018 collaboration with Post Malone, “Sunflower,” became a defining hit of the late 2010s and a multi-diamond-certified record.
Early Life and Background
Khalif Malik Ibn Shaman Brown was born on June 7, 1993, in Inglewood, California, to a single mother who served in the United States Army working on tanks. After his early years on the West Coast, he was raised in Tupelo, Mississippi, where the Southern landscape and local music scene shaped his early sound. While still in high school, Brown began recording music with his older brother Slim Jxmmi and a local rapper known as Lil Pantz, performing together as “Dem Outta St8 Boyz.” The trio played small local shows and laid the groundwork for what would later become Rae Sremmurd.
Following high school graduation, Brown and his brother endured a period of homelessness, at one point squatting in an abandoned house. The brothers continued making music through these difficult years, treating the studio as both an escape and a long-term career plan. This period of perseverance helped forge the close working partnership that would define their professional future. Eventually, the siblings’ demo work caught the attention of producer Mike Will Made It, opening the door to a record deal.
Path to Music
Brown’s entry into the professional music world began when he and Slim Jxmmi signed with Mike Will Made It’s EarDrummers Entertainment in 2013, formally launching their duo as Rae Sremmurd. The label deal, distributed through Interscope Records, gave the brothers the resources to record and release a full-length project. Their debut album as Rae Sremmurd, “SremmLife,” arrived in 2015 and quickly established their presence on radio playlists and streaming charts.
Alongside group work, Brown began accepting solo guest features that showcased his melodic vocal style. In March 2015, he appeared on Mike Will Made It’s “Drinks on Us” alongside Future and The Weeknd, marking his first release billed as a solo artist. A few months later, his feature on Wiz Khalifa’s “Burn Slow” became his first entry on the Billboard Hot 100. These early collaborations signaled that Swae Lee could thrive as a featured vocalist long before releasing a project under his own name.
Swae Lee Career
Early Career (2013–2016)
As Rae Sremmurd, Swae Lee co-released two studio albums during this period: “SremmLife” (2015) and “SremmLife 2” (2016). Both projects debuted within the top ten of the Billboard 200 and produced hits such as “No Flex Zone,” “No Type,” and “Black Beatles.” The latter track, featuring Gucci Mane, would later become a cultural phenomenon thanks to the viral Mannequin Challenge. The duo’s rapid rise positioned Swae Lee as a distinctive vocalist within a generation of new Southern hip-hop acts.
During these years, Swae Lee also began stacking solo guest appearances. Beyond “Burn Slow,” he lent his voice to remixes and features that broadened his reach beyond the Rae Sremmurd fanbase. These early guest spots demonstrated his range and gave him a reputation as a reliable hook singer, paving the way for larger collaborations in the following years.
Breakthrough (2017–2018)
Swae Lee’s commercial breakthrough as a solo artist arrived in 2017 with his feature on French Montana’s “Unforgettable.” The single peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming his first top-ten entry as a solo artist and earning diamond certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). He also received a Grammy Award nomination that year for co-writing Beyoncé’s “Formation.” In 2018, he expanded his footprint further, appearing on tracks by Jhené Aiko, XXXTentacion, Nicki Minaj, and Ellie Goulding.
That same year, Swae Lee released his debut solo studio album, “Swaecation,” as part of a triple-album set tied to Rae Sremmurd’s third project, “SR3MM.” Released on May 4, 2018, the package also featured Slim Jxmmi’s solo debut “Jxmtro.” However, Swae Lee’s most enduring 2018 release arrived in October with “Sunflower,” a collaboration with Post Malone recorded for the animated film “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.” The song ultimately topped the Billboard Hot 100 and went on to become the highest-certified song in RIAA history, the first ever to reach double-diamond (20× platinum) status. It also earned two Grammy Award nominations.
Notable Works and Milestones
“Sunflower” remains Swae Lee’s signature solo achievement, celebrated for its melodic warmth and cross-genre appeal. The track anchored one of the most successful animated film soundtracks of the 2010s and helped cement his reputation as a hitmaker. Around the same era, he made an uncredited guest appearance on Travis Scott’s “Sicko Mode,” which also reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100. His 2020 single “Be Like That” with Kane Brown and Khalid reached the top twenty and earned quadruple platinum certification, extending his run of cross-genre successes.
Swae Lee Award Nominations
Swae Lee has earned multiple Grammy Award nominations across his career, recognizing both his vocal performances and his songwriting. His first nomination came in 2017 for co-writing Beyoncé’s “Formation,” a track that became a defining statement of that year’s cultural conversation. He later received two nominations tied to “Sunflower” with Post Malone, including Record of the Year and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance, and another two nominations related to his uncredited contribution to Travis Scott’s “Sicko Mode.” These nominations reflect his consistent presence on some of the most-streamed songs of the late 2010s and early 2020s.
Swae Lee Awards Won
While Swae Lee’s Grammy nominations underscore his standing among contemporary hitmakers, his career is anchored by record-breaking certifications rather than trophy-cabinet wins. “Sunflower” with Post Malone became the first song in RIAA history to receive double-diamond (20× platinum) certification, a milestone that stands as one of the most significant achievements of his career. “Unforgettable” with French Montana and “Be Like That” with Kane Brown and Khalid also achieved diamond and quadruple-platinum status, respectively.
Swae Lee Family
Swae Lee shares a particularly close working and personal bond with his older brother Slim Jxmmi, with whom he formed Rae Sremmurd. The siblings began making music together in high school in Tupelo, Mississippi, and weathered a period of homelessness before signing their first record deal. Their brotherly partnership remains the foundation of the duo’s identity and sound.
Personal Life
Swae Lee has two children. His first child, a daughter, was born in 2020 with Brazilian model Aline Martins; he filed for joint custody in 2022. The same year, he welcomed a son with his girlfriend, Victoria Kristine, with whom he has been in a relationship since 2022. In 2020, his stepfather, Floyd Sullivan, was shot and killed, a loss that has been referenced in his public statements. Lee has also spoken openly about living with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and Rae Sremmurd released “ADHD Anthem (Too Many Emotions)” in 2023 in tribute to the neurotype.
Swae Lee Upcoming Projects
Swae Lee has been working on a new solo album originally titled “Human Nature” since 2020. In early 2026, he announced that his second solo album, “Same Difference,” would be released on April 4, 2026, with the lead single “Flammable” arriving alongside the announcement. The project is expected to build on the melodic, pop-leaning sound he has refined across his recent collaborations.