Rapper DDG started climbing in 2016, releasing his own music before signing on with major-label Epic. Pop-friendly trap production, melodic hooks, and a dynamic presence on the microphone all surfaced on his 2021 mixtape Die 4 Respect, as well as on a remix of Masked Wolf's worldwide hit "Astronaut in the Ocean" and a 2022 collaborative single with Gunna, "Elon Musk." Second studio album It's Not Me It's You appeared in 2022.

Born Darryl Granberry, Jr. in Pontiac, Michigan, DDG started rapping publicly in 2016, with singles "Dope" and "Lettuce" with Famous Dex arriving around 2017. As his audience expanded, he attracted more high-profile collaborators, including YBN Nahmir, G Herbo, and Black Youngsta on "Run It Up" and Queen Naija on "Hold Up." He issued the mixtape Take Me Serious in 2018, followed in 2019 by the EP Sorry 4 the Hold Up and his debut studio album, VALEDICTORIAN, both released through Epic/Sony. A string of stand-alone tracks appeared throughout 2020. In 2021, DDG collaborated with Quality Control Music producer OG Parker on the Die 4 Respect mixtape. The project included appearances from Lil Yachty, 42 Dugg, and many others, and entered the Top 100 of the U.S. Billboard charts. A remix of his song "Moonwalking in Calabasas" featuring Blueface was streamed over 200 million times, and before 2021 was finished, DDG appeared alongside G-Eazy on a remix of Masked Wolf's "Astronaut in the Ocean."

By now, DDG was living in Los Angeles and had begun boxing professionally in addition to his musical aspirations. More non-album tracks followed as he worked toward his sophomore studio album, including 2021's "Rucci" and 2022's "Elon Musk" featuring Gunna. The latter appeared on It's Not Me It's You, which arrived at the end of September. ~ Neil Z. Yeung, Rovi