Louisiana singer, rapper, actor, and author Josh Gates first caught the public's attention in 2008 with the club-ready single "Look Back at It," which earned him a recording contract with Universal Republic. He parlayed that success into film roles in the 2010s, appearing in movies like Carjacked, The Mortician, and Blood Out. He released a series of independent albums in 2017, including the features-heavy Open the Gates, and he added published author to his credentials in 2019 with the release of his debut novel, Died Doin' Dirty Work.

Born in New Orleans and raised in both New Roads and Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Gates moved back to New Orleans after finishing high school to seek out a career in the entertainment industry. After gaining some regional attention, he caught the attention of Baby Boy Da Prince manager Melvin Foley, who set him up as an opener for the popular New Orleans rap artist. He went mainstream in 2008 with the release of his debut single, "Look Back at It," which delivered a high-energy blast of potent contemporary hip-hop and dancefloor-filling R&B. He then set his sights on acting, making his film debut in the 2010 crime drama The Chameleon. More roles followed, but Gates' career took a hit when he was incarcerated in 2014. Reflecting on his life and re-calibrating his priorities, he independently released the albums Battling Myself, 24:15, and Open the Gates in 2017. He also began writing, and in 2019 issued his first novel, Died Doing Dirty Work. ~ James Christopher Monger, Rovi