2 Chainz is an American Rapper born on September 12, 1977. He grew up in College Park Georgia and first gained fame as part of the hip-hop duo Playaz Circle with Earl “Dolla Boy” Conyers both signing with Ludacris’ “Disturbing tha Peace” label. Their hit song “Duffle Bag Boy” featuring Lil Wayne came out in 2007.
In February 2012, 2 Chainz signed a solo deal with Def Jam Recordings a division of Universal Music Group. His big break as a solo artist came with his feature on Kanye West’s “Mercy” which reached number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100. Soon after his singles “No Lie” featuring Drake and “Birthday Song” featuring Kanye West went double platinum paving the way for his first solo album Based on a T.R.U. The story was released in August 2012. It hit number one on the Billboard 200 chart and included the popular track “I’m Different.”
His second album ” B.O.A.T.S. II: Me Time” (2013) led by the single “Feds Watching” featuring Pharrell Williams received better reviews despite slightly lower sales. Since then he has released several more albums: “ColleGrove” (2016), “Pretty Girls Like Trap Music” (2017), “Rap or Go to the League” (2019), “So Help Me God!” (2020), and “Dope Don’t Sell Itself” (2022).
2 Chainz has earned numerous awards including a Grammy for Best Rap Performance for his feature on Chance the Rapper’s “No Problem” among six nominations. He has also won three BET Awards out of 11 nominations and five BET Hip Hop Awards out of 19 nominations. Beyond music, he hosted Vice TV’s series Most Expensivest from 2017 to 2021 where he reviews luxury items.
| Full Name | 2 Chainz (Tauheed Epps) |
| Date of Birth | September 12, 1977 |
| Place of Birth | College Park, Georgia, USA |
| Occupation | Rapper, Songwriter, Entrepreneur |
| Height | 6’5″ (196 cm) |
| Spouse | Kesha Ward |
| Children | Heaven, Harmony, Halo |
| Net Worth | $12 million |
2 Chainz’s Early Life and Education
Tauheed Epps also known as 2 Chainz was born in College Park, Georgia. He went to North Clayton High School where he excelled in basketball and finished second in his graduating class. During high school, he sold marijuana and got in serious trouble at age 15 for having cocaine.
After high school, he received a scholarship to Alabama State University where he played on the basketball team in 1996 and 1997. He transferred to Virginia State University for reasons he prefers not to discuss. “I faced some issues switched schools and eventually graduated. That’s all in the past now” he commented.
Musical career
2 Chainz began his music career in 1997 as part of the hip-hop duo Playaz Circle with his friend Dolla Boy. They started in College Park Georgia releasing an album called “United We Stand United We Fall” in 2002. Their big break came when Ludacris another Atlanta rapper noticed them and started collaborating. Eventually, Ludacris invited them to join his record label Disturbing Tha Peace.
Under this label, Playaz Circle released their debut album “Supply & Demand” in 2007 which included their hit single “Duffle Bag Boy” featuring Lil Wayne. They followed up with another album “Flight 360: The Takeoff” in 2009. However, by 2010, 2 Chainz decided to leave Disturbing Tha Peace to pursue his solo career which Ludacris reluctantly accepted.
Initially known as “Tity Boi” 2 Chainz faced criticism for his stage name prompting him to change it to a more family-friendly “2 Chainz” in 2011. This change coincided with the release of his mixtape “T.R.U. REALigion” which gained popularity. He collaborated with major artists like Kanye West and Nicki Minaj further boosting his career.
In 2012, 2 Chainz released his debut studio album “Based on a T.R.U. Story” which topped the Billboard 200 chart. The album received mixed reviews but solidified his position in the rap scene. Following its success he embarked on his first solo tour won multiple BET Hip Hop Awards and earned Grammy nominations.
Throughout his career, he has continued to innovate and collaborate with various brands including ADIDAS and Beats By Dre cementing his status as a prominent figure in hip hop.
In late 2012, 2 Chaniz said that after finishing his B.O.A.T.S. tour he would go back to the studio. By November 2012 he had started work on his second album with three songs already in progress. He planned to release the album in April 2013. Around this time he also appeared on TV shows like “Law & Order: SVU” and “2 Broke Girls”.
On May 23, 2013, 2 Chainz announced that his new album “B.O.A.T.S. II: Me Time” would drop on September 10, 2013. He premiered the first single “Feds Watching” featuring Pharrell Williams at Hot 97’s Summer Jam on June 2, 2013. The album featured many artists and received positive reviews from critics debuting at number three on the Billboard 200 chart.
Following the album’s release Epps began working on his third studio album. In 2015, he revealed plans for a joint album with Lil Wayne titled ColleGrove. In 2014, he released an EP called FreeBase and a promotional single titled “I’m a Dog.”
From 2016 to 2019, 2 Chainz released several projects including the EP Felt Like Cappin and the collaborative album ColleGrove with Lil Wayne. He continued with mixtapes like Daniel Son: Necklace Don and Hibachi for Lunch. In 2017, he dropped his fourth studio album Pretty Girls Like Trap Music which was well-received.
In 2018, 2 Chainz released The Play “Don’t Care Who Makes It EP” and announced his album Rap or Go to the League which came out in 2019. He also began hosting the TV show Most Expensivest and continued his music career with announcements for future projects.
Moving into 2020, He announced his sixth album “So Help Me God!” and appeared on Celebrity Family Feud. He later announced his intention to release his seventh album “Dope Don’t Sell Itself” in 2021.
Epps also hosts Amazon Music Live concerts since October 27, 2022.
Net Worth
2 Chainz has an estimated net worth of $12 Million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. The main source of 2 Chainz’s net worth is his music career. He makes money from selling albums, performing at concerts, and streaming music online. He also earns money through business ventures like his own record label and endorsement deals with various brands.
Personal life
2 Chainz has three children: Heaven born on July 26, 2008, Harmony born on October 20, 2012, and Halo born on October 14, 2015. He married Kesha Ward his longtime girlfriend and the mother of his children on August 18, 2018.
When he was 15, 2 Chainz was convicted of having cocaine. On February 14, 2013, he was arrested in Maryland for having marijuana before a concert. Later that year he was also arrested at LAX airport for possessing marijuana and promethazine. There was also an incident where he was reportedly robbed at gunpoint outside a medical marijuana store in San Francisco.
On August 21, 2013, 2 Chainz’s tour bus was stopped in Oklahoma City because the taillights were not working. Police smelled marijuana and after a search found guns prescription drugs and marijuana residue. He and others on the bus were taken off.
In October 2016, 2 Chainz launched a hoodie line called CEO Millionaires and has his line of sweaters named “Dabbing Sweaters.”
On May 10, 2019, 2 Chainz acquired a minority stake in the Atlanta Hawks’ NBA G League team the College Park Skyhawks.
