For some people, music follows them everywhere they go, permeating not only the soundtrack of their lives, but the decisions that they make. As a child, Big Boogie, long before he was called "Big Dude," was always quick to dance. The action was part of his upbringing in Talulah, La., before he moved to Memphis. In his teen years, the rhymer was in the school marching band, fashioning himself into such a talented drum major that he earned a full scholarship to take his skills to college.

For how entrenched he was in music, it still came as a surprise that he instead leaned into rapping over becoming a big-time drum major. He didn't start rapping until 2017 (motivated by one of his friends), but his singsong cadences, gravelly voice and vivid street raps got him signed to Yo Gotti's CMG label just a year later. Gotti caught wind of Boogie through the song "See No Evil," which shows a glimpse into the kind of rapper Boogie would eventually become. Gotti's belief was so strong that he put Boogie on stage at Gotti's yearly BDay Bash show in Memphis, a huge concert in the city.

Big Boogie began releasing mixtapes in 2017. He started off with Definition of Pain while his most recent is this past January's Definition of Big Dude. The rising artist remained patient as he delivered his earlier tapes. He felt rap could really change his life, but the birth of his daughter in late 2019 gave him newfound motivation. In early 2020, his heartfelt song, "Mental Healing," blew up on YouTube with over 70 million views and counting. He continued on in 2021, with "Pop Out," one of his signature songs and crowd favorites and his appearance on MoHead Mike's "PTPOM," two songs that made him loom even larger in his region.

After appearing on CMG's Gangsta Art compilation album in 2022, plus hitting the stage for Yo Gotti's BDay Bash in Memphis, Big Boogie is a hometown hero who's becoming more popular by the day. His raucous live show—where he dances (he refers to a specific move as the "Frog Legs") and brings his energy to 10—has continued to earn him new fans. At his core, Big Boogie is a talented artist who knows how to rap for the ladies, the streets and the people who just want to have fun.

This week's guest on The Break: Live, Big Boogie shares how important God is to his career, being himself no matter what anyone says, his appreciation for Yo Gotti, plus more. Check out the interview below.

Follow Big Boogie on SoundCloud and Instagram.

Standouts:

"See No Evil"

"Mental Healing"

"Pop Out"

"PTPOM" Mohead Mike featuring Big Boogie and Duke Deuce

"Twelve Four"

Definition of Big Dude

See Rappers' Real Names

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