# Cordae
**Cordae** (born Cordae Dunston in 1997) is an American rapper from [Raleigh, North Carolina](https://www.edgepedia.org/raleigh-north-carolina), raised in [Suitland, Maryland](https://www.edgepedia.org/suitland-maryland), known for technically skilled, lyrically dense rap that draws heavily on 1990s hip-hop. He first drew attention as YBN Cordae through the viral singles "My Name Is" and "Old N*ggas", earned two Grammy nominations with his 2019 debut *The Lost Boy*, and has since released the albums *From a Birds Eye View* (2022) and *The Crossroads* (2024).[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/cordae-mn0003764768)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | Cordae Dunston, 1997, Raleigh, North Carolina; grew up in Suitland, Maryland[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/cordae-mn0003764768) |
| Breakout | Viral singles "My Name Is" (over Eminem's 1999 hit) and "Old N*ggas" (a response to J. Cole's "1985")[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/cordae-mn0003764768) |
| Grammy nominations | Three: Best Rap Album (*The Lost Boy*) and Best Rap Song ("Bad Idea") at the 2020 ceremony, and Album of the Year at the 2022 ceremony as a featured artist on H.E.R.'s *Back Of My Mind*[2](https://www.grammy.com/artists/ybn-cordae/252067/) |
| Albums | *YBN: The Mixtape* (2018, with the YBN collective), *The Lost Boy* (2019), *From a Birds Eye View* (2022), *The Crossroads* (2024)[3](https://music.apple.com/us/artist/cordae/1384072011) |
| Chart peak | *The Lost Boy* peaked at No. 13 on the Billboard 200[4](https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/00s/2022/Billboard-2022-01-29.pdf) |
| Hot 100 entry | "Doomsday" with Juice WRLD, released through Lyrical Lemonade, charted at number 58[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/cordae-mn0003764768) |
| Upcoming | *Heavy Is The Crown*, a joint album with Anderson .Paak, scheduled for October 23, 2026[5](https://pitchfork.com/story/anderson-paak-and-cordae-reveal-joint-album/) |
## Early career and the YBN collective
Cordae started rapping as a teenager under the moniker Entendre, taking cues from rappers such as Nas and [Talib Kweli](https://www.edgepedia.org/talib-kweli).[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/cordae-mn0003764768) He joined the YBN (Young Boss N**gas) collective alongside [YBN Nahmir](https://www.edgepedia.org/ybn-nahmir) and YBN Jay Almighty, a group whose members had met on Xbox Live in the mid-2010s.[6](https://www.abc.net.au/triplej/news/is-cordae-real-deal-from-a-birds-eye-view-dre-eminem-lil-wayne/13736134) • [4](https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/00s/2022/Billboard-2022-01-29.pdf)
His first viral hits were remixes of established songs: "My Name Is" flipped Eminem's 1999 breakthrough single, and "Old N*ggas" answered [J. Cole](https://www.edgepedia.org/j-cole)'s "1985", which had dismissed the newer generation of rappers as mumblers.[6](https://www.abc.net.au/triplej/news/is-cordae-real-deal-from-a-birds-eye-view-dre-eminem-lil-wayne/13736134) AllMusic describes both as examples of his complex lyricism, versatile flows, and sharp technical ability, and he followed them with original tracks like "Scotty Pippen" and "Kung Fu".[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/cordae-mn0003764768) The collective released *YBN: The Mixtape* in 2018, with guest spots from [Gucci Mane](https://www.edgepedia.org/gucci-mane) and [Wiz Khalifa](https://www.edgepedia.org/wiz-khalifa), and Cordae appeared on "Elevate" from the *Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse* soundtrack that same year.[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/cordae-mn0003764768) • [3](https://music.apple.com/us/artist/cordae/1384072011)
The YBN collective disbanded in 2020; YBN Nahmir announced the split on Twitter, and Cordae, the first to drop the "YBN" acronym from his stage name the following month, described the decision as mutual.[4](https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/00s/2022/Billboard-2022-01-29.pdf)
## The Lost Boy and Grammy recognition
*The Lost Boy*, his solo debut album, arrived in the summer of 2019 and peaked at No. 13 on the Billboard 200.[4](https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/00s/2022/Billboard-2022-01-29.pdf) It produced his best-known early songs, including "RNP" with [Anderson .Paak](https://www.edgepedia.org/anderson-paak) and "Bad Idea" featuring [Chance the Rapper](https://www.edgepedia.org/chance-the-rapper).[3](https://music.apple.com/us/artist/cordae/1384072011) At the 2020 [Grammy Awards](https://www.edgepedia.org/grammy-awards), the album was nominated for Best Rap Album and "Bad Idea" for Best Rap Song, with Cordae Dunston listed among the songwriters on the latter.[2](https://www.grammy.com/artists/ybn-cordae/252067/) • [7](https://time.com/5769715/grammys-winners-2020/) He received a third nomination, Album of the Year at the 2022 ceremony, as a featured artist on H.E.R.'s *Back Of My Mind*.[2](https://www.grammy.com/artists/ybn-cordae/252067/)
Critics placed the debut in a lineage of 1990s-influenced rap. Pitchfork's Jayson Buford described Cordae as a Gen Z artist influenced by the sounds of the '90s whose lyrics, unlike many peers focused on drug use and torment, center on financial shortcomings and upward mobility.[8](https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/cordae-from-a-birds-eye-view/) [The Australian](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-australian) broadcaster triple j noted that the album initially flew under the radar, overshadowed by the reception of Chance the Rapper's concurrent release, before earning the surprise nominations.[6](https://www.abc.net.au/triplej/news/is-cordae-real-deal-from-a-birds-eye-view-dre-eminem-lil-wayne/13736134)
## From a Birds Eye View
His second album, *From a Birds Eye View*, was released in 2022 on ART@WAR / Atlantic.[8](https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/cordae-from-a-birds-eye-view/) Cordae described its 12 songs as more "memory-driven" than his debut, drawing on his arrest at a protest, a 2020 trip to Africa that included visits to slave dungeons in Ghana, and the loss of his childhood best friend.[4](https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/00s/2022/Billboard-2022-01-29.pdf)
The guest list was extensive: [Lil Wayne](https://www.edgepedia.org/lil-wayne) on "Sinister", [Stevie Wonder](https://www.edgepedia.org/stevie-wonder) and [Freddie Gibbs](https://www.edgepedia.org/freddie-gibbs) on "Champagne Glasses", plus Eminem, H.E.R., Roddy Ricch, Lil Durk, and Gunna.[9](https://www.allmusic.com/album/from-a-birds-eye-view-mw0003653784) Reception was mixed. Pitchfork found the album hampered by a lack of a distinguishing ethos, though it singled out "Chronicles" as the standout and noted his best rapping on "Parables (Remix)".[8](https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/cordae-from-a-birds-eye-view/) The reviewer Anthony Fantano (theneedledrop) rated it a "light to decent six", praising "Momma's Hood" and "Chronicles" while criticizing "Today" with Gunna as the weakest track.[10](https://rosetta.to/u/theneedledrop/cordae-from-a-birds-eye-view-album-review) Mic Cheque took a warmer view, calling it a smooth and steady listen with attention to lyricism.[11](https://miccheque.com/2022/02/13/cordae-from-a-birds-eye-view-review/)
## The Crossroads and later work
Cordae charted in 2023 with "Doomsday", a collaboration with the late Juice WRLD released through the music video company Lyrical Lemonade; it reached number 58 on the Billboard Hot 100.[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/cordae-mn0003764768) His third album, *The Crossroads*, was released on November 15, 2024, a 17-song, 48-minute record on Atlantic.[12](https://music.apple.com/us/album/the-crossroads/1772974529) Its songs include "Saturday Mornings" featuring Lil Wayne, "Syrup Sandwiches" featuring [Joey Bada$$](https://www.edgepedia.org/joey-badass), and "06 dreamin", which honors his mother's musical pursuits on shows like *American Idol* and *Making the Band*.[12](https://music.apple.com/us/album/the-crossroads/1772974529)
In August 2026, Cordae and Anderson .Paak announced *Heavy Is The Crown*, their first full-length collaborative album, scheduled for October 23, 2026, through APESHIT, Mass Appeal, and EMPIRE. The pairing extends a partnership that began with "RNP" on *The Lost Boy* and continued with "Two Tens" (2023) and "Summer Drop" (2024), both drawn from *The Crossroads*; the cover art nods to the 2008 comedy *Step Brothers*.[5](https://pitchfork.com/story/anderson-paak-and-cordae-reveal-joint-album/) • [13](https://www.nme.com/news/music/anderson-paak-and-cordae-announce-collaborative-album-heavy-is-the-crown-3964884) Apple Music lists the project at 11 songs.[3](https://music.apple.com/us/artist/cordae/1384072011) Days before the scheduled release, Music Times reported a $25 million lawsuit by MMMG concerning Cordae's recording rights under an agreement signed before he became known, while the album remained listed for October 23 on streaming services.[14](https://www.musictimes.com/articles/112993/20261019/cordae-anderson-paaks-album-faces-25-million-lawsuit-heavy-crown-still-coming-friday.htm)
## Style and reception
Cordae's music is built on technical rapping and intergenerational reference points. AllMusic characterizes him as a technically skilled, lyrically complex rapper whose thoughtful narratives earned praise, and whose early songs caught the ear of earlier generations of rap stars, including public accolades from 50 Cent.[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/cordae-mn0003764768) Ebro Darden, Apple Music's global editorial head of hip-hop and R&B, said that "he cares about the culture and being a dope MC".[15](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/la-et-ms-ybn-cordae-20190710-story.html) Recurring critical criticism, voiced in the Pitchfork and Fantano reviews of his second album, is that his studied, earnest approach can lack a distinct personality, with Pitchfork warning that he "runs the risk of just fading into the background".[8](https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/cordae-from-a-birds-eye-view/) • [10](https://rosetta.to/u/theneedledrop/cordae-from-a-birds-eye-view-album-review)
## References
1. [Cordae Biography by Fred Thomas, AllMusic](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/cordae-mn0003764768)
2. [YBN Cordae Grammy Awards and Nominations, Recording Academy](https://www.grammy.com/artists/ybn-cordae/252067/)
3. [Cordae, Apple Music artist page](https://music.apple.com/us/artist/cordae/1384072011)
4. [Billboard, January 29, 2022 issue (Cordae feature), WorldRadioHistory archive](https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/00s/2022/Billboard-2022-01-29.pdf)
5. [Anderson .Paak and Cordae Reveal Joint Album, Pitchfork (August 19, 2026)](https://pitchfork.com/story/anderson-paak-and-cordae-reveal-joint-album/)
6. [Cordae is backed by Dre, Eminem and Lil Wayne. But is he the real deal?, triple j (ABC)](https://www.abc.net.au/triplej/news/is-cordae-real-deal-from-a-birds-eye-view-dre-eminem-lil-wayne/13736134)
7. [See All the Winners of the 2020 Grammy Awards, TIME](https://time.com/5769715/grammys-winners-2020/)
8. [Cordae: From a Bird's Eye View Album Review by Jayson Buford, Pitchfork (January 21, 2022)](https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/cordae-from-a-birds-eye-view/)
9. [From a Birds Eye View review, AllMusic](https://www.allmusic.com/album/from-a-birds-eye-view-mw0003653784)
10. [Cordae - From a Birds Eye View ALBUM REVIEW, theneedledrop via Rosetta](https://rosetta.to/u/theneedledrop/cordae-from-a-birds-eye-view-album-review)
11. [Review: Cordae, 'From a Birds Eye View', Mic Cheque (February 13, 2022)](https://miccheque.com/2022/02/13/cordae-from-a-birds-eye-view-review/)
12. [The Crossroads, Apple Music album page](https://music.apple.com/us/album/the-crossroads/1772974529)
13. [Anderson .Paak and Cordae announce collaborative album 'Heavy Is The Crown', NME (August 26, 2026)](https://www.nme.com/news/music/anderson-paak-and-cordae-announce-collaborative-album-heavy-is-the-crown-3964884)
14. [Cordae and Anderson .Paak's Album Faces $25 Million Lawsuit, Music Times (October 19, 2026)](https://www.musictimes.com/articles/112993/20261019/cordae-anderson-paaks-album-faces-25-million-lawsuit-heavy-crown-still-coming-friday.htm)
15. [Meet YBN Cordae, hip-hop's next great MC, Los Angeles Times (July 10, 2019)](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/la-et-ms-ybn-cordae-20190710-story.html)
---
*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Music › Music scenes › Transnational genre scenes › Hip hop scenes worldwide › Artists, groups, and people: Hip hop scenes worldwide › East Coast rap (New York and Philadelphia)*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 19, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license