With a singular work ethic, commanding rasp of a voice, and endlessly clever ways of expressing his material ambition, Shy Glizzy quickly established himself as a boss among MCs. Believe it or not, the man born Marquis Amonte King in Washington, D.C., in 1992 earned the nickname “Shy” as a kid. He was often lost in books, and aspired to write one of his own, but against the funkdafied backdrop of his city’s go-go scene—a bigger source of inspiration than rap, he’s said—Glizzy wound up with songs instead. Sure enough, 2014’s breakthrough Young Jefe mixtape revealed that he’d been quietly studying to become a new sage of the streets, thanks especially to the epically self-affirming and lingo-packed “Awwsome.” That year, his creativity couldn’t be stopped: The LAW 3: Now or Never tape was full of harrowing, bass-heavy cuts asserting his impatience to ascend (literally on the choir-backed, mortality-mulling “Funeral”). And then, on GoldLink’s swaying 2016 track “Crew,” Glizzy leapt to center stage with an amped verse that shifted the whole vibe from laid back to fired up. He kept the momentum going with 2018’s Fully Loaded, a darkly polished set that found his signature sung raps boosted by Zaytoven beats and guest spots from Young Thug, Rick Ross, and Lil Uzi Vert. The latter returned to lay down lines on 2020’s “Right or Wrong,” a trap love song that not only showcased Glizzy’s appetite for affection, but also affirmed that he’s got the hunger—plus attitude and skill—to pull rank as a rap-game shotcaller.
