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When Atlantic records introduced us to Kevin Gates' music it was his studio album Islah, which went on to peak at number two on Billboard's 200 chart. This was 2016. Before the Islah release Gates' himself gave us mixtapes, Stranger Than Fiction, Luca Brasi 2 and by Any Means.

It's reported, Gates is known for "confessional anthems" that blend often autobiographical lyrics with refined Southern beats. In a review of his album Islah, Consequence of Sound noted that "autobiography and honesty have always been central to [Gates'] artistry." Spin magazine noted that Gates combines "melodic tunefulness" and "clenched-teeth street rap." In recent releases, he has incorporated more singing, having trained with the singer, Monica. Gates' lyrics often deal with subjects like depression, poverty, and prison time. He has listed numerous artists among his influences including Nas, Biggie Smalls, Jay-Z, Tupac Shakur, Eminem, and others.

In today's political climate Gates may be subjected to some scrutiny for he has announced sometime back, he is a practicing Muslim. A couple of years ago he and his wife made the pilgrimage to Mecca for Hajj.

Gates' has a past like some urban rhymers. His first arrest occurred when he was 13 for being a passenger in a stolen vehicle. Gates was briefly jailed for the offense and said that being jailed had a profound effect on his life: "If they would've just pulled up to the jail, left me in the police car, never took me inside and just took me back home, I don't think I'd ever have done anything else again. But what it did was—by me going into jail at such a young age—all it did was criminalize me in a sense. It’s kind of steered me in the wrong direction after getting there and settling in; it took the fear of jail away from me."