DeJ Loaf

Deja Monét Trimble (born April 8, 1991), known professionally as Dej Loaf (stylized as DeJ Loaf), is an American rapper and singer from Detroit, Michigan. She is best known for her 2014 single " Try Me" and its 2015 follow-up, "Back Up" (featuring Big Sean). The latter received platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and served as lead single for her debut extended play '' ...And See That's the Thing'' (2015), which was released by Columbia Records. Both songs, along with her guest appearance on Kid Ink's 2015 single " Be Real", peaked within the top 50 of the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. Her debut studio album, ''Sell Sole II'' (2020), was met with positive critical reception despite failing to chart.

Early life

Trimble was raised on the east side of Detroit, Michigan. As a child, she often listened to music with her parents and grandmother, including 2Pac, Rakim and Miles Davis. Her father was killed when she was four years old. A self-described "good kid and a decent student" who mostly kept to herself, she began writing her own original music at the age of 9. In 2009, she graduated from Southeastern High School in Detroit, playing basketball at the junior varsity level. She then attended Saginaw Valley State University and studied nursing for three semesters before deciding to focus full-time on her recording career.

Career

In 2011, Dej Loaf began her career as a hip hop artist. Her stage name is a portmanteau of a shortened version of her first name, "Deja", and "loafer", as she took a keen interest in Air Jordans when growing up. In 2013, she released her first official mixtape, ''Just Do It.''. That mixtape attracted the attention of a fellow Detroit-native rapper SAYITAINTTONE. She was later signed to his indie record label, called IBGM (I Been Gettin' Money) under his management team. In July 2014, she released her track, called " Try Me" (produced by DDS), as a single, which earned her viral popularity. Canadian rapper Drake quoted lyrics from the song in his Instagram post. In October 2014, she signed a major record deal to Columbia Records. After signing the deal, she released her second official mixtape, called ''Sell Sole''. The mixtape was given an "A−" by music critic Robert Christgau, who wrote in his review for ''Vice'', "What's irresistible is the form-content disparity—a rapper who brags so un-macho, a rapper whose greed is so explicitly for her family, a rapper who's "Grindin'" at music. Plus her flow is a brook, her producer respects her space, and her two sex rhymes are into it and into it more."

Dej Loaf rapped on the song " Detroit vs. Everybody" featured on Eminem's compilation ''Shady XV'' (2014). In 2015, she opened for Nicki Minaj during the North American leg of The Pinkprint Tour. Later that year, she was chosen as part of the ''XXL'' magazine 2015 Freshman Class.

In February 2016, Dej Loaf released a mixtape called ''All Jokes Aside.'' In July 2017, she released a joint mixtape with Jacquees titled ''Fuck a Friend Zone''.

After several years of delays, Dej Loaf split from Columbia Records in 2019. She then independently released her debut album, ''Sell Sole II'' on October 23, 2020. It features appearances from Big Sean, Gunna, Rick Ross, Lil Uzi Vert, and 6lack. The album is the sequel to Dej Loaf's 2014 mixtape ''Sell Sole''. The album holds a 72/100 rating on Metacritic, indicating "generally favorable reviews".

In February 2021, Dej Loaf was featured on Sevyn Streeter's single "Guilty" along with Chris Brown and ASAP Ferg.

Discography

Studio albums

Extended plays

Mixtapes

* ''Just Do It'' (2012)
* ''Sell Sole'' (2014)
* ''All Jokes Aside'' (2016)
* ''Fuck a Friend Zone'' (2017)

Singles

As lead artist

As featured artist

Guest appearances

Notes

References

External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Loaf, Dej
1991 births
Living people
21st-century American rappers
21st-century African-American women singers
21st-century American women singers
21st-century American women rappers
African-American women rappers
African-American women singer-songwriters
American women singer-songwriters
American hip-hop singers
Columbia Records artists
Midwest hip-hop musicians
Pop rappers
Rappers from Detroit
Saginaw Valley State University alumni
Singer-songwriters from Michigan