Who Is Desiigner? 6 Things You Didn’t Know About Kanye West’s GOOD Music Rapper

If you don’t know 19-year-old rapper Desiigner after hearing his hit song “Panda,” you may have to get familiar with him following his latest release. After going triple platinum with “Panda,” Desiigner is back with a remix to his latest song, “Tiimmy Turner,” which features Kanye West. Before he releases his debut album, “The Life of Desiigner,” here are 6 things you should know about him:

1. He’s From Brooklyn

Desiigner may not sound like the usual New York rapper name, but the young performer hails from the same borough as Jay Z, Fabolous and The Notorious B.I.G. Like Jay Z and Biggie, Desiigner (real name: Sidney Royel Selby III) grew up in Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn.

2. He’s Signed To GOOD Music

Desiigner released “Panda” a few days before Christmas 2015. The song went on to get millions of views on YouTube and six weeks later, Desiigner was signed to Kanye West’s GOOD Music record label. West made the announcement during his Yeezy Season 3 show at Madison Square Garden. Following the signing, Desiigner went on to be featured on two songs from “The Life of Pablo.”

3. He Could Have Signed With Cash Money Records

A few months before releasing “Panda,” Desiigner had met with Cash Money Records. The rapper decided not to sign with Birdman and Cash Money, instead, choosing to sign with West. “I respect his movement. Sitting around Kanye actually is an inspiration,” he said.

4. He Knows He Sounds Like Future

Since his career took off, Desiigner has heard the Future comparisons. When asked by XXL if he was bothered it, the rapper said: “I smile at that, I blush at that, but I have no hard feelings for the dude Future. He does his thing. Actually, I like some of his songs. I think he’s a great artist and I ain’t going to ever turn him down. Just know I have plenty of more music. That’s all I got to say for the people who say I sound like him. Keep tuning in.”

5. “Tiimmy Turner” Isn’t About Nickelodeon’s Timmy Turner

While the song may sound like it’s about the lead character in “The Fairly OddParents,” Timmy Turner is actually Desiigner. “Timmy Turner is me. I was referring to myself,” Desiigner told All Def Digital.

6. He Bought The “Panda” Beat For $200

While “Panda” has gone on to make Desiigner a ton of money, it didn’t cost him much to purchase the instrumentals for the song. According to Desiigner, his friend bought the “Panda” beat online for $200 from a British producer named Menace.