David Lawrence Brewster Jr., an American rapper known as Dave East, was born on June 3, 1988.
Although he began his career in 2010, it was not until the release of his eighth mixtape, Black Rose, in 2014 that he started gaining considerable recognition.
Notably, fellow New York rapper Nas recognized East’s talent and signed him to his record label, Mass Appeal Records, in the same year.
Eventually, Mass Appeal Records formed a partnership with Def Jam Recordings in 2016.
REAL FACTS ABOUT DAVE EAST
FULL NAME: David Lawrence Brewster Jr.
DATE OF BIRTH: June 3, 1988
PLACE OF BIRTH: New York City, U.S
NATIONALITY: American
OCCUPATION(s): Rapper, Songwriter, Actor
LABELS: From The Dirt, Def Jam,
Mass Appeal
EARLY LIFE AND EDUCATION
Dave East, a native of New York City, grew up in both East Harlem with his mother and Ravenswood with his aunt.
He comes from a mixed heritage, with roots in Barbados and Louisiana Creole.
During his time at Springbrook High School near Washington, D.C., Dave East was heavily involved in sports.
He played AAU basketball alongside future NBA stars such as Ty Lawson and Greivis Vasquez.
It was during this time that he also formed a close bond with Kevin Durant, who is now a highly regarded player for the Phoenix Suns.
CAREER
In 2010, Dave East made his debut in the music scene with his first mixtape titled “Change of Plans.” This release garnered him some recognition within the local music community.
He continued to showcase his dedication to music by releasing more mixtapes like “Insomnia,” “American Greed,” “Don’t Sleep,” and “No Regrets.”
In 2013, he resorted to intermittent drug dealing in Harlem to support his music career, and during that same year, he dropped his sixth mixtape called “Gemini” in April.
By 2014, Dave East’s talent had caught the attention of fellow New Yorker Nas, who eventually signed him to Mass Appeal Records.
This led to the release of his projects “Black Rose” in 2014 and “Hate Me Now” in 2015.
These albums featured guest appearances from notable artists such as Nas, Pusha T, Jadakiss, and Styles P.
Dave East’s rising popularity was further solidified when he was named as part of XXL’s Freshman Class of 2016.
He also collaborated with rapper Kur on a joint EP titled “Born Broke, Die Rich.”
Later on, he signed with Def Jam Recordings and released the mixtape “Kairi Chanel” in 2016.
This project included collaborations with artists like Fabolous, the Game, Cam’ron, and many others.
Dave East was selected as one of the artists for XXL’s Freshman Class of 2016, alongside famous names like G Herbo and Lil Uzi Vert.
Following this, he had the opportunity to perform at the BET Hip Hop Awards and signed a joint venture deal with Def Jam Recordings.
This partnership led to the release of his mixtape Kairi Chanel, which featured guest appearances from artists such as Fabolous and 2 Chainz.
In early 2017, Dave East expanded his career into acting, appearing in BET’s Being Mary Jane and starring in Puma commercials and Trina’s music video.
He also released the EP Paranoia: A True Story and the mixtape Karma, collaborating with various artists.
The year 2018 saw the release of mixtapes Paranoia 2, Karma 2, and Beloved, as well as the signing of sponsorship deals. Dave East also ventured into the world of film, taking on roles in Beats and Wu-Tang: An American Saga.
In 2019, he released the album Survival and collaborated on several singles, embarking on his first world tour.
In March 2020, Dave East announced the release of Karma 3, which received critical acclaim upon its release in August. A deluxe version of the album was later released.
In July 2021, he released the collaborative album Hoffa with producer Harry Fraud. Additionally, Dave East started a new business venture in his hometown.
In January 2022, he discussed his upcoming projects, revealing plans for a joint-album sequel with Styles P, a new solo project, and various collaborations in progress.
PERSONAL LIFE
In his adolescence, East became associated with the Rollin’ 30s Harlem Crips, a division of the Crips gang.
Following some legal issues, he was imprisoned, during which he found solace in Islam and adopted the identity of a Muslim.
Dave East shares a beautiful bond with his two daughters, Kairi Chanel Brewster, who was born in 2016, and Kobi Chanai Brewster, who came into the world in 2020.
These lovely girls are the result of his relationship with Millie Colon.
