2 Chainz

2 Chainz
2 Chainz
Born	Tauheed Epps; September 12, 1977 (age 49); College Park, Georgia, U.S.
Occupation(s)	Rapper, songwriter, actor
Years active	1997–present
Known for	Member of Playaz Circle; solo albums including Based on a T.R.U. Story

Tauheed Epps (born September 12, 1977), professionally recognized as 2 Chainz, is an American rapper, songwriter, and actor. Originating from College Park, Georgia, he initially gained fame as part of the Southern hip-hop duo Playaz Circle alongside Earl "Dolla Boy" Conyers. The pair secured a deal with Ludacris' Disturbing tha Peace label and are widely known for their 2007 debut track "Duffle Bag Boy" featuring Lil Wayne.

In February 2012, Epps inked a solo agreement with Def Jam Recordings, a division of Universal Music Group. His first solo appearance on the Billboard Hot 100 was through a guest spot on Kanye West's single "Mercy", which reached number 13. Following this, his singles "No Lie" (featuring Drake) and "Birthday Song" (featuring Kanye West) achieved double platinum status from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). These releases led up to his solo debut album, Based on a T.R.U. Story, launched in August 2012. Although the album received mixed critiques, it climbed to the top of the Billboard 200 and featured the top 40 hit "I'm Different." His sophomore album, B.O.A.T.S. II: Me Time (2013), introduced by the single "Feds Watching" featuring Pharrell Williams, garnered more favorable reviews but experienced a slight dip in sales.

Since then, Epps has delivered several albums including ColleGrove (2016), Pretty Girls Like Trap Music (2017), Rap or Go to the League (2019), So Help Me God! (2020), and Dope Don't Sell Itself (2022). He parted ways with Def Jam in 2024, one year after releasing the joint project with Lil Wayne titled Welcome 2 Collegrove (2023).

Among his honors is a Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance for his contribution to Chance the Rapper's "No Problem," along with six additional nominations. He has secured three BET Awards out of 11 nominations and five BET Hip Hop Awards from 19 nominations. Moreover, he served as host for Vice TV’s reality program Most Expensivest beginning in 2017, which spanned four seasons and focused on luxury consumer products.

Early life

Tauheed Epps was born in College Park, Georgia, where he grew up. He attended North Clayton High School, excelling academically as the second highest graduate in his class while participating in basketball. During his high school years, he was involved in selling marijuana and was arrested at age 15 on charges related to felony possession of cocaine.

College basketball career

Epps received a scholarship to attend Alabama State University, where he played on the basketball team during the 1996–1997 season.

Rolling Stone addressed circulating claims that he graduated from Alabama State with a perfect 4.0 GPA. Epps responded by saying, "Don't trust anything on Wack-ipedia. There’s a lot of misinformation there." He later transferred to Virginia State University due to undisclosed reasons but confirmed his graduation status by stating, "I graduated, and that’s final."

Statistics

Statistics
Season	FGM	FGA	FG%	FTM	FTA	FT%	PPG	RPG
1995–96	9	25	.360	7	13	.538	2.4	0.2
1996–97	27	61	.443	12	31	.387	3.0	2.2

1997–2010: Playaz Circle and Disturbing tha Peace

In 1997, Epps teamed up with his high school companion Earl Conyers (known as Dolla Boy) to establish the hip hop duo Playaz Circle in College Park, Georgia. The name "Playaz" was an acronym for "Preparing Legal Assets for Years from A to Z." During this period, Epps performed under the alias "Tity Boi." After independently releasing their album United We Stand, United We Fall in 2002, the duo caught the attention of Atlanta rapper Ludacris, who was both their neighbor and DJ. Ludacris, a prominent figure in Southern hip hop, invited Playaz Circle to join his label, Disturbing Tha Peace, affiliated with Def Jam. Epps signed promptly, while Conyers delayed joining until after his mother’s recovery.

Their initial album under the label, Supply & Demand, dropped on October 30, 2007, and featured the urban hit "Duffle Bag Boy" with Lil Wayne, which they also performed at the BET Hip Hop Awards. Their sophomore effort, Flight 360: The Takeoff, released on September 29, 2009, included the single "Big Dawg," featuring Lil Wayne and Birdman. In January 2010, Epps departed from Disturbing tha Peace to embark on a solo career; although Ludacris initially hesitated, he ultimately respected Epps’ choice.

2011–2012: Name change and Based on a T.R.U. Story

Due to criticism regarding sexism linked to his original stage name "Tity Boi," which he refuted, Epps opted for a rebranding in early 2011 by adopting the moniker "2 Chainz" to project a more "family-friendly" persona. He shared with Vibe that this new name stemmed from childhood nicknames given by relatives and his community. Following this transition, he released the mixtape T.R.U. REALigion, which reached number 58 on the US Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. This momentum led to guest features on tracks by artists including Kanye West ("Mercy") and Nicki Minaj ("Beez in the Trap").

On March 24, 2012, Epps revealed that his debut studio album would be titled Based on a T.R.U. Story, officially released on August 14, 2012. The album’s lead single "No Lie," featuring Canadian rapper Drake, was made available on May 8, 2012. Although there were rumors about signing with Kanye West's GOOD Music label during this time, Epps publicly denied these claims. Additionally, on May 30, 2012, he appeared on Ciara's promotional track "Sweat."

Based on a T.R.U. Story debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 chart with first-week sales of 147,000 copies. The album garnered mixed critical reception, reflected in a Metacritic score of 55. By September 23 of that year, it had sold approximately 288,000 copies domestically. That same month, Epps performed alongside longtime collaborator Lil Wayne at the 2012 MTV Video Music Awards. Following this release, he embarked on his inaugural solo world tour which saw mostly sold-out venues.

Epps earned over thirteen nominations at the BET Hip Hop Awards, winning four of them. He was also honored as "Man of the Year" by The Source Magazine. His commercial appeal led to endorsement agreements with ADIDAS and Beats By Dre. Furthermore, he received three Grammy Award nominations including one for Best Rap Album.

2012–2015: B.O.A.T.S. II: Me Time and ColleGrove

Toward the end of 2012, Epps revealed intentions to head back into the studio following his B.O.A.T.S. tour, and by November he had already recorded three tracks for his sophomore album, originally planned for an April 2013 release. In 2013, he appeared as a guest on NBC's Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and CBS's 2 Broke Girls. On May 23, 2013, he officially announced that his second album, B.O.A.T.S. II: Me Time, would be released on September 10, 2013. The album’s lead single, "Feds Watching," featuring Pharrell Williams, premiered at Hot 97's Summer Jam in June of that year.

B.O.A.T.S. II: Me Time showcased collaborations with artists such as Pharrell Williams, Fergie, Drake, Lil Wayne, Pusha T, Mase, Chrisette Michele, Iamsu!, T-Pain, Dolla Boy, Rich Homie Quan, and Lloyd. The production team included Diplo, Mike WiLL Made It, Drumma Boy, J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League, Mannie Fresh, Honorable C.N.O.T.E., and DJ Toomp. Supported by singles like "Used 2," "Where U Been?," and "Netflix," the album received favorable reviews from critics and debuted at number three on the US Billboard 200, as well as number two on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart with first-week sales reaching 63,000 copies.

By October 2013, Epps had commenced work on his third studio project and already had a lead single prepared, intending to include Jay-Z as a feature. In May 2014, he released the EP FreeBase, which contained seven tracks and featured artists such as Lil Boosie, A$AP Rocky, and Rick Ross; this project surpassed 200,000 downloads. Earlier in January 2014, he put out the promotional single "I'm a Dog." Later in November 2015, Epps announced a joint album with Lil Wayne titled ColleGrove.

2016–2019: Pretty Girls Like Trap Music and Rap or Go to the League

On January 27, 2016, Epps dropped the EP Felt Like Cappin across streaming services and iTunes, promoting it with the single "Back On That Bullshit" featuring Lil Wayne.

The collaborative album ColleGrove with Lil Wayne was released in March 2016. Due to legal disputes between Wayne and Cash Money Records, Epps was credited as the primary artist while Wayne appeared on eight tracks. Production was handled by notable producers including Honorable C.N.O.T.E., Mike Will Made It, Zaytoven, TM88, and Metro Boomin. The album garnered positive critical reception.

Following that release, Epps independently issued the mixtape Daniel Son: Necklace Don on August 5, 2016. While initially featuring Drake and YFN Lucci among others, the track "Big Amount ft. Drake" was later moved to his 2017 album Pretty Girls Like Trap Music due to its popularity. The mixtape received a rating of 3 out of 5 from XXL magazine.

On October 28, 2016, Epps unveiled his third mixtape titled Hibachi for Lunch, which included guest appearances from Quavo, Gucci Mane, Ty Dolla Sign, and Future. The song "Good Drank" was subsequently transferred to the album Pretty Girls Like Trap Music. Producers on this project featured Mike Will Made It, K Swisha, and Buddah Bless.

Epps’s fourth studio album, Pretty Girls Like Trap Music, was released on June 16, 2017 through Def Jam Recordings. This record included features from Travis Scott, Nicki Minaj, Swae Lee, Migos, Jhene Aiko, and Pharrell Williams. Production credits went to Mike Will Made It, Buddah Bless, Mike Dean, and Murda Beatz. Singles such as "Good Drank," "It's a Vibe," and "4 AM" supported the album’s promotion via a nationwide tour as well as pop-up shops. Epps characterized this work as a refined progression of trap music. The album achieved widespread acclaim from critics.

On November 15, 2017, Epps launched the television series Most Expensivest on Viceland, which humorously explored exclusive luxury products and services while providing thoughtful commentary. The program was renewed for a third season that aired in early 2019.

Epps released his fourth EP entitled The Play Don't Care Who Makes It on February 8, 2018 through Def Jam. This four-track project features YG and Offset on the song "Proud," with production contributions from T-Minus, June James, Nonstop Da Hitman, and Streetrunner.

Announced in February 2018 and released on March 1, 2019, Epps’s fifth studio album Rap or Go to the League sustained his commercial momentum. On March 26, 2020 he revealed plans for ColleGrove 2, a follow-up to his collaborative effort with Lil Wayne from 2016 slated for release later that year.

2020–2022: So Help Me God and Dope Don't Sell Itself

In August 2020, shortly after his Verzuz showdown with Rick Ross, Epps revealed plans for his sixth studio album, So Help Me God!, originally slated for release on September 25, 2020. Due to delays in clearing samples, the album's launch was postponed to November 13, 2020, with the lead single "Quarantine Thick," featuring Latto, released ahead of the album.

Epps made an appearance on the season opener of Celebrity Family Feud on September 24, 2020, competing against Big Boi and his family.

On August 3, 2021, he announced that his seventh album, Dope Don't Sell Itself, would mark the conclusion of his trap music releases.

Additionally, Epps serves as the host for the concert series Amazon Music Live, which debuted on October 27, 2022.

2023–present: Welcome 2 Collegrove and Def Jam departure

In November 2023, 2 Chainz teamed up with Lil Wayne to release their first collaborative album, Welcome 2 Collegrove, a follow-up to Epps' third studio effort, ColleGrove (2016). Following resolution of previous label conflicts, both artists received co-credit. The project includes narration by 50 Cent and entered the Billboard 200 chart at number twenty with first-week equivalent sales of 34,000 units. Singles promoting the album included "Presha" and "Transparency," featuring Usher.

After a 22-year tenure with Def Jam—spanning eight years under Ludacris' imprint and fourteen directly with Def Jam—Epps declared on October 14, 2024, that he would not renew his contract, announcing his status as a "free agent."

On February 7, 2025, he collaborated with Larry June and the Alchemist to release the studio album Life Is Beautiful, marking his first significant project following his departure from Def Jam.

Personal life

Epps is father to two daughters born in 2008 and 2012. He welcomed a son on October 14, 2015. On August 18, 2018, he married Kesha Ward, his longtime partner and mother of his children.

Legal issues

At age fifteen, Epps was convicted for felony cocaine possession. On February 14, 2013, he was arrested in Maryland for marijuana possession while traveling to a concert; he was cited and subsequently released. On June 11, 2013, at LAX airport, he was detained for possession of marijuana and promethazine found in his checked luggage; he posted a $10,000 bond and was scheduled to appear in court on June 21. Notably, two days prior to this incident, he was reportedly held at gunpoint during a robbery outside a medical marijuana dispensary in San Francisco.

On August 21, 2013, law enforcement stopped Epps' tour bus in Oklahoma City due to a taillight violation. Officers detected marijuana smoke inside and secured a search warrant that uncovered two semi-automatic pistols, a pump-action shotgun, prescription pain medication, and traces of marijuana residue on board.

Business ventures

In October 2016, Epps launched a hoodie brand named CEO Millionaires (Create Every Opportunity Millionaires). He also introduced a sweater collection called "Dabbing Sweaters."

On May 10, 2019, it was announced by the Atlanta Hawks that 2 Chainz had acquired a minority ownership stake in their NBA G League team, the College Park Skyhawks.

Discography

Studio Albums

Collaborative Projects

No Face No Case (in collaboration with The Real University) (2020)
Welcome 2 Collegrove (with Lil Wayne) (2023)
Life Is Beautiful (featuring Larry June and the Alchemist) (2025)

The Real University

On January 6, 2015, 2 Chainz unveiled his independent label, "The Real University" (T.R.U.). Early signees included frequent collaborators Cap.1 and Skooly, alongside Fresh—formerly known as Short Dawg from Young Money. Their initial mixtape, titled TRU Jack City, was released on January 27, 2015. Later, on October 4, 2019, T.R.U. formed a strategic alliance with Atlantic Records.

Roster

2 Chainz
Cap.1
Skooly
Fresh (previously Short Dawg)
C White

Releases

Artist	Project Title	Release Information
Cap.1	Bird Bath EP	Release Date: January 13, 2015 Label: The Real University Format: Digital Download

BET Awards

BET Hip Hop Awards

|- |rowspan="10"|2012 |rowspan="4"|"Mercy" (with Kanye West, Big Sean, and Pusha T) |Reese's Perfect Combo Award (Best Collabo, Duo or Group) | |- |Sweet 16: Best Featured Verse | |- |Best Club Banger | |- |rowspan="2"|Best Hip Hop Video | |- |rowspan="2"|"No Lie" (featuring Drake) | |- |People's Champ Award | |- |rowspan="7"|Himself |Rookie of the Year | |- |Made You Look Award | |- |Hustler of the Year | |- |rowspan="2"|MVP of the Year | |}

Grammy Awards

|- | style="text-align:center;" rowspan="3"| 2013 | Based on a T.R.U. Story | Best Rap Album | |- | rowspan="2"| "Mercy" (featuring Kanye West, Big Sean, and Pusha T) | Best Rap Performance | |- | rowspan="3"| Best Rap Song | |- | style="text-align:center;"| 2014 | "Fuckin' Problems" (featuring ASAP Rocky, Drake, and Kendrick Lamar) | |- | style="text-align:center;" rowspan="2"| 2017 | rowspan="2"| "No Problem" (featuring Chance the Rapper and Lil Wayne) | |- | Best Rap Performance | |-

Soul Train Awards

2012: Awarded Best Hip Hop Song of the Year for "Mercy" (featuring Kanye West, Big Sean, and Pusha T)
2012: Nominated for Best Hip Hop Song of the Year with "No Lie" (featuring Drake)

External links

Official website