In the blink of an eye, NLE Choppa went from a Memphis high school student to a viral sensation.

The rapper was built-in as Bryson Potts on November 1, 2002, in Memphis, Tennessee. Every bit a teen at Cordova High School, he began freestyling and rapping with friends for fun when he was 14, and officially launched his rap career at the age of fifteen in 2018.

Thanks to singles like "Camelot" and his showtime major striking, "Shotta Menstruation," NLE Choppa has go i of the biggest breakout rappers of 2019. His music videos are racking up hundreds of millions of views on YouTube solitary, and he'southward just getting started. As he continues to rise, here are 12 fast facts you lot need to know about NLE Choppa.

He was previously known equally YNR Choppa

When the Memphis creative person first began rapping, he used the stage name YNR Choppa. He released his first single, "No Love Canticle," and debut mixtape,No Dearest the Takeover,nether this moniker before changing his name to NLE Choppa. Information technology's unclear what the "YNR" stands for, as Choppa has not spoken about his by stage name in interviews, but he has said that "Choppa" was a nickname he got equally a kid.

He started taking a career in rap seriously in 2018

Choppa didn't always have aspirations of becoming a rapper. In fact, it wasn't until last year that he even began taking his arts and crafts seriously. For the most part, Choppa looked at rap as a fun hobby. Afterwards realizing he had talent and something to say, he finally decided to give the career a real shot. "A yr ago, I wasn't doing what I was doing now," Choppa told XXL. "I was recording stuff, merely I guess it wasn't good music. At present, I gauge I'g making stuff that people actually desire to hear. I started taking information technology serious after I found out I could actually benefit with it."

His first Billboard Hot 100 striking was "Shotta Period"

NLE Choppa released a series of singles in 2018, but it wasn't until he dropped "Shotta Menstruum" in January 2019 that he had his beginning hit. After leaking a prune of the song, along with a 3-infinitesimal of him goofing effectually YouTube, Choppa officially dropped the single, which earned him his first Billboard Hot 100 entry, peaking at No. 36 on the nautical chart. The runway was besides certified platinum by the RIAA in June 2019. Choppa later on released a remix featuring Blueface, which has already racked up over 90 million views on YouTube.

NLE stands for No Love Entertainment

The "NLE" in Choppa'southward stage name stands for No Love Amusement. The proper name isn't merely a cool acronym though. Information technology refers to a motion Choppa launched with some of his friends and local artists in Memphis. "It's pretty much a brand, all that," he explained during a June 2019 interview with XXL. "With No Love Entertainment, I desire to pretty much brand information technology into a label. Simply make information technology big, make it a household name."

He reportedly turned downward $3 1000000 offers from major labels to piece of work with UnitedMasters

Equally a result of the massive successes of Choppa's single "Shotta Flow" and its sequel "Shotta Menses two," he attracted national attending and sparked a behest war between major labels, including Republic, Interscope and Caroline Records. The labels reportedly offered Choppa multimillion-dollar recording contracts, but afterward reviewing each one, Choppa decided to turned them downwardly. Instead, he chose to sign a distribution deal with UnitedMasters.

"[UnitedMasters founder Steve Stoute] told me everything they could exercise—they trusted me, and I trusted them," Choppa told Billboard. "I get to own all my music, so it's only a better deal [than a label]. I want to be able to accept my ain label, so I can build something from the ground up. In 10 years, I desire to look dorsum and recall, 'I created something large.'"

Although $3 million is a lot of coin to reject, Choppa says he doesn't regret the conclusion.

The best advice he's received came from Stevie Wonder

Information technology'south not every day that a fable gifts a new creative person with words of wisdom, but it happened to NLE Choppa. Stevie Wonder reportedly ran into a Choppa at an event and bestowed some advice that has stuck with him to this day. "He told me keep working," the rapper recalled of his cursory conversation with Wonder. It might seem like a simple token, but Choppa cites Wonder's words as the best advice he's ever received.

NLE Choppa
Prototype via Getty/Prince Williams

He loves reggae

Choppa doesn't merely listen to rap; he also enjoys reggae music. In a February 2019 interview withHipHopDX, Choppa confirmed that he loves reggae fable Bob Marley. "[He's] the only person I really listen to," he explained. "A little bit of Shabba Ranks sometimes, but I mostly heed to Bob Marley."

He is interested in charity work

NLE says he is passionate near philanthropic work and explains that giving back to his community in Memphis (and other parts of the world) is part of why he got into the music industry. "I really just like to meet people beingness the best they tin be," he told HipHopDX . "I experience like if I got a approving, and so it'southward up to me to share that blessing with the globe whatever way I can with other people less fortunate with me."

Choppa doesn't help people for the recognition, though. He claims he receives the near satisfaction from knowing he did the right thing. "It's just something I exercise from the eye," he says. "There own't really no reason. I just know that after I aid somebody and I see it fabricated a departure, I feel good. I empathize that a lot of people aren't as fortunate every bit others. Information technology's merely instinctual for me. I don't know who I picked it upward from, merely I beloved to practice it a lot."

He would like to written report business at a Florida college

NLE Choppa has admitted that he wasn't the most obedient student in the classroom growing up, but he understands the importance of higher education. Although he has a packed schedule while he juggles touring, recording new music, and publicity obligations, he has expressed interest in attending college in Florida, where he hopes to major in business. "I wanna have the right skill and data to exist able to take care of what I built," he told HipHopDX. "I'd like to be in Florida or something. It's overnice down there."

His female parent has been a big supporter from the kickoff

Choppa is lucky to have a supportive family. Leading his fan club is his mother, Angela Potts, who has been behind her son since he showtime expressed interest in becoming a rapper. She became Choppa'southward manager, and when he started to get looks from record companies, she helped him review each contract. She besides helps out with video shoots and other music events.

Speaking about her role in Choppa's career during the first episode of The Ascent of NLE Choppa, Potts explained, "I just want to exist apart of whatever makes him happy because this is his dream. This is his goal, and whatsoever his aspirations are, I but desire to be able to make certain that those get fulfilled. It's about him. Information technology'south about what he wants to do because this is his life, his career."

A short stint in juvenile detention helped him turn his life effectually

Choppa has been very candid about his troubled past in interviews. He's admitted that his choices got him into a lot of trouble as a kid. But a pivotal moment came when he served time at a juvenile detention center. It's unclear what he went in for, but Choppa says his fourth dimension at the detention heart motivated him to turn his life effectually. "When I went to juvenile that time, that actually helped me a lot," he explained in the 2nd episode of The Rise of NLE Choppa. "I wasn't realizing all the shit I was giving upward if I was to fuck around, get a life sentence."

Once he thought virtually the consequences that come with going to jail, he realized that's not the path he wanted to go downwards. "You on the phase, you rockin' shows, yous gettin' with females every nighttime, and so the next 24-hour interval you lot arrested," he noted. "You in the cell, you lot got to eat when they tell you swallow. Jail ain't for nobody. It was an eye-opener."

He wants to open his own sneaker shop

In addition to music and philanthropy, NLE has aspirations of opening his own sneaker shop called NLE Kicks. On an episode of Complex'sSneaker Shopping, he spoke about his hopes of opening a franchise in Memphis, New York, and California. "I feel like everybody need shoes," he pointed out. "Everybody need apparel. And so I feel similar that's a smart investment because I look at what people need."