Los (rapper)

Career

Coleman began rapping as an 18-year-old high school student, focusing on the murder of his father. In 2002 he auditioned for Diddy's Making the Band 2 but refused to sign the required paperwork, preventing his appearance on the show. He signed with Bad Boy Records in 2005 through Da Bloc Incorporated, a local Baltimore label, but lost his deal in 2008 after Da Bloc Incorporated disbanded due to a legal issue, before he could release an album. That year he released his first two mixtapes, Guilty Until Proven Innocent and G5: Certified Fly, followed by G5.2 in May 2009.

His third mixtape, Zero Gravity, came out in April 2010, and Welcome To Swaggsville followed on August 5, 2010. The mixtape Shooter, released on November 8, 2010, featured collaborations with Rick Ross and Cory Gunz. On December 26, 2010, he released The Louis Vuitton Gift Pack, composed mostly of freestyles and including a collaboration with Chris Brown. On July 18, 2011, Los released Worth the Wait, made up of tracks cut from his mixtape The Crown Ain't Safe, which itself was released on December 5, 2011, with guest appearances by Lola Monroe, Jazze Pha, DMX, Kid Ink, Twista, and XV, and production from Jahlil Beats, Lifted, J. Oliver, and Rick Steel.

In February 2012, Diddy announced Los as a new signee to Bad Boy Records, and Coleman began work on his debut mixtape for the label. Bad Boy released Becoming King on April 25, 2013, featuring all-original music and guest artists, with production by 1500 or Nothin', Harry Fraud, J. Oliver, Rob Holladay, and Sonny Digital. XXL gave the mixtape a positive review, noting heartfelt tales about family and life, and describing Los's lyrical ability to deliver vivid imagery and a captivating flow.