Midwest artist IshDARR got his start while still a high-school student in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The artist born Ishmael Ali grew up listening to his father's jazz and rap, which included Lil Wayne, A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul, and The Pharcyde. During his freshman year at Messmer High School, he hooked up with his big brother's crew, rapping at house parties and talent shows. However, when his group mates graduated, he was left alone. He almost gave up -- a promising football career was also an option -- but was encouraged by his music teacher, whom students affectionately dubbed G Flat. With a sharp attention to catchy hooks like Kendrick Lamar and a lyrical dexterity like no other , IshDARR uploaded his early songs online, building a following while still studying and doing his homework. In 2014, he issued the Better Life EP, which included the single "POPS" featuring Rina. He quickly caught the attention of Atlantic Records. Once deciding against the label route, he entered the studio to work with producers Arthur McArthur (Wiz Khalifa, Drake, Lil Wayne) and ILLMIND (Kanye West, Little Brother). His debut mixtape, Old Soul Young Spirit, arrived in 2015. A year later, IshDARR released his sophomore full-length LP, Broken Hearts & Bankrolls. After a 2 year hiatus, IshDARR released his third LP, Slow Down,KID. This came a few months after the release of his first feature film "White Boy Rick" where Ish played Freaky Steve Roussell.