Growing up in Athens, GA, options didn’t necessarily abound for a budding artist like 18-year-old Lil Darius. Without many community centers, sports programs, or recording studios, it’s all too easy to find trouble. However, Darius found music. Initially, he discovered hip-hop via his dad. Father and son would ride around and listen to classics by the likes of Lil Wayne, T.I., and Jeezy. During tenth grade, Darius picked up a microphone for the first time. An Instagram snippet incited viral buzz around Athens. He signed to IGM/ Encore Recordings and unleashed music at a relentless pace. Following Small Town Hero in 2022, he served up 17 highlighted by “Regular” [feat. Rylo Rodriguez] and “Murder” [feat. Anti Da Menace], which generated over 805K Spotify streams. Meanwhile, 2023’s Gift Of The Ghetto flaunted knockout collaborations, including “Neighborhood Trapstars” [feat. Peezy], “Rubi Wayda” [feat. Luh Tyler], “Chedda Cheese” [feat. Babyface Ray], and “Gang” [feat. Hunxho]. It’s no wonder XXL christened him “one of his home state’s new names to watch.” With a chameleonic flow, catchy choruses, and a quiet confidence, the 18-year-old rapper has independently piled up tens of millions of views and streams and garnered the support of AllHipHop.com and NFL MVP Cam Newton. Now, he instantly captivates with a scorching signature style on a series of 2023 releases and much more to come, beginning with a project produced by GRAMMY® Award-nominated multiplatinum producer Tay Keith.