Dej Loaf facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Dej Loaf
Dej Loaf in 2015
Background information
Birth name	Deja Monét Trimble
Born	(1991-04-08) April 8, 1991 (age 33) Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Genres	Hip hop R&B
Occupations	Rapper singer songwriter
Years active	2011–present
Labels	Yellow World Equity Distribution Roc Nation Fomily Foundation BMG Columbia
Associated acts	Aubreyus Chevy Woods Jacquees Lil Durk

Deja Monét Trimble (born April 8, 1991), known professionally as Dej Loaf (stylized as DeJ Loaf), is an American rapper and singer from Detroit, Michigan. She is best known for her 2014 single "Try Me" and its 2015 follow-up, "Back Up" (featuring Big Sean). The latter received platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and served as lead single for her debut extended play ...And See That's the Thing (2015), which was released by Columbia Records. Both songs, along with her guest appearance on Kid Ink's 2015 single "Be Real", peaked within the top 50 of the Billboard Hot 100. Her debut studio album, Sell Sole II (2020), was met with positive critical reception despite failing to chart.

Early life

Deja Trimble was raised on the east side of Detroit, Michigan. As a child, she often listened to music with her parents and grandmother, including 2Pac, Rakim and Miles Davis. Her father was killed when she was four years old. A self-described "good kid and a decent student" who mostly kept to herself, she began writing her own original music at the age of 9. In 2009, she graduated from Southeastern High School in Detroit, playing basketball at the junior varsity level. She then attended Saginaw Valley State University and studied nursing for three semesters before deciding to focus full-time on her music career.

Career

In 2011, Dej Loaf began her career as a hip hop artist. Her stage name is a portmanteau of a shortened version of her first name, "Deja", and "loafer", as she took a keen interest in Air Jordans when growing up. In 2013, she released her first official mixtape, Just Do It.. That mixtape attracted the attention of a fellow Detroit-native rapper SAYITAINTTONE. She was later signed to his indie record label, called IBGM (I Been Gettin' Money) under his management team. In July 2014, she released her track, called "Try Me" (produced by DDS), as a single, which earned her viral popularity. Canadian rapper Drake quoted lyrics from the song in his Instagram post. In October 2014, she signed a major record deal to Columbia Records. After signing the deal, she released her second official mixtape, called Sell Sole. The mixtape was given an "A−" by music critic Robert Christgau.

Dej Loaf rapped on the song "Detroit vs. Everybody" featured on Eminem's compilation Shady XV (2014). In 2015, she opened for Nicki Minaj during the North American leg of The Pinkprint Tour. Later that year, she was chosen as part of the XXL magazine 2015 Freshman Class.

In February 2016, Dej Loaf released a mixtape called All Jokes Aside. In July 2017, she released a joint mixtape with Jacquees titled ... a Friend Zone.

After several years of delays, Dej Loaf split from Columbia Records in 2019. She then independently released her debut album, Sell Sole II on October 23, 2020. It features appearances from Big Sean, Gunna, Rick Ross, Lil Uzi Vert, and 6lack. The album is the sequel to Dej Loaf's 2014 mixtape Sell Sole. The album holds a 72/100 rating on Metacritic, indicating "generally favorable reviews".

In February 2021, Dej Loaf was featured on Sevyn Streeter's single "Guilty" along with Chris Brown and ASAP Ferg.

Discography

Studio albums

Extended plays

Mixtapes

• Just Do It (2012)
• Sell Sole (2014)
• All Jokes Aside (2016)
• ... a Friend Zone (with Jacquees) (2017)

Singles

As lead artist

As featured artist