Bernard Jabs

A melodic rapper inspired by fellow Southerner Lil Wayne, Bernard Jabs signed with major-label Def Jam, opened for Pusha T, and released the Coldhearted EP, all before finishing high school. The Tifton, Georgia native, born Stanley Flanders, Jr., knew at the age of five that he wanted to be a rapper. By his early teens, the student of hip-hop set up a bedroom studio that enabled him to record and upload tracks to SoundCloud. A deal with Def Jam was struck in 2018. That year, Jabs also made his commercial debut with "Big Tymers," titled after Mannie Fresh and Birdman's late-'90s/2000s duo, and hit the road as a support act for Pusha T. The following February, Jabs released "Sticks," and a month later appeared on Def Jam's Undisputed compilation. Only a week after that, he issued Coldhearted, an eight-track EP including his singles. The Iann Dior collaboration "Come Again" arrived in August. ~Andy Kellman