Lucki

Lucki grew up on the West Side of Chicago. He became a father in 2016. Family responsibilities and romantic relationships have frequently served as central subjects in his songwriting.

He has spoken openly about his struggles with depression, anxiety, and substance abuse during his youth. Music served as a therapeutic outlet to process those experiences. At various points in his career, he took brief breaks from recording to focus on his health and well-being.

Lucki started rapping during his freshman year of high school after receiving encouragement from friends. He performed under the moniker Lucki Eck$. He left Proviso East High School at age 16 to pursue music full-time.

The Chicago music platform Elevator premiered early videos for tracks like "Untouchable Lucki" and "Everything Out$ide". On July 25, 2013, he released his debut mixtape, Alternative Trap, at age 17. The record featured sparse, atmospheric production handled in part by collaborator Plu2o Nash. Its restrained delivery provided an alternative to the aggressive drill sound dominating the city.

In 2014, Lucki released his second mixtape, Body High. That same year, he collaborated with FKA twigs on "Ouch Ouch" and Danny Brown on "Weightin' On". He also joined Chance the Rapper on the track "Stevie Wonder" in December 2014.

Lucki released his third mixtape, X, on his nineteenth birthday in May 2015. He launched the Freewave EP series later that year. In January 2016, he officially shortened his stage name from Lucki Eck$ to Lucki, explaining that he had outgrown the earlier handle. He followed with the EPs Son of Sam and Freewave II in 2016.

He issued the mixtape Watch My Back in May 2017. The project expanded his catalog of melodic phrasing, low-key tempos, and introspective lyrics. He operated largely outside the major-label ecosystem, using online platforms to cultivate a dedicated core audience.

Freewave 3 arrived in February 2019 and earned critical acclaim. Pitchfork praised its stripped-down approach and vulnerable explorations of addiction, trauma, and isolation. The project included production from Earl Sweatshirt, ChaseTheMoney, and Cash Cobain. Earl Sweatshirt produced the track "All In".

Later in 2019, Lucki released Days B4 III. The project became his first release to enter the Billboard 200, charting at number 188. He followed with the EP Almost There in 2020. In December 2021, he teamed up with producer F1lthy to release the collaborative album Wake Up Lucki.

Lucki released his solo studio album Flawless Like Me in September 2022. It featured appearances from Future and Babyface Ray, debuting at number 12 on the Billboard 200. His second studio album, Sx Mney Dr*gs, arrived in July 2023 and reached number 15 on the chart.

Lucki released his third studio album, Gemini!, in June 2024. The project featured guest appearances from Lil Yachty, Future, Veeze, Rylo Rodriguez, and 42 Dugg. It peaked at number 20 on the Billboard 200.

In October 2025, distribution company Empire filed a breach-of-contract lawsuit against Lucki in San Francisco Superior Court. The dispute arose after he released material through UnitedMasters, with Empire claiming exclusive distribution rights from a 2024 agreement.

His fourth studio album, Dr*gs R Bad, came out in May 2026. The 26-track project included features from Veeze, Lil Baby, and Lil Yachty. It debuted at number nine on the Billboard 200, giving him his first top-ten record. In June 2026, Lucki signed with Interscope Records.