Kevin Gates, born Kevin Jerome Gilyard, is from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The singer was born on February 5, 1986, and is 38 years old as of February 2024. The singer has been honored with his own day in Las Vegas, Nevada. Starting this year, Las Vegas marks Kevin Gates Day on September 6.
The singer reacted to this honor with a brief statement on his Instagram on September 8, 2024, stating:
"Late post - was still processing everything that had taken place - the love shown in #LasVegas cannot be described by simply using words alone - Sept 6 is now officially #KevinGatesDay in #LasVegas - thank you Mom and Dad #MayorOscarandCarolynGoodman and everyone else that made this possible..."
More on the Kevin Gates Day proclamation in Las Vegas
The proclamation for Kevin Gates Day in Las Vegas, Nevada, reads as follows:
"By virtue of authority given to me by The Laws of The State of Nevada and By The Charter Of The City of Las Vegas, I, Carolyn G Goodman, do hereby proclaim September 6, 2024 as Kevin Gates Day in the city of Las Vegas and ask all citizens to join me in recognizing this award-winning artist who's musical journey spans 15 years."
The proclamation continues:
"Performing for the first time in Las Vegas, Kevin 'The General' Gates will be bringing his unique sound to Mandalay Bay's House of Blues for a performance sure to bring the house down!"
The proclamation continues:
"In addition to his musical ventures, Mr. Gates, an entreauprenuer and motivational speaker, has been a steadfast advocate for overcoming life's obstacles, promoting healing and improving mental health and combatting obesity and suicide. His efforts to help through his talents and craft are applauded and appreciated."
The proclamation ends with the requisite legalese of witnesses, legal stamps, the seal of the City of Las Vegas, and the mayor's signature. The video of the singer's Instagram post embedded above shows his initial astounded reaction to the honor.
A brief overview of Kevin Gates's career
Kevin Gates started his career with local indie label Dead Game Records in 2007. Under the label, the singer and rapper released two mixtapes, Pick of Da Litter, released in 2007, and All or Nuthin', released in 2008. After these two mixtapes, Gates was incarcerated and spent 31 months in prison before being released in 2011.
After his release, he released the mixtape Make 'Em Believe, which led to a management deal with Young Money Records. Kevin Gates did not sign a record deal with Young Money and instead established his label, Bread Winners' Association.
Under Bread Winners' Association, the singer released the mixtape The Luca Brasi Story, which became critically acclaimed upon release. Its sequel, The Luca Brasi Story 2, propelled the singer to the Billboard 200 album chart, charting at number 38 and eventually becoming a platinum-certified record.
The singer released his debut studio album, Islah, on January 29, 2016. It was a huge success upon release, charting at the second spot on the Billboard 200 album chart and at number 16 on the Canadian album chart. With a multi-platinum certification, the album remains the singer's most successful record as of 2024.