JID

Destin Choice Route, professionally known as  JID or J.I.D, is a rapper and singer from Atlanta. In 2017, he signed with Dreamville Records, an imprint of Interscope Records, owned by J. Cole.  JID formed the Spillage Village musical collective with EarthGang in 2010 and later founded the hip hop group Zoink Gang with Smino, Buddy, and Guapdad 4000. He has received critical acclaim for his fluid rapping style and his clever use of wordplay.

JID gained recognition after releasing several independent projects, including Route of Evil (2012), Para Tu (2013), and DiCaprio (2015). His debut studio album, The Never Story (2017), was well-received and included the single “Never.” His second album, DiCaprio 2 (2018), was supported by the singles “151 Rum” and “Off Deez” (with J. Cole) and continued to receive critical acclaim.

 JID‘s 2021 single, “Enemy” (with Imagine Dragons), peaked at number five on the Billboard Hot 100 and remains his highest-charting song. His third album, The Forever Story (2022), received further acclaim and peaked at number 12 on the Billboard 200. The album includes the top 40 single “Surround Sound” featuring 21 Savage and Baby Tate.

Born on October 31, 1990, in Atlanta, Georgia, Destin Choice Route was the youngest of seven children born to Carl Louis Route Jr. and Kathy Jean Route. His grandmother gave him the nickname “JID” due to his “jittery” behavior. He grew up listening to Sly and the Family Stone and Earth, Wind & Fire before discovering 90s New York hip-hop and rappers like Jay-Z, Nas, and Mobb Deep.

He attended Stephenson High School, where he played football as a defensive back until he dislocated his hip during his senior year. After accepting a full athletic scholarship to play NCAA Division I football at Hampton University, Route was redshirted his first year and played two seasons before being kicked off the team for skipping practices. He then moved in with Doctur Dot and Johnny Venus, a popular rap duo known as EarthGang whom he met while at school in Virginia.