Lil Skies
A melodic rapper from Pennsylvania who turned viral SoundCloud angst into platinum records and Top 40 hits before he could legally drink.
Born 1998 (age 28)·American rapper and singer-songwriter·Birthday: August 4·Generation Z
Biography
Lil Skies's 2017 tracks 'Red Roses' and 'Nowadays' caught fire on streaming platforms, leading to his 2018 mixtape 'Life of a Dark Rose,' which debuted in the Billboard Top 10 and earned a platinum plaque. Born Kimetrius Foose in 1998, he emerged from Waynesboro, Pennsylvania, blending melodic flows with diary-entry lyrics about love and struggle. His two-toned hairstyle became distinctive. Subsequent albums 'Shelby' and 'Unbothered' showed artistic growth. His initial explosion captured a moment in internet-fueled rap, proving raw feeling could travel from small town to national charts.
Generation Z
1997–2012
Born into smartphones, social media, and school shootings. The most diverse generation in history. Pragmatic about money, fluid about identity, anxious about the climate. They do not remember a world before the internet.
Lil was born in 1998, placing them squarely in the Generation Z. The events that shaped this generation — social media, climate anxiety, and a pandemic — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Lil Was Born
The biggest hits of 1998
#1 Movie
Saving Private Ryan
Best Picture
Shakespeare in Love
#1 TV Show
Seinfeld
Lil's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1998Born
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2003Started school
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2011Became a teenager
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2014Could drive
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2016Could vote
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2019Turned 21
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 28 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- His 2018 mixtape 'Life of a Dark Rose' peaked at number 10 on the Billboard 200 and was certified platinum by the RIAA.
- Scored three Billboard Hot 100 entries in 2017-2018 with the singles 'I', 'Nowadays', and 'Red Roses.'
- Signed a major label deal with Atlantic Records in 2017 following viral success on SoundCloud and streaming platforms.
- Released his debut studio album 'Shelby' in 2019, which charted on the Billboard 200.
Did You Know?
His stage name was inspired by his father, who was also a rapper known as 'Dark Skies.'
He attended college for business before dropping out to pursue music full-time after his initial songs gained traction.
He has a large collection of tattoos, including one of the late rapper Lil Peep, whom he considered a friend and influence.
“I turned the pain into a melody and let it go.”
