Desiigner: Next Great Brooklyn Rapper or One-Hit Wonder?

Ever since the 19 year-old rapper Desiigner uploaded his smash single “Panda” to streaming services last December, people have wondered if he’s the next in line in a long history of Brooklyn rappers, or whether he’s just another one-hit wonder, capitalizing on the music trends of the day.

The answer remains to be seen, but he is off to a great start. The Brooklyn native’s following has grown since the release of “Panda,” – which recently collected 40.1 million domestic streams in one week, giving Desiigner the record for the highest numbers of streams for a song by a rapper over a seven-day period.

Desiigner’s success has been propelled by Kanye West, who sampled “Panda” on his The Life of Pablo album and signed the rapper to his G.O.O.D. Music label. This year, Desiigner says he plans to tour and release an album, which he recently announced will be called “The Life of a Desiigner.”

Desiigner’s husky and nasally voice has drawn comparisons to Atlanta rapper Future, who is currently one of the most popular artists in hip-hop. Those comparisons have brought him criticism on social media and on blogs for a voice many listeners say mimics Future’s – to the point where “Panda” was initially thought to be a Future track when it was first played on the radio and in clubs.

It didn’t help that on the first line of the “Panda” Desiigners raps  “I got broads in Atlanta,” which happens to be Future’s hometown.

Nevertheless, Desiigner has shown potential in other releases, including the infectious “Zombie Walk,” which he performs doing a dab-like dance. He also has several freestyles available.

Born Sidney Selby III in the Bed-Stuy section of Brooklyn, also birth home to Jay-Z and the Notorious B.I.G., Desiigner is the first New York rapper artist to top Billboard’s Hot 100 since Jay-Z with “Empire State of Mind” in 2009. This success has led some to anoint him as being next great rapper from the Empire State. Adding to this notion, the queen of Brooklyn rap, Lil’ Kim, brought out Desiigner last week during the Bad Boy Reunion Tour concert in Brooklyn in what could have been a ceremonial passing of the torch.

How his career turns out remains to be seen. With two albums on the way and numerous guest appearances being lined up, fans and critics alike will get plenty of opportunities to watch Desiigner build out his rap catalog.

Check out Desiigners’ recent revealing interview with KISS FM in the U.K., where he discusses his upbringing, including being shot at age 14 and how he started rapping. He also reveals his new album title and plans for future albums.

Check out Desiigner perform “Panda” on The Wendy Williams Show

Desiigner Performs “Zombie Walk” at New York’s Webster Hall