There was never really a space for an artist like GoldLink—until GoldLink created that space for himself. Born D'Anthony Carlos in 1993, the artist grew up in Washington, D.C. and the surrounding areas. He began writing music in his late teens and carved out a niche in an unexplored space where hip-hop, house, electronic music, and R&B intersect. This vibrant, dizzying style made him immediately noticeable. In 2014, he released his first mixtape, The God Complex. The following year, he was selected for XXL’s Freshman Class. With mentorship from Rick Rubin, co-founder of Def Jam, he released And After That, We Didn’t Talk in 2015—an album that balanced narrative depth with a sparkling and energetic sound. In 2017, he released At What Cost, which included the Grammy-nominated track “Crew.” Working with MCs and producers like Anderson .Paak, KAYTRANADA, Flume, and Chance the Rapper, GoldLink’s music represents an expanding understanding of what hip-hop and dance music can achieve. He imagines a boundaryless club world where genre and geographic borders give way to the overall feel of the music: neither rap nor electronic, but something GoldLink playfully calls “future bounce”—and it’s something he’s currently creating.