Big Scarr

Memphis rapper Big Scarr channeled his tragic life experiences into bleak, unflinching narratives. After racking up millions of streams with his 2019 debut single “Make a Play,” he signed to Gucci Mane’s 1017 imprint and continued to expand his audience. His 2021 mixtape Big Grim Reaper included collaborations with his cousin, Pooh Shiesty, as well as Gucci Mane, Tay Keith, and others. He offered up an expanded version a year later
Alexander Woods was born in 2000 and raised in South Memphis, initially living with his grandmother until she passed away when he was 13, then brought up by his father. He survived a car crash at the age of 16, and the incident inspired his stage name. Influenced by rappers like Kodak Black and Boosie Badazz, he began rapping with the encouragement of his close friends. Initially affiliated with the Rich N Ruthless collective, he made his recording debut with “Make a Play,” a single based on a freestyle, which appeared at the tail-end of 2019. The track garnered millions of views online, and after Woods’ cousin, Pooh Shiesty, brought his music to the attention of Gucci Mane, Big Scarr signed to Mane’s Atlantic-distributed 1017 imprint in June 2020. Scarr then appeared on the label compilation So Icy Summer, and released the tracks “Endzone” and “Frozone” later in the year. Several additional singles preceded his debut mixtape, Big Grim Reaper, that arrived in April 2021 and reached number 25 on the Billboard 200. In early 2022, Scarr offered up an expanded version of the mixtape called Big Grim Reaper: The Return which featured 13 more tracks including “Fantasy” featuring Offset. On December 22, 2022, he passed away in Memphis at the age of 22. ~ Paul Simpson