Mooski

Alabama rapper Mooski is instantly recognizable by his multi-octave voice, which can switch from a smooth croon to a gruff shout on a dime. He broke through with “Track Star,” an Afrobeats-tinged tune about heartbreak that became a massive viral hit following its initial appearance in 2020, eventually hitting the Top 40 in the U.S. and earning a platinum certification. The song and its remix, featuring Chris Brown and A Boogie wit da Hoodie, appeared on Mooski’s 2022 debut album, Melodic Therapy 4 the Broken.
Born Darien Hinton, Mooski grew up in Opp, Alabama, where his family attended church every Sunday. He started making gospel rap when he was 13, then switched direction after discovering the music of rappers like Lil Wayne and Drake. After graduating high school, he enlisted in the Marine Corps for four years. He initially intended to stay with the Marines for a longer term, but he got back into making music and decided to pursue it as a profession. He issued a few singles in 2019, then recorded “Track Star” in February 2020. He initially wanted to put out a different song first, but his friends convinced him it would be huge, so he released the track to TikTok the day after it was mixed, in June. The song soon racked up millions of streams, and it was officially released by Capitol in February 2021, gradually climbing up to number 31 on the Billboard 100 and going platinum. A video featuring Coi Leray premiered in April, and a remix featuring Chris Brown, A Boogie wit da Hoodie, and Yung Bleu appeared in May. Mooski’s debut album, Melodic Therapy 4 the Broken, arrived in March 2022. ~ Paul Simpson