Shy Glizzy Biography: Songs, Net Worth, Age, Parents, Wife, Height, Albums, Children

Biography

Shy Glizzy is an American rapper born Marquis Amonte King on December 12, 1992, in Washington, D.C. A product of Southeast D.C., he is widely regarded as one of the architects of DMV rap, known for a style that blends street grit with melodic smoothness.

He first gained widespread attention with the infectious 2014 single “Awwsome” from his mixtape Young Jefe, which peaked at number 45 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and spawned a remix featuring A$AP Rocky and 2 Chainz.

His profile rose further with his Grammy-nominated feature on GoldLink’s 2016 hit “Crew”, alongside Brent Faiyaz, which earned a nomination for Best Rap/Sung Performance at the 59th Annual Grammy Awards. He released his debut studio album, Fully Loaded, in 2018, a trap-heavy project featuring YoungBoy Never Broke Again, Lil Uzi Vert, Young Thug, Gunna, and Rick Ross, which debuted at number 35 on the Billboard 200.

The founder of the Glizzy Gang collective, Shy Glizzy, has built a catalogue spanning over a dozen mixtapes, two studio albums, and an EP, cementing his place as one of D.C.’s most enduring rap voices.

American rapper
Shy Glizzy
Wiki Facts & About Data
Real Name:	Marquis Amonte King
Stage Name:	Shy Glizzy
Born:	12 December 1992 (age 33 years old)
Place of Birth:	Washington, D.C., United States
Nationality:	American
Education:	N/A
Height:	1.73 m
Parents:	Barbara King
Siblings:	3 Glizzy, Ant Glizzy
Spouse:	Not Married
Girlfriend • Partner:	Amaya Colon (2022-2023), Blaidy (rum.)
Children:	1
Occupation:	Rapper
Net Worth:	$2 million (USD)

Early Life

Marquis Amonte King, known to the world as Shy Glizzy, was born on December 12, 1992, at Greater Southeast Community Hospital in Washington, D.C.

He grew up on 37th Street in Southeast D.C., near Fort Dupont Park, one of the city’s most culturally vibrant but socially challenging neighbourhoods.

Shy Glizzy is of African American ethnicity and practices Islam. As a teenager, he began reading the Quran, which, alongside stacks of daily newspapers and biographies, sparked his early interest in writing. He received his nickname “Shy” during early childhood, a name that stuck with him long before music came into the picture.

His upbringing was defined by hardship from the very start. His father was shot and killed before Shy Glizzy could celebrate his first birthday, leaving him to be raised by his mother, Barbara King, and his grandmother in Southeast D.C. The loss of his father, combined with the realities of street life in his neighbourhood, set the tone for much of the struggle and resilience that would later pour into his music.

Growing up, Shy Glizzy was not drawn to rap music. His early musical world was shaped entirely by go-go music, a genre native to Washington, D.C., built on the intersection of funk, hip-hop, and R&B. He has spoken about beating on buckets in his neighbourhood to mimic the rhythms he heard around him. He credits that sound for helping him develop the distinct style he would eventually carry into rap.

His early years with the law were turbulent. He was arrested for petty larceny at age nine and, at 16, was taken into custody on robbery charges, serving 14 months in a juvenile detention center. It was during that time behind bars that he earned his GED, the only formal educational credential he holds. He never attended a conventional school beyond that point.

Shy Glizzy has two brothers who are also rappers. His younger brother performs under the name 3 Glizzy and was a member of the Glizzy Gang collective. His other brother raps under the name Ant Glizzy, though the two have reportedly had friction over their unwillingness to collaborate professionally. Both siblings reflect a family deeply rooted in D.C. street rap culture.

It was after his release from juvenile detention that Shy Glizzy turned seriously to music, initially attempting to write a book before realizing his words were better suited to song. That pivot would change the course of his life entirely.

Career

Shy Glizzy launched his music career in January 2011 with his debut project, No Brainer, released shortly after completing his stint in juvenile detention. The project was raw and street-driven, establishing the gritty, unapologetic tone that would define his early work.

Before the year ended, he followed it up with a second mixtape, Streets Hottest Youngin, released on October 31, 2011, signalling that he had no intention of slowing down.

In 2012, he released three more projects in quick succession: Law in June, the collaborative Fly Money with Jose Guapo in November, and Fxck Rap in December, the last of which featured Trinidad James. Law was the project that caught the attention of major hip-hop press outlets. Complex named him one of their “10 New DMV Rappers To Watch Out For,” and Washington City Paper noted his hooks as “hungry and catchy,” even while acknowledging he was still finding his footing.

He kept the momentum going in 2013 with Law 2, released on August 1, featuring appearances from Migos, Yo Gotti, Kevin Gates, Starlito, and production from Metro Boomin. That same year, Complex listed him among “15 Unsigned Rappers Who Should Get a Deal After SXSW,” further cementing his growing reputation as one of the most exciting unsigned voices in American rap.

2014 was the year everything changed for Shy Glizzy. In January, Fact magazine named him one of their “10 Rappers to Watch in 2014.” The following month, he dropped Young Jefe, his seventh mixtape, hosted by DJ Bigga Rankin and featuring Young Scooter, Young Thug, PeeWee Longway, Plies, and Gudda Gudda. From that project emerged “Awwsome,” the biggest single of his career up to that point. The track peaked at number 45 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and spawned a remix featuring A$AP Rocky and 2 Chainz, which pulled over 750,000 streams on SoundCloud in its first week alone.

Later that year, he delivered Law 3: Now or Never with DJ Drama, a tape that showcased a darker, more urgent side of his pen, particularly on the choir-backed standout “Funeral.” His output in 2014 established him not just as a buzzing regional act but as a serious national contender.

On June 3, 2015, Shy Glizzy earned one of hip-hop’s most coveted recognitions: a spot on XXL magazine’s annual Freshman Class list. That same day, he released Be Careful, a 16-track collaborative mixtape with the Glizzy Gang collective, featuring members 30 Glizzy, Goo Glizzy, and 3 Glizzy. Later that year, in September, he dropped For Trappers Only, a project produced entirely by Zaytoven and featuring Boosie Badazz, Yo Gotti, and Ty Dolla $ign.

In July 2016, he released Young Jefe 2, the sequel to his breakthrough tape, which peaked at number 14 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. That December, he appeared on GoldLink’s single “Crew” alongside Brent Faiyaz, a record that would go on to become one of the most important collaborations of his career.

“Crew” became a slow-burning cultural moment. The track climbed to number 45 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2017 and earned a Grammy nomination for Best Rap/Sung Performance at the 60th Annual Grammy Awards in 2018. By February 2025, the song had been certified 8x Platinum by the RIAA, a testament to its lasting reach.

In January 2017, Shy Glizzy briefly rebranded under the name Jefe, releasing the EP The World Is Yours through 300 Entertainment. The project received mixed reviews, with critics praising his vocal delivery and ability to manipulate tone but noting a lack of urgency in the songwriting. He returned to the Shy Glizzy name later that year for Quiet Storm, released on December 12, a project he described as his best body of work at the time. It featured Trey Songz, A Boogie wit Da Hoodie, and production from Zaytoven.

October 2018 marked Shy Glizzy’s biggest commercial moment yet with the release of Fully Loaded, his debut studio album. The project featured an all-star lineup including YoungBoy Never Broke Again, Lil Uzi Vert, Young Thug, Gunna, and Rick Ross. It debuted at number 35 on the US Billboard 200, moving 14,446 album-equivalent units in its first week and receiving broadly positive reviews from critics. He followed the album’s release with a nationwide tour supporting Gunna on the Drip or Drown 2 run.

In April 2019, he released his second studio album, Covered N Blood, which he described as a more personal and introspective record. The album peaked at number 156 on the Billboard 200 and featured YoungBoy Never Broke Again. He closed out the year with the Aloha EP, a laid-back project recorded on the island of Hawaii.

Shy Glizzy maintained a consistent release schedule through the early 2020s. In September 2020, he dropped Young Jefe 3, an 18-track project that included collaborations with Lil Uzi Vert on “Right or Wrong” and Meek Mill on “Feel The Vibe.” The following year, he released Don’t Feed the Sharks on September 3, 2021, a Glizzy Gang ensemble project spotlighting crew member No Savage.

In 2022, he linked with 21 Savage on “Slime-U-Out” and collaborated with EST Gee on “Borderline.” His 2014 track “White Girl” also found renewed life on TikTok that year, introducing him to a new wave of listeners.

February 10, 2023, saw the arrival of Flowers, a 20-track project featuring Chris Brown and YoungBoy Never Broke Again. The album’s title reflected Shy Glizzy’s sentiment about industry recognition, noting in an interview that despite co-signs from artists including Beyoncé, he felt his longevity and contributions had gone underappreciated.

He continued releasing music through 2025, including I Was Actually Being Humble and a string of singles, including “Athlete” featuring G Herbo, “Take Me Home,” and “Free Car.” In 2026, he kept active with new material, including “Minding My Business” and “Clappin” featuring Gizwop, showing no signs of stepping back from the craft he built from nothing in Southeast D.C.

Social Media

• Wikipedia: Shy Glizzy
• Instagram: Shy Glizzy (@jefe)
• Facebook: Shy Glizzy (@JefeOfficial)
• YouTube: Glizzy Gang

Personal Life

Shy Glizzy was born on December 12, 1992, making him 33 years old. He stands at 5 feet 8 inches (1.73 m) tall.

He has never been married, and there is no record of any marital union in the public domain. Despite over a decade in the spotlight, Shy Glizzy has consistently kept his romantic life shielded from public view, rarely volunteering details about the women he has been involved with.

He is known to be the father of at least one child, though he has kept details surrounding his child and the child’s mother entirely out of the public eye. The identity of his baby mama has not been publicly confirmed, and he has made no statements about the matter across his interviews or social media.

Shy Glizzy was in a relationship with model Amaya Colon. The two reportedly began dating in December 2022 and split in April 2023, with Colon citing his anger issues as the reason for the breakup. Following the split, their relationship attracted significant legal and media attention.

On May 13, 2023, Shy Glizzy was arrested in West Hollywood, California, on a felony charge of making criminal threats after Colon alleged that he followed her while she was driving in Los Angeles, approached her vehicle at a red light, and brandished a firearm. He was released on a $50,000 bond. A temporary restraining order was issued against him, requiring him to stay at least 100 yards away from Colon and barring him from contacting her or distributing any images of her online.

He flatly denied the allegations, writing on his Instagram Story: “The accusations made against me are completely false. I would never in my life pull a weapon or harm a female in any way.” By July 14, 2023, all charges against him were dropped, with the court citing insufficient evidence. Colon subsequently sought a permanent restraining order, though the case did not result in any conviction.

Prior to Colon, another woman identified only as Blaidy has been referenced in connection with Shy Glizzy, though the details and timeline of that relationship have not been publicly confirmed.

Net Worth

Shy Glizzy has an estimated net worth of $2 million. His wealth has been built steadily over a career spanning more than a decade, with his primary income streams drawn from music sales, streaming royalties, live performances, touring, featured appearances on other artists’ records, and merchandise.

His debut studio album, Fully Loaded (2018), marked his most commercially significant moment, debuting at number 35 on the Billboard 200 and generating revenue from both sales and a nationwide tour. The Gold-certified single “Do You Understand?” featuring Gunna and Tory Lanez, as well as the 8x Platinum GoldLink collaboration “Crew,” have contributed meaningfully to his streaming income over the years.

As the founder of Glizzy Gang Records, an imprint under 300 Entertainment, Shy Glizzy also benefits from the label’s output beyond his solo projects. His continued output through projects like Flowers (2023) and a string of 2025 singles has kept him active on streaming platforms, where he commands over 1.6 million monthly listeners on Spotify alone.

While legal troubles have occasionally disrupted his momentum and earning potential, Shy Glizzy remains one of the more financially consistent voices to have come out of the DMV rap scene, with his net worth reflecting both the reach of his music and the longevity of a career he built from nothing in Southeast Washington, D.C.

Discography

Studio Albums

• Fully Loaded (2018)
• Covered N Blood (2019)
• Flowers (2023)
• I Was Actually Being Humble (2025)

Mixtapes

• No Brainer (2011)
• Streets Hottest Youngin (2011)
• Law (2012)
• Fly Money (2012) (with Jose Guapo)
• Fxck Rap (2012)
• Law 2 (2013)
• Young Jefe (2014) (hosted by DJ Bigga Rankin)
• Law 3: Now or Never (2014) (with DJ Drama)
• Be Careful (2015) (with Glizzy Gang)
• For Trappers Only (2015) (with Zaytoven)
• Young Jefe 2 (2016)
• Quiet Storm (2017)
• Young Jefe 3 (2020)
• Don’t Feed the Sharks (2021) (with Glizzy Gang)

EPs

• The World Is Yours (2017) (as Jefe)
• Aloha (2019)

Singles

• “Awwsome” (2014)
• “Funeral” (2015)
• “Crew” (2016) (with GoldLink featuring Brent Faiyaz)
• “Take Me Away” (2017)
• “Do You Understand?” (2018) (featuring Gunna and Tory Lanez)
• “Lonely Vibes” (2020)
• “Right or Wrong” (2020) (featuring Lil Uzi Vert)
• “Slime-U-Out” (2022) (featuring 21 Savage)
• “Borderline” (2022) (featuring EST Gee)
• “White Girl” (2022)
• “The Real Is Back” (2023)
• “Fools Fall N Love” (2023) (featuring YoungBoy Never Broke Again)
• “Athlete” (2025) (featuring G Herbo)
• “Take Me Home” (2025)
• “Free Car” (2025)
• “Force My Hand” (2025) (featuring No Savage)
• “Baddest B*tch in Town” (2025)
• “Minding My Business” (2026)
• “Clappin” (2026) (featuring Gizwop)

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