Louisiana rapper SSGKobe's sound mixes trap and R&B, combining hard lyricism with Auto-Tuned hooks. He became popular online when he was 15, and by the time his EP Ko. appeared in 2021, he had collaborated with Kaash Paige, BROCKHAMPTON, and Internet Money. Born in 2003, SSGKobe decided to become a rapper after coming across Chief Keef's "Love Sosa" on YouTube. An avid basketball fan, he initially named himself Lil Kobe after his hero Kobe Bryant, then later changed his moniker to reflect his love of anime (SSG stands for "Super Saian God"). He hooked up with the Slayworld collective and appeared on releases by members Summrs and Autumn!, and began uploading his own tracks to SoundCloud in 2018. He released several EPs, and his 2019 single "Wyd?" became one of his first online hits. He appeared on Kaash Paige's 2020 album Teenage Fever, and Internet Money featured on his single "Feelings." SSGKobe's Night Before KO EP appeared in 2021, and he collaborated with $NOT on the single "Calabasas," which became his most heavily streamed track yet, and was included as a bonus track on his EP Ko. Additionally, he was featured on BROCKHAMPTON's sixth full-length, ROADRUNNER: NEW LIGHT, NEW MACHINE.