How did Juelz Santana get Famous

LaRon Louis James, born on February 18, 1982, widely recognized as Juelz Santana, is an American rapper and a pivotal member of the East Coast hip-hop group, the Diplomats, also known as Dipset. His claim to fame includes standout features on Cam’ron’s 2002 hits “Oh Boy” and “Hey Ma,” reaching impressive positions on the Billboard Hot 100.

Juelz Santana’s collaboration with Chris Brown on the 2005 single “Run It!” held the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 for five weeks, attaining triple platinum certification from the RIAA. As a solo artist, his 2003 release “There It Go (The Whistle Song)” reached number six on the charts, earning platinum certification.

“There It Go” led his debut album, “From Me to U” (2003), released under Jay-Z’s Roc-A-Fella Records, followed by the well-received “What the Game’s Been Missing!” (2005). Both albums secured positions in the top ten on the Billboard 200. With Dipset, he contributed to three albums, and as part of the Skull Gang spin-off, released a studio album in 2009. Noteworthy guest performances on tracks like Jim Jones and Ron Browz’ 2008 “Pop Champagne” and Lloyd Banks’ 2010 “Beamer, Benz or Bentley” also achieved top 50 positions on the Billboard Hot 100.

In December 2018, Juelz Santana faced legal repercussions, receiving a 27-month prison sentence for carrying an unconcealed weapon at an airport. However, he experienced an early release on August 5, 2020, having served 19 months of his initial sentence.

Early life

LaRon James, born in New York City to African-American parents, grew up in the Sugar Hill neighborhood of Harlem, Manhattan. His early introduction to the world of rap began at the tender age of 5. Notably, he attributes a significant influence on his upbringing to his live-in Dominican godmother.

Career

During his formative years from 1994 to 2001, at the age of 12, James partnered with his neighborhood friend Malik to form the rap duo “Draft pick.” Their breakthrough came with performances across New York City, including a notable victory at Amateur Night at the Apollo Theater. The duo, signed to Priority Records when James was just 15, released the single “Play Ruff,” featuring Memphis Bleek and Tracey Lee.

In 1998, James’s introduction to Cam’ron occurred through his cousin. Following this connection, he adopted the moniker Juelz Santana and joined The Diplomats, Cam’ron’s hip-hop collective that included members Jim Jones and Freekey Zekey. Santana’s debut collaboration with the group was on the Trackmasters remix of “What Means the World to You,” followed by contributions to tracks like “Double Up” and “All the Chickens” on Cam’ron’s second studio album, “S.D.E.,” released on September 19, 2000, under Epic Records.

From Me to U (2002–2003)

During the period of 2002 to 2003, the collaboration between Cam’ron and Juelz Santana flourished. Cam’ron’s signing to Roc-a-Fella Records in 2001 marked a significant milestone. His third studio album, “Come Home with Me,” released on May 14, 2002, featured extensive collaborations with Santana, notably on tracks like “Welcome to New York City,” “Hey Ma,” and “Oh Boy.” The latter earned Santana his inaugural Grammy Award nomination for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group at the 2003 Grammy Awards.

Following Cam’ron’s signing, Juelz Santana secured a deal with Roc-a-Fella under the Diplomat Records imprint. After the release of four mixtapes, the Diplomats launched their first album, “Diplomatic Immunity,” on March 25, 2003. The album debuted impressively at number 8 on the Billboard 200, selling 92,000 copies in its first week and ultimately achieving Gold certification from the RIAA. Santana stirred some controversy before the album’s release with a leaked version of the track “I Love You,” where he described himself as a “young Mohammed Atta” just months after the September 11 attacks. Despite this, “Diplomatic Immunity” earned recognition as one of the classic albums of the decade, as acknowledged by Complex in a retrospective.

On August 19, 2003, Juelz Santana independently released his debut solo album, “From Me to U,” reaching a peak at number 8 on the Billboard 200. Preceding the album was the mixtape “Final Destination,” released on June 17, 2003, along with the single “Dipset (Santana’s Town),” which peaked at number 70 on the Billboard Top 100 and received a Grammy Awards nomination for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group at the 46th Grammy Awards.

Personal life

On November 23, 2018, Juelz Santana took a significant step in his personal life by proposing to urban model and video vixen Kimbella Vanderhee during a Diplomats show at the Apollo Theater. This romantic gesture led to their marriage on January 10, 2019.

The couple’s relationship had its ups and downs since 2009, eventually solidifying into a marital bond. Together, they share three children: Juelz James, Bella Monroe James, and Santana James. In addition, Santana has a son from a previous relationship. Read More