The landscape of Southern hip-hop has always been defined by its unwavering authenticity—artists who translate the raw, unfiltered reality of the street into undeniable star power. For years, the legends of Memphis—from 8Ball & MJG to Young Dolph and Moneybag Yo—have dominated the narrative, cementing the city’s reputation as a crucible of talent, struggle, and danger. Now, a new chapter is being written by a man whose reputation was cemented long before a microphone was ever involved: Big30, known in his native South Memphis as “The Demon.”

While his childhood friend and collaborator, Pooh Shiesty, often garnered the mainstream spotlight, Big30’s story runs just as deep, his biography written in sweat, scars, and fierce loyalty. He is not just a rapper; he is the undisputed heartbeat of the Choppa Gang, a crew that became synonymous with boldness, chaos, and a willingness to confront any challenge head-on. As the last of the core members still free, Big30 carries the weight of a collapsing empire, navigating the brutal tightrope walk between music stardom, unrelenting street feuds, and the constant threat of incarceration that has already claimed his closest partners.

The Reckless Genesis of Choppa Gang

Before the multi-million-dollar record deals, the viral freestyles, and the international buzz, there were simply two young hustlers from South Memphis, hungry for a way out. Big30 and Pooh Shiesty were inseparable, moving through the same cold streets that had forged them. Alongside friends like Lil Hank and Choppa Wop, they birthed the Choppa Gang, a crew whose name spread quickly through the city’s underground. They weren’t trying to act tough; they simply were. Big30’s explosive energy was never contained—he was expelled from school after school, refusing to sit quiet or play by institutional rules. His street moniker, “Big 30,” was not chosen lightly, reportedly representing his weapon of choice and his reputation as a man who could not be crossed.

The crew’s reputation grew rapidly, founded on a reckless, fearless approach to life. But as their influence expanded, the stark reality of the street life began to loom. Both Big30 and Pooh Shiesty recognized the path they were on—a dead-end that led either to a cell or a coffin. Inspired by the unapologetic realness of artists like Chief Keef and Kodak Black, they switched gears, pouring their life experiences—the grind, the danger, and the inevitable losses—into music.

This transition, however, was not clean. The rap money didn’t come fast enough to completely sever their ties to the streets that had created them. The music became a reflection of the life they were still fighting to escape.

Bullets, Jail Time, and a Breakout Moment

The volatile lifestyle finally caught up to Big30 in January 2018, resulting in an arrest that sounded straight out of a script. Along with a friend, he was charged with reckless endangerment and weapon possession. According to police reports, the two were accused of firing shots inside their own apartment building, with bullets tearing through three different residential units. Neighbors recounted the terror, with one telling officers that a bullet came just feet from hitting them. It was a scene of chaos and proximity to disaster that cemented Big30’s wild reputation in the public record.

The charges stuck, and Big30 found himself briefly locked up, forced to confront the harsh consequences of the streets’ unforgiving debt collection. Yet, rather than breaking him, the time behind bars seemed to crystallize his focus. He emerged with a renewed commitment to music, dropping his official track, “Breaking News,” the same year, featuring his crew, including Pooh Shiesty. The record instantly caught fire in Memphis, setting the stage for what was to come.

Through relentless work and undeniable talent, he began connecting with Memphis heavy-hitters. A crucial link through his cousin led to an introduction to Moneybag Yo, who quickly recognized the raw star quality. This led to Big30 officially signing under Moneybag Yo, an imprint of Yo Gotti‘s CMG label. Meanwhile, Pooh Shiesty made a massive move of his own, signing with Gucci Mane’s 1017 Records. With both Choppa Gang leaders backed by major industry powerhouses, their individual ascent turned into a collective movement, proving that every win scored by one made the other shine even brighter.

The Highway Bust and the Viral Crisis Management

Just as Big30’s career was soaring to national heights, the streets—true to their nature—came knocking a second time. In late 2020, he was caught up in a significant legal entanglement in Alabama. At 4:00 AM on October 1st, a routine traffic stop by Jefferson County narcotics officers quickly escalated into a full-blown bust. Big30 was found in a rental vehicle traveling from Atlanta to Memphis.

The police search of the car was a jackpot for the authorities, yielding a damning collection of contraband: $17,000 in cash, a loaded Glock 40, bottles of Promethazine with codeine, and bags of marijuana packaged for sale. The weight of these items, combined with his prior record and known gang connections, meant the federal authorities were taking the case seriously. Big30 was hit with felony charges, including possession of marijuana, drug paraphernalia, and unlawful firearm possession.

He spent several days in jail, a brief but critical period that could have derailed everything. But Big30’s response was a masterclass in turning a crisis into a statement. The moment he was released, he dropped the iconic “First Day Out” freestyle, using the viral track to immediately address the arrest and affirm his unapologetic identity. The track exploded, racking up millions of views and sending a clear message: the system could lock him up, but it could not slow down his momentum.

Navigating the Smoke: Clashes with Legends

Fame, however, breeds friction, and Big30 soon found himself in the crosshairs of multiple, high-stakes feuds that transcended local beef.

First came the surprising, short-lived spat with Gucci Mane himself. After posting a picture with Gucci and Pooh Shiesty at a video shoot with a caption signaling his affiliation, Gucci Mane publicly fired back on Instagram, writing: “Stop posting me dude we met once.” For a young rapper who grew up respecting the trap pioneer, the diss must have hit hard. Big30 did not back down, posting a video flexing a huge stack of cash and dropping a blunt reply: “What type of dude gets mad cuz somebody ain’t signed to him you lame as hell boy.” The tension was real, but Gucci, recognizing the audacious talent, quickly diffused the situation, posting Big30 on his own page and declaring: “I f**k with Big 30 i still want to sign him.” The smoke cleared, and the two quickly collaborated on the track “Shit Crazy,” proving that in the rap game, beef can flip to business in a matter of days.

The next confrontation was far more personal and carried far darker implications, emerging directly from the explosive 2020 Verzuz battle between Gucci Mane and Young Jeezy. During the battle, Gucci infamously looked at Jeezy and declared, “We smoking on Pooky Lock tonight,” referring to Jeezy’s late associate who had been killed in a 2005 self-defense incident involving Gucci. The diss set the internet ablaze, but the consequences spilled into the real world when Pooky Lock’s son took the verbal shot as a personal declaration of war.

The son issued online threats aimed at Gucci and, unexpectedly, anyone connected to 1017, including Big30. He publicly claimed he would snatch Big30’s chain and rob him at his next show. Though Big30 was not the one who spoke the diss, he was targeted by the spillover of a lethal, generational street conflict. Big30’s response was perhaps the most chilling moment of his online career. He reposted the threatening video and dropped an unsettling caption: “I promise I’mma answer your prayers he ain’t going to miss daddy no more.” The message was unmistakable, transforming a public rap beef into a deeply personal, chilling challenge that affirmed Big30’s readiness to confront the legacy of violence head-on.

The Burden of the Last Man Standing

Today, Big30 stands as the sole core member still free and active, a pillar supporting the entire weight of the Choppa Gang. The crew that was once a force of reckless energy has been decimated by the exact fate they once rapped about.

His partner-in-arms, Pooh Shiesty, is currently incarcerated and facing severe charges tied to two separate shootings in Florida. Meanwhile, Choppa Gang co-founder Lil Hank is also facing major prison time after being hit with attempted murder charges. Lil Hank allegedly shot at a vehicle he mistakenly believed belonged to a rival, leaving the innocent victim paralyzed for life. Compounding the tragedy, this incident occurred while Hank was out on bond for a prior attempted murder case, where he was reportedly caught on camera carjacking a man.

With his closest partners behind bars and his crew’s legal troubles making constant headlines, Big30 has had to carry the movement alone. Yet, instead of laying low, he has doubled down on his defiant persona, showing that the fire that built him has not diminished. This is evident in his continued audacity to challenge hip-hop’s established order. On his track “Mr,” he took a direct shot at Young Jeezy, criticizing the way Jeezy handled himself during the Verzuz, rapping, “He must thought I was Jeezy.”

Furthermore, he engaged in a sharp, public clash with Memphis legend Crunchy Black of Three 6 Mafia. When Crunchy Black weighed in on Pooh Shiesty’s ongoing legal case in an interview, Big30 took it as an unforgivable slight against his locked-up brother. He immediately jumped into the comments with a direct clapback: “True definition of lips just moving with no sound coming out conversation got no meaning you on dope or what?” Despite Crunchy Black’s status as a Memphis icon, Big30 made it clear that nobody gets a pass when it comes to disrespecting the Choppa Gang, especially while they are fighting for their freedom.

The Tightrope Walk to Immortality

Big30’s journey is a modern allegory of the Memphis street rapper—a tightrope walk between the potential for immense wealth and the ever-present gravity of the streets. His greatest strength is his authenticity, the raw, unfiltered energy that fans connect with, making his music feel like dispatches from the frontline. His life is his art, and he remains unapologetic about the past that shaped him, turning legal crises into viral moments and beefs with legends into career highlights.

However, that same fire that fuels his ambition is also the risk that could burn everything down. As the last man standing for the Choppa Gang, the pressure to remain focused, dodge the legal traps, and move with strategic intelligence has never been higher. If he can maintain this balance—staying true to his roots while rising above the chaos that claimed his friends—Big30 has every chance of becoming one of the most enduring, compelling figures in Southern rap history. His story serves as a stark reminder that in Memphis, a life of legendary music is often inextricably linked to a life of nonstop peril.