• 2013-

  Khalif "Swae Lee" Brown

  Aaquil "Slim Jxmmy" Brown
• Real life brothers Slim Jxmmy and Swae Lee, were born in California, but moved to Tupelo, Mississippi at an early age. The seventh-largest city in the state, Tupelo is best known as the birthplace of Elvis Presley.
• The Lee brothers were raised in the notorious Ida Street housing projects, some of the worst, most crime-ridden in the Mississippi state. Their parents split while the brothers were still young and their mother struggled to support them. The brothers moved out as teens, seeking shelter in abandoned houses scattered throughout the area and working dead end jobs. From a young age music became a way for Slim and Swae to escape the desperation of their surroundings. "When we were growing up, it was just about perseverance," said Slim Jimmy. "Regardless of the situation, we couldn't let the haters win."
• The brothers taught themselves how to record, make beats, and DJ. Swae and Slim earned the attention of fellow Tupelo native P-Nasty, a producer signed to Mike WiLL Made-It's Ear Drummer production team. P-Nasty introduced Rae Sremmurd to Mike WiLL. The hit-making producer was impressed by the brothers' energy and the quality of their music and signed the duo to his Interscope-backed label, Ear Drummer Records. "When I met them," recalled Mike WiLL, "they just had a real young dope energy about them. So me and the Ear Drummer team locked in the studio like we normally do, had a lot of fun, and cooked up some amazing music."
• Their name is Ear Drummers backwards and it is pronounced 'Ray-Shrim-er.'
• When Mike WiLL Made-It took on the duo, he called them, "A hood 'NSync."

Comments

More Songfacts:

WomanizerBritney Spears

"Womanizer" was Britney Spears' comeback song, going to #1 about 10 months after she was institutionalized to get treatment for addictions and mental health issues.

Smuggler's BluesGlenn Frey

Glenn Frey of the Eagles played a bad guy in a 1985 episode of Miami Vice based on his song "Smuggler's Blues."

White as SnowU2

Bono came up with the idea of focusing on a soldier's last thoughts as he dies from his wounds in the U2 song "White As Snow" after reading William Golding's 1956 novel Pincher Martin.

OhioCrosby, Stills, Nash & Young

Neil Young wrote the CSN&Y song "Ohio" about the Kent State Shootings, when the National Guard opened fire on students at Kent State University in Ohio, killing four.

Gangnam StylePsy

The K-pop hit "Gangnam Style" became the most-viewed video in YouTube history months after it was released in 2012, a title it held until "See You Again" by Wiz Khalifa overtook it in 2017.

Sharp Dressed ManZZ Top

ZZ Top's "Sharp Dressed Man" was the first video that was a sequel. It picked up the storyline of their "Gimme All Your Lovin'" video about a guy who encounters three beautiful women.

Editor's Picks

The Real Nick DrakeSong Writing

The head of Drake's estate shares his insights on the late folk singer's life and music.

Michael Glabicki of Rusted RootSongwriter Interviews

Michael tells the story of "Send Me On My Way," and explains why some of the words in the song don't have a literal meaning.

Fire On The StageSong Writing

When you have a song called "Fire," it's tempting to set one - these guys did.

The Untold Story Of Fiona Apple's Extraordinary MachineSong Writing

Fiona's highly-anticipated third album almost didn't make it. Here's how it finally came together after two years and a leak.

Rickie Lee JonesSongwriter Interviews

Rickie Lee Jones on songwriting, social media, and how she's handling Trump.

Gary LewisSongwriter Interviews

Gary Lewis and the Playboys had seven Top 10 hits despite competition from The Beatles. Gary talks about the hits, his famous father, and getting drafted.