Who is Blueface?

Blueface is an American rapper and songwriter who rose to fame in 2018 with his viral hit “Thotiana”. He is known for his offbeat style of rapping, his face tattoos, and his affiliation with the School Yard Crips street gang

But what is the meaning behind his stage name and his ethnicity? Is he really blue-faced, or is there more to his identity than meets the eye?

The Origin of Blueface

According to Blueface himself, his stage name is a reference to his ties to the Crips, a predominantly African-American street gang that is associated with the color blue He explained in an interview with Genius:

“Blueface came from me being a Crip. It’s a slang term for Crips. If you’re a Crip, they might call you a blueface. It’s just a way to identify if you’re a Crip or not.”

Blueface also said that he added the suffix “Bleedem” to his name to emphasize his loyalty to the gang. He said:

“Bleedem is just a way of saying, like, I’m really a Crip. I’m not just a blueface, I’m a blueface bleedem. I bleed blue.”