This Week Featured Artist: NAV
NAV, a rapper and producer of Punjabi-Canadian descent, captivates audiences with his hypnotic trap beats and unique sing-rap style. Inspired by contemporaries such as Post Malone, Rae Sremmurd, and Drake; NAV’s genre-bending sonic blend creates an unforgettable sound experience. His mixtapes “NAV” and the collab album “Perfect Timing” with Metro Boomin reached chart peaks in Canada & the U.S prior to releasing his official debut studio album titled Reckless in 2018. The following year he topped both Canadian Albums Chart & Billboard 200 charts twice consecutively – first with Bad Habits then again in 2020 for Good Intentions production where singles like ‘Baller’ served up free promo leading up to Nav2’s eventual release late into that same year too!
Navraj Goraya was born in Toronto and gained his first taste of fame after Kylie Jenner posted a Snapchat video singing along to his track “Myself.” He had been building up a large following through SoundCloud since 2015 with the release of “Take Me Simple”. His career took off thanks to high-profile connections, such as fellow Canadian Drake featuring this song on OVO Sound Radio on Beats 1. In addition, he appeared in hip-hop star Travis Scott’s single and music video for “Beibs in the Trap.” As his profile continued growing, Nav signed up with XO – The Weeknd’s record label.
In early 2017, NAV dropped his self-titled mixtape that showcased his signature silky vocals and polished beats. Prior to its release, he teased fans with the lead single “Some Way”, featuring The Weeknd. That same year saw him collaborate with Atlanta’s own Metro Boomin on their joint effort Perfect Timing. One of NAV’s charting hits included “Wanted You” alongside Lil Uzi Vert, while another solo track titled “Freshman List” was released in early 2018. Both songs were later featured on Reckless; his debut studio album under XO and Republic Records which hit Top Ten charts in the United States thanks to features from artists such as Quavo, Travis Scott, Lil Uzi Vert & Gunna
Less than a year later, NAV made a quick turnaround with sophomore follow-up Bad Habits, which debuted at number one on the Canadian Albums Chart and the Billboard 200. Gunna returned alongside Meek Mill, Young Thug, Lil Durk, and XO label founder the Weeknd. NAV’s third studio album, Good Intentions, arrived in May of 2020. The record continued with the regular roster of featured artists, with contributions from Future, Pop Smoke, Travis Scott, and other top-name rappers. The expanded Good Intentions (Brown Boy 2 Deluxe Edition) arrived soon after with bonus material and helped push NAV back to the top of the Canadian Albums and Billboard 200 charts. The rapper closed out the year by teaming up with producer Wheezy for collaborative tape Emergency Tsunami. “Never Sleep,” a single with Lil Baby and Travis Scott, appeared in 2022, preceding NAV’s fourth full-length, Demons Protected by Angels. The LP debuted at number two on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart. In 2023, NAV released the single “Lately” and appeared on “Calling,” a song by Metro Boomin and Swae Lee recorded for Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. Solo track “Baller” appeared in advance of the mixtape Nav2. ~ Bekki Bemrose, Rovi
