Dave East

Dave East
Birth name	David Brewster
Born	(1988-06-03) June 3, 1988 East Harlem, Manhattan, New York City, New York, U.S.
Genres	Hip hop
Occupation(s)	Rapper
Years active	2009–present
Labels	Mass Appeal

David Brewster (born June 3, 1988), better known by his stage name Dave East, is an American rapper from Spanish Harlem, New York. He gained attention in 2014 from his mixtape Black Rose. Since the release of his mixtape, East has been signed to rapper Nas' label Mass Appeal Records and has made a number of guest appearances. On October 1, 2015, East released his mixtape titled Hate Me Now with features from Nas, Mack Wilds, Pusha T and more.

Early life

David Brewster Jr. was born in Harlem, New York and spent most of his life between Harlem and Queensbridge. He is of Bajan and Dominican descent. At a young age Dave had a love for basketball however his true passion was writing rhymes, using his rhymes to keep him above the circumstances around him. After Springbrook High school, Dave attended University of Richmond, then transferring to Towson University where he played in the Amateur Athletic Union with then-future NBA players Ty Lawson, Greivis Vasquez and Kevin Durant while also gaining attention from the NBA but ultimately decided to focus on his music.

Career

In 2010, he released his first mixtape Change of Plans which gained him little of recognition. He later realized that basketball wasn't his true calling and in 2012, he released 4 mixtapes American Greed, Insomnia, Don't Sleep and No Regrets, solidifying his commitment to music. In 2013, Dave periodically sold drugs throughout Harlem to support himself and his music. He released his 5th mixtape Gemini which soon became a heavy rotation on New York radio stations especially Hot 97 and Shade 45. In 2014, his music reached the ears of his favorite rapper Nas who quickly looked for ways to contact Dave. Unbeknownst to Nas, Dave was close friends with Nas's younger brother and fellow rapper Jungle who quickly introduced the two. By summer 2014, Dave East was the newest signee of Nas's new Mass Appeal Records along with Bishop Nehru, Fashawn, Boldy James and Run The Jewels. In August 2014, he released his 6th mixtape Black Rose through the label. Due to his raw lyricism, dark storytelling, and nostalgic New York production, the mixtape met critical acclaims from fans and critics alike. In 2015, Dave East was a nominee for the 2015 XXL Freshman list. He later made an appearance on Statik Selektah's album Lucky 7 on the song "The Locker Room". On October 1, he released his 7th mixtape Hate Me Now hosted by DJ Drama with features from Pusha T, Nas, Mack Wilds, Jadakiss, Styles P and more.

Influences

East is influenced by Nas, Jadakiss, Styles P, Cam'ron, Big Pun, The Notorious B.I.G. , Raekwon , and AZ. East is known for his raw lyricism and dark storytelling about street life.

Discography

Mixtapes

• Change of Plans (2010)
• American Greed (2012)
• Insomnia (2012)
• Don't Sleep (2012)
• No Regrets (2012)
• Gemini (2013)
• Black Rose (2014)
• Straight Outta Harlem (2014)
• Hate Me Now (2015)
• Tales From The East (2016)

Guest appearances

List of non-single guest appearances, with other performing artists, showing year released and album name

Title	Year	Other artist(s)	Album
"MMM (Remix)"	2015	Cassidy, Fred Money, Vado, Red Café, Papoose, Maino, Uncle Murda, Fat Trel, Fred the Godson, Chubby Jag, Drag-On, J.R. Writer, Compton Menace	N/A