Father (rapper)

{{Short description|American rapper and producer (born 1990)}} {{For|the Uptown Records rapper|Father MC}} {{Use mdy dates|date=December 2023}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Father | image = Father in the 2022 "What won't he do?" music video.png | landscape = yes | alt = Still frame of American rapper Father in "What won't he do?" music video recorded in 2022. | caption = Father in 2022 in a music video | birth_name = Centel Orlando Mangum | alias = {{flatlist| * Fatheraintshit * Father's Liquor Cabinet }} | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1990|08|20}} | birth_place = Mississippi, U.S. | origin = Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. | genre = {{hlist|Southern hip-hop|cloud rap|trap}} | occupation = {{flatlist| * Rapper * songwriter * record executive * record producer }} | years_active = 2011–present | label = {{flatlist| * Awful * RCA * Williams Street }} | website = {{URL|awfulrecords.com}} }} '''Centel Orlando Mangum''' (born August 20, 1990), known professionally as '''Father''', is an American rapper and record producer. He is the founder of the Atlanta-based independent label '''Awful Records'''.

== Career ==

=== 2011–2017: Career beginnings, rise to prominence === Father rose to prominence as part of Awful Records, an independent record label and creative collective he founded with a group of friends in Atlanta, Georgia. He met most members of Awful while he was attending Georgia State University, studying chemistry.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Harris |first=Gregory |date=April 15, 2015 |title=Not Your Average ATLien: Getting To Know Father |url=https://www.vibe.com/features/editorial/father-interview-341213/ |access-date=June 23, 2022 |website=VIBE.com |language=en-US}}</ref> Awful, as a collective, formed in 2011 and recorded with each other shortly thereafter.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Level Unlocked: An interview with ABRA on her comeback |url=https://theface.com/music/abra-interview-unlock-it-playboi-carti-awful-records-bad-bunny-assination-nation |access-date=June 23, 2022 |website=The Face |date=August 24, 2021 |language=en-gb}}</ref> However, he only began posting his music on SoundCloud in 2013. His breakout single was 2014's "Look at Wrist", featuring iLoveMakonnen and Key!.<ref>{{cite web |author=Gus Fisher |title=How Awful Records Made Its Mark On Atlanta Hip-Hop |website=HotNewHipHop |date=February 15, 2019 |url=https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/164594-how-awful-records-made-its-mark-on-atlanta-hip-hop-news |access-date=September 16, 2021}}</ref> He released his mixtape ''Young Hot Ebony'' in September the same year.<ref>{{cite web |author=Tom Breihan |title=Mixtape of the Week: Father ''Young Hot Ebony'' |website=Stereogum |date=September 17, 2014 |url=https://www.stereogum.com/1705898/mixtape-of-the-week-father-young-hot-ebony/columns/status-aint-hood/ |access-date=September 20, 2021}}</ref>

Father unexpectedly released his debut studio album ''Who's Gonna Get Fucked First?'' in 2015.<ref>{{cite web |author=Alexander Iadarola |title=Awful Records' Father Shares New Album |website=The Fader |date=March 18, 2015 |url=https://www.thefader.com/2015/03/18/father-whos-gonna-get-f-first |access-date=September 21, 2021}}</ref> ''Pitchfork'' described the project's style as "aggressively minimal, leaving [Father] room to experiment with rhythm and timing to better effect".<ref name="Who's Gonna">{{cite web |author=Meaghan Garvey |title=Father: ''Who's Gonna Get Fucked First?'' Album Review |website=Pitchfork |date=March 25, 2015 |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/20413-whos-gonna-get-fucked-first/ |access-date=September 17, 2021}}</ref> His next album, ''I'm A Piece of Shit'', was released in 2016. ''Pitchfork'' characterized the album as an attempt to "forswear his debauched lifestyle" that was portrayed in the previous album.<ref name="Piece of Shit">{{cite web |author=Rebecca Haithcoat |title=Father: ''I'm a Piece of Shit'' Album Review |website=Pitchfork |date=March 24, 2016 |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/21664-im-a-piece-of-shit/ |access-date=September 17, 2021}}</ref> Following the ''I'm A Piece of Shit'' tour in late 2016, Father would begin to record a new album entitled ''Mad as Hell'', but it was later shelved. Feeling uninspired, Father would relocate from Atlanta to Los Angeles to record new material.<ref name=":0" />

=== 2018–2020: Awful/RCA, partnership with Adult Swim & departure from RCA === In 2018, Awful Records announced a partnership with RCA Records that would allow Awful to sign artists to a joint Awful/RCA contract.<ref name=":0">{{cite web |author=Ian Servantes |title=How Father Restructured Awful Records & Got His Mojo Back |website=Highsnobiety |url=https://www.highsnobiety.com/p/father-awful-records-interview/ |access-date=September 16, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=John Twells |title=Awful Records announces partnership with RCA, teases new Father material |website=Fact |date=June 21, 2018 |url=https://www.factmag.com/2018/06/21/awful-records-rca-deal-father/ |access-date=September 16, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |author=Dan Rys |title=Father, Awful Records Ink Creative Partnership With RCA Records: Exclusive |magazine=Billboard |date=June 21, 2018 |url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/8462104/father-awful-records-creative-partnership-rca-records-exclusive |access-date=September 16, 2021}}</ref> Father's major label debut, ''Awful Swim'' was released in conjunction with RCA and Adult Swim the same year.<ref name="Awful Swim">{{cite web |author=Briana Younger |title=Father: ''Awful Swim'' Album Review |website=Pitchfork |date=September 29, 2018 |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/father-awful-swim/ |access-date=September 17, 2021}}</ref> Awful and Father would formally end the RCA partnership in 2020 following the release of his EP, ''Hu$band''.

With his departure from RCA, Awful Records would serve to only release new Father material; dropping all of its signees, and as a clothing brand. He told ''Earmilk'' in an interview:<blockquote>"The thing that I started, you know what I started. I never truly intended to become a major label, I just wanted to go with the flow. It started off initially as a collective of artists working together which is what I always wanted it to be, which is what it’s returned to now... I don’t want to own people's careers."<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-06-13 |title=Father is creating for himself again on new record Young Hot Ebony 2 (Interview) |url=https://earmilk.com/2022/06/13/father-is-creating-for-himself-again-on-new-record-young-hot-ebony-2-interview/ |access-date=2022-06-23 |website=EARMILK |language=en-US}}</ref></blockquote> During the COVID-19 pandemic, Father would move back to Atlanta from Los Angeles for familial reasons.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=November 27, 2020 |title=Perfect Pretty Chaotic Bubble: An Interview With Father |url=https://notion.online/perfect-pretty-chaotic-bubble-interview-with-father/ |access-date=June 23, 2022 |website=Notion |language=en-GB}}</ref> Later that year, he released another EP, ''Tha Thingz I Do 4 Money''. The EP marked a complete switch from Father's usual deadpan flow and careless demeanor towards a crooning, auto-tuned style. Father would follow up with his fifth studio album, ''Come Outside, We Not Gone Jump You'' in late 2020. The album continued the crooning, auto-tuned flow that was displayed on the EP. As described by ''Pitchfork'', the album is more suitable for "slow dancing than moshing, [but] the party continues."<ref name="Come Outside">{{cite web |author=Stephen Kearse |title=Father: ''Come Outside, We Not Gone Jump You'' Album Review |website=Pitchfork |date=January 8, 2021 |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/father-come-outside-we-not-gone-jump-you/ |access-date=September 17, 2021}}</ref>

=== 2021–present: ''Young Hot Ebony 2'' === After a string of singles in 2021 and early 2022, Father announced a sequel to his breakout mixtape, ''Young Hot Ebony''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=YOUNG HOT EBONY 2 arrives this Friday |url=https://twitter.com/father/status/1534233946829082624 |access-date=June 23, 2022 |website=Twitter |language=en}}</ref> ''Young Hot Ebony 2'' was released on June 10, 2022, with guest appearances from former Awful associates Zack Fox, Meltycanon, and Archibald Slim, alongside Tony Shhnow.<ref>{{Citation |title=Young Hot Ebony 2 |date=June 10, 2022 |url=https://open.spotify.com/album/3b4D2YoY0x8kUEpovuOgjA |language=en |access-date=June 23, 2022}}</ref> The album was a return to Father's signature groaning, deadpan style following the crooning on ''Come Outside, We Not Gone Jump You''.

== Personal life == Mangum was born in Mississippi, United States. He relocated to Metro Atlanta with his family at age 10. He attended Georgia State University for a degree in pharmacy, although he did not graduate.<ref name=":1" /> His son, Sunday, was born in January 2020. He currently resides in Atlanta with his son and girlfriend.<ref>{{Cite web |title=yeah, technically lol. his names sunday so i just call him sun/son |url=https://twitter.com/father/status/1295198334714548225 |access-date=June 23, 2022 |website=Twitter |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=my girlfriend don't like my feet cuz they too flat, soft n moist |url=https://twitter.com/father/status/1318781390452830223 |access-date=June 23, 2022 |website=Twitter |language=en}}</ref>

== Discography ==

=== Albums ===

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |- ! scope="col" style="width:14em;" | Title ! scope="col" style="width:16em;" | Album details |- !scope="row"| ''Who's Gonna Get Fucked First?'' | * Release: March 17, 2015 * Label: Awful Records * Format: Digital download, vinyl, streaming |- !scope="row"| ''I'm a Piece of Shit'' | * Release: April 7, 2016 * Label: Awful Records * Format: Digital download, streaming |- !scope="row"| ''Awful Swim'' | * Release: September 21, 2018 * Label: Awful Records, RCA Records, Williams Street Records * Format: Digital download, streaming |- !scope="row"| ''Come Outside, We Not Gone Jump You'' | * Release: November 13, 2020 * Label: Awful Records * Format: Digital download, vinyl, CD, streaming |- !scope="row"| ''Young Hot Ebony 2'' | * Release: June 10, 2022 * Label: Awful Entertainment * Format: Digital download, streaming |- !scope="row"| ''Patricide'' | * Release: July 30, 2025 * Label: Awful Entertainment * Format: Digital download, streaming |- |}

=== Mixtapes ===

=== Extended plays ===

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |- ! scope="col" style="width:14em;" | Title ! scope="col" style="width:16em;" | Album details |- !scope="row"| ''Pretty Boy Satan'' | * Release: May 12, 2013 * Label: Awful Records * Format: Digital download |- !scope="row"| ''Teen Gohan'' | * Release: April 5, 2014 * Label: Awful Records * Format: Digital download |- !scope="row"| ''L1L D1DDY'' | * Release: May 14, 2014 * Label: Awful Records * Format: Digital download, streaming |- !scope="row"|''Boys & GIrls Club'' | * Release: September 2, 2014 * Label: Awful Records * Format: Digital download, streaming |- !scope="row"| ''BRAWL'' <small>(with Richposlim & KeithCharles SpaceBar)</small> | * Release: October 6, 2014 * Label: Awful Records * Format: Digital download |- !scope="row"| ''Dionysus'' <small>(with Archibald Slim)</small> | * Release: August 1, 2015 * Label: Awful Records * Format: Digital download |- !scope="row"| ''Papicodone'' | * Release: August 17, 2015 * Label: Awful Records * Format: Digital download, streaming |- !scope="row"| ''Hu$band'' | * Release: October 9, 2019 * Label: Awful Records & RCA Records * Format: Digital download, streaming |- !scope="row"| ''Tha Thingz I Do 4 Money'' | * Release: August 7, 2020 * Label: Awful Records * Format: Digital download, streaming |}

== References == {{reflist}}

== External links == * {{AllMusic|id=mn0003636120}} * {{Discogs artist|Father (11)}}

Category:1990 births Category:Living people Category:21st-century African-American male rappers Category:21st-century African-American rappers Category:21st-century American male rappers Category:21st-century American rappers Category:Awful Records artists Category:Rappers from Atlanta