Young Bleed, the influential Louisiana rapper who found fame as one of No Limit Records’ standout artists, has passed away at the age of 51. The news was confirmed by his eldest son, Ty’Gee Ramon Clifton, in an emotional Instagram Reel. Young Bleed succumbed following a brain aneurysm after attending a Verzuz event featuring artists from No Limit and Cash Money Records on November 1.
Glenn Reed Clifton Jr., known to fans as Young Bleed, was born and raised in Baton Rouge. His passion for hip-hop began at the tender age of nine, and by his teenage years, he was already producing and selling his own mixtapes. His big break came in the mid-1990s when he joined the local hip-hop group Concentration Camp, founded by fellow Baton Rouge rapper, C-Loc. It was his impressive verse on C-Loc's track "A Fool" that caught the attention of No Limit's founder, Master P, who saw potential in the young artist.
Master P didn’t just recognize talent; he acted on it. He remixed "A Fool" for his 1997 film soundtrack I’m Bout It, renaming it "How Ya Do Dat,” and promptly signed Young Bleed to his label. This move catapulted Young Bleed into the spotlight, marking the beginning of a fruitful collaboration with No Limit Records.
In 1998, Young Bleed released his debut album My Balls and My Word, a commercial success that topped Billboard’s Hip-Hop/R&B charts and sold over 500,000 copies. His sophomore album, My Own, came out in 1999 via Priority Records. Despite its success, Young Bleed's journey with the label faced disruptions leading to his departure.
This led Young Bleed to pivot, rebranding as Young Bleed Carleone, and in 2002, he launched his own label, Da’tention Home Records, with the album Vintage. Not one to rest on his laurels, the rapper continued his evolution through the 2000s, releasing a string of projects such as Rise Thru da Ranks from Earner Tugh and Once Upon a Time in Amedica under C-Bo's West Coast Mafia Records.
Demonstrating his versatility and commitment to nurturing new talent, Young Bleed collaborated extensively with younger artists, offering them guidance while maintaining his artistic output. In 2010, he founded Trap Door Entertainment, a label through which he released his later works, culminating with the 2022 album Dare’ Iza’ God.
Young Bleed’s work was celebrated for its authenticity and dedication to the street narrative. His 2011 album Preserved, released under Tech N9ne’s Strange Lane label, was praised by critics like David Drake of Pitchfork, who highlighted Bleed’s storytelling prowess and stylistic flair. "Bleed emphasizes the individualism, agency, and nobility of the street soldier," Drake wrote, celebrating the rapper’s ability to weave compelling tales of hustle and ambition.
The hip-hop community mourns the loss of Young Bleed, a rapper whose journey epitomized resilience and creativity. His untimely death leaves a void but also a rich legacy that will inspire future generations of artists.