Born Vinnie and raised in Sacramento, California, the artist known as Slasher has never been one to follow the crowd. Homeschooled until his graduation in 2022, he spent his early years juggling poetry and basketball. He played both high school and college ball at American River College (ARC), but eventually traded jump shots for punchlines when he felt the pull toward music—a path he’d long resisted, despite his roots.
Music was always around him. His mom, a respected figure in the rap scene, worked with legends like Snoop Dogg, Kurupt, N.W.A., and Queen Latifah. She’d encouraged him to carve his own lane, even suggesting he develop a unique sense of style, much like Lil Wayne. But at the time, Vinnie wasn’t interested. It wasn’t until later, watching Wayne’s widespread influence unfold, that he began to understand what his mom saw in him.
One Christmas changed everything. His parents gave him a Dell laptop, and he rigged up a Turtle Beach gaming headset to start recording. It was 2016. By 2017, he had a SoundCloud account and began quietly releasing tracks—not for attention, but out of love for the craft.
“I never really paid attention to the feedback,” Slasher says. “I just wanted to do what I love.”
He started off experimenting—singing, trying out different genres, letting curiosity lead. But he kept coming back to rap. From 2018 to 2021, Slasher began developing his now-signature deep voice, channeling the influence of Tupac and Sacramento’s own Mozzy. Some listeners tried to box him in, comparing his sound to Playboi Carti, but Slasher didn’t flinch. He knew where he was headed.
By 2023, that vision started paying off. He released Anthem on YouTube, dropped his first music video Horror Movies, and launched his brand 007. That same year, his track Pop It blew up on TikTok, giving him a real foothold in the underground scene.
But don’t call him just a rapper. Slasher makes it clear that his sound doesn’t fit neatly into any box. “People should listen to my music because I record in many genres—not just hip-hop,” he says. “Pop, R&B, Afro, rock—I do it all.”
With his debut EP already out, Slasher’s next move is Teen Killers 2, set to drop Halloween 2025. The eight-track project leans hard into horror and dark, aggressive energy—a vibe that’s become part of his sonic identity.
Beyond the music, Slasher has a bigger mission. He sees himself growing into a guiding force for the youth who resonate with his work. “I want to become a positive influence on the young communities that follow my music,” he says. “Even after death, my soul will forever be with the people listening to my music, guiding them in the right direction.”
From a homeschooled poet in Sacramento to an artist making waves across genres, Slasher’s story is still being written. But one thing is already clear—he’s not just in it to make noise. He’s here to leave something behind.
The post Meet Slasher: Sacramento’s Most Versatile New Voice appeared first on 24Hip-Hop.
