Jeff McGraw, better known as King Lil Jay, has become one of Chicago drill music’s most controversial figures. The 31-year-old rapper, who helped shape the genre’s early sound, is now serving a nine-year federal prison sentence. His story is one of musical talent overshadowed by gang violence, legal troubles, and viral controversies.
Biography
King Lil Jay was born Jeff McGraw on November 12, 1993, in Chicago, Illinois. He grew up in the Woodlawn neighbourhood on Chicago’s South Side, specifically the 063 St Lawrence area. It’s a community where poverty and gang violence were everyday realities, and these harsh surroundings deeply influenced his music.
He attended Hyde Park Academy High School but dropped out before finishing his studies. Education took a backseat as McGraw became increasingly drawn to street life and music. What started as a teenage hobby quickly evolved into something more serious when he realised rap could be his way out.
McGraw launched his YouTube channel in June 2013, and within months, he’d found his audience. His breakthrough came in February 2014 with “Bars of Clout,” a track that’s now racked up over 12 million views. The follow-up, “Bars of Clout 2,” did even better with more than 20 million views.
His musical influences include Tupac Shakur (whom he considers the greatest rapper ever), Lil Wayne, Gucci Mane, and Young Jeezy. You can hear these inspirations in his aggressive delivery and raw storytelling. The streets nicknamed him “Chiraq Wolverine” for his confrontational lyrics and hard-hitting beats.
Career
King Lil Jay initially signed with Free Band Gang (FBG), though he’s more closely associated with the Fly Boy Gang collective. He worked alongside FBG Duck, Billionaire Black, Cashout063, and other Chicago drill artists who were making waves in the early 2010s. Eventually, he founded his own label, CloutLord Entertainment, which he still operates today.
His discography is impressive despite his repeated incarcerations. “Unexpected Fame,” released in August 2013, was a 19-track mixtape that exceeded 1.1 million views on Spinrilla. The sequel, “Unexpected Fame 2,” dropped in March 2015 and featured collaborations with Lil Mister, P.Rico, Billionaire Black, and FBG Duck.
Other notable projects include “Clout Lord” (2015), “Cloutlord” (2020), and “First Day Clout” (2022). His most impactful singles remain “Faneto GMix,” “Hang Wit Me Remix,” and “Take You Out Your Glory,” a direct response to Lil Durk. He also appeared on Lil JoJo’s legendary diss track “BDK (3HunnaK),” which targeted Chief Keef’s crew.
He had a collaboration with Lil Mister on tracks like “Hoodie Weather”. Tragically, Lil Mister (Antwon Fields) was killed in March 2019, one of many losses that have plagued the scene.
Gang Affiliations and Legal Troubles
King Lil Jay’s music career can’t be separated from Chicago’s brutal gang landscape. He was originally affiliated with the Insane Black Disciples before switching to the Insane Gangster Disciples, aligning himself with the STL/EBT set, also known as Tookaville.
This switch put him in direct opposition to the Black Disciples sets, including O’Block and Team 600. The result? Years of deadly conflict and feuds with some of drill music’s biggest names. Chief Keef, Lil Durk, Lil Reese, 600Breezy, and King Von all became his rivals through these gang affiliations.
The violence wasn’t just lyrical. McGraw has been shot between 15 and 21 times throughout his life, with four bullets still lodged in his body. He survived a drive-by shooting in 2012 that left bullets in his leg and chest.
His legal troubles escalated dramatically in January 2015. Following a drug deal gone wrong, Filmon N. Rezene, a 25-year-old who’d appeared in King Lil Jay’s “Faneto GMix” video, was shot and killed during a marijuana purchase dispute. McGraw and several associates were arrested.
He rejected an eight-year plea deal and was convicted of conspiracy to commit murder in July 2019. The sentence? Twelve to fourteen years at Stateville Correctional Center. An appeal proved successful, and he was released on bond in 2020 after serving approximately seven years.
Freedom didn’t last long. Released in April 2022, he was re-arrested just three months later in July 2022. Federal authorities caught him with a Glock equipped with an automatic “switch,” a device that converts semi-automatic handguns to fully automatic weapons. On February 10, 2025, he was sentenced to nine years in federal prison.
Gay Allegations and Controversy
In July 2023, a prison surveillance video went viral that appeared to show King Lil Jay in an intimate encounter with another inmate. The footage sparked massive controversy across social media and hip-hop news outlets.
McGraw initially denied being the person in the video. In an Instagram voice recording, he stated: “Ya’ll try to tarnish the face, man. Face don’t match, tattoos don’t match, body don’t, skin tone. Come on, man, make it make sense.”
However, by November 2023, his response had shifted. He said: “I’m still King Lil Jay. Still well respected in the streets. I even got people that I associate with that’s like ‘man if that was you we don’t give a care.’ Let it go. People still holding on to the past, I’m worried about the future.”
The incident sparked broader conversations about homophobia in hip-hop. Chicago rapper Famous Dex claimed Jay “can’t come back to Chicago,” whilst others debated whether the video was authentic or manipulated.
Personal Life
McGraw stands approximately 5’8″ to 5’9″ tall and weighs around 150 to 155 pounds. His most distinctive features are his extensive tattoos, including a cross on his forehead representing his faith, “Clout Lord” across his chest, and “Fly Boy Gang” on his stomach.
He’s a father to one daughter, born around 2014. Different sources list her name as Aaliyah, Jada, or Jayla. He’s dedicated songs to her including “Letter To My Daughter” and “My Baby.” McGraw keeps his romantic life private and hasn’t revealed information about his daughter’s mother.
His social media presence includes Instagram (@liljay063) with approximately 171,000 to 188,000 followers and Twitter/X (@CloutLord063). He also maintains a Cash App ($KINGLILJAY063) for fan support.
Net Worth
King Lil Jay’s estimated net worth is aorund £75,000, approximately $100,000.
His primary income sources include YouTube revenue (his channel has millions of views), streaming royalties from platforms like Spotify (where he has around 70,800 monthly listeners), and his CloutLord Entertainment label and associated merchandise.
However, his earning potential has been severely limited by spending over eight years incarcerated between 2015 and 2025. This has prevented him from doing live performances, maintaining consistent releases, and securing brand partnerships.
With standard federal sentencing guidelines, King Lil Jay’s earliest possible release would fall around 2032 to 2034. Despite his circumstances, he’s continued releasing music whilst incarcerated, including “Bars of Clout 3” and “Squad” in recent years.
