Fredo Santana

The big cousin of GBE

Derrick Coleman was born in Chicago on July 4, 1990. He was the older cousin of Chief Keef and one of the elder figures in the Glory Boyz Entertainment circle that pushed drill into national view in 2012. Many viewers first saw him in Keef's “I Don't Like” video, where he stood out with a tattoo between his eyebrows, and writers later described him as one of the movement's pioneers.

Scary sites

His first mixtape, “It's a Scary Site,” arrived in 2012, followed by “Fredo Kruger” in February 2013. He released music through his own label, Savage Squad Records. His debut studio album “Trappin Ain't Dead” came out in 2013 with guests including Kendrick Lamar, Chief Keef and a young Lil Herb, and with production from Young Chop, Lex Luger, DJ Kenn and others. Its lead single “Jealous” featured Kendrick Lamar, and the album reached No. 45 on Billboard's Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. “It's a Scary Site 2” closed out 2013.

Beyond Chicago

He appeared as a villain in Drake's video for “Hold On, We're Going Home,” and he recorded with artists including Lil Durk, Lil Reese, Gucci Mane, Future and Kevin Gates. He eventually settled in Los Angeles, where he also pursued business ventures. Further tapes followed, including titles in his “Fredo Mafia” and “Ain't No Money Like Trap Money” lines, and in 2017 he issued the album “Fredo Kruger 2.”

Death

In October 2017 he was hospitalized with liver and kidney failure. He died of a seizure at his home in Reseda, Los Angeles, in January 2018, at 27. Drake, Lil Durk and other artists paid tribute, and he is remembered as one of the founding figures of Chicago drill.

Read the story: Chicago Rap, Decade by Decade: From Hip House to Drill