Cousin Stizz

Stephen Goss, known professionally as Cousin Stizz, was born on March 15, 1992, in Boston, Massachusetts, and grew up in the Dorchester neighborhood. A childhood friend gave him the nickname “Cousin Stizz” at age twelve. After facing personal challenges, including the death of a close friend, he began focusing on music in his late teens. He started freestyling with friends and released music as part of the group Pilot Nation. His commitment to a full-time music career solidified in 2013, inspired by the early success of his friend and fellow Boston rapper, Michael Christmas. In 2014, Stizz released his first official single as a solo artist, “Shoutout,” which helped establish his presence in the hip-hop scene.

Stizz’s solo career gained significant momentum with the release of his debut mixtape, *Suffolk County*, on June 1, 2015. This project garnered over 12 million listens on SoundCloud and attracted wider attention when Drake was seen playing Stizz’s single “Shoutout” at his birthday party. The success of *Suffolk County* was followed by his next mixtape, *MONDA*, released in the summer of 2016, which was recognized as one of DigBoston’s Best Local Albums of 2016. These early releases established his unique style and lyrical content.

In late 2016, Cousin Stizz signed a record deal with RCA Records, marking a significant step in his career. His major label debut, *One Night Only*, was released on July 12, 2017, featuring collaborations with prominent artists like Offset, G-Eazy, Big Leano, and Buddy, and production from notable figures such as Vinylz and WondaGurl. Weeks after its release, the single “Headlock” (feat. Offset) amassed over 11.3 million streams on Spotify and reached No. 12 on Billboard’s Next Big Sound chart. In December 2018, Stizz received the “Artist of the Year” award at the Boston Music Awards, becoming the first hip-hop artist to achieve this highest honor, affirming his impact on the music industry and his hometown.