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Nehemiah Lamar Harden grew up in Jacksonville, Florida. He decided to pursue rap at age nine after watching his uncles freestyle with each other at home. By fourteen, he was recording his own freestyles over beats and sharing them online. Music became his primary focus.

He released early tracks online around age sixteen, including his 2018 single "Street Gossip". Rap blog founder Shawn Cotton discovered the young artist when Harden had fewer than 3,000 followers. Cotton signed him to Say Cheese LLC to help distribute and promote his music. In July 2019, Harden released his debut mixtape, Osama Story.

In 2020, Harden released "Beat Box". The track combined rapid cadences with heavy bass, catching the attention of online audiences and driving the viral Junebug Challenge on TikTok. The song quickly crossed over to mainstream radio and streaming playlists.

The single reached number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 and peaked at number six on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. It earned a double-platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America. The song's momentum led to a series of numbered remixes and collaborations. Guest verses arrived from DaBaby, Pooh Shiesty, Polo G, NLE Choppa, Mulatto, and Young M.A.

Harden faced multiple run-ins with law enforcement throughout his rise. In June 2017, police in Duval County arrested him on charges of grand theft auto and carrying a concealed firearm. In July 2021, authorities arrested him in Florida after he allegedly aimed a handgun equipped with a laser sight at a Miami hotel parking attendant.

Violence touched his career directly two months later. On September 17, 2021, gunfire struck Harden in the hip during a drive-by shooting while he was driving on the Interstate 95 freeway in Miami. Another passenger in the vehicle was wounded. Both survived the attack after emergency hospitalization.

Further legal incidents occurred in South Florida. In June 2022, marine officers arrested Harden near Miami Marine Stadium after he sped on a jet ski through restricted waters to evade police. In June 2023, officers in North Miami Beach took him into custody following a pursuit in a Chevrolet Corvette. Authorities recovered an illegally modified Glock 23 pistol equipped with a switch and nineteen rounds of ammunition.

The success of "Beat Box" led Harden to sign a joint deal with Rebel Music, Geffen Records, and Interscope Records. In December 2020, he released the mixtape Final Destination, which reached number 70 on the Billboard 200 and featured guest spots from Jackboy, Hotboii, and Pooh Shiesty.

His follow-up mixtape, Most Wanted, arrived in May 2021. The project peaked at number 103 on the Billboard 200 and included the single "Federal" alongside the third installment of "Beat Box". In December 2021, he delivered his fourth project, Back From the Dead. He followed with standalone singles such as "Block Got Hot", "Get Backers", and "Dummie".