From America’s Got Talent to Bet Hip Hop Awards: A look at LSU Flau'jae Johnson’s rapping career feat. Lil Wayne

LSU star Flau'jae Johnson has made a name for herself not just on the basketball court but also as a talented rapper. Her debut album, Best of Both Worlds, released on June 28, featured rap legend Lil Wayne.

At 20, Johnson is balancing her music and basketball career. She is determined to make enough time for both, so she can succeed in each without giving up on either.

---

Flau'jae Johnson's rap career

Flau'jae Johnson has been rapping since around seven years old. At first, her mom Kia Brooks was hesitant when she said she wanted to make a career out of it, but eventually supported her.

Johnson first got widespread attention when she appeared on "America's Got Talent" in 2018, performing an original rap song, 'Guns Down,' about her late father Jason Johnson.

Jason, also popular as 'Camoflauge' was a rapper who was shot and killed a few months before Flau'jae was born.

"Just being who he was, I feel like it’s just in me. I get inspired, but it’s really in me to do great things," Johnson talked about how her dad inspired her career in music.

"I feel like he’s who I look up to, especially in music. Cadences and flows and rhymes that I do are inspired by him. He still has a lot of inspiration on everything that I do."

The Savannah, Georgia native reached the final eight of "America's Got Talent," but fell short of advancing to the next round. She did receive a golden buzzer after singing another original, "Letdown."

Before featuring on AGT, Flau'jae Johnson tried her luck on "The Rap Game" when she was 13. She appeared in season 3 of the TV show. However, she said she auditioned for the second season as well.

"I told my mama that the first commercial I seen it, she was like 'We're gonna make it happen.' So I was supposed to audition to be on the second season and they cut me it was like nah your storyline don't really fit it," Flau'jae said on VladTV podcast. [Time Stamp - 2:43]

Flau'jae Johnson released her first single 'Why Dey Hatin' in 2017 and by 2020 she already dropped over a dozen tracks. She also signed a project deal with Roc Nation.

This year was even more beneficial for her music career as her debut EP "Best of Both Worlds" featuring Lil Wayne and NLE Choppa was released.

One of the track from the album 'Came Out a Beast' was even selected as an official track song for NFL this season.

On Oct. 15, 2024, Johnson gave a rousing performance at the BET Hip Hop Awards from her campus because she was unable to attend the show in Las Vegas.