St. Louis rapper Big Boss Vette, born Diamond Smith, is making waves in the music industry with her transformative journey from hardship to gold-certified success. Known for her hits like “Snatched” and “Pretty Girls Walk,” the latter of which earned a gold certification from the RIAA this spring, Vette is establishing herself as a major force in the rap scene. Her recent collaboration on “I Can’t Stop” for the Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse soundtrack, produced by fellow St. Louis native Metro Boomin, further showcases her rising star power.
Big Boss Vette began her career in 2014 at just 16 years old when her cover of DeJ Loaf’s “Try Me” went viral. Reflecting on her humble beginnings, she shared, “All I had was a dream, a phone — that was only on through Wi-Fi — and a PlayStation 2 where I would play beats in my background. The more I did it, the bigger my platform grew.”
However, her journey was fraught with challenges. After the tragic death of her cousin, Vette stepped away from music and faced a dark period. In 2016, she was a victim of gun violence during a fight at a gas station on North Broadway. This traumatic experience became a pivotal moment for her.
“Just the thought of me losing the life that God gave me, I’m just like, ‘Nah, this is not where I want to be, this is not how I want to live,’” Vette recounted. “That is what taught me right there [that] I [was] wasting talent that was given to me.”
Today, Big Boss Vette’s resilience and talent are shining through her success, turning past adversities into gold.
