Slayr
American rapper and singer (born 2007)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Evan McDonald (born May 22, 2007), known professionally as Slayr (stylized in lowercase), is an American rapper, singer, and record producer from Philadelphia. He is widely known for the release of his seventh mixtape, Half Blood, in 2025 and a deluxe reissue titled Half Blood (BloodLuxe) in 2026.
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- countdragons
- Slayer77
May 22, 2007
- Rapper
- singer
- songwriter
- producer
Early life
Evan McDonald was born on May 22, 2007[5] in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.[6] Both of his parents are Jamaican immigrants.[7] He grew up in Philadelphia and was interested in video games such as Sonic Colors and Kingdom Hearts; he has credited video game soundtracks with getting him into music. McDonald later started experimenting with music inside FL Studio.[8]
Career
2021–2023: Career beginnings and Gaia
McDonald first became involved in music through the online messaging app Discord.[3] His first viral song was "Fourth Gear Cypher", released in 2021.[3] Following the single's success, McDonald released his third mixtape Gaia in 2023. It was inspired by artists Pi'erre Bourne and Kanye West.[3] He has described the mixtape as a major development for his sound.[3]
2025–present: Major releases, Half Blood, BloodLuxe, and Avant Nova
In 2025, McDonald released his sixth mixtape Half Blood.[9] Subsequently, he has garnered millions of views on YouTube and "been subjected to irrational aura debates".[9] McDonald also signed a major label deal, which was later revealed to be with Columbia Records.[9] The mixtape featured rapper Lucy Bedroque.[10]
In April 2026, Pitchfork reviewed Half Blood (Bloodluxe), rating it a 6.7.[8] Writer Mano Sundaresan argued that the mixtape reflected a commercial accessible take on the rage rap genre, stating that McDonald made "maximalist, crowd-pleasing rage rap that prioritizes craft over feeling".[8] He added that, "if rage rap ever makes its way onto a Target store playlist, it might sound a little like Slayr."[8] On May 10, 2026, McDonald performed at Rolling Loud in Orlando, Florida.[11] On June 13, 2026, McDonald performed at Summer Smash 2026,[12][13] he also made a guest appearance on PlaqueBoyMax's set as well.[14] His debut headlining tour, in support of Half Blood, is scheduled to begin in August 2026 in San Francisco and conclude in September 2026 in Milwaukee, the tour will have Egobreak as the main DJ to help support throughout the tour.[15] On July 2, 2026, during Anime Expo 2026 in Los Angeles, California, it was announced that Slayr, alongside other notable artists will be featured on the upcoming 2026 fall EP Beyond Borders Vol.1: Emerge Mode Miku.[16] Then, on July 10, 2026, he released Avant Nova,[17] a six-track EP with production from Underscores, and a single feature from Prettifun.[17][18]
Artistry
McDonald has cited Lil Uzi Vert, XXXTentacion, Kanye West, Playboi Carti, Ken Carson, and SoFaygo as influences on his music.[19]
Reception
His music has generated positive reviews, with fans and critics praising his creativity.[2] Additionally, McDonald was listed as one of the "32 coolest artists of 2026" by The Fader.[20] On June 24, 2026, it was announced that McDonald was featured in the Freshman XXL class of 2026.[21]
Discography
Mixtapes
| Title | Album details |
|---|---|
| Lost Files (Exclusives) |
|
| BeFour My Creation |
|
| Gaia |
|
| Stay Safe |
|
| Gaia 2 |
|
| HeavenTunes |
|
| Half Blood |
|
Reissues
| Title | Album details |
|---|---|
| Half Blood (BloodLuxe) |
|
EPs
| Title | EP details |
|---|---|
| Destruction |
|
| Chaos (#B4Gaia) |
|
| #B4G2 |
|
| 17 |
|
| Enter My Mind for a Second |
|
| Luxe 0.1 (as Countdragons) |
|
| Avant Nova |
|
Singles
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| NZ Hot [22] | |||
| "Fourth Gear Cypher!" | 2021 | — | Lost Files (Exclusives) |
| "Feel the Thrill" | 2022 | — | |
| "Got Me Thinking" | — | Non-album singles | |
| "Victorious! Freestyle" | — | ||
| "Zah Zah" | — | ||
| "See It All" | — | BeFour My Creation | |
| "Fairy Dust" | — | ||
| "#DumbDumb" | — | ||
| "Idol" | — | ||
| "A King Needs a Throne" | — | Non-album singles | |
| "Sweep" | 2023 | — | |
| "X" (with 666Rehab and Kaisani) |
2024 | — | |
| "Jealous" (with Kaisani) |
— | ||
| "Poster Child (Power 3)" | 2025 | — | |
| "Missedplay" | — | ||
| "Move Her Body" | — | ||
| "Body Parts" | — | ||
| "Set in Stone" | — | Half Blood | |
| "Just Like Mine" | — | Non-album singles | |
| "Slay Pro" | — | ||
| "Turn It Up"[23] | 2026 | — | |
| "Homerunner"[5] | — | ||
| "Constantly" (with Tiffany Day)[24] |
— | ||
| "Keep Me Going (Birdbrain)" | 8 | TBA |
