Slayr

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.^[6] He has credited video game soundtracks with getting him into music.^[6]

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 debut album Gaia in 2023. It was inspired by artists Pi'erre Bourne and Kanye West.^[3] He has described the album as a major development for his sound.^[3]

In 2025, McDonald released his debut mixtape Half Blood.^[8] Subsequently, he has garnered millions of views on YouTube and "been subjected to irrational aura debates".^[8] McDonald also signed a major label deal.^[8] The mixtape featured rapper Lucy Bedroque.^[9]

In April 2026, Pitchfork reviewed Half Blood (Bloodluxe), rating it a 6.7.^[6] Writer Mano Sundaresan argued that the album reflected a commercial accessible take on the rage rap genre, stating that McDonald made "maximalist, crowd-pleasing rage rap that prioritizes craft over feeling".^[6] He added that, "if rage rap ever makes its way onto a Target store playlist, it might sound a little like Slayr."^[6]

In March 2026, McDonald was announced as an opener for American rapper Yeat's Love/Lyfe tour.^[8]