Gerald initially started rapping under the name Generic and later Young Gerald.His initial sound was influenced by the rowdy style of hip hop from Northern California but he would later decided to slow down the pace and adopt more Southern bounce music. By the time he had completed high school he knew that music was the only career he would ever pursue. After graduating high school, he went to Loyola University in New Orleans because of their strong music industry program. There he studied production, business and marketing. When he was not in class or studying, he spent his time perfecting his craft in his dorm room.