Airplane James

Born Wendell James Hayden in March of 1992, the South Central native acknowledged his dreams of a rap career taking flight early on, as evidenced by his MC moniker. He put in work and paid his dues from jump, knowing that solidifying his natural talent and achieving success would take dedication and plenty of perseverance.

His work ethic and lyrical skills eventually started to reach new ears in the LA rap scene, including those of Compton star Problem and his Diamond Lane Music Group family. He was relentless in pursuit of his goal – joining Diamond Lane – submitting several projects to the label of the span of more than a year.

It was that same persistence, when paired with his knack for clever wordplay and his meshing of his rapping and singing talents, which ultimately earned him the time and respect of Diamond Lane’s CEO.

He was featured on Problem’s 2017 project “Chachiville” and listeners instantly gravitated to the newcomer, including XXL Magazine and many others. His smooth cadences and creative style finally helped him achieve a major goal: signing with Diamond Lane.





Programming descriptions are generated by participants and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of SXSW.

Programming descriptions are generated by participants and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of SXSW.

Events featuring Airplane James

Date TBA
Presented by
Dont Come To LA