Joseph McLester III, better known as, Joe Gifted, is an Atlanta rapper who initially embarked on his journey to success under the name Joe Gutta. He had originally set his sights on football during high school. However, following the passing of his father, he transitioned from high school football to the realm of rap, utilizing his lyrics as an outlet.

In 2009, McLester began recording and fortuitously crossed paths with Gary Smith, the founder of Moodswing Productions, which led to him signing with the label. Showcasing a style that some describe as something between T-Pain and Young Thug, he released several mixtapes such as Who Hotter and Puttin on Shit, both hosted by DJ Scream.

In 2015, he adopted a more optimistic identity, shedding the “Gutta” from his name and embracing the alias Joe Gifted, along with the release of the Joe Gifted mixtape. He followed up with Diamond in the Ruff and its sequel, Diamond in the Ruff 2.0, produced by DJ Swamp Izzo.

In 2016, he dropped the Finally Free mixtape featuring collaborations with Big Ben, Yung Ralph, Skooly and Strap. The subsequent year, McLester unveiled the single “Water,” similar to the style of Migos, and secured a record deal with Warner Records.