Born Davood Asgari in Richmond, California, in 1984, Locksmith is a rapper and producer of Persian and African-American descent known for his sharp lyricism and socially conscious themes. Rising to prominence in the early 2000s as one-half of the rap duo The Frontline, he and his partner Left stood out in the Bay Area hip-hop scene for promoting positivity over the hyphy movement’s typical themes. Locksmith also gained fame as a battle rapper, competing on MTV’s Freestyle Battle Championship in 2003 and GrindTime’s Rap Battle League in 2009, before shifting his focus to studio recordings. His solo career includes critically acclaimed mixtapes like The Locktape and The Green Box and albums such as Embedded (2011), A Thousand Cuts (2014), and Lofty Goals (2015), which highlight his introspective storytelling and lyrical mastery, establishing him as a prominent figure in independent hip-hop.