Dave Blunts
Davion Blessing, known professionally as Dave Blunts, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. He gained popularity in December 2024 after videos of him performing while using an oxygen tank went viral and yielded public concern for his health.
Blunts began recording and releasing music in 2018. In 2024, he started uploading videos to TikTok, quickly gaining popularity. His 2024 song "The Cup" went viral on the platform. In June 2024, Blunts released his debut studio album, Well Dude Here's My Thing. His second studio album, If I Could I Would, was released in October.
In April 2025, Blunts released his third studio album, You Can't Say That. That same month, Blunts began working with American rapper Kanye West, writing the majority of his upcoming studio album, In a Perfect World. Blunts has been reported as the sole songwriter for the album's three singles; "WW3", "Cousins", and "Heil Hitler". Blunts would later cut ties with West in September 2025, claiming that West coerced him into writing the album's Nazi-related lyrics.
Career
2024: Initial virality
After contemplating quitting music in late 2023, Blunts began uploading videos to TikTok in 2024, quickly gaining popularity. He released three projects between February and March, as well as the single "The Cup", which received support from rapper Lil Yachty. Blunts later signed to the Los Angeles label Listen to the Kids. On June 28, 2024, he released his debut studio album, Well Dude Here's My Thing. He released his second studio album, If I Could I Would, on October 18.In November2024, Blunts performed at Juice Wrld Day, a concert commemorating late rapper Juice Wrld, while using an oxygen tank. Videos of the performance went viral. During the performance, he directed criticism towards rapper Snoop Dogg, who had previously insulted Blunts in an Instagram post. Snoop Dogg later apologized for his comments.
2025: ''You Can't Say That'' and work with Kanye West
On an episode of Bradley Martyn's Raw Talk podcast posted to YouTube on December 17, 2024, Blunts announced that his upcoming third studio album would be titled Exactly So Shut Up. The album was ultimately titled You Can't Say That, and was released on April 18, 2025. In the album, Blunts raps about his health struggles, record deals, previous feuds with other artists, and former girlfriends. In an Instagram post accompaniying the album's announcement, Blunts complained about people who've accused him of being too vulgar, saying that "these are the harsh realities of my life and I'm not gonna Kidzbopify my lyrics because the shit I go through is not sunshine and rainbows." The album received generally positive reception, with Vibe praising the record for being "littered with moments that leave you with no choice but to sing and jam along".In February 2025, Blunts met fellow rapper Kanye West through the latter's agent, and they started working on an album together. According to West, he and Blunts spent hours talking each day, and the latter wrote songs based off their conversations. Blunts has been reported as the sole writer for West's upcoming album In a Perfect World, starting after the former previewed the single "WW3". The album's second single, titled "Cousins", was fully written by Blunts. Blunts has denied that the album is antisemitic, describing it as being "about one man going between hurt, betrayal and pain". He has also published several reference tracks created for In a Perfect World online.
Health concerns
Blunts' Juice Wrld Day performance prompted widespread concern for his well-being due to his morbidly obese condition and being dependent on an oxygen tank while on stage. Blunts reportedly weighed over 600 pounds during this period.In a September2024 interview, Blunts said he weighed. He suffered heart failure in 2023. Blunts was hospitalized a week before his Juice Wrld Day performance, although he later stated it was for a checkup.
On December 24, 2024, Blunts pledged to better his health, throwing away his signature purple tracksuit. He caught the flu shortly afterward, and was hospitalized again after his symptoms worsened. He later posted to X that he was "not giving up as long as you guys don't give up on me."
In March 2025, Kanye West pledged to help Blunts lose weight by connecting him to his own personal trainer. In June, Blunts worked out with AMP streamer Agent, who declared that the rapper would have "abs by November." He later posted photos of him with celebrity trainer Bradley Martin, captioning it "One Step At a Time". West congratulated Blunts on his progress, texting him that "Nobody can fuck with you. Best rapper on the planet." According to Blunts, he had lost over 200 pounds during his last hospitalization.
Due to his health, Blunts announced that he would " a brief hiatus from the internet, from music, and truly just focus on exercising, eating right and bettering myself. Not for the fans, not for the bitches, myself."