Who is Star Bandz? Age, background, and story of the Chicago drill rapper
Star Bandz, whose real name is Star Ana Flowers, is redefining drill with clean storytelling techniques that are further from the aggression often associated with the genre. She told Our Era Magazine in 2024,
The advice I've taken away is to just stay myself, be myself, and stay in my own lane when it comes to music. I try not to sound like anyone else—It's no pressure. I just stay in my lane and be authentic.
Source: Instagram
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- The upcoming drill rapper does not use profanity in her songs, which sets her apart from many mainstream rappers.
- Bandz made her professional rapping debut at 14 in 2022 and released her debut mixtape, Estrella (meaning star in Spanish), in 2024.
- The Chicago drill star was featured on Complex’s 2024 list for ‘13 Best Teenage Rappers Right Now,’ ranking at number 5.
Star Bandz's profile summary
| Real name | Star ‘Estrella’ Ana Flowers |
| Birthday | March 31, 2008 |
| Age | 16 years old as of March 2025 |
| Place of birth | Chicago Heights, Chicago, Illinois, United States |
| Current residence | Chicago, Illinois |
| Heritage | Spanish (Mexican) |
| Religion | Christian |
| Height | Approx. 5 feet (1.52 m/152 cm) |
| Siblings | Four |
| Profession | Rapper, singer-songwriter |
| Genre | Drill |
| Record label | Priority Records |
| Social media | InstagramYouTubeTikTokSpotify |
| Website | officialstarbandz.com |
Star Bandz hails from the Chicago suburbs
Bandz was born on March 31, 2008, in Chicago Heights, a suburb south of Chicago in Cook County, Illinois. In her September 2024 interview on DJUTV, she said her childhood was normal. Her Mexican family loved going to church.
Star Bandz's mom broke up with her dad when she was young and they moved on to new relationships. The emerging female rapper has two full siblings: an older brother and a younger sister. She is also a big sister to two younger half-brothers from her father's side.
Source: Original
The origin of Star Bandz's stage name
The Chicago native adopted the name Bandz because she 'likes money.' She started using the nickname Baby Got Bandz when she opened her Snapchat account at 10. She later used it on Instagram before adding her real name to it. She shared in her DJUTV interview:
I didn't even want that to be a rap name, that was just my Instagram name, but then I took it and ran with it.
Star Bandz is juggling school and music
Bandz is currently in high school. She used to attend a local Chicago school but had to opt out in her second year and start homeschooling to manage her tight schedule properly.
Homeschooling was also the best decision for her studies due to the increased attention she was getting. In her November 2024 interview with DGB Media, she mentioned that she plans to graduate early because she will be busier as her rap career progresses.
Source: Instagram
Star Bandz started rapping in her pre-teens
Star stepped into the studio at 11 and was already writing music by age 12. As a child, Bandz was inspired by Baby Kaely, who became a hip-hop sensation at four. In her interview with DGB Media, she shared that her mother's rapper friend encouraged her to pursue rap after seeing her potential.
My mom's homie took me to the studio. My mom used to post me on her Facebook rapping people's music. I used to be young and knowing all the lyrics. People used to always be interested in that. Her homie saw something in me. He always told me to write a song, and I never did it because I didn't know what to write about.
Bandz started to release music professionally at 14 in 2022. She keeps her lyrics PG-13 because her audience consists of mostly young people. She has also mentioned that her family, including her grandma, listens to her music.
Source: Instagram
Star Bandz's rising career beyond Chicago's rap culture
The Chicago native emerged into the scene with the release of her 2022 single, No Hook. She gained further recognition when she dropped her hit single 'Yea Yea' in March 2024 and followed it with the song's viral remix with Detroit rapper Veeze. She also accompanied Veeze to his 2024 tour, 'The Worst Tour Ever.'
In August 2024, Bandz was featured on SugarHill Ddot's song My Baby. The single is one of her biggest features and has accumulated over 22 million YouTube views. Star Bandz and Ddot work under the same music label, Priority Records.
Star showcased her musical growth with the release of her debut 13-track mixtape, Estrella, in November 2024. Her artistry focuses on her life growing up in the Wind City.
Bandz has received co-signs from established hip-hop artists like Polo G. She also got to open for Chicago heavyweight Lil Durk and Miami's JT. She has named artists like G Herbo and NBA YoungBoy as her musical influences.
Source: Instagram
Star Bandz's top 10 songs
- Yea Yea Remix (2024) featuring Veeze
- 'Bigger Better Badder' (2023)
- Too Many Options (2023)
- 4 Deep (2024)
- Cappin' for the Look (2023)
- No Hook (2022)
- Cut Throat (2024)
- Mirror, Mirror (2024) featuring BabyChiefDoit
- What You Sayin' (2024) featuring Luh Tyler
- How the Game Go (2024)
Source: Original
Star Bandz is redefining the genre for the upcoming generation of drill rappers. Her talent is now recognized beyond the diverse music scene of urban Chicago.
READ ALSO: All about DD Osama
Briefly.co.za published lesser-known facts about upcoming drill rapper DD Osama, whose real name is David De'Shaun Reyes. He hails from Harlem, New York.
DD Osama started releasing music in 2020 and quickly gained recognition for his hit songs like Dead Opps and Without You. His younger brother Notti Osama was also a rapper, who passed away in 2022 from a fatal stab wound at 14 years old.
Source: Briefly News
