Alaya High, known professionally as That Girl Lay Lay, is an American rapper and actress born on January 28, 2007, in Houston, Texas.
She became the youngest female rapper to sign a major record deal and later starred in her own Nickelodeon sitcom.
Who is Alaya High?
Alaya High built her early fame on social media, posting freestyle raps that caught the attention of major hip-hop artists. She signed with Empire Distribution at age 11, becoming the youngest female rapper ever given a record deal.
Her father, Acie High, is a rapper and musician who first brought her into the recording studio. That early exposure shaped her sound and pushed her toward a music career of her own.
Beyond music, High became a television star. She played the title role in Nickelodeon’s That Girl Lay Lay, a sitcom that ran from 2021 to 2024 and also streamed on Netflix.
Early Life of Alaya High
Alaya High was born on January 28, 2007, in Houston, Texas. She grew up in a musical household, with her father Acie High working as a rapper and her mother, Antanique Landry, running a fitness training business in Houston.
High began rapping at age five, often accompanying her father to the recording studio. She has a younger brother, though his identity has not been made public.
Her parents began posting videos of her rapping to Instagram and YouTube. That early exposure set off her rise to fame well before her teenage years.
High has been homeschooled since childhood to balance her education with her music and acting career. She has continued to call Houston her hometown even after her career later took her to Atlanta, Georgia, for music work.
Alaya High Age
Alaya High is 19 years old as of 2026, born on January 28, 2007. Her zodiac sign is Aquarius.
She signed her first record deal at just 11 years old, years before most artists even begin their careers. That early milestone made her the youngest female rapper ever signed by Empire Distribution.
High is about 4 feet 7 inches in height which is equal to 140 cm or 1.40m. Her body weight is around 35 kg which is equal to 77 lbs.
Alaya High Ethnicity and Nationality
Alaya High is American by nationality. She is of African American ethnicity, and she was raised in a Christian household in Houston, Texas.
Her early rap performances included covers for her local church’s youth ministry. That religious upbringing shaped her early musical style before she moved into mainstream hip-hop.
Alaya High Musical Style and Influences
High raps in a Southern hip-hop style, often built around high-energy freestyles and catchy hooks aimed at a young audience. Her early breakout came from freestyling over other artists’ beats, including a viral cover of BlocBoy JB’s “Shoot.”
She has cited Migos, Cardi B, Lil Baby, Gunna, and Rihanna as artists who inspired her sound. High has also performed freestyles over tracks by Drake and other major hip-hop names throughout her career.
Alaya High Education
High has been homeschooled since childhood in order to manage her music and television career. Detailed information about her academic institution has not been publicly confirmed.
She has balanced her schooling with a demanding recording and filming schedule since her early teenage years. High has spoken about eventually pursuing further education alongside her entertainment work.
Alaya High Career
High’s career spans music, television, and film, beginning with viral freestyle videos and expanding into a multi-platform entertainment deal with Nickelodeon.
Early Career
High began posting freestyle raps to Instagram in 2017, quickly building a following through her performances in the passenger seat of her father’s car. Her cover of BlocBoy JB’s “Shoot” went viral and turned her into an overnight sensation.
That viral moment led to a record deal with Empire Distribution in August 2018. At 11 years old, she became the youngest female rapper to sign with a major label, surpassing the record previously held by the duo Kris Kross.
Breakthrough Album and Nickelodeon Deal
High released her debut single, “Go Lay Lay Go,” alongside her first album, Tha Cheat Code, in 2018. She followed it with Tha Cheat Code Reloaded and All Tha Way Lit Up in 2019, then Recess Is Over in 2020.
Her rising profile led to a performance at the 93rd Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2019. In 2020, High signed an overall deal with Nickelodeon to develop original programming, music, and consumer products under her brand.
That deal led directly to her own sitcom. That Girl Lay Lay premiered on September 23, 2021, with High starring as an artificially intelligent phone app avatar who comes to life as a teenager, and the series was renewed for a second season in January 2022 before ending in 2024.
Recent Work
High continued releasing music alongside her acting work throughout the show’s run, including soundtrack albums tied to each season. That Girl Lay Lay (Music From Season 1) arrived in December 2022, followed by the Music From Season 2 soundtrack in July 2024.
In 2025, High released the single “Off Top” featuring Houston rapper Monaleo, continuing to build her music career after her sitcom ended. She has also appeared in projects including The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part and the film Young Dolph: Cray Cray.
Alaya High Discography
High has released several albums and singles across her career.
- Tha Cheat Code (2018)
- Tha Cheat Code Reloaded (2019)
- All Tha Way Lit Up (2019)
- Recess Is Over (2020)
- That Girl Lay Lay (Music From Season 1) (2022)
- That Girl Lay Lay (Music From Season 2) (2024)
- “Off Top” featuring Monaleo (2025)
Alaya High Awards and Recognition
High received NAACP Image Award nominations in the Outstanding Performance by a Youth category in both 2022 and 2023. Those nominations recognized her starring role on That Girl Lay Lay.
She has also made multiple appearances at Nickelodeon’s Kids’ Choice Awards. High has been recognized within the youth entertainment industry as one of its youngest crossover stars in both music and television.
Alaya High Net Worth
Alaya High’s estimated net worth is $2 million as of 2026. Her income comes from her music catalog, her television work on Nickelodeon, and brand partnerships tied to her “That Girl Lay Lay” persona.
She built much of her early wealth through her record deal with Empire Distribution and her Nickelodeon overall deal signed in 2020. Her continued music releases, including her 2025 single with Monaleo, have kept her income streams active beyond her television series.
Alaya High Social Media
High is active across major platforms under her stage name. Her Instagram account, @thatgirl_laylay44, has built a following of more than a million people since she began posting in 2017.
She also runs a YouTube channel under the name That Girl Lay Lay, which she created on May 28, 2018. The channel has grown past a million subscribers, featuring her music videos and freestyle content.
High maintains a presence on TikTok as well, under the handle @thatgirllaylay. Her social media accounts remain central to how she connects with her young fan base.
The Bottom Line
Alaya High became the youngest female rapper to sign with Empire Distribution at age 11, then starred in her own Nickelodeon sitcom from 2021 to 2024. Her 2025 single “Off Top” with Monaleo shows she has kept building her music career since the show ended.
High grew up in a musical Houston household, learning to rap alongside her father, Acie High, from age five. She has stayed homeschooled throughout her career to balance her education with her music and acting commitments.
High continues to release new music while her Nickelodeon series remains available to stream on Netflix. She remains one of the youngest artists to build a crossover career across music, television, and film.
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