Jakobi Wilburn: Inside the Life of Future’s First Son, King Kobi
Some people spend their whole childhood proving they belong to their own family. Jakobi Wilburn is one of them.
He is the first-born son of rapper Future and his ex-girlfriend, Jessica Smith. For years, his connection to his famous father was not simply accepted. It had to be proven in court.
Today, Jakobi goes by the stage name King Kobi. He raps, releases music online, and has worked with the fashion brand Fashion Nova.
This article looks at his early life, the legal fight over his paternity, his teenage arrest, and how he built his own identity as an artist.
Who Is Jakobi Wilburn?
Jakobi Wilburn was born on June 30, 2002. His father is Future, whose real name is Nayvadius DeMun Wilburn, one of the most influential rappers in modern hip hop.
His mother, Jessica Smith, raised him mostly outside the public eye. She was never married to Future, and their relationship ended while Jakobi was still a child.
He is best known today as King Kobi, his stage name as a recording artist. He has also worked as a brand ambassador for Fashion Nova.
Jakobi’s story stands out because it is not a simple tale of a celebrity’s son enjoying an easy life. His path included a legal fight just to be recognized, and later, real trouble with the law as a teen.
A Childhood Shaped by a Paternity Dispute
Most children never have to prove who their father is. Jakobi did.
In 2013, his mother Jessica Smith filed a lawsuit against Future. She said he had lied about his income to pay less child support.
A paternity test settled the matter. Once it confirmed Future was Jakobi’s father, a court ordered him to pay $2,800 a month in child support.
This detail matters more than it might seem. It shows that Jakobi’s bond with his father was not automatic. It came through a legal process, at a time when Future was becoming one of the biggest names in rap.
Growing up in the middle of that kind of dispute can shape how a child sees family and trust. It also explains why Jakobi grew up mostly under his mother’s care rather than in his father’s spotlight.
Life Away From the Cameras
Jakobi spent much of his childhood in Los Angeles, California. His mother kept his day-to-day life largely private.
There is no verified public information about which schools he attended or what his early education looked like. That level of privacy is common for children whose famous parent was never married to their other parent.
This quiet upbringing gave Jakobi something many celebrity children do not get. He had time to grow up without constant media attention, even though his father’s fame kept rising.
That balance changed, however, once he became a teenager. His name would soon appear in headlines for a very different reason.
Future’s Large Family and Jakobi’s Unique Position
Future is well known for having many children with different partners. Jakobi’s half-siblings reportedly include:
- Future Zahir, whose mother is singer Ciara
- Prince Wilburn
- Hendrix Wilburn
- Londyn Wilburn
- Paris Wilburn
- Kash Wilburn
- Reign Wilburn
Being the eldest of these children puts Jakobi in a different position than his younger siblings. He experienced his early years before Future became a global rap star.
His younger half-siblings, by contrast, were born once their father already had wealth and fame. That single difference likely shaped very different childhoods within the same family.
The 2020 Arrest That Changed Public Perception
In January 2020, Jakobi’s name reached the news for a serious reason. He was still a teenager at the time.
He was arrested in Georgia during a gang task force operation. Reports describe several charges against him, including:
- Possessing a firearm with an altered serial number
- Criminal gang activity
- Criminal trespass
- Giving false information to police
Because the charges were serious, he was reportedly tried as an adult even though he was only 17 years old.
His parents, including Future, stepped in to help him find legal representation. That detail is worth noting. Despite the earlier paternity battle, Future was present when his son needed real support.
Jakobi was released in March 2020 after some charges were dropped. The case was reportedly sealed afterward, which limits how much further detail is publicly available.
This event shaped how many people first learned about Jakobi. Before his music reached wide audiences, his name was tied to a difficult legal chapter of his youth.
Becoming King Kobi: Building His Own Name in Music
Rather than let that period define him, Jakobi turned toward music. Around 2021, he began releasing songs under the stage name King Kobi.
This choice carries weight. He did not use his father’s famous surname to launch his career. He built a separate identity instead.
His musical influences reportedly include XXXTentacion, Frank Ocean, and Pharrell Williams. Each of these artists is known for personal, emotionally direct songwriting, a style that seems to have shaped Jakobi’s own approach.
As King Kobi, he has released:
- A debut project reportedly called Kobi$Torm (2021)
- A follow-up project titled 444 Degrees (2022)
- Singles including “Pink Lemonade” and “Bricc”
His music is available on SoundCloud, Apple Music, and YouTube, where his videos have reportedly gathered more than 100,000 combined streams.
This matters because it shows real, sustained effort. Releasing two projects and multiple singles over several years is not a passing hobby. It points to an artist trying to build a lasting career.
Fashion Nova and Life Outside the Booth
Beyond music, Jakobi has also worked as a brand ambassador for Fashion Nova, a major fashion retailer known for celebrity partnerships.
This kind of role usually involves social media promotion and public appearances tied to the brand. For Jakobi, it adds another layer to his public identity beyond rap.
Combining music with brand work is a common strategy for young artists trying to build income and visibility at the same time. It suggests Jakobi is thinking about his career in more than one direction.
Where Things Stand With His Father Now
There is limited public information about how close Jakobi and Future are today. Neither has spoken publicly in detail about their current relationship.
What is confirmed is that Future supported his son during the 2020 legal case. That single fact points to some ongoing connection between them, even after the earlier paternity dispute.
Beyond that, no verified public information is available about how often they speak or how involved Future is in his son’s life now. It is better to state that clearly than to guess.
Jakobi Wilburn Today
As of 2026, Jakobi Wilburn continues working on music under the King Kobi name. He appears to keep much of his personal life private, including his relationship status.
There is no confirmed public information about him dating anyone or being married. He has not made major personal announcements through interviews or public statements.
What is clear is his shift in public image over time. He went from being known mostly for a paternity dispute and a teenage arrest to being known, increasingly, for his own music and creative work.
Final Thoughts
Jakobi Wilburn’s life did not start with ease, even though his father is one of the biggest names in rap. He had to be legally recognized as Future’s son, and later faced serious legal trouble as a teenager.
Instead of staying defined by those early struggles, he chose music as his way forward. Under the name King Kobi, he has spent years building a career that is separate from his father’s fame.
His story is still unfolding. But so far, it shows a young man trying to turn a difficult start into something built on his own effort.
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