Stat Quo

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Stat Quo
Birth name Stanley Benton
Also known as Stat Quo
Born July 24, 1979 (1979-07-24) (age 28)
Origin Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
Genre(s) Hip Hop
Gangsta Rap
Occupation(s) Rapper
Years active 2002–present
Label(s) Shady/Aftermath/Interscope, GMM
Website www.statquo.com

Stanley Benton (born July 24, 1979), better known as Stat Quo, is an American rapper signed to Eminem's Shady Records and Dr. Dre's Aftermath Entertainment.[1] He first appeared on a mixtape in 2002.[citation needed] He is a co-founder—with LT Moe—of the Global Music Movement (GMM),[2]. Benton attended University of Florida, where he majored in economics and international business in 2000. Benton was contemplating law school, until veteran Southern rapper Scarface encouraged him to rap.[1]

Contents

[edit] Biography

[edit] Early life

Stanley Benton was born in Thomasville Heights, a neighbourhood of Atlanta, Georgia, at the Grady Hospital. In his early life, he lived with his mother and grandmother. Benton started freestyle rapping at around the age of 12. Later, his mother bought him a radio, and he would record himself rapping. In 1997, Benton started taking rap seriously, but continued with his education.[3] Benton worked his way to college and attended University of Florida, where he majored in economics and international business in 2000.[1]

[edit] Music

Stat Quo was discovered towards the end of 2003. Dr. Dre and Eminem individually came to know of the Atlanta-based rapper via his Underground Atlanta mixtapes. After Eminem heard his music he gained interest and took it to Dr. Dre who also had interest in the music, and a joint deal was made, resulting in Stat Quo becoming the second artist to be signed to Shady/Aftermath, after 50 Cent.[4]

His debut album Statlanta was originally slated to be released in 2003 but has been repeatedly pushed back.[5][6] Stat Quo is also featured on Young Buck's Straight Outta Cashville, the compilatation Eminem Presents the Re-Up and on the track "Spend Some Time" on Eminem's Encore. Stat has also appeared on tracks with artists such as Jermaine Dupri, The Alchemist, The Game, Disturbing tha Peace, and Chamillionaire.

In 2005, Stat Quo shot a video for his single "Like Dat". The song was made to be a buzz single, in order to help the artist become more exposed The video was shot in Atlanta's Zone 3 near the Thomasville Heights projects where Stat Quo was brought up.

“ It's the beginning of my career, so I wanted to start where I began life, […] Plus, [the city of Atlanta] is supposed to be tearing the projects down, so I wanted to showcase the area I grew up in and capture it before it was gone forever.[7] ”

The Atlanta bred rapper was featured on the summer 2005 Anger Management Tour, which also included Eminem, 50 Cent, G-Unit, Obie Trice, D12, and others.[8] On July 13, 2005, a tour bus carrying Eminem's entourage for the summer's Anger Management tour swerved off the road and turned over. Stat Quo was taken to Independence Regional Health Center in Independence, Missouri, where he was treated and released.[9]

Stat Quo has said that his "number one goal is to bring a respect, and bring a voice to this whole southern movement around the world".[10] In a recent interview with AftermathMusic.com, Stat Quo mentioned that his debut album Statlanta, has been completed for quite some time now and he is waiting for his label to release it. He said that he is now in the process of working on a untitled second album. He also went on to say that his fans will hear Statlanta whether on Aftermath/Interscope or not.

[edit] Discography

  • 2008: Statlanta

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c Shaheem Reid (12 January 2004). "Mixtape Mondays: Stat Quo". MTV. Accessed 5 February 2008.
  2. ^ "Interview with Stat Quo May 2007". AftermathMusic.com (May 2007). Accessed 5 February 2008.
  3. ^ Jay Casteel (5 August 2003). "Stat Quo: ATL Thoroughbreed". BallerStatus.com. Accessed 5 February 2008.
  4. ^ Matt Barone (2 December 2004). "Stat Quo: The Shady South (Interview)". BallerStatus.com. Accessed 5 February 2008.
  5. ^ Shaheem Reid, Jayson Rodriguez and Rahman Dukes (11 June 2007). "Mixtape Monday: Lil Wayne Plans His Own Leak; Cassidy's Live-From-Jail Rhymes". MTV. Accessed 5 February 2008.
  6. ^ Julianne Shepherd (11 June 2007). "FIRST SHOT: Stat Quo, "Statlanta"". Vibe. Accessed 5 February 2008.
  7. ^ Jay Casteel (12 June 2005). "Stat Quo To Shoot First Video; Prepares For Anger Management Tour". BallerStatus.com. Accessed 5 February 2008.
  8. ^ Gil Kaufman (4 April 2005). "Eminem, 50, Lil Jon, G-Unit, D12 Team Up For Anger Management 3 Tour This Summer". MTV. Accessed 5 February 2008.
  9. ^ Chris Harris (14 July 2005). "Anger Management Tour Bus Crashes; Stat Quo, Eminem's DJ Among Those Injured". MTV. Accessed 5 February 2008.
  10. ^ AftermathMusic.com - Interview with Stat Quo September 2003

[edit] External links

Persondata
NAME Benton, Stanley
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Stat Quo
SHORT DESCRIPTION American rapper
DATE OF BIRTH July 24, 1979
PLACE OF BIRTH Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
DATE OF DEATH
PLACE OF DEATH