Quest (rapper)
| QuESt | |
|---|---|
| Born |
September 2, 1990 (age 24) Miami, Florida |
| Residence | San Diego, California |
| Occupation |
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| Years active | 2009–present |
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Musical career | |
| Genres | |
| Associated acts | |
| Signature |
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| Website | |
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www | |
Sylvan Lacue,[1] known by his stage name QuESt is an American rapper originating from Miami, Florida.[2] He began his rapping career in 2009[2] and has associated himself with rapper Logic (rapper).[3] He was temporarily on Chris Zarou's record label Visionary Music Group from 2013 to 2014.[2][3]
Career
2009: Career beginnings
QuESt began his music career in 2009 after taking inspiration from Canadian rapper Drake and his sudden success following the So Far Gone mixtape.[2] He chose the stage name "Quest" but stylized it as "QuESt" after rapper Nas' uppercase "S", saying "Quest is a common name, I wanted to differentiate myself in some way, shape, or form."[4] After a troubled relationship with his mother, QuESt moved out of his mother's home at the age of 17 and thereafter, repeatedly moved back in and out of her house.[5]
In 2009, he was the champion of Jermaine Dupri's "Survival of the MCs" competition, beating 660 other hip hop performers and earning a deal with Dupri's newly founded TAG Records.[6] However, months after QuESt won his deal with TAG Records, the record company folded.[6]
2011-2012: Fear Not Failure
Into 2011, QuESt was living independently and was working full-time as a janitor.[5] In late 2011, QuESt's father moved in with him after being released from jail and convinced QuESt to allow him to take care of financial responsibilities.[5]
Six months after giving his father responsibility of the finances, QuESt and his father were evicted on May, 10th 2012.[5] Following being evicted, losing his job weeks earlier and giving his father his car, QuESt almost decided to quit rapping.[3] He also had doubts of success after not getting recognition despite releasing works, contacting individuals in the music industry and performing independently. He decided to speak with his A&r representative where she told him to take his time and not to do anything.[3] In May 2012, QuESt released his Fear Not Failure mixtape and did not release a work for two years.[3]
2013–2014: Visionary Music Group and Searching Sylvan
QuESt moved to San Diego, CA feeling he needed a "change in scenery" after experiencing his hardships.[5] Deciding to take his time, QuESt decided to tour with rapper Logic on his Welcome To Forever Tour in early 2013.[3] After building a relationship with Visionary Music Group president Chris Zarou, it was announced in August 2013 that QuESt joined Logic's record label, Visionary Music Group (VMG).[7]
On September 2, 2014, QuESt released the Searching Sylvan mixtape. Following its release, The Huffington Post named QuESt on their 11 Artists You Need To Know For The Rest Of 2014 list, with The Huffington Post stating "QuESt is about to prove himself one of the most promising storytellers in hip-hop" and that Searching Sylvan was not "just one of the best mixtapes or hip-hop releases this year ... [it] is one of the best albums all year".[8] Near the end of 2014, The Huffington Post again placed QuESt on a list, placing Searching Sylvan #6 on The 15 Most Underrated Albums Of The Year.[9] In December 2014, QuESt announced that he had decided to leave Visionary Music Group due to differences with the management, stating that there was "no ill will towards them".[2] Weeks after separating from the label, QuESt created his own brand, WiseUp.[6]
Artistry
You can hear how hungry QuESt is to succeed in every verse. There's no throwaway lines, no bar wasted. It's as if he sees every bass kick and high-hat as another chance to give the listener a piece of his story. Where a lot of artists are making club bangers that feel empty and contrived, QuESt's songs feel like they come from a place of true inspiration and meaning, where every line is substantial in its own way.
In a Rehab Magazine article, the author notes QuESt's ability of storytelling calling his lyrics "unapologetic and true to his narrative".[2] In the article, QuESt also explains how he matured as an artist after suffering from a "Drake effect", hoping he could make sudden success with his music.[2]
He explained:
Had I gotten any monetary success early on I wouldn’t have known what to do with it and I would’ve sabotaged myself as an artist. I’m grateful that God really allowed me to fail the amount of times I failed so I could learn.
HotNewHipHop describes QuESt as having a similar voice and inflection as Smoke DZA, though having a "consistently faster" flow.[5] They say his lyrics are flexible, swithcing his rhyming style to the beat of the music.[5] His delivery is described as "very aggressive and brash, but not in a barking or yelling sense".[5]
Influences
QuESt stated at a young age he heard the Nas song “You’re Da Man” off of Stillmatic and "just connected to it". He also says that he was a fan of Big Pun, Canibus, Lupe Fiasco, Common, Jay-Z, Kanye West, Coldplay, Red Hot Chili Peppers and R. Kelly.[2][5]
More recent influences include Childish Gambino and his Camp album, as well as Kendrick Lamar.[5]
Discography
Mixtapes
| Title | Mixtape details |
|---|---|
| How Thoughtful |
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| The Reason: A Defense Mechanism |
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| Fear Not Failure |
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| Searching Sylvan |
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Awards and Nominations
In March 2015, Quest was nominated to be on the XXL annual Top 10 Freshmen list, which features artists to watch out for and that are on the rise which are shown on the cover of the "Freshman Class" issue of XXL.[10]
References
- ↑ Santana, Davis. "Introducing - QuESt". Charged.fm. Retrieved 22 January 2015.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 "Feature Interview: QuESt Talks "Searching Sylvan" Success, Miami’s Music Scene, and New Beginnings". Rehab Online Magazine. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 Castro, Lee (23 May 2014). "QuESt on Almost Quitting Rap". Miami New Times. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
- ↑ Baily, Bowen. "ICON: QUEST WAS ONE OF THE MOST SLEPT-ON LYRICISTS OF 2014". Champs Sports. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 5.8 5.9 5.10 London, Duke. "On The Come Up: QuESt". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 "Biography". WiseUp. Retrieved 22 January 2015.
- ↑ Diep, Eric. "QuESt Signs To Visionary Music Group, Debuts New Track". XXL. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
- ↑ Kristobak, Ryan (15 October 2014). "11 Artists You Need To Know For The Rest Of 2014". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
- ↑ Van Luling, Todd; Kristobak, Ryan (18 December 2014). "The 15 Most Underrated Albums Of The Year". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
- ↑ "XXL Freshman: The 10th Spot Voting". XXL. Retrieved 21 March 2015.