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An In-depth Introduction to Quelle Chris
History, discography, etc.
@quellechris is one of the best, and most creative rappers, writers, producers, animators - ARTISTS in the game, and has been for longer than some of us might've known.
An In-depth Introduction to Quelle Chris
History, discography, etc.
@quellechris is one of the best, and most creative rappers, writers, producers, animators - ARTISTS in the game, and has been for longer than some of us might've known.
DISCLAIMER
I am in no way an expert or a historian, just a fan. So if there are any major mistakes in here, let me know.
I am in no way an expert or a historian, just a fan. So if there are any major mistakes in here, let me know.
Quelle was already rapping by middle school - with him and his friends recording their tracks via voicemail. He was also trying out an SP-202 around that time, which his brother brought home, recording his samples by holding it up to the TV.
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During college he was a member of the drug noise-rock/industrial crap band Drunk Uncle (“I still have those songs, but not sure if the world’s ready for that yet.” - We are!), and probably had a bunch of other projects going as well that I’m not aware.
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But the arguably most important was his affiliation with Detroit crew Wasted Youth; Big Tone, 87 & Loose Cannon. According to Quelle himself he owes his whole career to them - the group that showed him rapping was not just entertainment, but something he could actually do.
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The turning point came in 2003, as he was rapping for Loose:
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The first recorded performance I could find from (who I PRESUME to be) Quelle, was on Blaqk Mythe’s “Random Thoughts”, from 2003. The project was the 4th in production group Narrowpath’s (Tron Flen & Mr. Skip) mixtape series. Quelle appears as Q-Life on 4 tracks.
Then there’s the 6th project in Narrowpath’s series. From what I can gather it’s Q-Life’s first full project, containing 9 tracks fully produced by Narrowpath. It also seems like Quelle was signed to Cipher Music Group at the time (which I’m unable to dig up more info on).
And here’s a track off of Wasted Youth legend Big Tone’s 2005 release ‘The Drought’, where Quelle’s featurd on the track “Get Up” - as Quelle, not Q-Life. I’m not mentioning more singles in this thread, but early Quelle + Wasted Youth material is noteworthy.
Some of the earliest music found on Quelle’s Bandcamp (and originally on the Crown Nation website) is a compilation of songs recorded 2004-2006. Most of the tracks were recorded in the basement. The 500 copy vinyl sold out when House Shoes re-released a year or two later.
Crown Nation (Quelle & Denmark Vessey), was formed in 2006 after the duo met through Loose Cannon. They rocked venues with legends like Slum Village, and played the Stones Throw After Party. I saw word of a debut titled Well Spoken N*groes, but SBE might be the same record.
A.O.S. is one of Quelle’s other projects; some kind of a more melodic experimental vibes - not hip hop. A.O.S. kept going where two man band Pus (Quelle + Levi Beach) left off, dating as far back as 200., The two earliest projects were released online for a limited time only.
The only A.O.S. project still foun on Quelle’s Bandcamp is the third one; ‘Bones for Girls’, with 16 tracks. This time with less singing, but full of fascinating, beautiful minimalistic synth compositions. Check it out for yourself; https://quellechris.bandcamp.com/album/bones-for-girls-2012
‘The S.O.N.’ is a (previously) unreleased demo for a concept EP. The concept “chronicles the story of a rapper from pride to profit, from message to who gives a fuck i need money.”
Often recgonizd as Quelle’s debut album, released through Synergy Works in 2011. According to Quelle he “wanted to do it like Michael Jackson where it's not about a growing narrative – it’s just good hip-hop song after good hip-hop song.” And it is. Classic.
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It also features Roc Marciano, and Danny Brown, who Quelle had produce for since Danny’s ‘Hot Soup’, after 87 introduced the two to each other.
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A year later, Quelle droppd the first part of his 2Dirt4TV series, with an EP fully produced by L.A. producer DiBia$e. Every beat was made on the spot, and the EP made in 3 days while Quelle slept in DiBia$e’s studio.
Around this time there also seems like Quelle created a collabrative project with DiBia$e and KNXWLEDGE that never got released, called Balance.
And it seems to still exist!
https://twitter.com/darealdibiase/status/958577301746221056
And it seems to still exist!
https://twitter.com/darealdibiase/status/958577301746221056
After “producing mad hits”, Quelle decided to make his first beat tape, and promoted it with a video of a… bunch of people blowing their heads off… Watch it here:
Memories Vol. 1 is a collection of unreleased, limited release, and rare songs “from the Crown Nation Vault”. I’d love to find out even more about the background of each song, but either way, it’s worth a listen.
Then there’s what I believe to be Quelle’s Mello Music Group debut, or, “an appetizer to the Quelle Chris experience”. On the project, Quelle remixes a bunch of classics, and kills it, because he’s a top tier producer.
Quelle called the second part of the 2Dirt4TV series his favorite record a few years ago. While being Quelle's debut full-length with MMG, it was promoted as “a prelude to Quelle's upcoming MMG debut proper”. The project took shape through conversations with Cavalier.
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“It goes from having fun and really laughing about things to getting deeper into the conversation about the way we deal with those things. A lot of times the albums I like the most are just about my mood, and that one had something for every mood.”
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