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“The raunchy Chicago rapper is unfiltered and unbothered.” – Pitchfork
“When she’s rowdy and audacious, Queen Key is exhilarating. But her jokey swagger and hard persona is almost like a setup for the true pay-off: when Key bares her heart.” – Pitchfork
“Some people are bestowed royalty — others take it. The next generation of women eyeing rap’s throne is growing and Queen Key is a name you should know.” – Billboard
“Queen Key is Chicago’s hilarious new rap star” – The FADER
“Chicago rap star Queen Key succeeding on her terms, with a feminist mindset” – Chicago Tribune
Many want the crown, but very few are dubbed a Queen. When Queen Key emerged on the scene nearly a decade ago, she had already laid a foundation of making music since she was a child. The Chicago native has remained consistently fierce, bold, unapologetic, and authentic. Her gift of galvanizing crowds has remained her handshake, and now with her latest release Hard, she pays homage to Hip-Hop royalty who inspired her journey: The Queen Bee, Lil’ Kim. As Queen Key continues to elevate, the sky is the limit for this superstar in the making.
At seven years old, Queen Key cut her first mixtape with her big brother. “It was just as a hobby,” she reflects, “but we put some tapes into our stereo to record it and made the beats on a keyboard.” It wasn’t the most polished of projects, but the seed was planted. With a mom who frequently relocated her family across the Chicago metropolitan area, Key found herself switching schools almost every year. “I pretty much lived in every surrounding area in Chicago,” she adds. “I knew a lot of people that way and became popular, because I moved so much.” By the 7th grade, she started freestyling and rapping with her friends, uploading their songs onto YouTube.
While her mother introduced her to some of the female rap greats, Key was particularly intrigued and inspired by Lauryn Hill and Lil’ Kim, two rap mavens who combine their divine femininity with sharp lyricism. It took years for Key to realize that balance also lived within her. “I actually didn’t realize it until my first few weeks of college,” she explains, when her music truly took flight. At 19, Key planted a seed that she would become famous, and as she bounced from various jobs—including Buffalo Wild Wings and American Girl—she knew it would take shape. College was ill-fated, though that same year she released “Queen Shit” and went viral, all while working another odd job in a day care. “It was all meant to be,” she says. “God driven.” Key started getting booked for small shows and Sweet 16’s, recognizing her reach as girls in the crowd rapped along to her music. “Hit A Lic” was another early win, fanning the flames for the ride ahead.
Consistency has been Key for this Queen.
With nine projects under her belt and countless singles, Queen Key’s staying power is crystallized. “I’m big on not letting anything get to my head because I don’t want it to make me lazy or comfortable,” she admits. “I just gotta stay hungry.” In the Spring of last year, following a hard-hitting reminder of her staying power with her Episode series, Key dropped the critically acclaimed Watch This, a warning shot to anyone who doubted her reach. By the Summer, Key was added to the Love & Hip Hop Atlanta cast, sharing her story as a mother of triplets, whom she had just as the pandemic leaned into 2020.
Now, Queen Key is preparing a rollout that is both an homage to those who have influenced her, as well as a solid foot forward into her future. Her project Hard honors Lil’ Kim, as the cover design is a reflection of The Queen Bee’s groundbreaking debut Hard Core. The project even boasts the cut “Big Mami,” inspired by Kim’s quick-witted “Big Momma Thang.”
“The music is definitely hard,” Key says. “With my style and my flavor in there.”
By Summer, Key plans to release her next project All Eyez on Key, in honor of the late Tupac Shakur. “It’s all full circle for me,” she continues. “My inspirations are like a family to me.”
While Queen Key enters this next chapter in her career, she’s ready to up the ante. With her label Empressiv Entertainment, Key hopes to build upon her brand while also empowering other female artists. “I just want to provide a space where women are treated how they’re supposed to be treated in this industry,” she expresses.
As an artist herself, Key will continue to open doors. “I’m here. Forever,” she asserts. “A legend in the making. I’m stamping my position.”
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