11.27.2013
Memphis Rapper Lil Q Introduces Herself With “Who Dat (Make It Clap),” Her New Energetic Anthem
Born and Raised in Bluff City, the 18-Year-Old Artist Has Big Dreams and Talent to Match
The Announcement:
18-year-old Lil Q might look delicate, but appearances can be deceiving. Armed with a snapping flow and a bottomless bag of bars, the Memphis native displays just a fraction of what she can do on “Who Dat (Make It Clap),” her new single and music video. Produced by BLWYRMND (Offset, Tinashe, IDK), “Who Dat” does not need much to inspire pandemonium, just crisp snares and 808s boosted enough to make walls shake. Lil Q uses her force of personality to fill in the copious negative space, her sirenic southern drawl sitting halfway between “cheerleader” and “drill sergeant” as she makes sure listeners know exactly who they’re dealing with: “And I’m gettin’ A’s and B’s, none these b*tches C’ing me/I put that Dawg up in D, and I make this sh*t look E-Z,” she spits.
The new single arrives with a music video that showcases Q’s compelling screen presence. Dressed in all-white everything, the young artist performs in front of a white background, before the screen transforms to illustrate her lyrics and show clips from her recent high school graduation.
Growing up in Memphis, Lil Q developed a love for music at a young age, inspired by artists like Kendrick Lamar, Meek Mill, and others. Though her family was not very musical, she found an early sparring partner in her older brother, Freeband Lil Steve, who she would cypher with in their parents’ home. While she started recording as early as 13, her primary focus during her teen years was basketball–Q was a high-level AAU player, and while she excelled, her heart lay not in athletics, but her artistic pursuits. Still, her basketball career helped her build a local profile that aided her rapping ambitions, giving her a social platform to showcase her talent and drawing attention of popping local rappers like Big Boogie, Gloss Up, and Glockianna. Last year, Q earned praise from ABC 24 Memphis after winning the legendary Stax Academy’s Mic Drop Talent Showcase. Q recently strutted her stuff with a live performance of her song “Going In: Reloaded” on On The Radar, and showed her prodigious freestyling ability on Memphis’s own “Famous Animal.”
This Fall, as she prepared to launch her rap career into a new stratosphere, Lil Q and her family were rocked by a tragedy: the passing of her brother Lil Steve. Growing up in Memphis, Lil Q had experienced loss before, but the loss of her brother, who was the first supporter of her rap music, took a massive toll. Lil Q resolves to honor his memory by becoming the star he knew she can be, honoring his memory with every word of every verse.
Stay tuned for much more from Lil Q, as she plans her world takeover.
Watch “Who Dat (Make It Clap)”: https://youtu.be/YIiSmrwbOVQ
Stream “Who Dat (Make It Clap)”: https://symphony.to/officiallilq/who-dat-make-it-clap
Please contact Michelle or T’Keyah for more info.
Links:
“Who Dat (Make It Clap)”: https://youtu.be/YIiSmrwbOVQ / https://symphony.to/officiallilq/who-dat-make-it-clap