ORIGIN STORY
Chicago’s renaissance man Que Billah is re-booting Chicago
Hip-Hop with an electrifying hybrid of Drill music and
conscious rap. Born into a family of Dj's, the West side native
was baptized into the Golden era of Hip Hop. At an early age he
was exposed to Wu Tang , OutKast, and A Tribe Called Quest. At
the tender age of ten, Que's cousin took him to the video shoot
for, Chicago Hip Hop legend Common's, ‘Resurrection,’
sparking a lifelong interest in music and film. Later that year,
Que wrote and recorded his first song as a class project.
Que Billah soon began recording regularly. Heavily inspired by
his predecessors Kanye West, Common and Lupe, his music
began to resemble the soul and consciousness of the Chicago
sound.
In college, Que Billah founded popular underground group
Anemal House. With the support of classmates and
surrounding fans, the group was able to sell over 1000 CDs in
one day. This "By any means" work ethic would prove to be the
foundation of Que's later success.
Que’s infectious style eventually captured the attention of
music Mogul Chaka Zulu, which soon led to a management
deal. Under Chaka’s guidence, Que released his classic project,
May I Have Your Attention, Please? The shock value of his music
drew a lasting buzz. With the success of the album, Que was
was named Unsigned Hype by The Source Magazine. With this
recognition, he was able to sell out venues throughout the city.
Momentum from Que’s theactrical stage show and following
soon led him to becoming the go-to opener for national artists
and some of his own heroes, including Wu- Tang, Nas, Talib
Kweli, Wiz Khalifia, Rakim, KRS-One, and Ludacris.
Que's popularity elevated with the release of the sneaker head
anthem ‘Colors,’ featuring The Cool Kids. The song hit the
blogs, went viral and quickly became a cult classic. 500K
YouTube hits gave Que a glimpse of national exposure.
Shortly after Colors life took a complete turn for the artist
when his friend and engineer, Dj Spider, died. Having lost a
friend along with all of his music from the previous five years,
Que walked away from recording music. While on hiatus, Que
channeled his inner hustler and took to the streets selling his
heartfelt, high-energy mixtape The Rent CD, the only remaining
music in his possession. He also joined popular Chicago
wedding band The Gold Coast All Stars. A wedding in New York
provided a chance meeting with a founder of the Blue Man
Group, Matt Goldman. Impressed by Que’s stage presence,
Goldman invited him to become an apprentice for Blue Man
Group. Blue Man aspirations came to a halt when Que
discovered that he would soon be a father. Shortly thereafter,
he departed The Blue Man Group to focus on his growing
family. The prospect of raising her in the violent and politically
dubious climate of Chicago, controversially nicknamed Chiraq,
beckoned Que to the studio once again.
Today, Que Billah is set to release his best work to date, ‘Escape
From Chiraq’. In what he describes as "drill music from the
other side of the gun" Que has created a commanding call to
escape from the black on black crime, police brutality, sexism,
racism, classism, domestic abuse and government neglect that
plague inner cities. With production from producers such as Da
Internz and Nacsent, listeners can expect a triumph, both
musically and lyrically. Que Billah has never failed to make fans
laugh, think, and nod their heads with a clever and likeable
charm. Now, with his city in his heart and the world on his
brain, Que is set to take a place at the dinner table of legends.
Upcoming Events
- Fri, Feb 21The BassmentFeb 21, 2025, 11:00 PM CST – Feb 22, 2025, 2:00 AM CSTThe Bassment, 353 W. Hubbard
- Fri, Feb 14The BassmentFeb 14, 2020, 11:00 PM CST – Feb 15, 2020, 2:00 AM CSTThe Bassment, 353 W Hubbard St, Chicago, IL 60654, USA