Quesse Smoke Stops By Our Instagram Live Series to Talk New Music

Quesse Smoke, struggling turned viral hip hop artist joined Jaedid Media on Instagram Live for our first artist interview on our new Instagram series. The Instagram platform curated by Jane the Publicist, highlights independent talent in music all over the DMV. Quesse sat down with us to chat about his distinctive sound, getting signed, upcoming projects and more! The young artist also previewed his new track 'SOS'.

Quesse Smoke, where does that name come from?

- Quesse is actually apart of my middle name and smoke cause sh*t,I smoke alot. I was in the mall one day like "F*ck, I need a new name" and it just came to me.

Where are you from?

- I was born in San Antonio, Texas but raised in PG County, Maryland. All over, not a specific spot, thats why I keep it general to PG. I moved around my whole life foreal.

How long have you been doing music?

- Music has been apart of my life since I was like 10 years old. When I first started music I started out playing instruments. I was like singing and dancing.

What prompted your career in music?

- I did my first freestyle when I was nine years old. I had a babysitter that had a microphone and a laptop, and he just wanted to record us. From that moment it stuck with me. But in 10th grade, I was like I just wanna make music. I think I was just like inspired by what was going on. Like Chief Keef and all of them coming out, I was like I can do this. He was 16 years old just made it, I felt like I could make it too.

Youre very lyrical and we dont see a ton of that here, what would you say inspires your style of rap?

- Definitely Drake and Kendrick Lamar. I listened to them heavily when I was in high school. Being able to connect with their stories, I feel like thats alot of what music needs. Music is a form of expression, you want people to feel you and not just hear you so I kind ofchannel both.

Youre very lyrical and we dont see a ton of that here, what would you say inspires your style of rap?

- Definitely Drake and Kendrick Lamar. I listened to them heavily when I was in high school. Being able to connect with their stories, I feel like thats alot of what music needs. Music is a form of expression, you want people to feel you and not just hear you so I kind ofchannel both.

What was your first recollection of hip hop? If you can remember, the first rap song you heard or video you seen?

- What video was 50 cent upside down in the weight room? In Da Club? Yeah, that was the first rap video I ever seen and I was like yo this is lit.

You're still independent currently correct? Do you have any dreams to get signed or are you looking to get as big as you can independently?

- One thousand percent independent. I actually do have dreams of being signed. The idea is watered down a little bit due to people's contracts. But if I come across a team that really believes in what im doing and its about the music, also maximizing the artist then of course I would sign. Although I love being independent because I can do what the f*ck I want.

What did support like like in your hometown when you decided you were gonna pursue music full time?

- The first thing my homeboys told me was they dont listen to my type of music. Wasnt nobody tryna hear my shit, but I kept writing and stuff. People were hearing me rap and they never went against me like rapping aloud, but when it came to a song the support wasnt there. Im not really known in the DMV area but im pretty known in other places like Paris, Los Angelos, Florida.

What was the first single that got you social media recognition?

- I have two. This song 'For You' I don't think you've heard that one but that went like through the roof. Then the song 'Nonchalant' went through the roof when I dropped it too. Those were my first singles that got some crazy a*s traction for some reason. I didn't even like 'For You' when I dropped it.

So you released three projects this year? What would you say was your favorite?

- 'I Still Hate People' [laughs] I was bouncing around from like New York to Atlanta. I was hotel to hotel, me and my mom had got in a situation. She threw my ass out there, I had to look for money. I was still in the middle of working on this project so I was like fuck it, while im out here I wanna put some of these feelings I have into the music. I would say thats my favorite just because all of those songs really mean something to me. There's a-lot of time stamps on them.

Is there anything you'd like to share with fans that I haven't asked?

- We got some new shit coming. I actually just dropped some sh*t today before this interview. Drake, All Love, that sh*t is like that and I really want Drake to hear it. Drake, if you somehow see this interview man..you gotta hear All Love bruh! But I do have a song I wanna play for you, cause I did drop a new song about 2 weeks ago. The name is 'SOS' and I think you would like that one.