You are never too young to be a revolutionary musician. Mozart couldn’t be stopped and neither can Detroit’s very own Que 9. At the age of 15, Quarrion “Que 9” Phillips has already proven himself to be a fantastic rapper, with over 32 million views on his YouTube channel and a dance craze immortalized as the #QueSplashChallenge. Influenced by famed East Coast rapper Nas, Que 9 has been rapping since he was only four years old and always thinks of his hometown first, using his music to advocate for a better, safer Detroit. Appearing in city-wide anti-bullying campaigns and at Hot 97’s 2015 Summer Jam, Que is one of the most prolific rappers under the age of 18. He’s now furthering that streak with “Be Long.”
“Be Long” is Que 9’s chance to admit that chasing success can be a hard feat. It’s easy to get caught going too fast (or “andale” as Que puts it) in the hustle, and this young chopper is confessing that he might have been acting too impulsively when it came to his game. However, Que doesn’t tell us that this chase has taken him off his course to success. In fact, he busts out a couple of fast verses that show that despite having to deal with his massive workload and accelerated pace, he is still on his way to being the next big thing in rap and tells his fans that it won’t be long until he gets to that level he’s working towards.
Que 9 is signed to Detroit label BMB Records and is working on new projects to release to his ever-growing fanbase. This ambitious teen is totally ahead of the curve when it comes to his place in hip hop and won’t stop working until he reaches #1 and is an inspiration to other musically gifted kids just like himself.
The “Be Long” music video doesn’t deviate whatsoever from Que 9’s message that the rap game can be an overwhelming and fast-paced state of mind. In the video, he’s trapped in a room where he’s surrounded by graffiti of the words that cloud his thoughts. Feeling the pressure of the responsibilities that surround him, all Que 9 can do to maintain his composure is speed rap what he thinks about hip hop and the influence it has brought into his life. As lights flash from red to white, we see what it’s like to be Que 9 and how his hustle is a tough one that requires a lot of strength and optimism.
