Valee
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2022}}
{{Short description|American rapper from Chicago (born 1988)}}
{{about|the American rapper}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Valee
| birth_name = Valee Taylor
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1988|08|27}}
| birth_place = Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
| origin =
| genre = {{hlist|Hip hop|trap}}
| occupation = {{hlist|Rapper|singer|songwriter}}
| label = {{hlist|GOOD|Def Jam}}
| instrument = Vocals
| years_active = 2015–present
}}
Valee Taylor (born August 27, 1988) is an American rapper from Chicago, Illinois. His third mixtape, 1988 (2017) was discovered by Pusha T, who led him to sign with fellow Chicago rapper Kanye West's record label GOOD Music, an imprint of Def Jam Recordings in February 2018. His debut extended play (EP), GOOD Job, You Found Me was released the following month and executive produced by West. In May of that year, his single "Womp Womp" (featuring Jeremih) narrowly entered both the Bubbling Under Hot 100 and Canadian Hot 100. In the following year, he parted ways with the label.{{cite web|url=https://www.thefader.com/2018/03/07/valee-kanye-west-ep-executive-producer/amp|title=Here's how Kanye West put his touch on Valee's new EP|work=The Fader|last=Dandridge-Lemco|first=Ben|date=March 7, 2018|access-date=July 15, 2019}}{{cite web|url=https://www.complex.com/music/a/cmplxtara-mahadevan/7-things-you-need-to-know-about-good-musics-newest-signee-valee|title=7 Things You Need to Know About G.O.O.D. Music's Newest Signee Valee|website=Complex|last=Mahadevan|first=Tara|access-date=July 15, 2019}}{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/features/rising/introducing-valee-the-good-music-approved-rapper-with-an-elegant-trap-sound/|title=Introducing Valee, the G.O.O.D. Music-Approved Rapper With an Elegant Trap Sound|publisher=Pitchfork|last=Garvey|first=Meaghan|date=January 26, 2018|access-date=July 15, 2019}}{{cite web|url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/music/sc-ent-valee-review-0309-story,amp.html|title=Chicago rapper Valee makes his mark on new EP, but gently|first=Greg|last=Kot|work=Chicago Tribune|date=March 9, 2018|access-date=July 15, 2019}}
Early life
Valee Taylor grew up on Chicago's South Side, living in the Robert Taylor Homes and moving repeatedly once they were demolished.{{Cite web|url=http://www.valeemusic.com/valee|title=Biography of Valee|website=Valee Music|access-date=January 31, 2020}} Valee has said his mother exposed him to musicians such as Erykah Badu, Sade, Jill Scott at an early age.{{Cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/3058122/valee-chicago-rookie-kanye-chance-the-rapper/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180125215625/http://www.mtv.com/news/3058122/valee-chicago-rookie-kanye-chance-the-rapper/|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 25, 2018|title=10 Things To Know About Valee, The Chicago Rap Rookie Backed By Kanye And Chance|last=Holmes|first=Charles|website=MTV News|language=en|access-date=January 31, 2020}} Valee pays homage to the artists frequently in his music. He was trained as an auto mechanic, and earned income by working on automobiles from his mother's garage prior to recording.{{Cite web|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/valee-good-music-interview-747478/|title=Valee Is a Quiet Rapper Making a Lot of Noise|last1=Klinkenberg|first1=Brendan|date=November 1, 2018|website=Rolling Stone|language=en-US|access-date=February 11, 2020}}
Throughout his schooling, he had repeated issues with anger, and his outbursts led to his expulsion from numerous schools. The rapper cites Cash Money and Project Pat as early hip hop influences.
Taylor says he decided to make music on a whim while living in the South Side of Chicago. He says he was on his way to purchase a video game system, but on the way decided to go to Guitar Center instead. He purchased the necessary equipment to start making beats and shortly after he began rapping over them.{{Cite web|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/welcome-to-the-warped-world-of-valee/|title=Welcome to the Warped World of Valee'|last=Terry|first=Bryan Allen Lamb,Josh|date=April 21, 2017|website=Vice|language=en|access-date=February 12, 2020}}
Music
Valee's early work includes collaborations with producers such as Rio Mac and Chase the Money. His first song, "Cash Don't Bend" (with Ty Money) was released in 2015. From then until 2017, Valee released five independent projects: 12:12 (2015), 1:11 (2016), 2:22 (2016), 12:12 Again (2016) and 1988 (2017).{{Cite web|url=https://genius.com/artists/Valee|title=Valee|website=Genius|language=en|access-date=January 31, 2020}}
After he was signed to Kanye West's GOOD Music by the label's then-president Pusha T in February 2018, he released his debut extended play and first retail project, GOOD Job, You Found Me. It was executive produced by West{{Cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/valee-good-job-you-found-me-ep/|title=Valee: GOOD Job, You Found Me EP|website=Pitchfork|language=en|access-date=January 31, 2020}} and saw minimal commercial response, although Pitchfork reviewed the project and gave it a score of 7.4/10.
In May 2018, Valee released the single "Womp Womp", featuring Jeremih.{{cite news |last1=Breihan |first1=Tom |title=Valee – “Womp Womp” (Feat. Jeremih) |url=https://www.stereogum.com/1994427/valee-womp-womp-feat-jeremih/music/ |access-date=September 16, 2022 |work=Stereogum |date=May 2, 2018 |language=en}} The song was later featured on the soundtrack of the 2019 Netflix film Beats{{cite news |last1=Hough |first1=Quinn |title=Every Song On Netflix’s Beats Soundtrack |url=https://screenrant.com/beats-movie-netflix-soundtrack-songs/ |access-date=September 16, 2022 |work=Screen Rant |date=June 21, 2019}} leading its debut at number 98 on the Billboard Canadian Hot 100{{cite web |title=Billboard Canadian Hot 100, week of June 1, 2019 |url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/canadian-hot-100/2019-06-01/ |website=Billboard |access-date=16 September 2022 |date=2 January 2013}} and at 24 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100.{{cite web |title=Bubbling Under Hot 100, week of June 8, 2019 |url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/bubbling-under-hot-100-singles/2019-06-08/ |website=Billboard |access-date=16 September 2022 |date=2 January 2013}}
In 2019, he released a surprise EP, Runnin Rich, which included features from G Herbo, King Louie, and Vic Mensa.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thefader.com/2019/06/04/valee-runnin-rich|title=Valee drops surprise EP Runnin' Rich|website=The FADER|language=en|access-date=January 31, 2020}} The cover art is a picture of the rapper's pet Chihuahua dog named Cliff Notez, whom he was publicly condemned for dying red. Valee responded to the critics explaining he used "edible vegan dye" in order to color the pet's fur. He also released tracks with Big Baby DRAM ("About U"), Matt Ox ("Awesome"), and Lil Yachty ("Wombo") and appeared on YG's album 4Real 4Real.
Valee is currently managed by Andrew Barber, founder of notable Chicago Hip-Hop Blog: Fake Shore Drive.{{Cite web|url=https://www.redroll.com/2020/01/28/valee-a-new-wave-of-music/|title=Valee: A New Wave of Music|last=two|first=Eric HendrixWriter at Red RollJust a native south side Chicago kid with an opinion or|date=January 28, 2020|website=Red Roll|language=en-US|access-date=February 11, 2020}}
Discography
=Albums=
- 12:12 (2015)
- 12:12 Again (2016)
- 1988 (2017)
- Runnin' Rich (2019)
- VACABULAREE (2022)
=Collaboration Albums=
- The TrAppiEst Elevator Music Ever! {{small|(with AYOCHILLMANNN)}} (2021)
- The TrAppiEst Disco Music Ever! {{small|(with AYOCHILLMANNN)}} (2021)
- Gimme Five Im High {{small|(with CHASETHEMONEY)}} (2021)
- Virtuoso {{small|(with Harry Fraud)}} (2023)
- VALEEDATION {{small|(with MVW)}} (2023)
- CAR TOONS {{small|(with Top$ide & Trap-A-Holics)}} (2023)
=EPs=
- 1:11 (2016)
- 2:22 (2016)
- GOOD Job, You Found Me (2018)
- VLANE {{small|(with Stan Lane)}} (2021)
- VLANE (Instrumentals) {{small|(with Stan Lane)}} (2021)
- VLANE 2 {{small|(with Stan Lane)}} (2024)
- Partridge {{small|(with Black Noi$e)}} (2024)
=Singles=
- VTL (2016)
- Shell (2017)
- Acid (2017)
- I Got Whatever (2017)
- Miami (2017)
- Are U Live {{small|(with Chance the Rapper & Jeremih)}} (2017)
- Miami (Remix) {{small|(featuring Pusha T)}} (2018)
- Womp Womp {{small|(featuring Jeremih)}} (2018)
- Spondivits {{small|(with Dro Fe)}} (2018)
- Awesome {{small|(featuring Matt Ox)}} (2018)
- About U {{small|(featuring DRAM)}} (2018)
- You & Me Both (2019)
- Uninvited {{small|(featuring Calboy)}} (2019)
- Do My Thing {{small|(with Outlaw Mel, The Outfit & TX)}} (2020)
- Bling Bling {{small|(with CHASETHEMONEY)}} (2020)
- Still Do {{small|(with MVW)}} (2021)
- Us {{small|(with MVW)}} (2021)
- Aladdin {{small|(with Stan Lane)}} (2021)
- Fa Good {{small|(with Stan Lane)}} (2021)
- Picture Me {{small|(with the Kii & Kelvyn Colt)}} (2021)
- Hard 2 Notice? {{small|(with DarkoQuan & Eight O)}} (2021)
- Trident {{small|(with CHASETHEMONEY)}} (2022)
- AREA {{small|(with Bandland ZZ)}} (2022)
- BUN B {{small|(with Bandland ZZ)}} (2022)
- Will Pharrell {{small|(with DarkoQuan)}} (2022)
- Yhet {{small|(with AYOCHILLMANNN)}} (2022)
- Never That {{small|(with MVW & 645AR)}} {{small|(featuring Matt Ox)}} (2022)
- Gucci Wallabees {{small|(with DarkoQuan)}} (2022)
- Oscar {{small|(with MVW)}} (2022)
- Around + Wolfe's Deep Snippet {{small|(with KingTrey & Yvng.Wolfe)}} {{small|(featuring Michael Christmas)}} (2022)
- Long Week (2022)
- HERMES$ {{small|(featuring TyMadeit)}} (2022)
- Hedi {{small|(with Tommy Revenge & SkipOnDaBeat)}} (2022)
- Man Man {{small|(with My Favorite Color)}} (2022)
- Risk {{small|(with Z Money)}} (2023)
- Sci-Fi {{small|(with Meech La'flare)}} {{small|(featuring MOSCO)}} (2023)
- Yo Yo {{small|(with MVW)}} {{small|(featuring Tony Shhnow)}} (2023)
- Could Be {{small|(with MVW)}} (2023)
- Pistachio {{small|(with MVW) & Zelooperz)}} (2023)
- Yellow {{small|(with DarkoQuan)}} (2023)
- Vibrant {{small|(with MVW & Action Bronson)}} (2023)
- Watermelon Automobile {{small|(with Saba & Mavi)}} (2023)
- Chanel {{small|(with Kanine the Don)}} (2023)
- Tailor Swift {{small|(with MVW)}} (2023)
- Créme De La Créme {{small|(with MVW & Pink Siifu)}} (2023)
- CoMmandO {{small|(with Stan Lane)}} (2024)
- Kn0ck Kn0ck {{small|(with Sicario & YUNG KRONIK)}} (2024)
Personal life
Valee has two children and three dogs (Furrari, Ravioli and Sophia).{{Cite news|last=Coscarelli|first=Joe|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/07/arts/music/valee-kanye-west.html|title=Valee, Kanye West's New Signee, Is a Rapper Who Just Might Build You a Koi Pond|date=May 7, 2018|work=The New York Times|access-date=January 31, 2020|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}