Teen rapper draws on things he loves for rhymes

He can't yet legally drive a car, and already positive-minded Las Vegas rapper Quanee is readying his second CD. But what does a 14-year-old rhyme about? Read on and find out.

What does Quanee sound like?

"I guess my music sounds like who I am: fun, cool, smart and sometimes loud. I like a lot of different artists and styles, hip-hop, soul and some rock, definitely, because I grew up in a house where there was always a band rehearsing or beats being made. My favorite artists are Jay-Z, Drake, Lil Wayne, The Roots, Ludacris and T-Pain, but I like Chris Brown, Usher and the music my family makes, too, so I guess a little of all that is in my music, because I like to sing and rap when I write stuff."

You're getting ready to release your second CD, "5 Star Blue Chipper." What can you tell us about it?

" '5 Star Blue Chipper' is about what me and my little brothers plan to be. We got the idea from our time with the Vegas Elite basketball club and at the Adidas Jr. Phenom basketball camp. Our baby brother Mikal, 9 years old, plays youth football. We all want to go to college to play sports and get scholarships, so the music on the CD will talk about that and doing great in school to be able to do things to help our family. We hang out with kids who already know what college they're going to and have families who can do a lot more for them, so we kind of use that as motivation to be the best and hope this CD inspires kids with a bad home life to listen, get focused on doing good in school and try to go to college, too."

What does a 14-year-old rap about?

"I rap about what I love to do, playing basketball and doing shows, about girls, parties, what I want to be when I grow up, about my mom and dad, my haters, everything, I guess. I rap about a little of all that when we write our lyrics. I give shout outs to the people in my life that help me, like my coach and teachers, even my barber because they talk to me like a grown-up and I like that. I joke around a lot in my raps, too. We're always playing around, so it gives me ideas from watching my dad and his friends joking around and my uncles. They can get on you tough teasing me about my skinny jeans and Vans, about being the shortest kid on the court, so I have raps about that stuff, too."

You collaborate with your 11-year-old brother, C-Hawk, what's the best and worst thing about working with a sibling?

"We're close, but we hate to lose to each other in anything. My dad always says he's not a referee because he's always breaking up the arguments when we play. Even video games can start a fight. He listens to me when he's not playing against me, though. I even sit on the bench with his team at tournaments to coach him up, so that's when we get along great. He sits on my team's bench, too, when we play in the same gym or at different times. However, when we do shows we never fight, so that's when I have the most fun with him. He can be a butthead in the studio sometimes after a few hours of recording because he gets bored, but the shows are what he loves the most, so that part's easy."

Leave us with a little freestyle.

"Here's something I made up right now: Don't let the cute smile fool ya / I hate to lose, I'm a student about theses rules / Like brand new shoes, I'm tighter than Underoos / I get it in like homework, you're still lookin' for clues / Get like me, Q Boogie even without the beats / And I'm still good like Ritz crackers without the cheese / I'm still 'hood, but what's wrong with having manners, please? / I'm at the head of the class with all As and Bs."

Hear Quanee at www.myspace.com/qboogie702.

Contact reporter Jason Bracelin at jbracelin@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0476.