Quadeca
Quadeca | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Background information | ||||
| Born | October 2, 2000 Los Angeles, California | |||
| Genres | Hip hop | |||
| Occupation(s) |
| |||
| Years active | 2014–present | |||
| Labels | ||||
| Associated acts |
| |||
| YouTube information | ||||
| Channel | ||||
| Years active | 2012–present | |||
| Genre |
| |||
| Subscribers | 1.93M[1] | |||
| Total views | 221M[1] | |||
| ||||
Updated: April 2021 | ||||
| Parents |
| |||
Benjamin "Ben" Lasky (born October 2, 2000), better known as Quadeca (formerly QuadecaX8), is an American hip hop artist, producer, YouTuber and former video game commentator. He uploads rap songs, music videos, comedy sketches, and video gameplay to his YouTube channel.
Early life[]
Ben Lasky was born on October 2, 2000, in Los Angeles, California. He is of Ashkenazi Jewish and Canary Islander descent. His father, Mitch Lasky, is a Benchmark general partner and former entrepreneur and video game executive.[2] He became an avid soccer player as a child and was enthusiastic about hip hop and other forms of music. He also has a younger sister named Natasha Lasky who featured back in some of his earliest videos. Lasky opened his YouTube channel on June 11, 2012, under the name QuadecaX8; his early videos being based around video game commentating and the FIFA franchise. He was admitted to Menlo School in 2015 where he joined the soccer team.[3] Lasky continued to play with his soccer team through his student years and became a tri-captain of the team.[4][5]
Career[]
In 2014, Lasky began to create rap-related content and freestyles for his channel. He performed at a talent show in February at Menlo that went viral on YouTube.[6] On September 16, 2015, he released his debut album Work in Progress. The album acquired 26.6 thousand plays on Genius, and Lasky's song "Wii Music Fire" attracted over 1 million streams on Spotify. In 2016, he was accredited as most popular rapper due to his massive followings.[7] He released his second album Nostalgia for the Now on May 11, 2016.
On January 31, 2017, Lasky released his third studio album Bad Internet Rapper, co-produced by Young Taylor and co-written by Arska Pimenov. On August 16, Quadeca was featured on YouTuber JMX's diss track on Jessica Rose, "The Truth."[8] Lasky released his fourth studio album, Out of Order on November 10, 2017. In early 2018, Lasky released two singles "Clouted Up" and "Heart Attack." In October 2018, he teamed up with Saint G to drop a joint project, 1Day, produced in one day. On January 19, 2018, Lasky responded to Diss God's "Top 10 YouTuber Rappers" list with the diss track "THE END OF DISS GOD."
In late 2018, KSI called out Quadeca and other YouTube rappers claiming they were frauds. Lasky responded with a diss track "Insecure" within a week.[9] The music video acquired over 8 million views within 10 days. In November, KSI gave a review of the track and praised it, saying that it warranted a diss track from himself.[10] He responded to with his own diss "Ares," to which Lasky gave a lukewarm response in a tweet.[11][12] Logan Paul revealed that he had wanted to collaborate with Lasky to diss KSI as well, but was denied.[13]
On March 8, 2019, he released his fourth album Voice Memos,[14] and on March 22, Voice Memos peaked at No. 42 on Billboard's Independent Albums and Heatseekers Albums.[15][16] He was able to the explain the lyrics of the song "Uh Huh!" on a Genius interview[17]
He was featured as a guest on the song "Roll the Dice" from KSI and Randolph's collaborative album New Age on April 12, 2019.[18] On April 21, 2019, Lasky released the single "Not a Diss Track". On May 12, Twista reacted to him and other new rappers on Genius's The Cosign, where he criticized Lasky for being "corny."[19][20] On May 26, he released a music video to "The Man on my Left Shoulder." On June 14, 2019, he collaborated with Lindon on the song "Anti Drug."[21] On August 1, 2019, Lasky released the single "Tomfoolery" with Egovert, Kil, and Moxas. On September 6, he released the single "I Don't Care", and on September 27, Quadeca and Moxas released "Schoenberg."[22] At the end of the Schoenberg music video, he announced his next album From Me To You, which was set to release in early 2020. Quadeca went on to release two more singles that year, "Fish Outta Bacardi" with EGOVERT and "Beamin’".
In March 2020, he announced the lead single for From Me To You, "Where’d You Go", which he then released in April. In April he also announced the second single, "Alone Together", which was subsequently released later that month. Starting in August, Quadeca took a five-month hiatus from all social platforms, to finalise From Me To You.
On January 29, 2021, Lasky announced his fifth studio album titled From Me to You on YouTube,[23] which released on March 30, 2021, under AWAL.[24][25][26][27] He released the single "Sisyphus" on March 20, 2021.[28][29]
Artistry[]
Style and influences[]
Lasky's early releases were categorized as YouTube rap but he has now diversified as he combines elements of experimental hip hop, R&B, and pop rap. His earlier projects were influenced by rappers like Logic and J Cole. In his fifth album From Me To You, Quadeca draws from influences such as Tyler, The Creator, Joji and Frank Ocean.
Discography[]
Albums[]
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Independent Albums [15] |
Top Heatseekers [16] | ||
| Work in Progress |
|
— | — |
| Nostalgia for the Now |
|
— | — |
| Bad Internet Rapper |
|
— | — |
| Out of Order |
|
— | — |
| Voice Memos |
|
42 | 15 |
| From Me To You |
|
— | — |
| Title | Album details |
|---|---|
| 1Day (with Saint G) |
|
Singles[]
| Title | Year | Album/mixtape |
|---|---|---|
| "Wii Music Fire" | 2015 | Work in Progress |
| "Mind's Eye" | 2016 | Nostalgia for the Now |
| "You Can't Rap" | ||
| "Dreamlife" (featuring Gracie Zander) |
Non-album single | |
| "2020" | Bad Internet Rapper | |
| "Unscripted" | ||
| "Lemon Tree" | 2017 | |
| "Cause He Has One" | Non-album single | |
| "Who Would've Thought" | Out of Order | |
| "Idontwannaspeakagain" | ||
| "Hold Up" (featuring Quentin Miller) | ||
| "Clouted Up" | 2018 | Non-album single |
| "Heart Attack" | ||
| "No Deal" (featuring Moxas) | ||
| "Unusual" (featuring B. Lou) |
Voice Memos | |
| "Insecure" | Non-album single | |
| "Four Horsemen" (with Crypt, Dax & Scru Face Jean) |
2019 | |
| "War!" (featuring Dax) |
Voice Memos | |
| "Uh-Huh" | ||
| "Not a Diss Track" | Non-album single | |
| "Volt" (with Sad Frosty) | ||
| "Gordon Ramsay" (featuring Sad Frosty) | ||
| "The Man on my Left Shoulder" | Voice Memos | |
| "Toomfoolery" (with Egovert, Kil & Moxas) |
Non-album single | |
| "I Don't Care" | ||
| "Schoenberg" (featuring Moxas) | ||
| "Fish Outta Bacardi" (featuring Egovert) | ||
| "Beamin'" | ||
| "Where'd You Go?" | 2020 | From Me To You |
| "Alone Together" | ||
| "Live Like This" | Non-album single | |
| "Sisyphus" | 2021 | From Me To You |
| "Shades of Us" | ||
| "Candles on Fire!" | ||
| "People Pleaser" (featuring Guapdad 4000) | ||
| "Rip Bozo" |
Guest appearances[]
| Title | Year | Album/mixtape |
|---|---|---|
| "Batter Up (with Didac)" | 2018 | Non-Album Single |
| "Illy Mode (with Scru Face Jean)" | 2019 | |
| "4 Horseman (with Crypt, Scru & Dax)" | ||
| "Roll the Dice (Performed by Quadeca & Randolph)" | New Age | |
| "Duh Nuh! (with Crypt)" | Tales From The Crypt | |
| "Outbreak (with Josh A)" | Disgrace | |
| "Bigger (with Joey Nato)" | Who Made This Album? | |
| "Class in Session! (with A1TH)" | 2020 | Ignorant As Hell |
| "Darken The Shadow (with PelleK)" | 2021 | Darken The Shadow OST |
References[]
- ^ Jump up to: a b "About Quadeca". YouTube.
- ^ McClain, James (December 1, 2020). "Venture Capitalist Mitch Lasky Drops $40 Million on Malibu's Broad Beach". Yahoo! Finance.
- ^ "2015–16 BOYS SOCCER ALL-LEAGUE TEAM". West Bay Athletic League.
- ^ "Page 48 – Menlo Magazine Summer 2019". Menlo School. p. 48.
- ^ Eymer, Rick (February 6, 2019). "WBAL BOYS SOCCER: THREE TEAMS STAKE A CLAIM TO THE TITLE". Sacred Heart Schools, Atherton.
- ^ Eymer, Rick (January 20, 2017). "Lasky's first soccer goal is music to Menlo's ears". Palo Alto Weekly.
- ^ Bleicher, William; Ryland, Connor; Plewman, Rory (February 3, 2016). "Menlo's rap game edgier than a mountain range". The Coat of Arms.
- ^ "love island's jess shears addresses claim she 'stole from youtuber ex jmx'". MTV. September 20, 2017.
- ^ Glaze, Virginia (November 24, 2018). "KSI gets roasted by YouTube rapper in savage diss track". Dexerto.
- ^ Donigan, Wyatt (November 27, 2018). "KSI gives surprising review of Quadeca diss track". Dexerto.
- ^ Griffin, Louise (December 15, 2018). "KSI viewers affirm Deji's claim he has a 'god complex' as he collabs with Randolph". Metro.
- ^ Donigan, Wyatt (December 4, 2018). "KSI releases long-awaited diss track, Quadeca gives lukewarm response". Dexerto.
- ^ Glaze, Virginia (December 8, 2019). "Logan Paul wants to team up with this YouTube rapper to roast KSI". Dexerto.
- ^ New To Hip Hop (July 16, 2019). "Quadeca: Voice Memos Review".
- ^ Jump up to: a b "INDEPENDENT ALBUMS". Billboard. March 23, 2019.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "HEATSEEKERS ALBUMS". Billboard. March 23, 2019.
- ^ Reneau, Steven (March 20, 2019). "Quadeca Breaks Down The Meaning Of "Uh Huh!"". Genius.
- ^ Smith, Theo (April 15, 2019). "Review: KSI & Randolph – New Age". The Edge.
- ^ Gebreyes, Rahel (May 10, 2019). "Twista Reacts To New Fast Rappers On 'The Cosign'". Genius.
- ^ Marie, Erika (May 14, 2019). "Twista Reacts To Quick-Rhyming Rappers Like J.I.D, Denzel Curry, & Ski Mask". HotNewHipHop.
- ^ Camaj, Margaritë (February 1, 2021). "Lindon and Quadeca take us to class on "Anti Drug" [Video]". Earmilk.
- ^ "Rappers Quadeca and Moxas, sample a famous, expressionistic Arnold Schoenberg piece for the short, but sweet banger, "Schoenberg."". The Musical Hype. October 1, 2019.
- ^ Lasky, Benjamin (January 29, 2021). "From Me To You (Trailer)". YouTube.
- ^ "What's Up Next: Here's Every Album Dropping In March". Genius.
- ^ "Revealed: Billboard's 2020 Indie Power Players". Billboard. June 15, 2020.
- ^ "Quadeca- "From Me To You" (Album Review)". Fantastic Hip Hop. April 8, 2021.
- ^ Jefferson, Devon (April 1, 2021). "NEW MUSIC FRIDAY – NEW ALBUMS FROM LIL TJAY, 24HRS, BANKROLL FREDDIE + MORE". HipHopDX.
- ^ Buxton, Chris (April 12, 2021). "Quadeca – From Me To You (Album Review)". Banger of the Day.
- ^ "Quadeca – Sisyphus (Official Music Video)". News Vision Viral. March 21, 2021.
- ^ "1DAY (QUADECA X SAINT G)". SoundCloud. Retrieved August 15, 2021.
- 2000 births
- American male rappers
- People from Los Angeles
- Rappers from California
- 21st-century American rappers
- American YouTubers
- Living people
- 21st-century American male musicians