Marqus Clae

Marqus Clae, a Houston-raised emcee and actor, centers his work on intricate lyrical gymnastics and assured, story-based rhymes. Performing at first under the name Young Marqus, he took up rapping in childhood, putting out an initial mixtape at age ten before serving as an opening act for Lupe Fiasco the next year. An unexpected airport encounter with Master P produced a contract with No Limit Forever, the label that issued The Ghetto Poet in 2017. He later moved to the Def Jam roster and delivered the album THE MECCA in 2022, then reinforced his standing in rap with the 2023 single "Kendrick, Clae & Cole."

Clae absorbed early influence from Houston legends Scarface and Devin the Dude. His mother, a rapper herself, showed him how to compose and track verses. Still billed as Young Marqus, he released his debut mixtape at ten; his DJ and producer then arranged an introduction to Lupe Fiasco that led to touring dates. At sixteen he experienced another pivotal meeting, approaching Master P in an airport after a flight from Los Angeles and asking the mogul to hear his music. Weeks later he was signed to No Limit Forever, and The Ghetto Poet arrived in early 2017 with guest spots from label co-owners Master P and Romeo Miller. That year also brought his acting debut in multiple episodes of Shots Fired, followed by the role of Billy Johnson across the first two seasons of the Marvel series Cloak & Dagger. He next issued the independent projects The Anonymous in 2018, P.T.S.D. in 2019, and Pandemic in 2020, and appeared in the short film All Screwed Up, a tribute to the late DJ Screw.

Clae joined Def Jam in late 2020; his first single for the label, "Open Market," surfaced in 2021. Additional tracks preceded the 2022 full-length THE MECCA, created as an homage to New York hip-hop. In 2023 he dropped the single "Kendrick, Clae & Cole" together with several online freestyles.