Valee

Rapper Valee distinguishes himself through an unusually composed vocal delivery that blends fluid melodies with a deft mix of layered lyrics and economical phrasing. Hailing from Chicago, he generated buzz in the second half of the 2010s via an initial run of mixtapes that began with 12:12. Backed by relaxed beats supplied chiefly by RioMac, ChaseTheMoney, and Troy P, his verses soon reached broader listeners thanks to Kanye West, whose GOOD Music label put out the EPs GOOD Job, You Found Me in 2018 and Runnin' Rich in 2019, plus the Jeremih-assisted hit single “Womp Womp” in between. Since those major-label releases, Valee has steadily enlarged his catalog with full projects including The Trappiest Elevator Music Ever! in 2021, Vacabularee in 2022, and Virtuoso in 2023.

Born on Chicago’s South Side, Valee first built local renown through his custom automotive work before applying the same independent drive to rapping and beat-making. He waited until 2015 to surface with 12:12, launching a string of mixtapes that ran through 2017 and closed with the well-received 1988. Once signed to GOOD Music, he reached a much larger audience when the label commercially issued the mixtape cut “Miami” in late 2017; a Pusha T–featuring version arrived the following year alongside GOOD Job, You Found Me, an EP overseen by Kanye West. The low-key standalone “Womp Womp” with Jeremih marked Valee’s first appearance on the charts ahead of his second GOOD EP, Runnin' Rich, in 2019.

By the close of 2019 Valee had returned to independence, issuing a run of ChaseTheMoney-produced tracks. Over the ensuing years he proved more active than before, moving swiftly between releases while maintaining his signature approach. The 2021 output encompassed the AYOCHILLMANN joint projects The Trappiest Elevator Music Ever! and The Trappiest Disco Music Ever!, the KiltKarter collaboration KiltValee, and the further ChaseTheMoney session Gimme Five Im High. After earlier guesting on an MVW-led mixtape, Valee reunited with the producer for the 2022 single “Oscar,” which quickly ranked among his strongest post-GOOD recordings. He finished the year with the album Vacabularee on the imprint of Fake Shore Drive, the blog and management firm run by longtime handler Andrew Barber. In 2023 he linked with Harry Fraud for Virtuoso, which features the Action Bronson collaboration “Vibrant.”