Chicago rapper Valee’s charming personality and laid-back, articulate flows have made him a standout in his city’s hip-hop scene. • Born and raised on Chicago’s South Side, Valee grew up listening to his mother play soul artists like Erykah Badu, Sade, and Jill Scott. • He didn’t start making music until his 20s. Before that, he worked customizing cars. • Valee independently released his debut EP, 12:12, in 2015. • In 2018, he signed with Kanye West’s G.O.O.D. Music label and released the EP GOOD Job, You Found Me, executive produced by West. • He’s best known for his 2018 single “Womp Womp,” featuring Jeremih, which cracked the Top 40 on Billboard’s Rhythmic Songs chart. • The rapper’s songs rarely run longer than three minutes. That’s because Valee knows modern listeners have short attention spans. • In 2019, Valee surprise-released the EP Runnin Rich, featuring fellow Chicago MCs Vic Mensa, King Louie, and G Herbo.