SuperDopeQ is here to prove he can rap, just as much as he kills it in the fashion world. Getting his start as a wardrobe stylist working with everyone from The Migos to Keke Palmer to Young Dolph, the Milwaukee native is best known for his high-fashion, streetwear style — with the ability to drip from miles away. Women Crush Wednesdays, Man Crush Mondays, he’s styled all of them.
When it comes to queer entertainers, Q is stepping up to the plate. With his most recent release titled “Baller Alert,” he reminds the masses that no matter your situation, don’t ever forget to celebrate life. This includes treating yourself and celebrating the hard work you’ve put in, up until this point.
From working as a personal assistant to the CEO of Black Ink Crew to landing a recurring role on the show, Q has a contagious energy and personality that fans can’t get enough of. While he balances the show, styling, running two businesses (a boutique back home in Milwaukee and a unisex fragrance line called Carmae), and a personal life, he’s focused on the music now more than ever.
AllHipHop caught up with SuperDope Q via Instagram Live, who was posted in his car in Atlanta. Read below as we discuss how he got his name, working with the CEO of Black Ink Crew, his new single “Baller Alert,” and more!
AllHipHop: How’d you get the name SuperDope Q?
SuperDopeQ: I came up with that because I’d always say “this is super dope.” I yell that all the time. One day my friends started saying “SuperDope Q… SuperDope Q!” I’m like okay, it’s lit. [laughs]
AllHipHop: Being from Milwaukee, what was the household like growing up?
SuperDopeQ: Being from Milwaukee was cool. I come from a poverty city, but we’re a lit city, Milwaukee’s lit. It was small, that’s pretty much it. People ask “is black people from Milwaukee? I’m like yeah, me! We’re black.
AllHipHop: How was it styling for The Migos?
SuperDopeQ: My cousin is Jacob Latimore. When I first started off, I was styling in Texas. I thought “it’s slow here, I’m going to Atlanta.” I went to Atlanta, he lived there. I did my first gig for him out in Atlanta, then Quality Control’s P called me to do the Migos and this girl Malina, the PR. Offset was just getting out of jail, they called me. I came. Once I styled them, I was outta there. In Atlanta, everyone was calling me back to back. I started with Young Dolph, Blac Youngsta called. Back to back, everybody’s calling my phone like “hey what you got?” Got a magazine cover on this day, photographers calling me.
AllHipHop: Have you always wanted to be a stylist?
SuperDopeQ: I really wanted to be an artist first. I started working with artists so I couldn’t come on as pushing my music on them. “This n*gga is here to style, and he’s over here pushing his music on us.” I don’t want to do that, let me wait till my turn when I can do me. Music cost money, I had no money to be doing no music, trying to drop albums. Selling 50 to 500 copies, I didn’t have time for that. I got a music background, my family. I’d always dress for my parents and be fly as f###, they always kept me fly. It was nothing., that’s why I was best dressed in the yearbook.
AllHipHop: That’s a memory you’ll have forever.
SuperDopeQ: That’s crazy. Who would ever thought I‘d be at the top, I’m in my yearbook lit. Excited about me being in the back as Best Dressed. My name’s on there, my picture… what?
AllHipHop: How did Ceaser Emanuel, the CEO of Black Ink, catch wind of you?
SuperDopeQ: I knew Ceaser 5 years ago. My homegirl Lala Milan introduced me to Caesar: “I need you to go over there and talk to Caesar.” She put me on “he’s the hottest stylist in the city, he styled Migos. You need to talk to him!” He got my information, met him at the shoot the next day. I style him, everybody says “Caesar looks good!” I’m changing images around here, call me an image consultant. He put me on TV last year. He knew I was trying to get a bigger platform for my career, my platform, my music. I was blessed to know him, appreciative of him. We’re in a pandemic, I’m working because of him. I’m still taken care of because of him. When I came to New York, he made sure I’m good. In the industry, it’s hard to find people you connect with, ready to share the money with you.
AllHipHop: “Baller Alert” out now, what do you want fans to get from this single?
SuperDopeQ: Feel-good music, music that makes you bop your head and turn up to. Back in the day vibes. I was always an old school music fan of the Murda Inc days, Ashanti and Ja Rule days. They were going hard, get that bread turning up with the #1 hits. That inspired me to get in there and went off the vibe of having a good time. It’s lifestyle music about what’s going on, it’s lit.
AllHipHop: What can we expect on the music side?
SuperDopeQ: Expect some more head bangers, expect to see me more around because this is the beginning. I’m working on features right now. Expect more turn up music, hear me on the clubs and the radios. Me and my manager JB going up, my cousin Oobie’s on the track “Baller Alert.” I appreciate him getting on there, he’s starting off his rap career. It’s up from here, I’m ready.
AllHipHop: Who’s your Top 5 artists in rotation?
SuperDopeQ: Future, Drake, Flo Milli, DaBaby, Lil Baby.