Stat Quo facts for kids

Stanley Bernard Benton (born July 24, 1978), known as Stat Quo, is an American rapper and music producer. He worked hard to go to college. He studied economics and international business at the University of Florida. He thought about becoming a lawyer. But then, a famous rapper named Scarface told him to focus on rapping.

In 2003, Stat Quo released his first Underground Atlanta Mixtapes. This caught the eye of Aftermath Entertainment's Mel-Man. Stat Quo met Dr. Dre at a studio in Los Angeles. That night, he recorded a song called "The Future" with Dr. Dre. This song appeared on his second mixtape in 2004. The mixtape reached Eminem, which led to Stat Quo signing with both Shady Records and Aftermath Entertainment. Stat Quo now helps manage other artists.

Stat Quo was one of the few artists signed to both Shady Records and Aftermath Entertainment. He was seen as a new talent for Dr. Dre and Eminem. His first album, Statlanta, was planned for release by these labels. However, it was never officially released by them. Statlanta finally came out in 2010 through another label, Dream Big Ventures. Stat Quo has continued to work in music. He writes and produces songs. He also started his own record label, Blood Money Entertainment, with rapper The Game.

Early Life and Music Beginnings

Stanley Benton was born in Thomasville Heights, a neighborhood in Atlanta. He grew up with his mother and grandmother. When he was about 12, he started freestyle rapping with his cousin. His mother bought him a radio, and he would record his raps. In 1997, he began taking rap seriously. But he also kept focusing on his education.

Music Career Highlights

Joining Shady and Aftermath (2003–2007)

Stat Quo was discovered in late 2003. Both Dr. Dre and Eminem heard his Underground Atlanta mixtapes. Eminem liked his music and shared it with Dr. Dre. They decided to sign Stat Quo together. This meant he joined both Aftermath Entertainment and Shady Records.

His first album, Statlanta, was supposed to come out in 2003. But its release was delayed many times. It was finally released independently in 2010. This version was different from the original one. Dr. Dre still helped supervise its production. Stat Quo also appeared on other artists' albums. These included Young Buck's Straight Outta Cashville. He was also on Eminem's album Eminem Presents the Re-Up. He contributed to songs like "By My Side" and "Tryin' Ta Win." He also appeared on Eminem's Encore album. Stat Quo has worked with many other artists too. He once said his main goal was to bring respect to Southern hip-hop music.

In 2005, Stat Quo filmed a music video for his song "Like Dat." This song was meant to create excitement for his music. The video was shot in Atlanta, where he grew up. He wanted to show the area before it changed. Rapper Ludacris also made a brief appearance in the video.

Stat Quo joined the Anger Management Tour in 2005. This tour featured Eminem, 50 Cent, and other artists. During the tour, a bus carrying Eminem's group had an accident. Stat Quo was taken to a hospital but was released after treatment.

Statlanta Album Release (2008–2010)

In October 2008, Stat Quo left Shady Records and Aftermath Entertainment. He was not happy that Statlanta had not been released. On April 21, 2009, he released a street album called Smokin Mirrors. He hoped to release Statlanta in 2009. To promote it, he released several free mixtapes. These included Quo City and Checks & Balance. Statlanta was eventually released on July 13, 2010.

In 2009, producer Sha Money XL started a new record label called Dream Big Ventures. Stat Quo quickly signed with this label. Statlanta was then released through Dream Big Ventures.

In March 2010, Stat Quo appeared in an HP commercial. He was with Dr. Dre, promoting HP Beats Audio Laptops. The commercial featured a song from Dr. Dre's album Detox. Stat Quo had helped write songs for Detox.

Songwriting and New Projects (2011–Present)

By 2011, Stat Quo was listed as a songwriter for Dr. Dre's Aftermath Entertainment. In 2012, Wiz Khalifa released a song called "Far from Coach." This song featured Stat Quo and Game. Even though the song was not on Wiz Khalifa's album, it led to a new partnership. Stat Quo and Game started a record label together. It was first called Rolex Records, then renamed The Firm. They planned to release new music and sign other artists. Stat Quo also helped produce Game's album Jesus Piece.

On September 9, 2013, Stat Quo released "Michael." This was the first song from his second album, ATLA. "ATLA" stands for "All This Life Allows." The song "Michael" was a tribute to famous Michaels like Michael Jordan and Michael Jackson. On December 16, 2013, he released the second song from ATLA, called "Trillion."

On December 17, 2013, Stat Quo released ... Is the Future with Bobby Creekwater. This album was announced in 2011 but was delayed. They released new songs from the album in late 2013. On December 20, 2013, Stat Quo released "OutKast." This song was a tribute to the Atlanta rap group OutKast. ATLA was released on February 15, 2014, which was his son's birthday.

Music Albums

• 2006: Eminem Presents: The Re-Up (with Shady Records)
• 2009: Smokin Mirrors
• 2009: Great Depression
• 2010: Statlanta
• 2013: ... Is the Future (with Bobby Creekwater)
• 2014: ATLA: All This Life Allows, Vol. 1

See also

In Spanish: Stat Quo para niños