Draft:QG The Great

QG The Great at the Carolina Theatre of Greensboro

Quinn Michael Gray, known professionally as QG The Great, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and actor. He began his music career in 2023, releasing his debut projects independently. QG The Great is known for his collaborations with his cousin MaDrique and his mixtape, Destined 4 GREATness.

Early Life and Education

Quinn Michael Gray was born on March 11, 2009 in Raleigh, North Carolina, in a family with a strong musical background. His father, a record producer; his grandfather, a multi-instrumentalist; and his rapper cousin, Madrique, were influential in his early exposure to music.

At an early age, Gray was often taken to his father's recording studio, where he observed his creative process as a producer. In 2018, he began making music using the GarageBand app on his iPhone, which he later used to work on his debut mixtape, naranja.

Gray attended East Millbrook Magnet Middle School, where he took a piano class for three years. Outside of school, he taught himself to play drums using household objects.

Music Career

2021–2023: YouTube Remixes

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Gray used the quarantine period to further develop his musical style. In 2021, he began producing beats and remixing popular hip-hop tracks by artists such as J. Cole, Mos Def, and Playboi Carti. These remixes helped him build a following on YouTube.

At this time, he was performing under the name Quinn Gray Beats. He later adopted the stage name QG The Great, a suggestion from his mother. This led to his transition into original music.

2023–2024: HAPPY NEW YEAR, Naranja, and Destined 4 GREATness

"HAPPY NEW YEAR" (Single)  

On New Year’s Day of 2023, MaDrique released the single "HAPPY NEW YEAR," produced by QG The Great, through the independent label, Dreams of Children Music Group. The song was Gray’s first composition released on streaming platforms. The accompanying music video, directed by Linus, was released the same day on YouTube.

“naranja” (Mixtape)  

On March 4, 2023, Gray released a beat tape entitled naranja. The title, meaning "orange" in Spanish, reflects Gray's personal association with the color due to his experience with chromesthesia—a form of synesthesia in which he perceives colors when hearing music.

All of the beats on the mixtape were produced using his iPhone, showing Gray’s approach to mobile music production.

“Destined 4 GREATness” (Mixtape)

Following the release of naranja, Gray studied songwriting. On July 25, 2024, he released his sophomore mixtape, Destined 4 GREATness.

Recorded at his home in Raleigh, North Carolina, Destined 4 GREATness was written, produced, arranged, mixed, and mastered by Quinn himself. Similar to his last project, most of the production was done on his iPhone, but the mixtape also incorporated live instruments, including drums, electric piano, and synthesizers. The mixtape includes two featured artists; MaDrique on ‘Heartbreak Stories’ and Kueen on ‘Crown.'

2024–Present: The Silver Lining Story

As of 2024, Gray is supposedly working on his debut studio album, The Silver Lining Story. The album is expected to be released in 2025, though no official release dates or singles have been announced.

Discography

Mixtapes

• naranja (2023)
• Destined 4 GREATness (2024)

Studio album

• The Silver Lining Story (2025)

Acting Career

2015: Early Career

Prior to his music career, QG The Great pursued acting and musical theater, making his debut in 2015. At the age of 5, he first appeared in a theater camp production of the fairy tale Jack and the Beanstalk, where he portrayed The Giant.

2016-2019: The Justice Theater Project

Following his initial role, Gray expressed an interest in continuing to explore acting and joined The Justice Theater Project. From 2016 to 2018, he was in their production of Black Nativity as the Angel. And in 2019, he portrayed Joe Thibodeaux in Justice Theater Project’s ‘Caroline, or Change.’ Due to COVID-19, The Justice Theater Project took a temporary break. He used that time to focus on music.

2023-present: Pure Life Theatre Company

In 2023, he made his return to acting as a member of Pure Life Theatre Company. He has taken on roles such as Maurice in The Face of Emmett Till, Ziggy in Bob Marley’s Three Little Birds, and Sylvester in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. As of 2024, he is doing productions with Pure Life Theatre Company along with writing music.

Theatre Credits

Year	Production	Role
2015	Jack and the Beanstalk	Giant (Lead)
2016-2018	Black Nativity	Angel (Ensemble)
2019	Caroline, or Change	Joe Thibodeaux (Supporting)
2023	The Face of Emmett Till	Maurice (Supporting)
2023	Ma Rainey's Black Bottom	Sylvester (Supporting)
2024	Bob Marley's Three Little Birds	Ziggy (Lead)