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Name: Will Swanson NiQ Age: 23 Hometown: Columbus, Ohio Will Swanson is not a drug dealer turned rapper. He didn't make street violence his mantra, or claim it as the one thing he knew growing up in the hood. He hasn't been shot and he doesn't have a history of blatantly disrespecting women. So if you were looking for your classic crack-to-riches rap story, you haven't found it. NiQ is no stereotype - but after you hear his flows, it won't matter to you either way. There is nothing cliché about Swanson, the honest rapper. As his stage name 'NiQ', (short for unique) implies, everything about this Midwestern rhymester is original. From his flow, to his lyrics, to his style, you definitely have not heard or seen this before. NiQ's story began as a young man, where he would come up with the rhymes, and his brother would make the beats, but NiQ's attention was elsewhere. In his early days, with his mind on chasing the money, it didn't look as though rap was going to be a realistic career option for Swanson. He decided to enter the job market full time, and began a successful career in sales at 18. In the turmoil of the last year, a collapsing economy and housing market cost NiQ his corner office job as a mortgage salesman. With nowhere else to turn, Swanson looked inside and has once again found his one true love: making rap music. Since then, NiQ has not left the studio, working relentlessly until releasing his debut album, Monopoly, and his newest offering, SEC: The Mixtape. Swanson has performed at more than a dozen venues in Ohio, including Club Ice[Formerly Long Street Live], Screamin Willies, High Fives and Skully's. With his rap career growing, Swanson is attempting to do something that has only been done once before in rap history: become a reputable rhyme master, while representing the largely unknown and forgotten hip-hop scene of the Midwest, especially Columbus, Ohio. Swanson's range of flows and subject matters on his new album are quite vast. He has club hits like HNIC and Talk About Me, and then counters them with jams that stimulate the mind like Heaven Knows, and Money On My Mind. His music is a brilliant mix of hot and exciting beats, a flawlessly smooth flow and mind-probing lyrics. Monopoly, has many messages hidden within its lyrics. Ones asking for change in the hip hop scene, others de-glorifying the gangster mentality of rap, some that ask questions on controversial issues, and all of it with just a little bit of that NiQ swag - you'll be bopping your head to the beat and then be scratching your head analyzing what he just said. That's the type of range that NiQ has, and he displays to perfection on both Monopoly and SEC: The Mixtape. Do yourself a favor and take a good listen. You won't be disappointed. - biography by Jose Ortiz Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.