Quadry

Quadry Winters, 23, started rapping before his years hit double digits. It might have been dreams of jewelry and attention, rapt audiences and sleek suits—and it was. Watching the BET Awards, a young Quadry noticed the respect given to artists onstage and on the red carpet. It looked pretty good. And growing up in Baton Rouge, La., he had local hip-hop role models on the national stage.