Dwayne Neff

Dwayne Neff is a 24-year-old artist from Park Forest, Illinois, steadily building momentum in the Chicago scene. His recent headline show at Schubas marked a major milestone, signaling his growth from a local name into an artist capable of commanding rooms and drawing real attention to his live performances.

Looking ahead, Neff envisions a future spent touring city to city, selling out shows, and performing on major festival stages. His ambition extends beyond music alone—he sees himself with the creative freedom and resources to execute big ideas, even imagining a world where he launches a Jordan Brand campaign and follows it up by dropping an Album of the Year the very next day.

Musically, Neff draws inspiration from artists like Travis Scott, Kanye West, Lucki, Playboi Carti, Kendrick Lamar, and J. Cole. He comes from a mindset that prioritizes sharp penmanship and lyrical substance, while still pushing new sonic boundaries. For him, there’s no room for boring music—his beats need to hit hard, and his performances need to be high-energy and unforgettable.

His drive is rooted in real-life pressure and persistence. After graduating college, Neff faced the reality of a tough job market where opportunities don’t come easy unless you have connections. That frustration pushed him to commit even harder to music, feeling like it’s the lane he’s invested the most in and his true way forward. He began making music at 17, freestyling with friends, forming rap groups, and dropping tracks on SoundCloud before expanding into producing on FL Studio and learning instruments—laying the foundation for the artist he is today.