Shelly Quest is a Bronx-born,   Cologne-based rapper, producer, theatre  actor, and composer whose work fuses hip-hop, soul, spoken word, and live performance into a powerful form of cultural activism.

Often describing her practice as raptivism, Shelly Quest creates music that speaks directly to lived experience—addressing                 liberation, identity,                       spirituality, and community resilience. Her performances move fluidly     between high-energy live shows and intimate, message-driven moments,  often backed by  her band The Soul Pushas.

Beyond the stage, she is deeply involved in community-based cultural work, youth empowerment, and participatory arts    programs across Cologne and NRW, using music and performance as tools for connection, confidence, and social change.

MUSIC

Available on:

Spotify

Apple Music (US)

Apple Music (DE)

SoundCloud

ReverbNation

Styles & influences:

Hip-hop & soul

Spoken word

Live band performance

Conscious & spiritual themes

LIVE PERFORMANCE HIGHLIGHTS

Roots Up Festival — Odonien Open Air, Cologne

Fuego A La Isla Festival — Chemnitz

Free Assange Festival — Marienplatz, Munich

Ebertplatz Open Air — Cologne

BATTLE 100 POUR SANG KRUMP - Senegal

Orangerie Theater im Volksgarten — Cologne

AFRO EURO Festival — Cologne

.....and many many more

THEATRE, FILM & COMPOSITION

Theatre Actor & Composer
Until the Beginnings — original theatrical production

Shelly Quest works across stage and screen as a performer,     composer, and creative                 collaborator, with a focus on.     socially engaged storytelling.

COMMUNITY & CULTURAL WORK

Artist-in-Residence
Akademie der Künste der Welt (Cologne) — Participatory Residency Program

Cultural Educator & Workshop Leader
Youth-focused music and self expression programs across Cologne and NRW, including Kulturrucksack NRW initiatives.

Focus areas:

youth empowerment

participatory art

access to culture

creative self-expression