Back in 2011, Steven Markowitz was living the dream.

He had graduated from Wharton with a marketing and finance degree, and had become an account executive at Google.

Problem is, it wasn’t his dream.

And so, four months into his budding career at the tech giant, the Long Island native decided to leave San Francisco and move to Manhattan to become his alter ego: the rapper Hoodie Allen.

It’s the sort of decision that could make a parent turn gray overnight, but the 26-year-old Allen says his parents have been supportive.

“I’d earned a lot of cred from finishing school and getting the job I sought out,” he tells The Post. “They could see I was passionate about hip-hop, too. They were like, ‘All right, let’s see where it goes.’ ”

Turns out, he’s gone pretty far. Last month, Allen’s debut album, “People Keep Talking,” hit the Top 10 on the Billboard 200 album chart, and this Friday, he’ll play a hometown show at the Theater at Madison Square Garden. All this despite having almost no mainstream radio play, TV appearances or even press coverage.

What he did have, however, was marketing savvy.

Allen, who is Jewish like his namesake, says he adopted his moniker because he wanted it to “stick in people’s heads.” As far back as 2009, he began self-releasing mixtapes online, making it a point to communicate directly with his fans.

When his debut EP, “All American,” came out in 2012, he offered to personally call everyone who bought it to thank them. (28,000 people bought it the first week — he’s still making calls.)

For “People Keep Talking,” he took to social media, proclaiming, “If your parents don’t love you, steal money from them for my album and I’ll be your new dad.” Today, his Twitter feed is filled with fans addressing him as “Dad.”

“I think people do buy albums from artists that they feel personally invested in,” says Allen. “They know they can stream my album or steal it, but by buying it, it feels like they’re supporting me and my ability to make music.”

It’s not just about the sales pitch, however. “People Keep Talking” is a catchy and even soulful album that sounds like a funnier, East Coast version of Macklemore.

Like a lot of rappers, he’s no stranger to bragging. The very first song on the album is called “100 Percent of Something” and begins with the lines, “I said my tour just sold out/Album’s been bought out/Girlfriend might put out . . . terrific.” But the humor and introspection is more likely to make you smile than scowl.

Allen also makes room between the lines for guests such as acoustic-pop act Ed Sheeran, who features on the track “All About It.”

And, on Friday, he’ll get to show his parents firsthand that he made the right career decision. Although the Theater at Madison Square Garden isn’t quite sold out, his “Hoodie Mob” fan base will be out in force, and he’ll repay them with a show that features a full band and a rock dynamic.

“I suppose if I’m gonna be nervous, it’s gonna be before this show,” he says. “But it’s also the day after Thanksgiving, so maybe I’ll just be in a turkey coma!”

nypost.com