By: T- Millzz
I first heard ScHoolboy Q on a 50 Cent song called “Can I Speak To You” in 2012. I knew he was a talent in the making and a first-hand account of someone on Top Dawg Entertainment, just like Kendrick Lamar who could take the hip hop community by storm if his cards were played correctly. Personally, I wasn’t a huge fan of his first label album “OxyMoron.” However I took a step back and decided to give “Blank Face LP,” a listen. What I heard was absolutely amazing.
Q gives his account on a society that needs some gritty, harsh words to showcase its flaws. From the start you can tell ScHoolboy Q was taking his music in a different direction than what we had heard on his debut album. “I can take you spots where gangsters walk,” Q states on the first track of “Blank Face LP.” This couldn’t be a more accurate statement. ScHoolboy Q walks us through the life he and many other natives of South Central Los Angeles have lived, which has become famous in the genre of rap music.
“Being real never once bought the groceries,” is one of the most honest lines I have heard in a rap song of 2016. ScHoolboy Q paints a portrait of an individual growing up in an impoverished area, but trying to make it out using hope and hard-work. Let me say that this speaks to more than just the demographic Q may be trying to hit. Throughout the whole album on songs like “THat Part,” “Ride Out,” “WHateva You Want,” “Neva Change,” and “Str8 Ballin’” ScHoolboy Q hits the nerves and the topics I feel society needs to hear at this point in our history.
Q may not go down as one of the most influential artists in hip-hop history, but he certainly brings his account of recent events such as Black Lives Matter, All Lives Matter and also gang violence in the United States. This is apparent in his reaction to his own album dropping while the country was mourning the loss of the Dallas officers and the deaths of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile. Q was hesitant that his own album was dropping just hours after a horrific moment in the United States.
Why was ScHoolboy Q hesitant? Because throughout the whole album, Q paints portraits of interactions between police officers and the African American community, black on black crime, as well as recent history of the Black Lives Matter Movement. This is a sensitive topic for Q to talk about and you can tell throughout the whole album that he is bringing a lot more of personal experience as well as a well thought out , cause and effect approach, to his music.
That being said, the songs are beautifully crafted throughout the whole album, with a well influenced sound from Kendrick Lamar, who can be heard throughout the album. At first, I was upset that Kendrick was on the album as much as I heard, however I thought about it a little more and said to myself, “who better to assist on these topics of discussion than someone who has also made two albums outlining similar topics?” ScHoolboy Q is able to take his own voice and make his own sound to this story of recent history. Also, a very welcome sound on “Blank Face LP,” is the addition of Anderson .Paak. His vocals and approach to the songs he is on bring a new challenge to Q as he dabbles in a more mainstream approach, yet staying true to a message he has become known for and wanted to display on this album.
Also, production on this album is top notch, as he recruits producers such as Metro Boomin, Cardo, Swizz Beatz, and Sounwave. Not to mention as well that aside from the E-40 verse, I was highly impressed by the features Q was able to grab for this album. Voices such as Anderson .Paak, Miguel, Justine Skye, Tha Dogg Pound and Candace Pillay are great additions to his arsenal in the future.
Final Verdict: 5/5
ScHoolboy Q absolutely delivers on his sophomore album from beginning to end as he crafted arguably Hip-Hop Album of 2016. His change in message is welcome and almost a slap in the face that society just might need. It is up to the society he has put this album out to, to take it in as a message that can outline the violent culture we truly live in.
Noteable Songs:
1) THat Part (ft. Kanye West)
2) Groovy Tony / Eddie Kane (ft. Jadakiss)
3) Dope Dealer (ft. E-40)
4) Str8 Ballin’
5) Black THougHts