ScHoolboy Q’s discography is one of the most impressive in rap over the last 12 years. Despite everything, he is rarely mentioned among the best in his profession.
Possibly because he was in Kendrick Lamar’s shadow when the latter was on the same label, Top Dawg Entertainment. Or because the Californian MC is discreet between his albums. Nearly five years passed between the release of Blue Lips and the previous CrasH Talk. Following a few listens of ScHoolboy’s sixth offering, it’s safe to say he used that time wisely.
Blue Lips opens with haunting flute notes, then warm guitar notes which accompany a comic refrain – the title of the piece is Funny Guy. The tone completely changes on punk rock Pop, with Rico Nasty. We like it when rappers position their energetic songs at the start of the session. THANK GOD 4 MEjust after, continues the momentum by relying on a glorious crescendo tempo which softens towards the end and sets the table for Blueslides. On this magnificent track imbued with melancholy jazz produced by TaeBeast and J. LBS, Q talks about the death of his friend Mac Miller and promises to improve some of his behaviors.
The explosive Yeern 101 restarts the cycle forcefully. Like THANK GOD 4 ME, Love Birds goes from a crushing rhythm to a gentle pulsation, but without being as effective. We quickly forget moviewhich is basically an Az Chike song, but Cooties stands out from the crowd. On the latter, Quincy Matthew Hanley shows himself grateful for his wealth and his family, while expressing his concern about the frequent shootings in schools. “Mass shootings, when will they stop it? Hmm/’Nother kid go for unlimited profits/Rather keep my kid home, before you fuck up the process/I’d rather die and lose it all, before they don’t get the knowledge. »
Ohio is another piece that benefits from skillful transitions and, as a bonus, a powerful verse from Freddie Gibbs. Crazywith Ab-Soul, is a brilliant composition by TaeBeast, Mario Luciana and Jason Wool that borrows from the jungle.
While First is quite conventional, Nunu surprises with its structure and diffuse atmosphere. THE beat of Back N Love is very heavy, but the whole thing is redundant. Unsurprisingly, what The Alchemist has concocted for Q suits him perfectly, then when the percussion is added, Lost Times becomes sublime. On Germany 86´ScHoolboy looks back on his childhood – he was born on a military base in Germany before landing on dangerous Hoover Street.
The rapper’s non-conformist approach is highlighted on Time killers And Pig feeta huge sound with Childish Major. smile is a strange and brief conclusion, but still reflects the enigmatic character of ScHoolboy Q.
Extract of Blueslidesby ScHoolboy Q
Rap
Blue Lips
ScHoolboy Q
Top Dawg Entertainment