I’m a hip hop fan, and I’m always looking out for what’s new, who’s good, who’s next to blow, and whatnot. I became a believer of Kendrick Lamar in May of 2011, and the first song I heard from him  (or 2nd, not quite sure), was ‘Michael Jordan.’ After K.L’s 2nd verse, this guy ScHoolboyy Q came in and dropped some SERIOUS fire. I was like, damn I can mess with this guy. So, the first mixtape that I downloaded from him was Setbacks. From start to finish, I was amazed by how his harsh flow and rhymes flowed cohesively with the sick beats that were on the project. 

Now, a lot of people may not know Q (real name is Quincy), but he hails from Compton and is affiliated with the Hoover Crips, which is a well known gang in south central L.A, so that lifestyle really influences his rhymes. His versatile flow reminds me of the days when NWA was out, with the aggressiveness and the poetic nature that he brings to the table. He runs with TDE (Top Dawg Entertainment), which includes Kendrick Lamar, Jay Rock & Ab Soul. This team is yet another force in the West Coast that will be something to mess with in the future.

If you haven’t heard of Q by now, get familiar. He’s in the running for XXL’s 2012 Freshmen List. He has 3 mixtapes out, and is releasing his 4th entitled ‘Habits & Contradictions’ on January 14th. A few tracks have been released, but if you’d rather wait for the release, I’d recommend that highly. Take in the mixtapes below, and be prepared for HnC.

That’s My Word & It STiXX

Gangsta & Soul

Schoolboy Turned Hustla

Setbacks