Noemi Vazquez
Rap/Hip-Hop Journalist
After a five-year album hiatus, ScHoolboy Q finally released his awaited studio album, Blue Lips, in which he presents the listeners with a majestic variety of instrumentals to the deepest of raps. To be real, this is one of those hip-hop albums that got to me as far as the instrumentals from beautiful neo-jazz to punk rock sounds on “Pop” with Rico Nasty. Within the lyrics, I was hit with such raw emotion from an individual that I was fully intact with what Q had to say.
Through this listening experience, I identified so much within the themes of Q’s unique perspective on love, heartbreak, betrayal and anguish. I would like to preface this as the first album I have listened to by ScHoolboy Q, and I can say I am beyond impressed and cannot wait to see what he will release further. Therefore, I have collected my favorite songs from the album and my notes on them. To all my readers, I hope you find yourself well and can listen to this masterpiece, it will take you on a trip.
The beginning of the album in which this song is presented with a beautiful guitar melody and catchy chorus. When picturing this song, I imagine the luxury lifestyle of being a rapper. But there is so much more within “bring the money bags in.” Q’s verse suddenly hits and with an awe ability of the overlapping raps used as a beat/instrument. Also, the phenomenal flute is at the beginning of the song that transcends you into a mundane world.
Oh man! The beat switch caught me off guard and at first, I didn’t like the song for it. But, after a few listens I got adjusted to the musical vision. There is a religious metaphorical tone throughout the song as I interpreted the lines, “Thank God for me, all my b*****s gon’ lie for me” as he later reveals that he used to be an addict. This connects in the way that his entourage praised his “sinful” behavior, he asked to thank God for him. The song depicts how Q wants to keep his life in order but can’t do so because of the people surrounding him (Genius).
The fourth track on Blue Lips and I cannot stress enough how much this song brought me to tears. After much deciphering, I realized this song was an homage to the late Mac Miller, and then instantly the lyrics made sense. I mean the title “Blueslides” alone refers to Mac’s album “Blue Side Park”, as well as when Q raps, “Lost a homeboy to the drugs, man, I ain’t tryna go backwards.”The classical jazz instrumental makes the song intimate as his raps resonate in your ear and mind.
This song is similar to a modern Bohemian Rhapsody, but in a hip-hop sense, taking you on several genres; keeping you questioning what unexpected sounds are coming next. Not to mention the chorus of soft melody repeating, “And girl, I acknowledge that I mistreated you-,” being constantly cut and then given justice in the last verse sung by Lance. On the other hand, the raps were so cutthroat and in-depth that you just had to bop your head with it. It is constant!
This is a musical piece combo of hip-hop and a rave. The astronomical beat with fast lyrics takes you into the mysterious and fearful thoughts of Q and Ab-Soul. Q depicts his many disappointments, and his come-up is reminiscent of his habits, it’s a cycle. It is a dark song that tackles themes of fighting the demons that follow you, and in which the beat adds shadiness to the piece.
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