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Consistency is one of the most important characteristics a person can have in almost every area of life. The ability to be counted and depended on to constantly come through on whatever is required is a very underrated and often unappreciated trait that should be valued much more than it is in sofi ty today. In the music world, specifically hip-hop, consistency has managed to become as big of a red flag as it is a positive trait. While certain artists manage to deliver quality work time and time again to their audience, other artists have manage to drop a large amount projects in which there may be one memorable song per project. Although this recent trend has changed the way consumers receive and enjoy their music, it also allows fans to appreciate the artists who take their time to deliver material that will be enjoyed years after its release. ScHoolboy Q is currently in the middle of a run that many of his peers cannot relate to. He is a Grammy-nominated, highly demanded and requested, genuinely liked and respected MC in a culture where it is almost impossible to thrive without some sort of complaint or negative word spoken no matter where you turn. Schoolboy has crafted a career that has spanned close to a decade without any notable failures or slip-ups, not personally and definitely not in his music. A vital member of the revered Top Dawg Entertainment label, the Los Angeles product has established his own star separate from his mega star label mate and close friend Kendrick Lamar as well as fellow star contemporaries SZA, Jay Rock, Ab-Soul and Isaiah Rashad. ScHoolboy has continued to evolve and mold his signature blend of party style bounce mixed with gangster rap content and lyrical ability in order to set him apart from other artists. The result of this sound has been as solid and progressive as a career path that any rapper can ask for. Q has two exceptional Datpiff era mixtapes: Habits and Contradictions & Setbacks, and a critically acclaimed debut album in the 2014 release Oxymoron. In just a couple of years in the mainstream hip-hop spotlight, ScHoolboy had began to to rise to star status. With the release of his sophomore album, he would cement it. The Grammy-nominated Blank Face LP, Q’s second studio effort, blew up in popularity and would validate his standing as a top rapper in the game for years to come. Coming off the success of two straight high quality albums, the pressure was squarely on to exceed or at least match that quality on the next project. However, untimely circumstances would deter the album process. In 2018, ScHoolboy spent the better part of the fall and winter months mourning the loss of one of his best friends in the late rapper Mac Miller, and then for the shocking murder of fellow Southern California rapper Nispey Hussle in the first quarter of 2019. These tragic events understandably altered his mindset going into his third album. After several delays and multiple scrapped concepts, he would go on to release his most anticipated project to date. On April 26th, 2019, CrasH Talk finally released on all music platforms, and it would not disappoint. Following the mold of previous ScHoolboy efforts, the album starts off with a hyped, hard hitting intro titled Gang Gang, which serves as a salute to his upbringing as a Crip and how that influence molded him. While still having that party sound and element that Q has used throughout his career, the song still to manages to provide perspective and puts the listener in the mindset of a gang member who survived and thrived from his circumstances. That reflective mindset immediately follows on the second track, Tales, which takes a more solemn and serious look at what could’ve been if he had made the wrong choices and the wrong times, leading to being a bad son and father amongst other things. Q is lyrically sharp per usual but it’s the overall tone and delivery that sets the song apart from his usual work. That same tone can be felt on tracks like the sobering Black Folk, which speaks to the perspective of an African American dealing with the negative factors of file. CrasH is a track preaching determination to make it in life no matter what, for the betterment of his daughter and to avoid losing at any cost. These songs show a more conscious and introspective ScHoolboy without any drop off in his top tier lyrical ability. There is a counter on CrasH Talk for those aforementioned tracks that the listener may not want to hear if they’re driving in the car or just causally hanging out. Q provides plenty of fun tracks that don’t miss a beat in quality, some of which provide some of the best moments of the album. Numb Numb Juice, the first single off of the project, is a classic display of ScHoolboy Q at his best. Braggadocios, sharp and aggressive over an 808 heavy sample, the only issue with the track is that it’s less than two minutes long, leaning the listener on a cliff. The standout track 5200 does nothing of the sort. In one of his most impressive songs to date, ScHoolboy starts off with one of the catchiest hooks of the year and doesn’t look bad. Over a fast and distorted sample, he chants about getting money and spending it without worry. Although it’s a simple concept, the verses are delivered perfectly and compliments the hook for a song that can be left on repeat for long periods of time. He also enlists the help of some of hip-hop’s newer stars for standout moments of the album. Two of the top tracks come courtesy of collaborations with two of rap’s most popular young artists. 21 Savage appears on the dark yet smoothing Floating, a perfect title given how the two MC’s flow so easily or the piano and bass heavy instrumental. Q teams up with another young star in Lil Baby on the trap anthem Water. Mixing gangster rap and trap is a unique combination, and the duo take their signature flows to make what appears to be the most popular song off of the album. The project closes out with perhaps its most interesting track, Attention. The title is appropriate, as ScHoolboy grabs the listener’s ear from the start or the song with a chant referencing a mindset of violence and crime. The proceeding verse puts you in Q’s reflective mindset in addition to his accomplishments, hopes and wishes. From marveling at being known and recognized by influences Jay-Z & Nas, to being friends with legendary producer Alchemist, the verse gives perspective from a man who has realized his hard work and impact manifest itself. But that same perspective also implies that are things like universal love that he still desires. It’s that feeling of wanting to be widely accepted and cared for that’s easily relatable for so many people. CrasH Talk marks an interesting point for ScHoolboy Q’s career. He has accomplished more than a large number of artists could ever imagine. Grammy nominated, multiple platinum singles, perhaps the top rap label backing him and most importantly, almost a universal acceptance and appreciation from peers and fans alike. He stands in the game as the face of modern day gangster rap and there is little to no opposition in his lane. That status can be contributed to his consistency in putting out well crafted and high quality material. He has delivered once again with a strong effort on his third studio album, in spite of loss, in spite of immense pressure from his fans, the art doesn’t suffer. ScHoolboy Q stands as one of the best rappers of the past decade, with no signs of slowing down. Top 5 Songs:
1. 5200
2. CrasH
3.Numb Numb Juice
4. Attention
5. Floating