After establishing himself as the most "street" rapper of the formidable TDE crew with Oxymoron, Schoolboy Q returns with his 4th album (2nd on major label). Using his trademark flow full of coded language ("H crown on wig / shoe strings say where I'm from," s/o to Google for explaining the Houston-Astros-52 Hoover-Gangster-Crips connection), Q further details his past, and although he has made it out of the gangbanging and he's put drug use under control (he lost 30 lbs after quitting lean), the verses paint a vivid and bleak picture of "THat Part" of his life. There are plenty of guest features on the 17 tracker, with the aforementioned scoring a memorable 16 (Q says he was apprehensive about all the "OK"s but now performs 'Ye's part at concerts bc people love the "OK"s.) and Vince Staples shining on "Ride Out." Jadakiss also does his thing on "Groovy Tony / Eddie Kane," and E-40 adds Bay Area flavor on the bouncy, Metro Booming-produced "Dope Dealer." Miguel and Justine Skye smooth out the radio-friendly "Overtime," and the "it" dude Anderson .Paak almost steals the show on "Torch" and the title track. But don't get it twisted, it is Schoolboy Q that shines, and he's recorded an album on par with (albeit very different) his label mate Kendrick Lamar's works.

• orange vinyl
• music label: Top Dawg Entertainment 2016

reviewed by fresh noods 11/2016