In the first part of 2DopeBoyz and The Well Versed’s interview with ScHoolboy Q, the TDE rapper reacted to Shyne’s take on Kendrick Lamar’s recent debut good kid, m.A.A.d city. Now, in the second portion of their sit-down interview, Q talks about the pressures of following up K. Dot’s album.
ScHoolboy explained that all four members of the TDE clique continually push one another to top each others’ projects with every release. Q said that this time around, however, he’s forcing himself to produce a “classic” record in order to contend with Kendrick’s LP.
“Every time we drop an album it raises the bar for the rest of us,” he said. “When I dropped Habits and Contradictions, it raised the bar for [Ab-Soul]. When soul dropped that masterpiece #controlsystem, it raised the bar for Kendrick. Like, we all got to switch it up. Same thing, Jay Rock made me go in on Habits and Contradictions. We’re gonna keep doing that. Kendrick left me no choice but to make a classic record. I’m not about to put an album that’s okay after that. Top Dawg is not going to let me do it. Kendrick…Ab-Soul, Jay Rock not going to let me do it. It’s impossible for me not to drop – I’m not going to say classic — but a hell of an album that I’ll let you all say if its classic. [Kendrick] raised the bar too high.”
Check out the full interview below.
im not a TDE dick rider but habits and contradictions, #controlsystem and good kid, maad city are hands down my 3 favourite albums of the year so far, black hippy just seem to have a creative edge over other artists at the moment, they seem to thrive off eachothers company and it helps them produce solid albums….its really refreshing to see in what is an otherwise fairly average hip hop world
I already know niggas goin to come in here hating on Q, but I feel that’s what’s up though. They pushin each other and makin each other strive for the best, while still keepin it cool with each other and showin each other love. Like on Section .80 when K. Dot basically gave Ab Soul an entire song on his own album. But I could see that trend though. Follow Me Home
Man im high as hell lol.
Follow me home
1. Section .80
2. GKMC/Control System
3. H&C
4. Follow Me Home, although it could be #3 if it had more creativity incorporated with the street theme.
Who knows if Q will top gkmc, not like niggas cant improve on their game. Have to wait and see what he puts out. Personally I think Ab Soul will top it no prob
go and watch porn..asshole…pussy ..chief keef ..ja rule sucks toilet..eat hiphop dx pussy.trol
Niggas hatin on Q isn’t whats up. meant to say the fact that they push each other is whats up lol
ain’t nobody fucking with his clique!!!!
Really? Kendrick sold pretty well last time I checked.
@d
Kendrick is in Schoolboy Q’s clique you dumb fuck.
Your lack of understanding shows you really ahve no business on this article.
It seems to me someone misunderstood the comment. “Aint nobody fuckin with this clique” means there on top of the game and nobody can compete with them. It doesn’t mean that nobody is interested and “Aint nobody fuckin with them”
You gotta break everything down like a school teacher for internet folks, lol
He look like Dee from The Wayans Bros.
jokes
Kendrick > Ab-Soul > Jay Rock > Schoolboy
Agree with that assessment. A Black Hippy album would be epic… But Q doesn’t have the skill to make anything on Kendrick’s level (Ab-Soul maybe…)
Ab-Soul > Jay Rock > Kendrick/ScHoolboy
They should be like dat anyway regardless of whether they niggas do well, but nice to hear. Hope he lives up to these words, cuz I’m excited to hear what these niggas got next.
ab-soul is the best
THUG LIFE WIGGAS!!! OBAMANATION 2012!!!
he doesnt have it in him to make a classic or follow gkmc, i say this from a fan point.
mhmm, im with you been a fan of Q from day 1 but he ain’t on kendricks level
co-sign
Most writers and even Black Hippy themselves say that Q is the best on the mic and on paper, but he has said a lot that he’s too lazy in the studio. I bet if he pushed it he could make a consistent album, maybe not better than Kendrick’s but it would hopefully be more consistent than Gangsta And Soul, Setbacks and HnC.
Black Hippy members said ab soul was the best on the mic. And I’m sure writers say it’s between Ab Soul and K. Dot, because their work is more critically acclaimed for it’s lyricism and creativity. Not sayin Q can’t be the best spitter out of the crew, but right now he isn’t better then Jay Rock as far as lyrics go
who knows he might just suprise every1 for his next LP
should be easy to top
IDK anon, I just remember a Complex feature where they all agree Q is the best on a technical level. Pitchfork share this opinion also but I think after GKMC they might have changed their minds. I think Rock and Kendrick are good from the first listen but Q and Soul require a couple of spins before they really blow you away.
kinda fell back as a fan after “hands on the wheel” and asap rocky pikachu line
I’m pretty sure I know what article you’re talking about d, schoolboy q and k. dot both said out of the group ab soul was a lyrical mastermind or a genius or somethin like that and 100% sure of that. Most don’t put q as the best one, even in creativity. He might be the most well rounded seein as he’s creative, but he also spits alot of gangsta shit, but lyrically he he can’t touch ab or k dot.
This where Q says it. I dont feel like lookin for the one where kdot says it
http://www.thefader.com/2012/02/27/interview-ab-soul/
Schoolboy gotta drop that GRODT then AB gotta just do what he already did with that Control System and take to the next level.
ey3 never gave my “ratings” for SCHOOLBOY Q & AB-SOUL….the reason…b/c “SHEEP DOGGZ” pretend like they like BH but really..they mad b/c KL made HIStory…..SBQ & AB-SOUL = UNDEFINED!…U HATE ON ONE “BH” MEMBER..UR life ends!…by MR 107….
Ab-soul Sucks
SBQ DAY coming soon…..#EVIL feat KL
raris and rovas
bitchies love sosa
gameboy
you don’ speak no more gameboy
who knows what gon happen? soul stepped his game up a whole level from long term mentality to controlsystem. Jay Rock done came up with crazy flows for the features recently while the album was kinda repetitive. Maybe Q can turn HnC (which was great) to a helluva retail album next year. I mean who knows?
I don’t care if Q’s next joint is a classic or not…I jus appreciate the fact that these guys are pushing each other to make better material because they’re music is getting better with every new release…it’s definitely a positive mentality that should be more widespread in the rap game today.
I want to eat toilet..SO ICY BOI!..i’M REALEASING MY LP ON ITUNES NEXT WEEK…IT’S TITTLED GO AND EAT TOILET..IT’S A CLASSIC….
LIL WAYNE IS THE BEST….HIS DICK IS TASTY
40 toilets in my crib i could shit all day
Lil wayne…please marry me..i beg…i will eat your toilet
I fuck with the whole black hippy crew as a group but I’m not that much into Schoolboy and Jay Rock’s solo shit. None of their solo shit is on par with Section 80, Control System, or GKMC imo. I guess it’s all preference though, but imo I think Ab-Soul and Kendrick Lamar are light years ahead of Rock and Schoolboy.
what about the peer pressure there is to like gkmc
BLU HAS THE EXACT SAME STYLE AS SCHOOLBOY Q
THEY REMIND OF EACH OTHER ALL TIME
AND BLU TEN TIMES BETTER
Nino Brown Prod.RZA – Blu
Haha ! Stop your bullshit !
but im right!
Trolls tell lies
i speak the truth
Finally Rich iz gonna be da album of da year!
gtfo
TDE is the shit!! Schoolboy Q is very unique. great voice, flow and creatively amazing..habits and contradiction was one hell of an album.
good rap voice and a tuff flow
lyrics could improve
The Wu and Illmatic comparisons are interesting though…
Is Kendrick Lamar’s debut an Illmatic?
Is K.Dot a West Coast Nasir Jones?
Is Schoolboy Q a Ghostface Killah?
Ab-Soul = GZA?
Jay Rock = Raekwon?
It’s all good making these points but I don’t think it really helps, such a different commercial climate and even just the hip hop culture has changed. I think people are starting to really overlook Jay Rock now, I heard that nigga’s shit before I even knew about TDE and Black Hippy…nigga’s a technically brilliant emcee, Follow me Home was damn impressive. Only 26 too so good time to mature. Feel like Strange Music has given me a good opportunity to learn about the industry from one of the only ‘nice’ labels out there. I guess if GKMC is Illmatic (which it isn’t but hey) Jay Rock’s verse on Money Trees was AZ’s super stanza on Life’s a Bitch…
i thought school boy was like 50
AB-SOUL AND GZA
GET THE FUCK OUTTA HERE
jay rock and ab-soul fuck up thier raps all the time
schoolboy q makes it work but could better lryiclly
and kendrick is the best i just always like where he is creatively
i ment i DONT always like where he is creativly
im high
if kendrick signed to strange in 2009
you wont be able to put GKMC on at a party and have everone rap along
theres only one biggie