TDE had a monstrous 2016, its success helped by the release of ScHoolboy Q’s Blank Face LP. That project is up for Best Rap Album at the Grammys and Q will find out Sunday (February 12) if he won the award.
But if he does overcome the odds and take the trophy, he may not even be in the building for it. He says in an interview with Zane Lowe on Beats 1 radio that he skipped out on the 2015 ceremony when Oxymoron was nominated and probably won’t go this year unless his daughter wants to, in which case they’ll go together.
In regards to the Grammy nod, the rapper says “with me just being nominated, I won.” He explains how he doesn’t expect to win the award as he goes up against Drake’s VIEWS, Chance The Rapper’s Coloring Book and Kanye West’s The Life of Pablo.
“None of them are street rappers,” he says. “Rap music came from the streets. Not knocking them, I love Chance’s music. I love Drake’s music. I love Kanye’s music. I’m a fan. They never wanna acknowledge the other part. But the fact that 50 Cent, Nas, Tupac never won a Grammy. Biggie never won a Grammy. Why do artists like us never win a Grammy?”
After wrestling with how to follow up 2014’s Oxymoron, it seems like Groovy Q has indeed gotten his groove back and he says that he’s already well on his way to being done a new album.
“I may sit down for six months of the year just not inspired to write,” he says of the distance between albums, “then it may hit me of what I want to get on.”
He says touring to promote Blank Face gave him fresh energy where he started brainstorming even while on the road. As soon as the tour ended, he hit the studio and pounded out tracks.
“I never been this inspired that fast,” he says, saying that he’s “halfway” done with the new album.
The Los Angeles MC hinted at who might be featured on the upcoming album, including Anderson .Paak. The Aftermath signee appeared on Blank Face LP‘s title track. He also gives insight into the theme of his new album, saying he always needs a concept with a mix of fun and introspection.
“On this record, it’s more so my life after I made it to the point of ScHoolboy Q,” he explains. “I gave you me, but I never gave you the other side of me, the father, the dude that’s actually happy, the dude that doesn’t be in the hood just hanging out, the dude that’s trying to put his homies in position now. I’m not a deadbeat father anymore. I’m in my daughter’s life. She lives with me. I’m actively — I pick her up, take her to school every morning. It’s just a whole different Q.”
Check out the entire interview of ScHoolboy Q talking about his new album and the Grammys below.
Gangster rappers don’t get Grammys because gangster rap isn’t overly popular. The average listeners life doesn’t relate to gangster rap. That’s why the top two selling rappers aren’t gangster. I personally love gangster rap, but it’s obvious reasons for why they don’t win awards… I mean, street rap is so 80s. It’s the style I like, but times change,
Music changes, interests change. Drake ain’t my thing, Q is. But obviously drake will always have a much larger audience.
Like anyone remember snoop used to be consider gangster lmao? Then we all found out he was just a studio thug?
Q is not a gangsta rapper. Rappers like him don’t wins Grammy’s because of the voters or out of touch with hip-hop music like yourself. They just pick the guy that played on the radio the most. That’s how the fresh prince and jazzy Jeff beat public enemy and why McLemore and Ryan Lewis beat Kendrick Lamar. The ppl giving the awards don’t know about hip-hop. That’s why drake will likely win even tho he sung most of the songs on views. And the rest of the songs were pop Justin Bieber type songs. The few rap songs up there likely was written by someone not named drake. Nothing about his album is hip-hop. But the judges are so clueless that they’ll give him or Kanye the award.
u a drake hater
If Drake doesn’t get a Grammy award there will be accusations of racism and anti-semitism thrown around like crazy. So yeah, he’s going home with probably more than one Grammy. Havin a darker skin tone plus being jevvish doubles up his chances for winning.
STOP IT… STOP WHINING!! (in my Arnold Schwarzenegger voice)
How is he hating? Hotline bling like Views is mostly a pop song/album, not rap. Plus they nominated iggy azalea before, so clearly the voters don’t know anything about real rap. Facts.
Would anyone attending the Grammys even know or care, I doubt it.
When was the last time the rap Grammy actually went to the best rap album?? You telling me some old guy knows about hip hop lol Nah fam
Umm, last year?
Maybe people like you never win because you lack talent? Just a wild guess.
Q said people like us referring to “reality rappers” like nas, pac, biggie, himself. How are they not talented? They all talk about the reality of the streets not just a bunch of mainstream pop songs. Rap originated in the streets, so the nominations should be given to real rappers not frauds like iggy azalea and drake. Views is overrated bullshit compared to any pac album, it’s just a bunch of lovey dovey pop songs, that’s unfair on rap artists who make rap, not half pop albums singing. They should do a separate award for them considering they also make pop songs. Hotline bling is a pop song and it stole all the rap awards. Pac is one of the greatest rappers fuck catchy bars and punchlines he spoke about things that everyone could relate to. And lyrically biggie kills everyone I mentioned, that’s talent. Drake fans are mostly lil boys n girls who don’t respect hip hop and think drake is goat.
STOP IT… STOP WHINING!! (in my Arnold Schwarzenegger voice)
lmao… yea and the grammys is skipping Schoolboy
Lol u are not Tupac or biggie by any means
READING AND COMPREHENSION IS FUNDAMENTAL EXCEPT FOR YOU!!!! READ A BOOK TODAY AND MAKE YO MOMMA PROUD!!!! JERK OFF!!!!
THE GRAMMYS ARE A WHITE ESTABLISHMENT!!!! YOU GOT WHITE 60 YR OLD’S CRITIQUING RAP MUSIC WHO DON’T EVEN LISTEN TO RAP MUSIC OR HAVE BLACK/LATINO FRIENDS!!!! GET THE FUCK OUTTA HERE!!!! FUCK EVERY ONE OF THESE AWARD SHOWS!!!!
That’s not how the Grammy’s work lol what the hell “white people!!! Black people!!”
LOL. Who cares? This guy is comparing himself to some pretty big names.
Dont see where he compares. All he said was he respects the other dudes music but he is the only street rapper. Dont listen if you want but dont hate
Because he ain’t commercial now if u put people on the album that the Grammy like then u get one but fuck the grammy put out great music and just do you the tde camp put great music out anyway stop worrying bout commercial success and focus