Tomorrow night, Red 7 will be visited by Schoolboy Q. For those of you who don't know, Schoolboy Q is part of the same California hip-hop collective that gave the world Kendrick Lamar, A$ap Rockyand Ab-soul. I don't really understand why they are called "Black Hippys" but that's what they want to call themselves and that's their business. Schoolboy Q's latest record, Habits & Contradictions, is full of trunk-shaking bass songs about doing drugs, having sex, envy and money. In other words, it's not re-inventing the wheel when it comes to hip-hop subject matter but there is no denying Q's flow. His rhymes are clever his cadences switch from Houston-slow to Chicago-quick and all the while the beats represent a new generation of west-coast artists influenced by old N.W.A. records. There are flute samples, string arrangements but also barebones drum and bass beats. I'm not going to pretend like I relate to what Schoolboy Q is saying but of all of the Black Hippy rappers he has the most commercial-ready songs. His single, Hands on the Wheel is a total jam and should really be soundtracking your summer by now.
Schoolboy Q - Hands on the Wheel video via YouTube
There are no advanced ticket sales for tomorrow night's show, so arrive at the door with cash tomorrow. I don't know what the cover will be but I'd say it's in the ballpark of $15ish. You might want to plan on spending money at the merch table too, since Schoolboy Q has been releasing mixtapes for over three years now, chances are there will be some at the venue that you haven't had a chance to see or hear before.
