ScHoolboy Q’s BLUE LIPS continues to be one of 2024’s best and most impactful albums, and one of its finest and most balanced bangers just got the love it deserves. In the visuals for “THank god 4 me,” the TDE rapper, director Omar Jones, and their team bring forth a lot of visuals alluding to snitching, loyalty, the American dream, diving into one’s psyche, and camaraderie. He even included a snippet of the track “BANG YOUR HEAD” (which features Q) from TDE affiliate and frequent BLUE LIPS presence, Devin Malik. That cut’s off his new album DEADSTOCK, which you should absolutely check out if you haven’t already. All in all, it’s exactly the type of impressive visual treatment and homegrown love that you’d expect.
What’s more is that ScHoolboy Q also added his talents to a lot of other hip-hop moments this year. For example, he recently featured on The Alchemist’s “Ferraris In The Rain” off of his soon-to-come LP, The Genuine Articulate. In the case of the alleged conversation between Q and J. Cole for the latter to drop out of the Kendrick Lamar and Drake battle, then those talents are just common sense, concerned sensitivity, and just looking out for his fellow MCs.
Elsewhere, ScHoolboy Q is also leading the charge for the hype around fellow TDE member Doechii’s excellent mixtape, Alligator Bites Never Heal. He sung its praises online, and all this goes to show just how much more he’s done this year beyond just dropping a surefire AOTY finalist. Sometimes, artists drop and disappear altogether, but seeing Q in this space as of late is always a treat. That’s especially the case when he can nurture and further push the great songs and ideas he discusses on the album, of which “THank god 4 me” is a clear standout.
However, ScHoolboy Q also lends his critical perspective from time to time, such as with Michael Rubin’s controversial comments about Black culture on The Breakfast Club. “YOU KNOW WAT I DONT LIKE ABOUT U N***ERS? I HATE WHEN U N***ERS BE ACTING LIKE N***ERS…basically,” he said to characterize Rubin’s comments. “NO SUCH THING AS BLACK ON BLACK ANYTHING,” Q added in this since-deleted series of tweets.
Doechii’s new mixtape Alligator Bites Never Heal is probably the best project you’ll hear this week, and the Internet is absolutely loving it. Fans new and old are giving this record its due praise, expressing even more excitement for her career and for her next big splash. Moreover, the TDE signee got love from a lot of her hip-hop peers and from her label mates themselves, such as a recent tweet from ScHoolboy Q. “Just Here to say DOEcHii… dats all I care about at da moment,” he expressed. Many listeners certainly share that sentiment, with many remarking that we can expect some amazing things from her next album if this is just the mixtape stuff.
As such, Doechii is one of those rare careers in which the hype cycle around her only continues to grow rather than fall into question with each subsequent release. It’s definitely a lot of pressure, and one that many of her femcee peers are even more subjected to due to how fast their rises to fame are in public perception. But the “BOOM BAP” lyricist is different in that she seems to gain more fans with each move, developing her artistry and showing off her versatility with ease. These are even clear lyrical themes on Alligator Bites Never Heal, so we know that she is just as cognizant of this expectation.
But where other artists would rather replicate and retread, Doechii occupies multiple lanes and can make a hit out of a wealth of skills and talents. This is especially the case for her Swamp Sessions series, in which various songs display the sheer hunger and creativity beneath. “NISSAN ALTIMA” and “FLORIDA WATA” are easy standouts, and should be a part of any deep dive into this catalog.
Meanwhile, Doechii may have gotten ScHoolboy Q’s love this time around, but he doesn’t always take to social media to praise another celebrity (although that will probably always be the case for his label mate). Most recently, he took issue with Michael Rubin’s comments about Black culture on The Breakfast Club. It was a pretty controversial albeit well-meaning moment, so it’s no surprise that Q wanted to chime in. Hopefully, he finds more reasons to be happy and supportive on social media, because that’s what we all should do when antics and controversies don’t get in the way. In any case, stream Alligator Bites Never Heal, and you won’t want to fight online anymore.
ScHoolboy Q is not happy with the approach Michael Rubin recently took to defend Meek Mill and Lil Baby. During his recent appearance on The Breakfast Club, the Fanatics CEO spoke about the infamous photo of him hugging Lil Baby, banning Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” from his Fourth of July party that Drake attended, and his friendship with Meek Mill. While addressing the recent social media critiques Meek has faced following allegations made about him in a legal filing related to Diddy’s numerous recent troubles, Rubin directed his focus to what he categorizes as self-hate in the Black community.
“Look, I’m just being blunt. It’s me, It’s the one thing I’ve learned about Black culture that I don’t like is that Black hate on hate.” Michael Rubin said before Charlamagne Tha God asked him to expound on his thoughts. “I think there’s a little bit of Black culture where it’s Black hate on hate. It’s like that Black judge that Meek had, that hated on him and want to go extra hard on him. Okay. I, it’s what people always say to me. It’s like black hate on hate, so I think it’s terrible. It’s something that I think it’s culturally wrong and I’ll probably get killed for saying this.”
The clip quickly went viral. Meek Mill reposted it to his Instagram story. Rubin caught heat for speaking about a community he has no ties to. When it reached ScHoolboy Q’s X (formerly Twitter) timeline, Q was very upset about it. He paraphrased what he interpreted Rubin’s statement as with some choice words.“YOU KNOW WAT I DONT LIKE ABOUT U N***ERS? I HATE WHEN U N***ERS BE ACTING LIKE N***ERS…basically,” he wrote in that tweet, which he quickly deleted. In another tweet he added, “NO SUCH THING AS BLACK ON BLACK ANYTHING,” he added, pushing back on Rubin’s other criticism.
ScHoolboy Q deleted the tweets, accepting that they look “crazy” with no context. Of course, he is not the only one who reacted strongly to Rubin’s commentary. Many critics of Rubin’s work questioned why he felt so comfortable speaking on Black issues, despite not being Black himself. Regardless of the message itself, Rubin is not an appropriate messenger, which many Twitter users agreed on.
TDE and Toronto are not getting along these days. The record label has had multiple shows canceled since Kendrick Lamar triumphed over Drake in their culture-shaking battle. ScHoolboy Q was the first, and most notable, given how much he had to say about the cancelation on Twitter. SiR fell victim to a similar fate, however, on July 30. The R&B singer confirmed that the Toronto venue he was slated to perform at pulled out at the last minute. ScHoolboy Q had a lot to say on the matter, and decided to invite SiR to his own show in Phoenix, Arizona.
“Phx tonight,” the rapper tweeted. “It’s sold out if u got sumtHin FROm BLUE LIPS SHOW and I’ll put 20 ppl on list.” ScHoolboy Q then shouted out his fellow TDE artists, and the strife they’re going through in Toronto. “@SiR u sHould slide bro,” he wrote with a laughing emoji. “Bring @zacarip.” SiR and Zacari are the resident singers on the TDE label, with the latter serving as SiR’s opening act on tour. Q is making it clear that he’ll be more than happy to have them at his show, since Toronto doesn’t want them at their designated venue.
PHX TONIGHT PREGAME 5:15… Doors 7.. it’s SOLD OUT if u got sumtHin FROM BLUE LIPS SHOW ME & I’ll PUT 20 ppl on list.. @sir u sHould slide bro bring @zacarip
This isn’t the first time ScHoolboy Q has commented on SiR’s Toronto troubles. Q was in stitches as soon as the singer confirmed the cancelation. “Hahahahahahahaha,” he wrote. “Take yo a*s home boy. Sing on the bus it’s ova wit.” This, of course, is referencing the theory many fans have put forth, which is that Drake is keeping TDE artists from performing in his own city. ScHoolboy Q alluded to this when his show was canceled on July 18. Q also noted that OVO artists have been allowed to perform in L.A. without issue.
The most ironic part of the whole Toronto saga was the tweet that SiR made after ScHoolboy Q’s show got canceled. He quote tweeted a fan who voiced concern that SiR’s show was the next to be taken off the Toronto venue’s list. “My sh*t ain’t canceled,” he assured the fan. Sure enough, the singer’s show suffered the same fate as his TDE label mate. He even called back to the tweet, and made light of the situation. “This sh*t didn’t age well at all….,” he tweeted.
Toronto’s stance on the Drake vs. Kendrick Lamar battle has been a recent talking point. Drake’s hometown has not been welcoming to those who took Lamar’s side in the battle. Rick Ross was attacked during a recent stop in TO. ScHoolboy Q, meanwhile, claimed that the Canadian tour of his Blue Lips tour was canceled. Well, Q seemingly gotten payback against Drizzy on July 29. ScHoolboy Q got to sit back and watch as a DJ blasted the Drake diss “Not Like Us” on a Toronto stage. Better yet, the same stage that the TDE rapper was supposed to perform on a few weeks prior.
DJ Scheme was the man behind the “Not Like Us” needle drop. He decided to throw on the iconic Drake diss during his Toronto set, and surprisingly, it rang off. The footage of Scheme’s set list shows that fans were more than game to sing along to Kendrick Lamar’s rhymes. The fact that the DJ got away with this would have been enough to elicit discourse, but then ScHoolboy Q chimed in. The rapper quote tweeted the video of Scheme’s set and wrote: “HAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHH.” No extra context needed, really. He was simply thrilled to see Drake getting disrespected in his own city.
ScHoolboy Q previously criticized Drake and OVO for being sensitive about TDE artists being in Canada. When the rapper’s show was canceled, he immediately hopped on Twitter and vented. He said that OVO artists had no problem performing in California, so the same courtesy should be extended the other way. “TOP was just wit Wayne & Baby smH,” he wrote. “Partynextdoor just Had a sHow @ tHe palladium. If we wanted to get yall we would’ve just did it.. now wHen sumbody get Hurt don’t cry…” Debate raged on as to whether Drake was behind ScHoolboy Q’s cancelation, but it was eventually confirmed that the show was going to be at a venue partially ran by Drake.
Drake’s relationship with “Not Like Us” has been interesting over the last couple weeks. The rumor that the rapper banned the song from being played in Houston clubs was debunked. Fittingly, by the DJ who started it in the first place. Then, the 6 God posted a clip of an impersonator on his Instagram Story, and mocked him by using the “Not Like Us” line: “Sometimes you gotta pop out.” No word yet on whether DJ Scheme will face repercussions for playing the diss in Toronto. Either way, though ScHoolboy Q is having a great time watching things unfold.
Drake vs. Kendrick Lamar will be the hip-hop story of 2024. Nothing will come along that tops it in terms of importance or attention. It was a fun time for all involved, except for maybe Drake. That being said, the battle may not be over. DJ Akademiks has continued to hint at the possibility that the 6 God has more to say about his enemy on record. Drake has been quiet, at least by Drake standards. During a new stream, though, DJ Akademiks claimed that some K. Dot sneak disses are on the way.
Ak’s allegiance to Drake is inarguable. That being said, the hip-hop personality does appear to have an inside line to the OVO camp. His predictions and debunking of rumors has been mostly spot on. He’s not infallible, of course, but when it comes to new Drake material, he has enough credibility to be believable. He voiced excitement over the next phase of the Drake and Kendrick Lamar battle, which he called sneak dissing time. “It’s really never over,” he noted. “I can’t wait to hear the first sneak diss.” Akademiks went to share some additional information, but he caught himself. “Matter of fact,” he said, before pausing. “I won’t even tell y’all what I heard.”
Akademiks heard something about a “sneak diss” in the Drake/Kendrick beef
“I can’t wait to hear the first sneak diss… matter of fact, I won’t even tell y’all what I heard. The first sneak diss Drake got that’s dissing Kendrick, how he positions it, that’s gon’ be… pic.twitter.com/TOQmKCQ2be
DJ Akademiks’ excitement did make it seem like he knew something the public didn’t, though. “I can’t wait to hear the first sneak diss Drake got,” he explained. “That’s dissing Kendrick. How he positions it, that’s gonna be interesting. How does he position it…” It’s been a few months since Drake and Kendrick Lamar swapped diss tracks, but the beef appears to very much be active. Lamar is still riding high on the success of his Drake diss, “Not Like Us,” which went back to number one on Billboard. Dot’s former label mate, Ab-Soul, also tweeted about the possibility of Drake picking the battle back up.
More recently, ScHoolboy Q went after Drake’s OVO camp. The TDE artist claimed that Canadian police forced him to cancel his show in Toronto, and he vented about the sudden decision on Twitter. He said that Young Money and OVO artists have been cool in Los Angeles, and suggested that the 6 God was being sensitive. The real cause behind Q’s canceled show have since been debated. Some claim that Canadian police were behind it, others claimed the rapper canceled it himself. Time will tell if all this tension will manifest in the form of a sneak diss, like DJ Akademiks claimed.
ScHoolboy Q’s canceled Toronto show has been the talk of the hip-hop town for the past day or so, and for very good reason. Moreover, there’s a lot of speculation and discourse right now surrounding this situation, especially his claims that Canadian police don’t want anyone from TDE performing. Of course, this is notable thanks to Drake’s Kendrick Lamar beef, with the main conspiracy theory at play being that the West Coast isn’t welcome in the 6ix and that OVO is pulling strings to sabotage them. Furthermore, the Instagram page description of HISTORY, the venue where Q was supposed to perform, says that it’s in collaboration between Live Nation and Drizzy, further fueling this accusation.
Still, this is too vague and unclear to really tell whether or not Drake is responsible for this, but it’s certainly an interesting idea. “THey just cancelled my sHow in TORONTO [crying-laughing emoji]… CANADIAN POLICE DONT WANT NOBODY FROM TDE PERFORMING..” ScHoolboy Q had tweeted. “TOP was just wit Wayne & Baby smH partynextdoor just Had a sHow @ tHe palladium. if we wanted to get yall we would’ve just did it.. now wHen sumbody get Hurt don’t cry… Actually I get it.. Nvm tHis s**t Lokey Hilarious… Iono wHy dot put me in tHat f***ing video.
“cancelled is all I could tHink about,” ScHoolboy Q continued. I don’t tHink u know wHo I am. In fact I do t tHink a lot of u know wHo I am..” “Sending Prayers for Peace and healing. Battle was good. Time to move on,” DJ Akademiks replied to him. “I neva said ‘ ima kill sumbody’ im saying if we wanted to crack it off we could’ve smH,” Q retorted. “Rap and move on playin tuff gon get sumbody Hurt it’s all good ima soccer dad.”
“See I be at soccer games. Ok I’m done til cHicago I’m sorry if y’all took dat as a tHreat and not advice..” ScHoolboy Q concluded. Still, even with this small setback, he thinks that the future is bright for Los Angeles hip-hop, regardless of this battle. We’ll see whether any more details emerge about this Toronto venue situation.
“THey just cancelled my sHow in TORONTO [cry-laughing emoji],” Schoolboy Q posted on X (formerly Twitter). “CANADIAN POLICE DONT WANT NOBODY FROM TDE PERFORMING.”
“TOP was just wit Wayne & Baby smH partynextdoor just Had a sHow @ tHe palladium if we wanted to get yall we would’ve just did it.. now wHen sumbody get Hurt don’t cry..,” he added in another post.
Finally, Schoolboy Q had a sense of humor about it: “Actually I get it.. Nvm tHis sHit Lokey Hilarious [cry-laughing emoji]… Iono wHy dot put me in tHat f*cking video [face-palm emoji].”
THey just cancelled my sHow in TORONTO … CANADIAN POLICE DONT WANT NOBODY FROM TDE PERFORMING..
TOP was just wit Wayne & Baby smH partynextdoor just Had a sHow @ tHe palladium if we wanted to get yall we would’ve just did it.. now wHen sumbody get Hurt don’t cry…
As of this writing, there hasn’t been any official explanation for the cancellation. But as it stands, Schoolboy Q will next perform in Chicago, Illinois on July 20. See all of his remaining dates here.
ScHoolboy Q is not happy. The TDE rapper was slated to perform in Toronto, but was allegedly kept from doing so. In response to this last-minute decision, Q hopped on Twitter and criticized the Canadian city for discriminating against his label. He not only accused Toronto of keeping TDE artists out, but hinted at some larger problems between the label and Drake’s OVO crew. ScHoolboy Q also alluded to there being consequences if this so-called sensitive behavior continued.
The Twitter rant took place on July 17. ScHoolboy Q made it clear that he was angry over the cancelation of his show, and called out Canadian police directly. “THey just canceled by sHow in Toronto,” he wrote. “Canadian police don’t want nobody from TDE performing.” The real bombshell, however, came in the subsequent tweet. Q claimed that everything was good between TDE and Drake’s parent label, Young Money. He claimed that Anthony “Top Dawg” Tiffith was actually hanging out with Birdman and Weezy recently. “Top was just wit Wayne and Baby smH,” he angrily typed. ScHoolboy Q also noted that OVO artist PARTYNEXTDOOR played at the Palladium in Los Angeles without any trouble.
TOP was just wit Wayne & Baby smH partynextdoor just Had a sHow @ tHe palladium if we wanted to get yall we would’ve just did it.. now wHen sumbody get Hurt don’t cry…
After venting about the various ways in which the beef has been settled, ScHoolboy Q got aggressive. He made it known that if TDE had plans to do something to Drake and OVO, they would have done it already. “If we wanted to get y’all we would’ve just did it,” he tweeted. The last part of the message took on a more ominous tone, with the rapper seemingly warning OVO of potential problems to come. “Now wHen sumbody get Hurt don’t cry…” he concluded. ScHoolboy Q was never involved in the Kendrick Lamar and Drake beef, but he made it clear which side he was on from day one.
He voiced his support for Lamar, his former label mate, on social media. He also performed alongside the rapper at the legendary “Pop Out” show on Juneteenth. ScHoolboy Q and Dot rapped “Collard Greens” together. Q was also one of the people who posed for the iconic black-and-white photo taken at the end of the concert. Hopefully TDE and OVO are able to set their differences aside and allow touring on both sides, without things getting ugly.
A performer who works in contemporary R&B and pop styles, Tinashe is a dynamic force and versatile artist. In the early 2010s, she put out mixtapes called In Case We Die and Reverie, which critics well received. This caused her to become popular with her fans because they were different from anything else then. Further, her voice is sexy but also strong. What sets her apart from other artists is how her music combines electronic elements with those of R&B and pop. This can be heard best on tracks such as “Aquarius” off her first studio album of the same name (released in 2014) – where heavy basslines meet synths. The success of “2 On” feat Schoolboy Q further cemented Tinashe’s place among music industry giants during its release year.
Moreover, Tinashe’s work ranges from high-energy tunes about going out to slow jams about thinking things over. These display a wide emotional range as well as a deep understanding of songwriting. Following Nightride (2016), Joyride (2018), and Songs for You (2019), projects that saw her experiment more while still staying true to herself musically speaking, we can safely say there isn’t anything else left for Tinashe to prove.
1. “2 On” Ft. Schoolboy Q (2014)
Released as the lead single from her debut studio album Aquarius in 2014, “2 On” is arguably Tinashe’s breakout hit. The track, produced by DJ Mustard, features a guest verse from Schoolboy Q and combines R&B and hip-hop with an infectious, club-ready beat. “2 On” also showcases Tinashe’s knack for creating catchy, danceable music.
The song became a commercial success, peaking at No. 24 on the Billboard Hot 100 and receiving widespread radio play. It also earned critical acclaim for its production and Tinashe’s confident delivery. “2 On” helped establish her as a fresh and innovative voice in the music industry, paving the way for the success of her debut album Aquarius. This track remains a staple in her discography and a fan favorite.
2. “All Hands On Deck” (2015)
An unforgettable track from Aquarius, “All Hands on Deck,” highlights Tinashe’s ability to create high-energy, dance-ready anthems. Stargate and Cashmere Cat handled the production, providing a vibrant backdrop for Tinashe’s commanding performance. Further, “All Hands on Deck” received positive reviews from critics. The accompanying music video, featuring impressive choreography and striking visuals set in a shipping yard, also elevated the song’s impact. As one of the key singles from Aquarius, “All Hands on Deck” cemented Tinashe’s reputation as a dynamic artist capable of delivering captivating audio and visual experiences.
3. “Company” (2016)
Tinashe’s bold attitude towards R&B is highlighted in the sultry and assertive track “Company,” from her 2016 project Nightride. Produced with dark, moody beats and atmospheric synths that let her vocals shine through, this song has a minimalistic feel. Exploring themes like self-assuredness and independence, the lyrics propose the idea of having no strings attached in relationships. The fans loved “Company,” too. Critics praised Tinashe for being so mature on this record and showing off her vocal skills. The music video also helped establish her abilities – with intricate dance moves combined alongside sleek stylings. It definitely stands out among others from Nightride because it proves once again how good she is at creating such emotionally driven contemporary R&B and pop songs which still manage to connect with today’s audiences.
Featured on her 2018 album Joyride, “No Drama” is a track that pairs Tinashe’s smooth vocals with Offset’s sharp, dynamic style. Produced by Stargate and Hitmaka, the song combines trap and R&B, creating an edgy and modern sound. Tinashe delivers assertive lyrics about staying focused and avoiding unnecessary conflict, reinforcing her strong, independent persona. Further, the song received positive reviews for its bold production and the chemistry between Tinashe and Offset. “No Drama” charted on the Billboard Hot 100 and established Tinashe’s ability to collaborate with top-tier artists. Moreover, with its dark, futuristic visuals and slick choreography, the music video added another layer of intensity to the track.
5. “Die A Little Bit” Ft. Ms. Banks (2019)
Released as the lead single from her 2019 album Songs for You, “Die a Little Bit” marks a significant moment in Tinashe’s career. The track, featuring British rapper Ms. Banks, mixes electronic music, pop, and hip-hop. The song’s production also creates an atmospheric backdrop for Tinashe’s introspective lyrics about the complexities of life and indulgence. “Die a Little Bit” also received praise for its creative sound and Tinashe’s bold artistic direction. The song highlighted her ability to evolve and push musical boundaries. With its stylish, avant-garde visuals, the accompanying music video further emphasized the track’s themes and Tinashe’s creative vision. As a standout single from Songs for You, “Die a Little Bit” encapsulates Tinashe’s artistic growth and commitment to exploring new musical territories.
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