Schoolboy Q facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Schoolboy Q
Schoolboy Q in 2014
Background information
Birth name	Quincy Matthew Hanley
Born	(1986-10-26) October 26, 1986 (age 38) Wiesbaden, West Germany
Origin	South Central Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Genres	West Coast hip hop
Occupation(s)	Rapper singer songwriter
Years active	2007–present
Labels	Top Dawg Interscope (current) G.E.D Inc. (former)

Quincy Matthew Hanley (born October 26, 1986), known as Schoolboy Q (or ScHoolboy Q), is an American rapper and singer. He started making music in 2007. His first two mixtapes, ScHoolboy Turned Hustla (2008) and Gangsta & Soul (2009), became popular locally.

After joining the record label Top Dawg Entertainment, Schoolboy Q released his first studio album, Setbacks (2011). His next album, Habits & Contradictions (2012), also received good reviews. Both albums did well on the US Billboard 200 music chart.

He later signed with Interscope Records for his third album, Oxymoron (2014). This album was very popular and reached the top of the US Billboard 200 chart. It featured hit songs like "Collard Greens" and "Studio". "Collard Greens" became a huge hit, selling millions of copies. Schoolboy Q also appeared on other popular songs, like "White Walls" by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis and "2 On" by Tinashe.

His albums Blank Face LP (2016) and Crash Talk (2019) also received praise and ranked high on the Billboard 200. His most recent album, Blue Lips, was released in 2024 and was also well-received. Schoolboy Q was part of the hip hop group Black Hippy with Ab-Soul, Jay Rock, and Kendrick Lamar. He has been nominated for five Grammy Awards.

About Schoolboy Q's Early Life

Quincy Matthew Hanley was born on October 26, 1986, in Wiesbaden, West Germany. His parents were both in the military and divorced before he was born. His mother chose a new last name for him. Schoolboy Q and his mother lived in Texas for a few years before moving to South Central Los Angeles.

He played American football from age six until he was 21. He played different positions like receiver and cornerback. He went to John Muir Middle School and then Crenshaw High School. After high school, he attended several community colleges.

Schoolboy Q's Music Journey

Starting His Music Career (2006–2009)

Schoolboy Q has shared that he wrote his first song verse when he was 16. However, he didn't become serious about music until he was 21. Music became a way for him to express himself. In 2006, he started working with Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE), an independent record label in Carson, California. He recorded at their studio and worked with other artists there.

His first time at TDE's studio, he worked with Jay Rock and Ab-Soul, who would later become part of the group Black Hippy. This led to him signing a contract with TDE. On July 29, 2008, Schoolboy Q released his first mixtape, Schoolboy Turned Hustla. After this, he officially signed with Top Dawg Entertainment in 2009. He then formed the group Black Hippy with Kendrick Lamar, Jay Rock, and Ab-Soul.

In 2009, Schoolboy Q released his second mixtape, Gangsta & Soul, on May 14. This was his first official project with Top Dawg Entertainment.

Independent Albums (2010–2012)

In 2010, Schoolboy Q toured and worked on his album Setbacks with the rest of Black Hippy. On January 11, 2011, TDE released Setbacks. This was his first independent album. It was released digitally and received good reviews. The album reached number 100 on the US Billboard 200 chart. A few weeks later, Schoolboy Q gave the album away for free on Twitter.

Setbacks helped Schoolboy Q become more well-known. He performed his first headline show on March 11, 2011, in West Hollywood, California.

His next album, Habits & Contradictions, was released in 2012. It quickly climbed the iTunes Top 10 Albums chart. The album debuted at number 111 on the US Billboard 200 chart. It sold nearly 4,000 digital copies in its first week without much advertising. Music videos for songs like "Hands on the Wheel" with ASAP Rocky and "Druggys wit Hoes Again" with Ab-Soul followed the album's release.

In 2012, Top Dawg Entertainment partnered with Interscope Records and Aftermath Entertainment. This meant Schoolboy Q would no longer be an independent artist. Interscope Records released "Hands on the Wheel" as a single in April 2012.

Oxymoron and Major Label Success (2012–2015)

Schoolboy Q In 2012

In June 2012, Schoolboy Q shared that he was working on his first album with a major record label. He was the second member of Black Hippy to release a commercial album with Interscope, after Kendrick Lamar. From September to November, Schoolboy Q performed as a supporting act for ASAP Rocky's tour. He also toured with rappers Wiz Khalifa, Mac Miller, and Kendrick Lamar.

In June 2013, Schoolboy Q performed at the BET Experience Music festival. On June 11, 2013, he released "Collard Greens". This was the first song from his album Oxymoron. In August 2013, Schoolboy Q appeared on BET's 106 & Park to show the music video for "Collard Greens". He also performed "White Walls" on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno with Macklemore and Ryan Lewis.

In October 2013, Schoolboy Q performed "Collard Greens" at the BET Hip Hop Awards. He also participated in a rap cypher with his Top Dawg label-mates. In November 2013, it was announced that Schoolboy Q's song "Man of the Year" would be on the soundtrack for the video game NBA Live 14. This song was released as a single later that month. Schoolboy Q was nominated for a Grammy Award for Album of the Year for his work on Macklemore and Ryan Lewis' album, The Heist.

On January 24, 2014, Schoolboy Q performed "Man of the Year" on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. In January 2014, he announced a three-month tour to support his new album. The tour ended in June in Manchester, England. His label-mate Isaiah Rashad and rapper Vince Staples joined him for some shows.

In April 2014, Schoolboy Q was a musical guest on Jimmy Kimmel Live!. He performed "Studio" with BJ the Chicago Kid and "What They Want." He also appeared on the cover of The Source magazine.

Blank Face LP (2015–2016)

On February 24, 2016, Top Dawg Entertainment announced that Schoolboy Q's fourth album would be released before the summer. On April 5, 2016, Schoolboy Q released a song called "Groovy Tony". On May 13, 2016, another song, "That Part", featuring Kanye West, was released.

On May 31, 2016, Schoolboy Q shared that his second major-label album would be released on July 8, 2016. On June 14, 2016, he announced the album title would be Blank Face LP. He performed "That Part" and "Groovy Tony" on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

CrasH Talk (2016–2019)

On December 18, 2016, Schoolboy Q announced he would release another album in 2017. In February 2017, he said his new album was almost finished. He explained that this project would show how he had grown. He mentioned that he was now a happy father and trying to help his friends succeed. In June 2017, Schoolboy Q revealed he had made "like 50 songs" for the album.

On September 15, 2018, Schoolboy Q announced that the album was delayed because of the passing of his friend and collaborator Mac Miller. On April 15, 2019, Schoolboy Q announced the title of his fifth studio album, Crash Talk. The album was released on April 26, 2019. CrasH Talk debuted at number 3 on the Billboard 200 chart.

Blue Lips (2020–Present)

Schoolboy Q mentioned a new album as early as January 2020. On July 20, 2020, he was featured on a song called "Pac-Man" by the virtual band Gorillaz. In 2021, Schoolboy Q played a fictional version of himself on the animated show The Freak Brothers.

He hinted at updates for an upcoming album throughout 2023. On February 1, 2024, he released the official trailer for his new album, Blue Lips. The album was released on March 1, 2024.

Schoolboy Q's Music Style

Influences

Schoolboy Q says that rappers like Nas, 50 Cent, Jay-Z, The Notorious B.I.G., Kurupt, and Tupac influenced his music. He calls Nas his favorite rapper of all time. He has also said that 50 Cent is the main reason he started taking his music career seriously. Schoolboy Q looks up to hip hop artist Sean Combs, also known as "Puffy."

Rapping Technique

Schoolboy Q shared that he learned his rapping style from Jay-Z. He tries to have a new sound every time he raps, always changing his flow. He believes there are no strict rules when rapping, which helps him avoid sounding boring. He might change his voice or pause for different lengths of time. Schoolboy Q has said that he gets a lot of his "aggression" from 50 Cent. People describe Schoolboy Q as a very flexible rapper, which can be heard on his albums Setbacks and Habits & Contradictions.

Schoolboy Q's Personal Life

Schoolboy Q has three children. His first daughter, Joy, was born on April 24, 2009. His second daughter was born on January 4, 2019. He often mentions Joy in his songs, and she has appeared in several of his music videos. Joy was also featured on his album Oxymoron, appearing on the album cover and having speaking parts. In July 2024, he confirmed the birth of his third child.

Schoolboy Q is a big fan of golf and plays often. He started playing in 2018 after a bet with a friend. In 2022, he partnered with Topgolf for commercials. He even competed in a PGA tour event in 2022.

He supports the Los Angeles Angels baseball team, the San Francisco 49ers football team, and the NRG Esports Valorant team. On October 3, 2019, Schoolboy Q shared on Twitter that he has some Honduran family background.

Schoolboy Q's Albums

• Setbacks (2011)
• Habits & Contradictions (2012)
• Oxymoron (2014)
• Blank Face LP (2016)
• Crash Talk (2019)
• Blue Lips (2024)

Awards and Nominations

BET Awards

BET Hip Hop Awards

BMI R&B/Hip-Hop Awards

BMI London Awards

Grammy Awards

MTV Video Music Awards

See also

In Spanish: Schoolboy Q para niños