Schoolboy Q is a Los Angeles-based American hip-hop recording performer. He was born in Germany and raised in Los Angeles, but he didn’t take music seriously until he was an adolescent. He was a very practical young teen who listened to rap music more than any other type. He penned his first verse when he was 16 and only became serious about a music career when he was 21. For the next three years, he made mix tape after mix tape to establish himself before pursuing bigger objectives as a musician. In 2009, he formed a group named Black Hippy with rappers Kendrick Lamar, Ab-soul, and Jay Rock. In 2011, he published his independent debut album, ‘Setbacks,’ followed by ‘Habits & Contradictions’ the following year. The success of both albums had him securing a contract with Interscope records, which resulted in his fully-fledged debut album’s release with the title ‘Oxymoron’. The record was a commercial and critical success, debuting at number one on the Billboard 200 music charts.
Youth and Adolescence
Quincy Matthew Hanley, the son of a US Army officer, was born on a military installation in Germany on October 26, 1986. His parents divorced before he was born, so he was born into a broken household. Following his birth, his father chose to remain in Germany to conduct his army duties, and his mother brought him back to the United States, where they settled in Texas. His mother later took him to California and settled him there forever.
Schoolboy registered at John Muir Middle School, where he became addicted to American football. He didn’t worry about his studies and only came to school to play football. He was a troubled teen who, while still in high school, joined some local groups and began living a ‘petty crime’ lifestyle.
As he entered his teens, he began to listen to music but was not interested in pursuing a profession. He also penned some rap verses but never used them. During his time at Crenshaw High School, he acquired the nickname ‘Schoolboy’ because he came across as a studious kid due to the glasses he had to wear due to his poor eyesight.
He attended several schools for his undergraduate degree and played football for college teams until he was 21 years old. He was a crucial member of the West Los Angeles Oilers before turning to crime and joining some local gangs.
During his early adolescence, he was one of the most recognized faces in the 52 Hoover Gangster Crips gang, and before pursuing a career in music, he worked as a drug dealer for a while. On the streets of Los Angeles, he peddled marijuana and crack. In 2007, he was imprisoned for six months for a ‘home assault’ offense.
Schoolboy Q’s Career
Schoolboy began writing verses at the age of 16 and began working for Top Dawg Entertainment, a prominent local record label, in 2006. There he met Jay Rock and Ab-Soul, two of the three musicians with whom he subsequently formed the group Black Hippy. Schoolboy published his debut mixtape, ‘Schoolboy Turned Hustla,’ in 2008, based on his real-life experiences. Following the success of the mixtape, Top Dawg Entertainment gave him a contract, and Schoolboy formally became one of their artists in 2009.
He then formed the Black Hippy collective, which included previous collaborators and friends Kendrick Lamar, Ab-Soul, and Jay Rock. In May 2009, Schoolboy released his second mix-tape named ‘Gangsta & Soul’, which also included the infamous track ‘Ezell’. The diss track was aimed at artist 40 Glocc, and Schoolboy questioned him about his gang-banging activities in the song. He created the song to exact vengeance on behalf of his friend Tyga, who was the target of some accusations leveled by 40 Glocc.
In 2010, Schoolboy spent the majority of his time touring the nation and collaborating with fellow Black Hippy members. TDE’s next album, named ‘Setbacks,’ was released independently in 2011. It was also his studio album debut. Only a few copies were sold in Los Angeles, while the complete album was available digitally through iTunes. Despite the fact that the album received no promotion, it made it into the top ten lists of albums on iTunes and garnered respectable rankings on many rap and hip-hop charts.
Schoolboy released his second independent studio record, ‘Habits & Contradictions,’ in early 2012. The album garnered widespread critical acclaim and was named one of Complex’s top five albums of 2012. Within two years of its release, it sold 48,000 copies in the United States alone, which was a significant achievement given the independent character of the release.
Schoolboy was no longer an independent artist after Top Dawg Entertainment struck a deal with Interscope Records and Aftermath Records in 2012. He became the second member of Black Hippy to present an album on a major record label when he revealed his debut album on the new label. He also stated that the success of Kendrick’s debut album placed him under enormous pressure to produce a better one.
Schoolboy built anticipation for his album ‘Oxymoron’ by releasing four songs from it back to back. The album was published in February 2014 to a positive critical and commercial response. It was praised for its unique production qualities as well as Schoolboy’s extremely aggressive lyrics. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 list and sold 1,39,000 copies in its first week. It was nominated for Best Rap Album of the Year at the 2015 Grammy Awards.
Schoolboy released a song named ‘Groovy Tony’ in April 2016, followed by ‘That Part,’ which was recorded in collaboration with ace rapper Kanye West. Schoolboy made a public statement about his next album in May 2016, and in July, he released the studio album named ‘Blank Face LP’.
The album ‘Blank Faces LP,’ like all of Schoolboy’s prior albums, was a huge critical success. It opened at number two on the Billboard 200. The record was nominated for Best Rap Album at the Grammy Awards, and one of the singles, ‘That Part,’ was also nominated for Best Rap Performance.
Schoolboy revealed in December 2016 that he was working on his fifth studio album. In February 2017, he revealed that his next album was nearly finished. But the album kept getting delayed, prompting Schoolboy to say that there were “like 50 tracks” that had been shortlisted and that it would take a little longer.
Schoolboy’s Private Affairs
In 2010, Schoolboy Q had a serious relationship with an unknown lady and had a daughter with her. Joyce ‘Joy’ Hanley is the name he gave to his daughter, and he has referenced her in several of his songs. She is also featured on the ‘Oxymoron’ album cover and has several speaking parts throughout the album.
In 2013, there was talk of Black Hippy splitting up. Schoolboy allegedly slept with fellow ‘Black Hippy’ Kendrick Lamar’s girlfriend, resulting in the group’s formal split.
Estimated Net Worth
Schoolboy Q is a $6 million-dollar-worth American musician. Schoolboy Q has received several Grammy nominations for his LPs “Setbacks” (2011), “Habits & Contradictions” (2012), “Oxymoron” (2014), “Blank Face LP” (2016), and “Crash Talk” (2017). (2019).