It wasn’t too long ago that ScHoolboy Q was leading the forefront of a new generation of rap. In 2012, rising alongside Top Dawg Entertainment labelmates Kendrick Lamar and Ab-Soul, Q made noise with his independent breakthrough Habits & Contradictions; In 2014, Q rose to hip-hop sensation with his major label debut Oxymoron with earworm hits like Collard Greens and Man of the Year; In 2016, Q cemented his critical acclaim with Blank Face LP; But in 2019 Q’s shot at full-fledged mainstream success CrasH Talk, fell short with both fans and critics. It was rejected as uncharacteristically dull and his worst work to date, sending Q into artistic hibernation.
Nearly half a decade later, now 37 years old, ScHoolboy Q picks up where he left off with Blue Lips. However, rather than inevitably disappointing one portion of his fans or another by pinpointing a specific sound for his long-awaited return, Q unleashes a variety pack of 18 songs that boldly flex his versatility. While it can feel all over the place, Q makes the mismatched pieces click.
Blue Lips makes its sonic diversity immediately striking with the 1-2 punch of its first two tracks. As you are entranced by Funny Guy, the slow and mellow guitar-strumming opener, you are disrupted by the tonal whiplash of the harsh Pop, featuring Rico Nasty. The following track, THank god 4 me, masterfully weaves through two beats of different tempos. The opening leg of Blue Lips establishes the ride you’re in for.
Blue Lips twists and turns are often highly rewarding. Some come in the form of the simplistic but hard-hitting instrumentals with honest lyrics like Blueslides, Germany 86’, and Cooties. Many are purely energetic, high-tempo tracks like First and Pig feet, featuring Childish Major.
Others are fresh and bold renditions on Q’s unorthodox and catchy signature style like Foux, featuring a terrific Ab-Soul verse, oHio, featuring Freddie Gibbs, and Movie, featuring Az Chike. But for all the shots that do hit, are some that fall short. The flashy Yearn 101, the melodic Nunu, and the experimental Time killers go all out but wind up feeling dull, a risk of such an ambitious project. But even with its pitfalls, a terrific outro in Smile ties together Blue Lips as a wholly complete and exciting return from ScHoolboy Q, sporting some of his best lyrical content to date. Blue Lips may not reach the heights of Oxymoron or Blank Face LP, but it marks Q’s first step into the next leg of his career. It’s a remarkable one.
