Schoolboy Q

Coming off scene stealing verses on two of the most praised albums of '11 ― LiveLoveA$AP and Section 80 ― Schoolboy Q returns with his sophomore album. Habits & Contradictions conveys the L.A. rapper's feelings on life ("Blessed"), love ("Sex Drive") and crime ("Oxy Music"). The album offers a refreshing breadth of sound, from the sub-bass thump of "Druggys Wit Hoes Again" to the jazzy loops of "Gangster in Designer." "Sacrilegious" and "Blessed" bookend the album as dual statements of purpose; the former sees Q lamenting his gangbanging past, while the latter unites Q with fellow Black Hippy Kendrick Lamar to celebrate life and count his blessings. "My Homie" is an Alchemist-produced reminiscence on a former friend turned traitor. Guest spots are infrequent but well-chosen: "Hands on the Wheel" reunites Q with A$AP Rocky over a moody Lissie loop to big up illegal substances, while "Groovline Pt.1" boasts a surprisingly smooth Lex Luger concoction with verses by Curren$y and Dom Kennedy. Habits & Contradictions is a cohesive and compelling exploration of a man torn between his past and his present. Get the album.