Album: Death Threats and Love Notes: The Prelude
Artist: GQ
Released: March 26, 2013
To all hip-hop enthusiasts, it’s time to get excited. Why? Grammy award winning producer, 9th Wonder, is unveiling his new secret weapon from his budding roster at Jamla Records: GQ (also known as Quentin Thomas), who’s packing so much heat it’s undeniable not to recognize the fire this Oakland-bred emcee is brewing. GQ’s promising album, “Death Threats and Love Notes: The Prelude”, couples the exquisite production of 9th Wonder and his production team, Soul Council, with GQ’s lively story-like lyrical skills and evident passion in sharing his struggles and triumphs. The collaborative effort provides a strong foundation to the depth of the album.
While Oakland Hip-Hop bred the likes of Hieroglyphics, The Luniz, and E-40, the young GQ was taking notes, appreciating a variety of music genres and artists, and ultimately becoming a fan of lyrics as he was training to become a college basketball star. His champion mentality provided GQ with the opportunity to become a member of UNC’s 2005 National Championship team his freshman year.
GQ’s love for music, however, was still insatiable, and he applied his champion mentality to his other passion: rhyming. By 2009, Jamla Records welcomed GQ into their undeniable roster of talent, with 9th Wonder raving that GQ “isn’t a basketball player that can rhyme, he is a rapper than can ball.”
Since his signage to Jamla Records, 9th Wonder’s blazing indie record label, GQ has been featured on EA Sports’ NBA Live 10, with David Banner, and collaborated with label mates Rapsody and Heather Victoria. Building towards success for 2013, GQ is set to release a two part release, “Death Threats and Love Notes”, the prequel and debut album.
Upon listening through the tracks, I couldn’t help but appreciate the goodness and reality of the struggle that GQ spoke of. It’s relatable, real, and precisely what the hip-hop game is currently lacking, as evidenced by the intro track, “Repetition”:
“Remote flicking, looking for entertainment,
Pulp fiction, juicing for arrangements,
I’m in love with it, see who i’m engage with,
wake em up and put em to sleep, like where the day’s went.”
“It’s need what I want, and what I want is what I strive for
foot away like five foe,
fuck i gotta lie foe,
I’m here, but I ride slow,
Higher then my pride go,
see i know a lot of shit, shit that only I know.”
“For those just tuning in, welcome to my show,
I’m not your average guy joe,
I’m heartfelt like,
Kadeem Hardison falling of a rim,
You don’t always have to write whats right to hold a pen.”
“Could of parted like seeds, but please
I’d rather lead my people through rough streams
I too, can be a canoe.”
The Soul Council’s smooth and head-bopping production is the perfect complement to GQ’s passionate lyrical delivery, which makes you understand and enjoy the ride he takes you on as he describes the gritty and dark tales of “Oak Town”. For those who crave substance with melodic flows, and enjoy music that inspires you to light up your own fuel for greatness, it’s time to get acquainted with GQ, Oakland’s next Hip Hop hero.
Be sure to cop “Death Threats and Love Notes: The Prelude” you wont be disappointed.