Quincy Matthew Hanley

Quincy Matthew Hanley (born October 26, 1986), better known by his stage name Schoolboy Q (stylized as ScHoolboy Q), is an American rapper. He began recording in 2007, and released his first two mixtapes, ''ScHoolboy Turned Hustla'' (2008) and ''Gangsta & Soul'' (2009) to local success. After signing with the Carson-based record label Top Dawg Entertainment, Hanley's debut studio album, '' Setbacks'' (2011) and its follow-up, ''Habits & Contradictions'' (2012) were both released to positive critical response; both also performed moderately on the US ''Billboard'' 200 chart as digital exclusives.

Hanley signed with Interscope Records to release his third album and major label debut, ''Oxymoron'' (2014). Met with critical acclaim, the album peaked atop the US ''Billboard'' 200 and was supported by the singles "Collard Greens" (featuring Kendrick Lamar) and "Studio" (featuring BJ the Chicago Kid); the former received quadruple platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and marked his first entry on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, while the latter received triple platinum certification and peaked within the top 40. He saw further success on the chart as a guest performer, appearing on the 2013 single "White Walls" by the hip hop duo Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, and the 2014 single "2 On" by singer Tinashe. His fourth and fifth albums, ''Blank Face LP'' (2016) and ''Crash Talk'' (2019), were both met with continued praise and peaked within the top three of the ''Billboard'' 200. His sixth album, ''Blue Lips'' (2024), peaked at number 13 and saw universal acclaim.

He was a member of the California-based hip hop group Black Hippy, Jay Rock, and Kendrick Lamar. Hanley has received five Grammy Award nominations.

Early life

Quincy Matthew Hanley was born October 26, 1986, on a United States Army air base in Wiesbaden, West Germany. His parents—who were both in the military—divorced before he was born, and his mother gave him a surname different from those of either of his parents, choosing one at random. His father remained in the Army while Hanley and his mother moved to Texas for a couple years, before settling in South Central Los Angeles, on 51st Street, neighboring Figueroa and Hoover Street.

Hanley played American football from the age of six until he was 21, and played receiver, cornerback, tailback, and returner. He attended John Muir Middle School. After graduating Crenshaw High School, Hanley went on to attend Glendale Community College, Los Angeles City College, Los Angeles Southwest College and West Los Angeles College.

Growing up on Hoover Street, Hanley joined the 52 Hoover Gangster Crips: "I was gang-banging at 12. I was a Hoover Crip. My homies were doing it and I wanted to do it. I can't really explain that. I didn't get into it with another hood or anything like that. I was just following the leader." Before turning to music, Hanley became a drug dealer selling Oxycontin, and for a short time crack cocaine and marijuana. In 2007, he was arrested for home invasion and sent to jail for six months, half of which he finished on house arrest.

Musical career

2006–2009: Career beginnings

Hanley has said he wrote his first verse when he was 16, but was not serious about music until he was 21. Music became his way of expressing himself. In 2006, he began to work with Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE), a Carson-based independent record label, recording at their studio House of Pain and collaborating with their artists. His first time at TDE's studio, Hanley worked with his soon to be Black Hippy and Ab-Soul. This eventually led to Hanley signing a recording contract with TDE. On July 29, 2008, Hanley released his first mixtape titled ''Schoolboy Turned Hustla'', with G.E.D. Inc., the same imprint that helped launch the career of fellow West Coast rapper Tyga, with whom Schoolboy Q worked with early in their respective careers. After the release of ''Schoolboy Turned Hustla'', he signed a deal with Top Dawg Entertainment in 2009, where he later formed Black Hippy, Jay Rock and Ab-Soul.

In 2009, Hanley was involved in a short-lived rivalry with fellow West Coast rapper 40 Glocc. Hanley released a diss track titled "Ezell (40 Glocc Killa)", where he questions 40 Glocc's gang-banging. Hanley later stated in a video interview as to why they were beefing: "He made some false statements about my boy, Tyga, that's my little brother. He did a lot of fake stuff with Wayne, a lot of lies, rumors and childish shit that I really didn't like, and I really felt disrespected by this clown saying all this shit so I just had to like air it out". He went on to say "It's over with, I did what I did, I said what I said and I won't diss him no more, because it's obvious he ain't on my level...so why categorize myself with a loser?". Hanley released ''Gangsta & Soul'', his second mixtape on May 14, 2009, which included the aforementioned diss track. The mixtape was his first official project with Top Dawg Entertainment, which presented the mixtape alongside G.E.D. Inc.

2010–2012: Independent albums

Although Hanley did not release a project, 2010 had him touring and in the studio working with the rest of Black Hippy