Sporting a colorful Dashiki and his trademark hat, ScHoolboy Q was the quintessential showman at The Roxy in Los Angeles on Friday, July 8. Celebrating the release of his sophomore album Blank Face LP, the South Central rapper was all smiles as he sauntered onto the stage, greeted by fans who were ready to turn up after a turbulent week.
Throughout his set, Q was in a generous mood, opting for fan requests over a traditional set list. “What y’all want to hear?,” he would ask the crowd throughout the night. From 2012’s “Hands on the Wheel” to new bangers like “Dope Dealer,” ScHoolboy served up what the crowd asked for. “This is a celebration,” he said. “So we just chillin’.”
Rocking socks instead of shoes on-stage, Q was relaxed but came to life as every beat dropped. When “Big Body” came on, the stage turned into a giant block party with Groovy Tony’s crew stomping and dancing beside him. Elsewhere, songs like “Collard Greens” or “THat Part” were infectiously thrilling. Even though Kendrick Lamar and Kanye West weren’t present for their respective guest spots, fans performed the verses on their behalf.
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Q’s set list was also dynamic. Ranging from money-making tracks like “By Any Means” or “Break tHe Bank” to the lovemaking anthem “Studio” or the finale “Hell of a Night,” ScHoolboy showcased the full breadth of his discography. Q’s magnetism lies in that versatility but also lives in his humor, which was on display all night. When Traffic couldn’t join him for “Tookie Knows II” (TF was present, though), ScHoolboy joked about his collaborator’s no-show saying that “his name is Traffic.” He also threw friendly zingers at a fan for wearing a bucket hat and at another one for liking the Lakers (shortly before admitting he still loves the Lakers too). Having fun with the front row, he would randomly take their cellphones to snap silly selfies between songs.
Two days later, at an in-store in the Fairfax District, ScHoolboy told Billboard why it was important to keep things light at the Roxy show. “I never really enjoyed my album release,” he said. “I had a little fun when we was doing the show, but as soon as it was over, I was right back to feeling a certain way.”
He explained that the week’s been “rough” overall due to current events and his own personal struggles, receiving “bad news about one of [his] homeboys” on the day Blank Face dropped. “I’m not tripping if nobody don’t listen to my album this week because I know some people are dealing with big issues around the world,” he added. “People dying, people rioting, people protesting. Some people don’t have time to listen to music at this point. Some people can’t cope through music. Some can. I understand.”
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During three meet-and-greets over the weekend, Q spoke with a lot of his fans who did use his music for therapy. “Today, a dude came in and said a couple of my songs stopped him from committing suicide,” he explained. “People stuck in depression — ‘You got me out of depression.’ People deep into pills — ‘You helped me kick my addiction to pills.’ I even met a few gang bangers — ‘Bro, I left it alone.’ That’s what I like about it.” He added, “I like to hear what I helped you do or what I contributed to your life with my music because when I used to listen to Nas, he used to make me feel better, think different. I like that part of it.”
That’s why Q’s humorous, uplifting energy was vital on Friday night. He not only allowed himself to briefly forget the troubles swirling in his own world, he also allowed fans — even if only for a moment — to do the same.