Oxymoron is not an album that goes down easily. From the hook of the first track, where Quincy Hanley, known as ScHoolboy Q, repeatedly screams “Gangsta, Gangsta, Gangsta,” to the end of the final song, simply titled “Fuck LA,” Q’s first release under a major record label immerses us in the abrasive climate of West Coast gang culture.
The album is rife with references to Q’s life as a “gang-banger.” His existence seems to be defined by the destitution that surrounded him. Drugs, guns and prostitution all find their way into Oxymoron, acknowledging Q’s past and present.
But Oxymoron is also a nod to Q’s future, which comes in the feature of Q’s daughter. Joy Hanley, now three years old, is depicted on the cover, chin held high, and has speaking lines in many of the songs.
Joy highlights the great irony of Oxymoron; all the hedonistic expositions of drugs, the graphic depictions of sex, the nauseating provocations of violence, Q does to support his daughter. Q’s purpose is ultimately objectively good, but his means are questionable, at best.
The internal struggle is certainly not lost on Q, who grapples with the implications of his lifestyle throughout the album. This is displayed most prominently on “Prescription/Oxymoron,” the two part track that juxtaposes Q’s past addiction to prescription drugs with his decision to begin selling the same pills.
The two sections are in stark opposition to each other, both musically and thematically. During the first half of the song, the music is gentle, almost sensual. Q addresses pills as a lover, equating the rush they give him to an embrace. Here, the pills prevent Q from functioning normally, as he flows in and out of consciousness from withdrawal.
The second half is the polar opposite. A single piano line is accented by a hard beat, peppered by quick, caustic snare hits. Q’s flow in is rough as he repeats “I just stopped selling crack today.” The pills are glorified and actively facilitate Q’s lifestyle.
Oxymoron is the paradoxical portrait of a man who can’t break free from self-destruction. Q recognizes his personal failings, yet lacks the capacity to overcome them. Despite an unfortunate feature from 2Chainz and a couple of lackluster songs, the album is compelling and deserves our consideration, no matter how hard of a pill it is to swallow.
Voice’s Choices: “Prescription/Oxymoron,” “Hell of a Life”
