Oxymoron is the third studio album by American rapper Schoolboy Q. It was released on February 25, 2014, through Top Dawg Entertainment and distributed by Interscope Records. Oxymoron was his first album released under a major record label to music retailers, whereas his previous albums were released independently to digital retailers only.
Schoolboy Q enlisted collaborators such as Kendrick Lamar, 2 Chainz, ASAP Rocky, Jay Rock, Tyler, the Creator and Kurupt, among others. The album's production was handled by high-profile record producers such as Boi-1da, The Alchemist, Mike Will Made It, Clams Casino, Nez & Rio, DJ Dahi and Pharrell, as well as others, including members of Top Dawg Entertainment's in-house production teams Digi+Phonics and THC.
Oxymoron received generally positive reviews from critics, who praised its haunting production and Schoolboy Q's aggressive lyrics. The album was also a commercial success, debuting at number one on the US Billboard 200, selling 139,000 copies in its first week of release. It additionally peaked highly on the main album charts in Canada, New Zealand, Ireland, and the United Kingdom. The album received a nomination at the 2015 Grammy Awards for Best Rap Album.
The album was supported by four official singles: "Collard Greens", "Man of the Year", "Studio" and "Hell of a Night", as well as the promotional singles "Yay Yay" and "Break the Bank". To date, "Studio" is his highest-charting song as a lead artist peaking at number 38 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. Schoolboy Q also toured the United States and Europe on the Oxymoron World Tour, with Isaiah Rashad and Vince Staples.
Background In June 2012, Schoolboy Q revealed he had begun working on his major label debut, announcing that he would be the second member of Black Hippy, to release his commercial debut with Interscope Records, following Kendrick Lamar's Good Kid, M.A.A.D City. In a November 2012 interview, Schoolboy Q expressed: "Kendrick [Lamar] left me no choice but to drop a classic", referring to Lamar's album Good Kid, M.A.A.D City and its impact on his own respective major label debut. In the third part of that exclusive interview, Schoolboy Q revealed he would be releasing another project in 2012, preceding his major label debut, which was scheduled for an early 2013 release. The other project he was planning to release before the end of 2012 was set to be a mixtape, however in December 2012, Schoolboy Q tweeted he had changed his mind and was going to focus on his debut album.
Development
In June 2013, Schoolboy Q said the album would chronicle gangsta rap and Crips history, stating the album is about: "L.A., the real L.A., raw and uncut, it's not the watered down L.A." Schoolboy Q voiced he grew up in the heart of Los Angeles and he wanted to "put the real heart of L.A. into music." In July, Schoolboy Q appeared on Bootleg Kev's radio show, where he revealed the project's overall theme, stating it is about his responsibilities as a father and the history of the notorious Los Angeles street gang Crips "from 1969 to present day."
In August 2013, Schoolboy Q called the album his "best work yet." He also called it a classic, but hoped his fans will have the final say: "It's a classic album I would like to say, but I would like the people to say it's a classic. But in my eyes it's a crazy album…I'm really proud of myself for this record." Schoolboy Q further commented on the album as he compared it to past releases including 2012's Habits & Contradictions and his independent debut, Setbacks. The rapper stated that the major difference between the three projects is that he wasn't forced to compromise on Oxymoron: "It's me. This album is really me. It's my life. Habits & Contradictions and Setbacks was more like—I compromised a little bit also with them projects. 'Hands on the Wheel' was like I really was like 'I'mma go to radio with this'…I made this project the way I wanted it to make. I wanted it to sound [right]. So, this album is crazy. It's my best work. I know a lot of rappers say that when they dropping they albums, but I'm one of those dudes it ain't like I drop mixtapes. It ain't like I do that type of stuff. Drop songs every month to let you know I'm really in the studio perfecting things." In addition to losing the need to compromise, Schoolboy Q hinted Oxymoron may boast a "more comfortable Q." While speaking exclusively with HipHopDX earlier in the year, the rapper shared a few words of advice for his fellow emcees as he touched on his increased comparability with music: "I feel like all rappers, the more comfortable you are, the better your raps are gon' be. When I was in the studios [before], I wrote the verse, and I wasn't comfortable, but I just did it anyway. The more comfortable you are with your music, the iller you gon' get. You feel confident and comfortable in your voice and find yourself." In September 2013, Schoolboy Q discussed how gang history would be included in his album: "I've never said this in an interview," Schoolboy Q said in an interview with Life+Times: "This album is about me taking care of my daughter and Crip history from 1969 to present."
In November 2013, Schoolboy Q expressed he felt there were no more gangsta rappers. In an interview, Schoolboy Q discussed his status as a gangsta rapper: "I'm not one of them rappers that's scared to put a title on their name," Schoolboy Q said during an interview with MTV. "Conscious rappers never like to be called conscious rappers and a lyrical rapper never like to be a party rapper. I'm a gangsta rapper, that's who I am. I happen to make fun records at the same time, that's what I do. I joke, I bag on niggas, my personality is like that, but I am a gangsta rapper and that's what I'm gonna bring to the table." During the interview, Schoolboy Q then added that gangsta rappers are nowhere to be found today: "There's no more gangsta rappers. It's just trap music now. So I wanna get that old feeling back that I do naturally. I'm not necessarily trying to bring gangsta rap back. I'm just trying to let you know it's still here and I'm a part of it. I feel like I'm the only one out of the coast that's doing this gangsta rap shit the way that it used to be done...how niggas used to put detail in their music, not just going to the club and turning up." Schoolboy Q said that he is going to bring that style in Oxymoron: "I'm just telling my story and what I grew up around and what I seen and what I did and I wanna put that in the light instead of everybody just smiling. Like Eminem said, 'Whatever happened to wildin' out and being violent? / Whatever happened to catchin a good-ol' fashioned passionate ass-whoopin' and getting your shoes coat and your hat tooken?' "I'm one of them niggas," Schoolboy Q continued. "Whatever happened to that? I don't want niggas to get beat up or no shit like that, but at the end of the day, that is a part of life and I like that type of music. That's what pushed West Coast music to where it was at like when Dre, Snoop and all them...Dogg Pound. That's what they was doin' and that's what they was talking about and that's what I was raised off of."
Title and artwork On December 12, 2012, after multiple hints and hashtags with the word "oxymoron", via his Twitter Schoolboy Q wrote: "OXYMORON '13", confirming his major label debut's title. In March 2013, on Power 105.1's The Breakfast Club, Schoolboy Q revealed the album's title stems from his past as a drug dealer selling OxyContin, and his desire to follow the concept of his last album Habits & Contradictions (2012).
On January 22, 2014, in an interview with New York-radio station Hot 97, Schoolboy Q explained the "oxymoron" his album title refers to, "The oxymoron in this album is that I'm doing all this bad to do good for my daughter. That's why I'm robbin'. That's why I'm stealin'.....Whatever it is that I'm talking about in my album [that's] negative, it's always for a good cause, for my daughter." That is why he chose to feature his daughter Joy, on the standard edition of the album cover. That month, Schoolboy Q revealed to DJ Whoo Kid that Oxymoron being the representation of the bad things he does to take care of his daughter, who is pictured on the cover scowling, all the while depicting innocence.
Recording and production Schoolboy Q had initially announced guest appearances on the album to include Kendrick Lamar, Ab-Soul, Jay Rock, ASAP Rocky, Danny Brown, and Action Bronson, while the production would be handled by in-house producers from Top Dawg Entertainment, such as Digi+Phonics members Sounwave and Tae Beast. In December 2012, Schoolboy Q revealed his collaboration with fellow American rapper Danny Brown, to be titled "Eat." However Schoolboy Q later revealed the song would not appear on the album. In a February 2013 interview, Schoolboy Q said he was "like four records away from being done". During the same interview he claimed the making of the album was "stressful and fun at the same time". He also stated there was a point in the recording process where he was stuck because he "couldn't find the right beats." In March 2013, he would later say: "I stopped recording for about two months to gather my thoughts and see how I was gonna attack the album. At first I was going a little too party. Then I started going too story. I was almost trying to make an album like Kendrick's. You try so many things. Now, I've finally got the right perfect mixture."
When speaking on the album's features in March 2013, Schoolboy Q told MTV, "I just kept it real in house with my homies. This my first album; it's real special to me. I don't wanna be messing with this dude, with this dude, this dude. It's all in house, it's the same Q. Like the fans, I'mma give 'em what they want." In March 2013, Schoolboy Q once again stated the album was four songs away from being completed. That month, Schoolboy Q revealed to Vibe that he decided to continue his "Druggy's wit Hoes" song series, for the album. He revealed it's one of the easier songs for him to do, as it comes natural: "I go to the studio, get faded, said, 'Cuh Soul, I got Druggy Wit Hoes Part 3,' and he said, 'I'm on my way.' I think he was off acid that night too. Yeah, I think he did his verse off acid [Laughs]." In April 2013, he stated he had been in the studio with American record producers David Banner and Pharrell Williams.
On May 11, 2013, Schoolboy Q announced on Twitter that the "album is done" and that he was "waitin for Joy to come put da finisHing toucH." On May 13, 2013, Schoolboy Q revealed on Twitter, that Chicago-based production duo Nez & Rio, who previously handled production on his 2011 effort Habits & Contradictions, are "all [over] Oxymoron." In June 2013, Schoolboy Q said his daughter Joy would have various speaking parts throughout the album and revealed hopes of having fellow American gangsta rapper 50 Cent, provide the intro for the album. On July 3, 2013, Schoolboy Q tweeted he had finished his second music video from the album, for a song titled "Break the Bank", revealing the song was produced by The Alchemist.
In July 2013, Schoolboy Q revealed that fellow American rapper J. Cole had provided production for the album and that Wu-Tang Clan member Raekwon would appear as a featured guest on the album. In July 2013, Schoolboy Q stated he was so focused on recording the album that he wasn't eating or sleeping right at times. He also revealed his collaboration with ASAP Rocky is titled "Californication." On August 20, 2013, American record producer Flying Lotus previewed three untitled songs which he had produced and recorded with Schoolboy Q. On September 24, 2013, Schoolboy Q revealed that Snoop Dogg would also appear on the album.