On February 25, rapper ScHoolboy Q released his first album with a major record label, titled Oxymoron.  As ScHoolboy Q is member of Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE), a label home to other gifted rappers like Kendrick Lamar and Ab-Soul, this album was highly anticipated and had great expectations, especially since TDE’s last studio album was Kendrick Lamar’s 2012 release, good kid, m.A.A.d city, a universally-acclaimed, Grammy-nominated album that many already consider a modern hip hop classic.

 With Oxymoron, ScHoolboy Q delves into topics such as his upbringing, his daughter, drugs, violence, and general life in Los Angeles.  Prior to release, Q expressed regret that the “gangsta rap” variety of hip hop has declined significantly, and stated that he hoped this album would bring it back…what a noble goal.  This statement gave me concern about the quality of the album’s content, and the results…are interesting.

 “Gangsta,” the opening track, is…quite frankly, horrible and obnoxious.  It seems like this song is an excuse for Q to say the word “gangsta” as much as he can in roughly four minutes, while trying to discuss drugs and violence and calling himself a “gangsta” in the most chaotic way possible.  Other rappers have made good songs about these topics before (see “mAAd city”) by telling a story with on-point lyrics and delivery, and Q sort of attempts to do that here, but he is too obnoxious and repetitive, and fails miserably.  This is a poor start to the album.

 As it turns out, there are several songs themed around being a “gangsta” on this album, and they have mixed results.  “Los Awesome,” the next track, is better thanks to its catchiness, beat, and non repetitive lyrics rich with imagery.  Two tracks later, “What They Want,” featuring the joke that is 2 Chainz (who is flat out terrible on this song), continues the “gangsta” theme with an obnoxious, repetitive slant.  Four tracks later, “The Purge” featuring Tyler, the Creator and Kurupt, and “Blind Threats” (which immediately follows “The Purge”) take the “gangsta” angle again, as the rappers glorify violence, sex, and drugs once more.  Though less repetitive, these songs add little to the album other than a topic that gets worn out really quickly.

 Returning to somewhat chronological order, the third track, “Collard Greens,” is an album highlight.  Discussing drug use, it features Kendrick Lamar, who raps briefly in English before switching to SPANISH and going back to English again.  Both Q and Lamar are basically talking about drug use, partying, and basically having a good time.  I wish there was more to it than that…but at least it’s not about being a “gangsta,” which makes it good.

 “Hoover Street” is a massive improvement, as it marks a point where Q actually gets personal, discussing his rougher upbringing, rather than a generic track about the “gangsta” lifestyle.  Another album highlight, the only blemish here is a disgusting line about oral sex.  Cut that, and we get a gritty, dark, personal track about Q’s life.  More of the same topics, but at least directions changed.

 “Studio” is a disappointment, however.  It’s four minutes of trying to get a girl naked through a song.  Q calls the song “dope” in his lines, but it isn’t.  It really is not.  Skip this crap.

 “Prescription/Oxymoron,” recovers, and is the best song on the album HANDS DOWN.  It is a deeply personal track about Q’s addiction to prescription drugs like oxycontin (which is part of the reason for the name of the album) and how he overcame them.  It deviates from the “gangsta” theme, a welcome change, as I love to see Q get this personal.

 “Hell of a Night” is another song about sex, this one lasting for four agonizing minutes.  It is generic and adds nothing to the album.

 “Break the Bank” follows, and this song is another highlight, as it is another personal look at ScHoolboy Q’s upbringing with drugs and violence, before eventually talking about his daughter in the third verse.  It is a variant of the repetitive theme on this album, and one of the best tracks here.

 “Man of the Year” ends the album.  It is irresistibly catchy, but as a “banger,” or a party song, it should be.  Honestly, it’s good for a party song or to hype you up, but it’s pretty shallow if you’re looking for meaning deeper than “Man of the year. Bounce!”

 I am very conflicted about this album.  A third of the album is very good.  Another third is crap, and the other third is somewhere in the middle.  The album rams the “I’m a gangsta, b****!” message down your throat like no other at times, but at others, Q offers a variant on that formula with superb results.  Thus, the album earns a 7/10.  If you’re looking for something than consistently has deep meaning, like you can find in someone like Lupe Fiasco’s work, then you will not like it as much.  However, the album remains irresistibly catchy, while also offering some very good songs, thus juggling the line between a good MC and that rapper who makes one song everyone downloads for a few weeks because it’s so catchy.

 While Q talks about being a “gangsta” too much here, he is able to at least change the formula at times and offer more personal looks at his life, which saves the album from being a five or a six.  Still, I hope Q changes topics more on his next album, because this will get old…fast.