Quincy Matthew Hanley, better known as ScHoolboy Q, was born on October 26, 1986, in Wiesbaden, Germany, where his father was stationed in the military. After spending part of his childhood in Texas, he moved to South Central Los Angeles, where he was exposed to both the struggles and culture of street life. Initially focused on sports and school, he eventually found his true passion in music.

ScHoolboy Q began rapping seriously in 2007 and dropped his first mixtape, ScHoolboy Turned HustlA, in 2008, followed by Gangsta & Soul in 2009. That same year, he joined Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE), home to artists like Kendrick Lamar. His early albums, Setbacks (2011) and Habits & Contradictions (2012), helped establish his gritty, storytelling-driven style and earned him a growing fanbase.

In 2014, he reached mainstream success with Oxymoron, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. The album featured hits like “Collard Greens” and “Studio,” cementing his place in hip-hop. He followed up with Blank Face LP (2016) and CrasH Talk (2019), continuing to evolve his sound. In 2024, he released Blue Lips, which peaked at No. 13 on the charts.

Beyond his solo career, ScHoolboy Q is a key member of Black Hippy, alongside Kendrick Lamar, Jay Rock, and Ab-Soul. Known for his raw lyricism and distinctive flow, he remains a powerful voice in West Coast hip-hop, blending personal struggles with hard-hitting beats.