Schoolboy Q’s Blank Face tour hits Venue 578 with no signs of drowsiness

Schoolboy Q is off the Percocet and Xanax now, but two and a half years ago, the acclaimed artist told Hot 97’s Angie Martinez – provider of some of the most intimate rap interviews of the past decade – that he’s still into “lean.” For the uninitiated, lean’s dozy effects rely mostly on prescription-strength cough syrup, and the active ingredient breeds the kind of euphoric inactivity that has inspired mumbled verses from pretty much everyone.

Thankfully for his fans – but mostly for him – Quincy Hanley’s Blank Face LP shows no symptoms of drowsiness. The German-born 29-year-old’s sophomore major label effort combines heavy hitters like Yeezy with feature darlings Miguel and SZA for a gangsta-meets-experimental sound that will in 10 years be “stereotypically 2016.” For now, it’s welcome, and we’re interested in how it’ll hit from onstage.

with Joey Bada$$ | 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 27 | Venue 578, 578 N. Orange Ave. | 407-872-0066 | venue578.com | $35-$160

This article appears in Sep 21-27, 2016.