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Singer,
songwriter, producer; TQ is a man of many talents.
His musical prowess has transcended from the hood to
Holland and beyond. Now
he’s back in effect with a new album entitled Listen (The Hub Records), and this time around
you’re going to pay attention.
Filled with smooth vocals and his signature melodic
flow, his latest effort serves a dual purpose not only for the
sake of the fans but also on a more personal note.
TQ
started his professional career in 1993.
After his debut album They
Never Saw Me
Coming was released, he spent most of that time lacing
tracks and living it up alongside his Cash Money cohorts.
However, in the midst of all the fabulousness and
opportunity he began to feel the constraints of the industry
and soon found that his creativity was no longer able to
flourish. So, he
decided to take a step back from the limelight to revaluate
his life and his music. As
a result of that hiatus The HUB Record label (TQ is the CEO)
was born and from those experiences Listen
materialized.
Brimming
with summer anthems like “Right On,” tributes to our
fallen legends in “Forgotten”, or just an escape from it
all in “Relax,” Listen
has a universal appeal that everyone can relate to with a
serving of that good ole west coast flava on the side.
I had a chance to catch up with TQ on the day of his
album release party at the Sunset Room (which by the way was
the bomb-props to Liane Morie over at Rogers and Cowen) where
we talked about the new album, the art of giving, and why
he’s just so damn fly (just kidding).
On the serious tip, what I found was more then just the
cornrow wearing, tight abs displaying, west coast repping,
globetrotting crooner we have all come to know and love.
Instead, I found a person that was warm and engaging
with a heart as big as that mega watt smile of his.
So, listen up before you miss something…
LJC:
What is your definition of “Reality R&B?”
TQ:
I didn’t come up with that term.
I was reading a book when I was in Germany and those
were the only words that were in English. I was like that really explains what I do it’s
self-explanatory.
LJC:
Why do you think thes
e corporations (whoever they may be) are so afraid of
creativity (i.e. not allowing their artists to do their
thing)?
TQ:
It’s a hierarchy and it starts at the top and it
trickles all the way down.
See, when you get to these companies the bottom line is
they want to make money so no one wants to trail blaze,
everybody wants to play it safe.
They feel as if it has worked before then let’s do
our version of it. I think you have to really come with some
young, aggressive minded individuals to put in these
positions, but that’s not going to happen.
LJC:
Why did you name your album Listen?
TQ:
I think it’s a lot of stuff that needs to be heard
and said through soul music.
There is a certain amount of people who just the idea
of someone rapping turns them off for whatever reasons
regardless of what the artist is saying.
There are so many things being said in hip-hop from so
many artists that won’t be heard because of their genre of
music. Because
R&B has such a big audience worldwide with no boundaries
of age and race, I felt that if we took some of these subjects
that hip hop uses and address and filter them in to R&B,
then a lot more could be said effectively.
LJC:
So, what is the real you?
TQ:
There’s no fluff with me.
What it is is what it is.
I really don’t care what people feel about my
opinions, or care what anybody has to say about what I
believe, say, or do. I
just don’t try to play into what everybody wants.
If it takes for me to change who I am to be in a
certain situation, then I just won’t be in that situation
and I’ve always been like that.
LJC:
In your bio it stated that you’ve traveled the world.
Where have you been and how has those experiences
reflected in your music?
TQ:
It’s a big world and living in the USA you just
automatically have that arrogant thought process that it’s
just us. Man, its
so much stuff going on in the world that people don’t know
about and I‘ve had the opportunity since I’ve been so
successful abroad to see many things, many cultures and
different kinds of people who love our music.
I‘ve been so many places but my favorite is the south
coast of Spain, I’ll move there when I retire.
LJC:
What do you do to relax?
TQ:
I like to listen to old live recordings. I have a whole
collection of live CD’s like Donny Hathaway and Marvin Gaye
etc. I’m just a
musical dude and I always tell people this- I shouldn’t say
this- but if I didn’t get paid to sing, I’d do it for
free.
LJC:
How has the transition from Cash Money Records to your own
label-the HUB Records- been like?
TQ:
It’s been smooth. I was basically at the end of my deal with Cash Money and I
did a three-year deal with an option on the fourth and I opted
out. It just so
happened that when I was deciding what to do, this situation
dropped out of the sky. It was a blessing.
LJC:
What do you anticipate your fans learning from Listen?
TQ:
I want to be the voice that you hear before you make
the wrong decision. I’m
not trying to be God in any way, just that bridge before you
throw your life away.
LJC:
How do you handle the pressures that come along with wearing
the many hats that you do?
TQ:
Red Bull (laughing).
When you make a decision that you’re going to write
the songs, produce them, promote them, then that’s the
decision that you make so you just keep it moving and brush
the dust off your shoulders.
LJC:
Spiritually where are you at in your life right now?
TQ:
Same place I’ve always been. I’m a child of God
100% and he’s the beginning and end of my life. There has never been a point where he wasn’t in my life,
even when I was cutting up.
So, I always give all the honor, love, respect, thanks,
and glory to him because I know for a fact that if it wasn’t
for him, there are a whole lot of places I could be.
LJC:
What gives you peace?
TQ:
My son. I have a two year old grown man.
Hanging out with him is when I have the most fun.
That’s real right there, he’s gon give you the real
and he’s just so advanced I don’t know where that kid came
from. I can find
myself talking to him in my car like I’m talking to one of
the homies.
LJC:
What is the one thing you can’t be without?
TQ:
My white t-shirt, the official LA uniform.
I’m joined at the hip.
LJC:
What other projects do you have in store?
TQ:
I have so many links to so many things, but I’m just
focused on building my company HUB music and taking it to the
next level. I’m
not going to be signing a whole lot of artists.
I just feel like if you put the house on my shoulders
it’s going to stand, I’m the man you give the ball to when
there is two seconds left on the clock and I’ve always felt
that way.
LJC:
Who is the one person that inspires you the most?
TQ:
My mom. She’s
just straight good; she’s such a good-hearted person who
taught me how to give. I
love to give to people. I’m
not used to receiving, so I don’t have to receive to be
happy. I’ve
been able to find happiness in giving to other people and
helping other people out.
I feel like when you can do that, all your blessings
are going to come back to you. I’m even at the point that I just love to see the look on
people’s faces when I give them something.
LJC:
Anything you want to say to your fans?
TQ:
THANK YOU! I’m
one of those artists that read their fan mail.
I go on my website and check my message board a lot and
communicate with them. There
have been times when I feel a little down on my luck and
I’ll go to my website and it just brightens my day.
In fact my website was started by some high school
students.
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