Hotel California (video)

TQ is what happens when Marvin Gaye meets Michael Jackson in Compton.

The Crown Prince of California Soul is back with his new album, Legendary.

I was disappointed when 7/10 people I asked did not remember or had no clue who I was taking about when mentioning I had his new album.

Some of these people I remember chillin’ with early mornings (back in the days of high school) watching videos on MTV/BET and seeing TQ in rotation…daily.

Let me wake y’all the ____ up!

TQ is known internationally and has been known for some time. He has had several Billboard hits and landed a deal with Cash Money for a short time before returning to the independent grind.

I know you have heard of Lil Wayne, the boss of Cash Money – Baby, and maybe even West Coast stars E-40 and Mack 10. Here’s what they say about TQ:

“TQ’s the most Gangsta singer I know… Real Talk!” —Lil Wayne

“TQ sings about the stuff we rap about.” —E40

“Hearing this dude in the studio is like listening to some old Michael Jackson!” —Mack 10

“TQ is my favorite R&B artist… That’s why I signed him.” —Baby, CEO of Cash Money Records

TQ got his start in the late ’90s with B-boy group Coming of Age but it was his solo album They Never Saw Me Coming (that included hits “Westside” and “Bye Bye Baby”) that sent him into global stardom.

Westside (video)

“Westside” hit Top 10 on the charts in several countries and a few #1’s came outside the US within the first week of release. It stayed at the top for weeks and amassed an amazing 1.5 million copies sold.

He released The Second Coming with Epic and then joined forces with New Orleans’ rap power label, Cash Money Records. He wrote several hits and attained his first Billboard #1 with Lil Wayne on “Way of Life”.

Way of Life (video)

In his career, TQ has written, produced and collaborated with some of the top artists in the music industry from all genres including N’Sync, Lil Wayne, R.Kelly, Whitney Houston, Dru Hill, Jagged Edge, Ron Isley, Swizz Beatz, Petey Pablo, Another Level, LFO, Donny Osmond, Juvenile, BONE Thugz, Jim Jones, The Big Tymers, The Game, E40, Too Short, The Outlawz, and Sarah Conner to name a few.

After Cash Money, he independently released Listen which gave him a taste of what it was like to own and control his craft. Now he owns 100% of his catalog, handles a publishing company, and also works in film.

His new album, Legendary, is everything you would expect from a man of his caliber. I have been listening to it for weeks now.

If you need your daily rap fix but with the mellowed out vibes of some classic R&B, TQ delivers from Track 1 to Track 14. Including his single, “Bad Man” which features Mystikal and Mannie Fresh.

Many have referred to him as the “singing Tupac” labeling his style of R&B – “Reality R&B”. I cannot argue with either of those descriptions. I don’t listen to R&B…ever…but I listen to TQ.

Bad Man – Behind the Scenes (video)

Keep up with TQ by bookmarking his website. You can also connect on Twitter or Facebook.