TQ and The Young Mores Band

When he broke through with the hit singles “Westside” and “Better Days,” TQ quickly established himself as an R&B singer with a rapper’s musical sensibility. Subsequent work with Lil Wayne, Juvenile, Baby and the Cash Money Records roster solidified the Compton, California singer as a creative force who could work with a variety of A-List collaborators.

TQ feels as though he’s been able to carve out a lane for himself because of his position in the musical realm. “There’s a certain amount of people that look at rap and hip-hop itself as kind of being a bit too harsh on the ears for them to really dive into,” he says. “I think that I kind of bridge that gap with the type of R&B that I’ve done. I can look at R&B music before I came out and I can look at R&B music now and just see that I made a mark because of the love I get from cats in the streets that are doing it now.”

“I’m a real stickler for getting people’s opinions on music that I’m doing,” he says. “You just never know as an artist and a songwriter because you’re caught up on your own stuff. We do a lot of focus groups, get a lot of people together and play music from a lot of different artists so people don’t necessarily know who they’re listening to.”

People didn’t know much about TQ when he broke through in 1998 with his landmark “Westside” single. Included on his acclaimed They Never Saw Me Coming album, the song paid homage to the long line of West Coast rap acts – especially those from TQ’s native Compton – who helped make Southern California one of the genre’s most significant outposts. 

“Westside” catapulted TQ to international fame. In addition to being a Top 15 hit in the United States, it was a Top 10 single in the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Germany, Australia and New Zealand. Subsequent singles “Bye Bye Baby” and “Better Days” helped pave the way for TQ to sign with Cash Money Records. 

While with the New Orleans-based label, he wrote and was featured on a string of gold and platinum albums, including Big Tymers’ Hood Rich, Lil Wayne’s 500 Degreez, the Baller Blockin’ soundtrack; Birdman’s Baby aka #1 Stunna, Juvenile’s Project English and Hot Boys’ Let ‘Em Burn, among others. 

TQ’s time with the label helped him creatively. “My work ethic went way up when I was with them,” he explains. “One thing about them, they run an assembly line. Everything is about getting in, getting it done and what you put in is what you get out. You’re working with so many artists that are talented and you’re working on so many projects.”

After parting ways with the label, TQ began releasing his own music independently. As he prepares to release his new project, he’s also running his TheRealTQ.com website, iTQ mobile app, and revamping his live show, adding new songs and visual components to his set. But for now, it’s time to get back to making meaningful music. 

“People walk up to me in the streets and tell me that I did a lot, that I left my mark and helped music get to where it is today,” TQ says. “That’s something that I’m definitely proud of and I definitely get the love from the artists that grew up listening to me. I couldn’t be happier about that part.”