ScHoolboy Q and Ab-Soul Finally Gave Us a “Druggy Wit Hoes” Update on ‘Blue Lips’

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ScHoolboy Q’s new album Blue Lips isn’t lacking in sublime, rewind-worthy moments. The dizzying rapid-fire delivery on “Yeern 101.” The way “Thank God 4 me’s” thunderous second beat loops back to its smooth sample at the 100-second mark. Q casually going crazy with a laidback flow on “Blueslides” versus going screamo nuts on “Pop.” And how about Rico Nasty’s guest spot on that song? Or Freddie Gibbs continuing his hot streak on “oHio?”

It’s easily the 2024 rap album to beat so far—which, ok, it did come out on March 1, so a more substantial statement may be to agree with Q that it arrives immediately, arguably, as the best album out of his very competitive six-project catalog, and a thrilling return to form after he (admittedly) lost his way last time around. This one marries Blank Face’s creativity and innovation with CrasH Talk’s accessibility, which is to say it’s not a challenging listen sonically but still finds Q in search of new flows and sounds while retaining his core essence.

To that end: lowkey the most thrilling moment on Blue Lips may just be Q and his TDE/Black Hippy compatriot Ab-Soul linking for a stealth sequel to their “Druggy Wit Hoes” series on “Foux.” It’s about as close to fan service as Q gets on the album (and in general, really), but to even really refer to it as such would be downplaying the gift that is this reunion.

To recap: ScHoolboy and Soulo first linked for “Druggy Wit Hoes” in 2011, a banger on the former’s debut album Setbacks. The sequel, aptly titled “Druggy Wit Hoes Again” came next year on Q’s seminal project Habits & Contradictions, on a moodier, more futuristic uptempo beat. But by the time of Q’s breakout album Oxymoron, he announced that they’d probably never complete the trilogy as he’d moved on from that lifestyle—only to twist the knife by performing it live just once.

So to have Soul featured on a track called “Foux,” produced by longtime TDE beatmaker TaeBeast (who was behind the boards for the original), and drop the “Druggy” series refrain “Marijuana, hydro, pussy hoe, ass, titites” right before Ab’s verse? Chef’s kiss. Q may not be intoxicated with women of questionable repute anymore these days, but he’s not above giving the TDE faithful a surprise sequel. (The Black Hippy boys love their song series; do recall Kendrick is now up to part five on “The Heart.”) It may be the smoothest, most laidback of the four—reflective of Q and Soul being older, wiser, and more content—but the song doesn’t concede any energy for that mood; Q recalled watching Jay-Z make his patented “this beat is fucking insane” screwface as he played him the album.

But regardless, it’s just good to see half of Black Hippy back together again. The TDE quartet, comprised of Q, Soul, Jay Rock and Kendrick Lamar, hasn’t been united on wax in full since remixing Q’s smash hit “THat Part” back in 2016. The likelihood of getting all four on tracks together grew slimmer as each rapper’s individual star grew brighter; with Kendrick Lamar doing his own thing on pgLang now it would probably be a miracle. But Q and Soul coming together for a 13 year callback is a hell of a consolation prize though. It’s the first time the two have been on a track together in at least six or seven years; someone aptly described listening to “Foux” as stepping into a time machine.

And as evidenced by the track, the brotherhood is strong as ever. (The chorus is a reference to Ab-Soul’s track “It Be Like That” from his most recent album.) At Q’s LA show for the album last week, when Soul came on stage to perform the song, their TDE labelmate Isaiah Rashad gleefully recorded the moment on his phone from the sidelines. When even half of Black Hippy reunites, all any of us can do is fan out.

Originally Appeared on GQ