"When Two Worlds Collide" features the hit poem spot-lighted on HOB's Def Poetry Jam - "Taboo (When Hip-Hop Was Fun)."
"2007 Hollywood Grand Slam Champion"
"2004 National Poetry Slam Champion"
"The born and raised Los Angeles MC In-Q deals in purity. Maybe its because he's a poet at base (and winner of spoken word-offs across the country) but his brand of hip hop, a penetratingly fluent account of real shit he's been through paired with retro-funky sampling, is believable, heart breaking (listen to post-breakup-revelation "Tell the
Truth") even. Oh, and there's no need to qualify Q's flow with that ugly phrase, "for a white boy"; dude's been at this for 10 years, and his newest album, When Two Worlds Collide, puts true mastery of "rhythmic- artistic-poetry" on exhibit." - URB Magazine
"IN-Q…delivers one of the strongest raps..." - Los Angeles Times
"The Santa Monica wordsmith In-Q is back at it again. Always on point, In-Q has been proving his worth as an emcee for years now. In-Q, formerly known as Inquiry, is perhaps best known for his abilities as a spoken word artist, at one point appearing on Russell Simmons Def Poetry Jam. On In-Q's newest album, "When Two Worlds Collide," the emcee has both rap based tracks, and spoken word tracks. Despite the fact that the two genres essentially share the same album, "When Two Worlds Collide" actually has better flow then most strictly hip hop albums. The production of Jericho J provides an interesting, and extremely musical backdrop for In-Q. As far as lyrics are concerned In-Q has never half-stepped. The lyrical content is well thought out, heartfelt, and entertaining. While "When Two Worlds Collide" isn't necessarily designed for the club it is recommended for long drives to work or for when you're coolin' at the crib." - Breaks Magazine
"IN-Q's strong command of wordplay is the most original and best I ever heard." - Mary Montoro (writer for www.Socal.com)
Born and raised in Santa Monica, CA, In-Q has been writing and performing Spoken Word/Hip-Hop for the last 10 years. His talents and mastery of his craft continue to place him in the public eye. He has been a featured poet on numerous popular television shows including: HBO’s Def Poetry Jam, ABC’s Eye on LA, and NBC’s Living Large. In addition to his appearances on TV, In-Q is an award-winning poet with a live performance and stage presence so captivating and engaging, he is credited as a 5-time Hollywood Slam Team member and 2007’s “Grand Slam Champion”. Additionally, In-Q was a principal member of the National Poetry Team who won the Slam Poetry Championships in St. Louis in 2004.
Always performing and continuously building his growing fan base, In-Q is a regular in Los Angeles at both DA Poetry Lounge and Fly Poets Showcase, and makes numerous appearances around the country at venues ranging from Universities and corporate functions, to nightclubs and major music venues. In 2004 he opened for The Red Hot Chili Peppers at a Democratic Campaign Fundraiser in Los Angeles, which featured speeches by President Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.
In addition to being a poet, In-Q’s talents have lead him to developing a successful career as an underground MC, in which he has released several independent albums and has become recognized as a treacherous and skillful battle rapper. As a result, he was recruited by film makers to star in both “The Battle for LA” and “Foot Soldiers”, two films which chronicle the behind the scenes world of Los Angeles hip-hop. In 2006, In-Q was featured on DJ Presto’s “The Magic LP” with DJ Dusk called “Brainstorm.” The hit track caught the attention of XLR8R magazine and was chosen to be featured on their mix CD. In 2008 In-Q and DJ Presto collaborated again on “State of the Art”, a follow up album that includes performances by CL Smooth, Fat Lip, Sadat X, OC, Large Professor, and many more. Both on record and in live performance In-Q has made a strong impression. Sharing stages with everyone from De la Soul, to Eminem, to The Alkoholics, and rocking crowds nation wide.
As if being a successful poet and rapper weren’t enough, In-Q is tackling Hollywood as an actor. He has stared in several independent feature films and in early 2007 spent two months in New York, where he stared in a feature film called “The Magnificent Cooly T”, directed by Stephen Leeds with a cast that includes, Jackie Long, Gary Dourdan, Sleepy Brown, and Teairra Mari. IN-Q has two original poetry/rap pieces that were written into the film and are being accompanied by beat box legend, The God Father of Noise himself, Rahzel. In 2008 In-Q continued to stay busy. He filmed “Holt and Randy”, an independent Television Pilot in which he stared, and “26 Miles”, an independent Television Miniseries staring John Schneider. In addition to his roles on the big screen, In-Q is an accomplished stage actor. He is not only the founder and co-host of the Actors’ Lounge, a monthly open mic for actors held at the Greenway Court Theater in Los Angeles, but he recently starred in the original musical “Hercules on Normandie”, written by James Eric and Mark Kemble. From this performance, he was awarded an obsevership at the prestigious Actors’ Studio by Martin Landau.
Combining the triple-threat of poetry, rapping, and acting, IN-Q is a force to be reckoned with. He is a seasoned professional with an innovative style and a unique perspective. His debut spoken word album “When Two Worlds Collide” combines all elements of that creativity. It mixes humor, heartbreak, love, and hope into a cohesive album. His subject matter ranges from politics, to addiction, to hip-hop, always involving his personal experience. He uses original music, remixed tracks, acappella spoken word poetry, acting, scratching, beat boxing, sound effects, and a computer voice to help tell the story of his life. The final product is a monumental achievement. It is not only an album, it is an experience that leaves the listener with more then they came in with.
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