Album Notes

British rapper QBoy has single handily become the face of a new wave in urban music, the next evolution in hip-hop.

Born in Basildon, Essex to an English mother and Spanish father, he grew up in a difficult area where he was bullied throughout most of his school years because of his sexuality. He left his hometown and moved to Leicester to study acting and contemporary dance at degree level, where he stayed for four years.

The brave and determined artist has since carved out a prominent place for himself in a culture known for it's apparent homophobia. From being editor of 'gayhiphop.com', dj and promoter of gay hip-hop night 'Pac-Man' to his present incarnation as one of the best-known openly gay rap artists in the world, he has pushed back stereotypes and stood his ground.

In such a short space of time he has managed to reach audiences all over the globe including New York, Paris, Zurich, Oslo, Tallinn, Zagreb, L.A. and of course London and the rest of the UK. He has hit the media with equal force being featured in everything from The Guardian to CD:UK, The Independent, The Metro, BBC Radio: 1Xtra, Five Live, BBC Essex and GMR, i-D, Dazed&Confused, Vice, Mixmag, Pink TV, Attitude, Gay Times, AXM, PlanetOUT and most recently Boy George's Queerest TV Moments on Channel 4. All this with only his first E.P. release 'Even The Women Like Him' and an accompanying music video ‘1/4 Life Crisis'.

Currently head first into a number of projects including an anti-bullying campaign track with the backing of several charities, organising PeaceOUT UK - the first ever gay hip-hop festival in Europe and being chosen to not only act and rap but also choreograph in an urban musical short film; he somehow is finding the time to write and record his highly anticipated new album due out in Spring ‘06. At present he features in the new gay hip-hop documentary ‘Pick Up The Mic’ which is receiving sold out audiences at film festivals around the globe and he also was recently nominated for Performing Artist Of The Year at this years GALA’s (Gay And Lesbian Awards), an award where the only other nominees were Will Young and Stephen Gately.

As an expressive, experienced and energetic performer, he is an essential, positive influence in hip-hop and a wonder to watch. Confident, cocky, sexy, cute and clever, he writes rhymes that are witty, unique and entertaining but also thought provoking, conscious and with an important level of humility. Respected and praised by everyone from 40+ parents to traditional hip-hop heads, his talent, good looks and steady dose of moxie make him the perfect ambassador for the new generation of hip-hop. His mere existence also provides the younger generation with a much-needed positive role model and consequentially he is now seen as a new political figure breaking down traditional stereotypes of gay men and hip-hop in the media.

It is true to say that QBoy's success to date has been quite amazing, but equally it is as true to say that this is only just the beginning of something much, much bigger.