IN-Q
Los Angeles, California, United States
Music
Press
"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, heartbreaking (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
"With lyrical genius and rap skills that he has honed over the years, IN-Q (short for Inquiry) brings his offering, songs that scream volumes from the heart and soul of a genuine hip-hop head. IN-Q’s skills are above and beyond what is happening in hip-hop today. He's an intense artist who is deeply concerned. His 10-year journey through this hip-hop game has strengthened him and he still demands regard for his special brand of insightful music."
- Getunderground.com
"IN-Q...delivers one of the strongest raps..." - LA Times
"IN-Q's strong command of wordplay is the most original and best I have ever heard". - www.socal.com
IN-Q was inclueded in the "Who's New" article for Billboard Magazines spotlight. - Billboard Magazine
"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 is a storyteller who takes his inner world, his emotional landscape, and lights it up for all to see and share." - Santa Monica Daily Press
Discography
When Two Worlds Collide
Photos
Bio
Los Angeles based writer, rapper, actor, host, teacher, and award winning spoken word artist, IN-Q, is a unique voice in performance art. His work has been featured on HBO's Def Poetry Jam, The Battle for LA, BET, ABC, NBC, A&E, Disney, and Nickelodeon.
IN-Q is a National Poetry Slam Champion who has shared the stage with everyone from De La Soul, to the Red Hot Chili Peppers, to President Barack Obama. IN-Q currently has a publishing deal with RMR Music Group and has collaborated with various artists including Rock Mafia, Sick Puppies, Aloe Blacc, Miley Cyrus, and Selena Gomez on her hit single, Love You Like A Love Song, which went double platinum and reached #1 on the Billboard dance charts. Most recently, IN-Q co-wrote 7 songs for the Disney Hip-Hop movie, Let It Shine, including the singles, Don't Run Away and Guardian Angel. His one-man show has toured nationally since 2009 and has been seen at over 50 universities across the country. His first full-length poetry CD, When Two Worlds Collide, was released to critical acclaim. URB Magazine wrote, "IN-Q's brand of Hip-Hop, a penetratingly fluent account of what he's been through, paired with retro-funky sampling, is believable and heartbreaking even. His newest album puts true mastery of rhythmic-artistic-poetry on exhibit."
An accomplished stage and screen actor, IN-Q has been seen in films like The Magnificent Cooly-T and Speechless, and has television credits that include The Cleaner, Svetlana, and Curb Your Enthusiasm. IN-Q's unique style of inspiring self-expression has been utilized by creative writing programs across the country. He teaches workshops in high schools, junior highs, universities, libraries, and prisons around California, as well as instructing yearly poetry programs to Upward Bound students at Long Beach Community College and UCLA Young Writers at their annual conference in Lake Arrowhead. IN-Q founded the Los Angeles based Actors' Lounge in 2004, a monthly open mic for actors held at The Greenway Court Theatre, and starred in the run of their original musical, Hercules on Normandie, for which he was given an observership at the prestigious Actors' Studio by Martin Landau. Most recently, IN-Q starred in the premiere theatrical run of Jumping the Median, an original play that was performed at the Santa Monica Playhouse and was produced by television legend Norman Lear.
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