Q-Boogie
Jersey City, New Jersey, United States | SELF
Music
The best kept secret in music
Press
IT WAS THREE YEARS AGO THAT QUADIR HABEEB, a 6-10 270 pound junior center at Howard University, walked away from basketball and dropped out of school to pursue a career in spoken word poetry. “They say Kanye West dropped out, but I left with a scholarship” Quadir says with a laugh, “Everyone was like, “Q, you’re crazy, Why are you doing that?” But I was following my passion.”
Having since made the transition from spoken word to hip-hop, Q Boogie, aka “Da Poet,” is now trying to make his mark in a rap game that he admits isn’t too receptive to artists with a message. “That’s not what sells because it’s not what is being pushed,” says Q, whose voice on record and subject matter is reminiscent of a young 2Pac. “But when I was playing basketball, people on my team loved to hear my poetry. These are guys that come from broken homes, that come from the hood, and when they’d hear me spit, they can respect that. If people pushed (rap with a message), it could be very big.”
Born the youngest of six siblings in a Muslim household, Q boogie was raised in Buffalo, N.Y., where he was home-schooled by his parents, who owned a bookstore. Q credits his father, who passed away in 2004, for educating him beyond the standard curriculum. So in addition to MCs like Biggie and Black Thought of the Roots, Q Boogie also draws inspiration from historic figures like Huey P. Newton and Malcolm X.
Q didn’t start playing organized ball until high school, when his family’s spiritual advisor- also a youth basketball coach – convinced the 6-8 teenager to take up the game. After stops at Turner Carroll H.S. and Brighton Academy (Mass.), and some standout AAU tournaments, Quadir earned a scholarship to St. Bonaventure, were he played on the same squad with ex-NBA guard J.R. Bremer and made trip to the NIT. But after the Bonnies’ head coach took another job, Q transferred to Paris (Texas) Junior College, where he started writing and performing poetry to combat the small-town boredom. The next year he went to Howard and averaged four points and three boards per game, seeing action against big-time programs like Georgetown and Cal. It was around that same time that his poetry began to grow, and Q’s rhymes drew the attention of everyone from Talib Kweli to Russell Simmons.
"I was missing practice going to poetry contests and rap battles, missing practice saying I didn't feel well, " Q Boogie remembers. "I love basketball, but this is more of my heart. I've been learning about being a better man and being in the community since I was little, since before basketball."
Shortly after leaving school, Q impressed Chuck D enough that the Public Enemy legend signed him to his independent distribution lable, SlamJamz.com. Last year, Q performed at a party Reebok put on for Allen Iverson, and he is scheduled to perform at Harlem's legendary Apollo Theater in November. Q Boogie's solo mix tape, The Unheard Of: The Block, the Devil and the Dean, drops this winter, with production by DJ Green Lantern.
"I'm not trying to preach....I call it dropping jewels," Q says. "I wouldn't say all of (the material) is political. I talk about a lot of different stuff, but I'm not with the club, bling-bling, 'I got girls, I got cars,' talking about material stuff - that's not what I'm about. It's not all political; it's all struggle." - AUSTIN BURTON - DIME Magazine - November 2006
Discography
THE UNHEARD OF
Q-BOOGIE & DJ GREEN LANTERN
1. IM BACK (BLACK JERUZ)
2. GUN TALK (FEAT. FAT JOE, WYCLEF, STYLES P, (DJ GREEN LANTERN)
3. SPOKEN RAP (DJ GREEN LANTERN)
4. ELECTRIC SHOTS (THUGZ MAN)
5. GOT NOBODY (FEAT. DJ S&S)
6. STRAIGHT PIF (NITTY)
7. 40 ACRES AND A MULE (THUGZ MAN)
Photos
Feeling a bit camera shy
Bio
Quadir Ibn Lateef Habeeb, known as Q is a Houston, Texas Native. During high school, Qs raw athletic talent exploded and he was scouted, receiving a full basketball scholarship to St. Bonaventure which is a private college in upstate New York. Eventually Q returned to Buffalo with his coach, where he obtained his associates degree in Science from Erie County Community College. Again Qs undeniable athletic ability earned him a full basketball scholarship to Howard University. It was here at Howard, that Q began to find his writers voice creating intense soul inspiring poems and started to perform his original spoken word pieces in the Washington DC area. He was sought out by student organizations, sororities, and professors for paid performances.
With his talent becoming increasingly recognized and appreciated, 2003 proved to be a pivotal year for Qs career. Now at the age of 23, Q chose to leave Howard to pursue his career in spoken word poetry and rap music. Tavis Smiley (formerly of BET) selected Q to host the poetry section of his very first Youth to Leaders National Summit in 2003 which was aired on C-SPAN. He published his first spoken word CD entitled Words of Awakening, which included a fiery political base of commentary. This led to not only a performance for Russell Simmons at the Annual Black Face Awards, but also a subsequent performance for the Jam Master Jay Commemoration where Russell and Danny Simmons personally requested Qs audition for the HBO Def Poetry Jam.
Additional exposure soon followed after a show for Dr. Ben Chavis Muhammad that resulted in an invitation for Q to perform at the Pre Tony Award show for the Def Poetry cast. Having quickly achieved several high profile appearances Q joined the BET All Stars Tour. This tour triggered an invitation by Chuck D to work in his private studio. By 2005, Q had partnered with The Polygon Group (a music publishing & production co.) and released his first underground Hip Hop CD entitled The Unheard of: Volume 1.
Q has been featured in Artvoice magazine as the Artist of the Week and on NBCs local news show. Q also showcased his talents in front of a celebrity packed audience at Reeboks Tenth Year in the League Anniversary party for NBA superstar Allen Iverson. His performance was brilliant and as a result, he was chosen to be included in a nationally televised segment aired on Comcast Def On Demand in February 2006.
Q relocated to New Jersey in the summer of 2006 to be closer to the New York City music scene. Once he arrived, Q entered a music showcase in front of industry A&R execs and DJs, competing with some of the hottest emcees in the tri-state area. Qs performance earned him 1st place honors and future meetings with label representatives that were in attendance. By fall of that same year, Q had also been showcased on the Apollo earning a commendable second place honor. Furthermore, he performed in December of 2006 at the Nike 25th anniversary show and was featured in the December 2006 issue of Dime Magazine.
Chuck D selected Q to be on his new distribution label www.slamjamz.com. Q has just completed working on a project with DJ Green Lantern in January 2007 with the release of a CD entitled THE UNHEARD OF: The Block The Devil The Deen which features production from in house producers Carolina Blu, Da Artz, & Thugzmen, Ill Tone plus the likes of Chad B & Black Jeruz (G-Unit producers), Marie Ben-Ari, King James, Green Lantern, and DJ S&S.
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:
2003 Youth to Leaders National summit aired on C-SPAN (selected by Tavis Smiley)
Published first spoken word CD Words of Awakening
Annual Black Face Awards for Russell Simmons
Jam Master Jay Commemoration
Pre Tony Award Show for the Def Poetry cast
NBCS Artist of the Week
Reeboks 10th Year in the NBA for Allen Iverson
2006 - Comcast Def On Demand
Apollo Showcase 2nd place
Nike 25th Anniversary Show
Dime Magazine November 2006 issue
Current Airplay on Hot 97 radio station No Sunshine
ABC News Featured on segment saluting Black History Month - 2007
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