Don Q (rapper)
 |
Don Q | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Le'Quincy Anderson |
| Born | April 28, 1990 New York City, U.S. |
| Genres | Hip hop |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 2006–present |
| Labels | |
| Website | donqhbtl |
Le'Quincy Anderson (born April 28, 1990), better known by his stage name Don Q, is an American rapper.[1][2][3] He is best known for his collaborations with labelmate A Boogie wit da Hoodie.
Early life
[edit]Le'Quincy Anderson was born and raised in the Bronx in New York City. He began writing raps in the 5th grade but did not start taking rap seriously until high school, he first rapped in a booth at the age of 16. Don grew up listening to artists such as Cassidy, Fabolous, Jadakiss, Styles P, Lloyd Banks and Jay-Z.[4]
As he got older he began battle rapping in the streets, parks, and different blocks which helped him build confidence. Don began battling because he was inspired by the Smack DVD series. Don's first stage name was Q da Don, he would then change it to Don Q, after the popular rum after seeing it on the shelves at local liquor stores. Don released his first mixtape at 17. The mixtape was in dedication to Andre "Pop" Davidson, a standout basketball player at John F. Kennedy High School who died. Pop was Don's best friend and the first person to co-sign Don's rapping talent.[5] The mixtape, however, did not receive much traction outside of Highbridge. Don almost quit rapping losing motivation as he did not have money to pay for studio sessions. Don was still worried about continuing his school studies and the streets but he came to the conclusion that rap was going to be his way to a better life. He made appearances in the local battle circuit where he rapped for several leagues such as Battle On The Beat, Blue Collar Television and Come Up Groundz.[6]
Career
[edit]2016: Career beginnings
[edit]In 2016, Don signed to Highbridge the Label, a label ran by friends Quincy "QP" Acheampong and Sambou "Bubba" Camara. He and A Boogie were the first artists signed to the label. He was heavily featured on the compilation, Highbridge the Label: The Takeover Vol. 1, which dropped on May 28, 2016. Don gained more notoriety after appearing on Funkmaster Flex's freestyle series on Hot 97, along with A Boogie wit da Hoodie who had become one of the most popular up and coming rappers in New York City.[7] Don delivered an impressive freestyle over Nas' Oochie Wally. Soon, the songs Bando and Bag On Me, featuring Don Q began getting radio play in the Tri-State area. In July 2016, Highbridge the Label partnered with Atlantic Records.[8] Don dropped his first official mixtape in August 2016. The mixtape titled Don Season was hosted by DJ Don Cannon. The mixtape has features from A Boogie, PnB Rock and Keir.[9] In September 2016, he was featured on the BET Hip Hop Awards cypher alongside A Boogie wit da Hoodie, Russ, Kent Jones and Nick Grant.[10] During the year, Don collaborated with artists like Meek Mill, Dave East, Fabolous, Young Scooter and PnB Rock among others.
2017
[edit]In 2017, Don dropped his second mixtape titled Corner Stories featuring Dave East, A Boogie, Jadakiss, Styles P, Zoey Dollaz, PnB Rock, Fabolous and Loso Loaded,[11] he would later follow up with a remastered version titled Corner Stories Reloaded with extra songs adding one featuring Rowdy Rebel.[12] Don is featured on A Boogie's debut album The Bigger Artist on the tracks "Somebody" and "Money Sprung".[13] Don collaborated with Dominican recording artist Chimbala, on a track titled Matalo. Don Q released his mixtape Don Talk featuring Pusha T, Tee Grizzley and Desiigner.[14]
2018
[edit]Don Q released his follow-up mixtape to Don Season titled Don Season 2 featuring G Herbo, Dave East, Lil Durk, Moneybagg Yo and more. The lead single for the project is titled "Yeah Yeah" and features A Boogie wit da Hoodie and 50 Cent and produced by Murda Beatz. Don Q closed out the year dropping a 6 song extended play titled Underrated. He was also featured on A-Boogie's Platinum album, Hoodie SZN on a collaboration titled "Bosses and Workers" with fellow labelmate Trap Manny.
2019
[edit]To start off 2019, Don responded to Tory Lanez's battle challenge. Lanez had engaged in a battle with Joyner Lucas and had proclaimed himself the best rapper alive. Don proclaimed that Tory could not be the best rapper alive as he accused him of stealing lyrics from his Hot 97 freestyle. After a brief exchange of words via social media, Don released a diss track titled, "I'm Not Joyner." Lanez responded with his own diss entitled "Don Queen". The following day, Don Q retaliated with another diss track, called "This Is Ya King?"[15]
Don Q was one of 5 rappers banned from New York City's Rolling Loud festival due to safety concerns by the NYPD.[16]
2020
[edit]With a short hiatus from music, Don Q returned to music by releasing "Flood My Wrist" featuring Lil Uzi Vert and A Boogie wit da Hoodie on July 1, 2020. He went on to release "I'm the One" a week later, and "Blood Sweat & Tears" on July 24. Another A Boogie-collaboration, "Vroom Vroom", was released on September 2, 2020.
2021
[edit]After another long hiatus, Don Q made his departure from Atlantic Records and signed a new record deal with record label EMPIRE. Don Q a released mixtape called 'Double or Nothing' on October 22, 2021, featuring a song with American drill rapper B-Lovee.
Personal life
[edit]Don has one daughter.[6]
In November 2017 Anderson was arrested for felony firearm possession in New York.[17][18]
In January 2024 Anderson was arrested in New York for evading nearly $20,000 in vehicle tolls.[19]
Discography
[edit]Commercial mixtapes
[edit]| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US [20] |
US R&B/HH [21] | ||
| Don Season |
|
— | — |
| Don Season 2 |
|
93 | 46 |
| Double Or Nothing[22] |
|
— | — |
| Corleone[23] |
|
— | — |
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. | |||
Mixtapes
[edit]| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| Highbridge The Label: The Takeover Vol. 1 (with A Boogie wit da Hoodie) |
|
| Corner Stories |
|
| Highbridge The Label: Vol. 2 (with Highbridge The Label) |
|
Extended plays
[edit]| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| Don Talk |
|
| Underrated |
|
Singles
[edit]As lead artist
[edit]| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | NZ Hot | |||
| "Cant Trust Em" (featuring PnB Rock, Lil Bibby & A Boogie wit da Hoodie) |
2016 | — | — | Non-album singles |
| "Its All Love" (featuring Dave East) |
— | — | ||
| "Take Me Alive" (featuring Styles P & Jadakiss) |
— | — | ||
| "All My Bitches" | — | — | ||
| "Game Winnerz" (with A Boogie wit da Hoodie) |
— | — | Highbridge the Label: The Takeover Vol. 1 | |
| "Bando" (with A Boogie wit da Hoodie) |
— | — | ||
| "Bag on Me" (with A Boogie wit da Hoodie) |
— | — | ||
| "Groupie Love" | — | — | ||
| "Trap Phone" (featuring Desiigner) |
2017 | — | — | Don Talk |
| "Yeah Yeah" (featuring A Boogie wit da Hoodie & 50 Cent) |
2018 | — | — | Don Season 2 |
| "Roll My Weed" (featuring Jay Critch) |
— | — | ||
| "Pull Up" (featuring G Herbo & Dave East) |
— | — | ||
| "I'm Not Joyner" | 2019 | — | — | Non-album singles |
| "Make Me Wanna" (featuring A Boogie wit da Hoodie) |
— | — | ||
| "Out of Line" (with Jay Critch) |
— | — | ||
| "Flood My Wrist" (with A Boogie wit da Hoodie and Lil Uzi Vert) |
2020 | —[A] | 28 | Highbridge the Label: The Takeover Vol. 2 |
| "I'm the One" | — | — | ||
| "Blood Sweat & Tears" | — | — | ||
| "Vroom Vroom" (with A Boogie wit da Hoodie and Trap Manny) |
— | — | ||
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. | ||||
As A Featured Artist
[edit]| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | NZ Hot | ||||
| "Money Sprung" (A Boogie wit da Hoodie featuring Don Q) |
2017 | — | — | The Bigger Artist | |
| "Somebody"A Boogie wit da Hoodie featuring Don Q | 2017 | — | — | ||
| "Bosses and Workers by A Boogie wit da Hoodie (featuring Don Q & Trap Manny) | 2018 | — | — | Hoodie SZN | |
| "Hard To Kill" by Jdmilitant (featuring Don Q) | 2021 | — | — | Non-album single | |
| "Came From Nothing" Jay Guawpo featuring Lil Tjay & Don Q | 2019 | — | — | Came From Nothing Pt.1 | |
| "Shoot" by Trap Manny featuring Don Q and Lil Durk | 2021 | — | — | In Trap We Trust | |
Notes
[edit]- ^ "Flood My Wrist" did not enter the Billboard Hot 100, but peaked at number 9 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart.[26]
References
[edit]- ^ "BMI | Songview Search". Repertoire.bmi.com.
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on March 30, 2019. Retrieved September 19, 2018.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "Don Q Arrested for Gun and Marijuana Possession in New". Xxlmag.com. December 5, 2017.
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on April 24, 2018. Retrieved April 23, 2018.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ Don Q on Starting Out as a Battle Rapper, Never Wanted to be the Best Battler (Part 1). YouTube. Archived from the original on December 11, 2021.
- ^ a b "Archived copy". Archived from the original on March 22, 2018. Retrieved May 22, 2023.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie Freestyles About His Come Up - XXL". XXL Mag. July 14, 2016.
- ^ "A Boogie Partners Up With Atlantic Records - Def Pen". July 28, 2016.
- ^ "Don Season by Don Q". Genius.
- ^ "A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, Kent Jones, Nick Grant, Russ and Don Q Perform in 2016 BET Hip Hop Awards Cypher - XXL". XXL Mag. October 5, 2016.
- ^ "Corner Stories". HNHH. February 28, 2017.
- ^ "Don Q - Corner Stories Reloaded". HNHH. August 11, 2017.
- ^ "A Boogie Shares Artwork & Release Date For Debut Album "The Bigger Artist"". HNHH. September 3, 2017.
- ^ "Don Q's 'Don Talk' Mixtape Features Pusha T and More - XXL". March 17, 2018.
- ^ "Don Q Drops Tory Lanez Diss Track "I'm Not Joyner" - XXL". January 26, 2019.
- ^ "Rolling Loud and the NYPD Pulled 5 Rappers from the Festival. The Repercussions Are Only Beginning". Rolling Stone. October 20, 2019.
- ^ "Don Q Arrested for Gun and Marijuana Possession in New - XXL". December 5, 2017.
- ^ "Rolling Loud Drops 5 Rappers from NYC Lineup at Request of NYPD over "Public Safety Concerns"". October 13, 2019.
- ^ "NYC license plate cheats skirted $108M in speed camera tickets last year, audit finds". January 22, 2024.
- ^ "Don Q - Billboard 200". Billboard. Retrieved October 11, 2020.
- ^ "Don Q - Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums". Billboard. Retrieved October 11, 2020.
- ^ "Don Q - Double Or Nothing". Apple Music. Retrieved October 22, 2021.
- ^ "Don Q - Corleone". Apple Music. Retrieved June 24, 2022.
- ^ "A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie & Don Q - Highbridge the Label: The Takeover Vol.1". Spinrilla. May 18, 2016. Archived from the original on August 11, 2016. Retrieved December 3, 2016.
- ^ "A Boogie - Artist". DatPiff. Archived from the original on November 30, 2016. Retrieved November 30, 2016.
- ^ "Don Q". Billboard.