ScHoolboy Q Reveals ‘Oxymoron’ Album Cover, Teams Up With the Alchemist for ‘Break the Bank’

ScHoolBoy Q's 'Oxymoron' album managed to hover around hip-hop fans' anticipatory lens last year despite massively hyped releases from Kanye West ('Yeezus') and Pusha T ('My Name Is My Name'). The album stayed off shelves partially due to sampling clearance issues, but February is coming, the album art is here and a new song -- 'Break the Bank' featuring the Alchemist's production -- has arrived.

The 'Oxymoron' cover takes cues from Danny Brown's 'Old' and 'My Name Is My Name' when it comes to minimalism. The usage is more personal here though. Pictured in black-and-white starkness on the standard edition is ScHoolboy Q's daughter mean mugging as she wears her father's trademark bucket hat. The deluxe edition features Q staring through a ski mask at the viewer.

It definitely helps the hype when there's a great song to accompany such a reveal. The Alchemist creates a dusty and nostalgic space as ScHoolboy Q barks his lyrics. In composition, 'Break the Bank' keeps in line with the same juxtapositions as 'Habits & Contradictions': A maturing worldview still held back by youthful thrills. "My time to show out, finally the illest crip / And I guarantee, I spit harder than concrete /
Surprised I got teeth, my lungs inhale keef," he rhymes over the sunny keys.

'Break the Bank,' combined with the release of the 'Man of the Year' music video, increases the anticipation for 'Oxymoron.' The follow-up to 'Habits & Contradictions' drops Feb. 25.

Listen to ScHoolboy Q's 'Break the Bank'