Top Dawg Entertainment’s Schoolboy Q has had a lot to live up to. It’s hard to think of many other hip-hop albums in 2014 that have as much hype surrounding them as Schoolboy Q’s first major label release, ‘Oxymoron.’ Hardcore TDE fan or not, it was hard to ignore the fact that any little piece information that cropped up regarding the album featured on news sites, from sample clearances, to speculated tracklists to widespread salivation over rumoured release dates, the hashtag #oxymoron was everywhere.

In an interview with VIBE, Schoolboy Q admitted that, for him, the biggest pressure he felt around ‘Oxymoron’ was that it was “better or as good as Kendrick’s”. Promotional bangers like the aptly-titled Banger (MOSHPIT) led fans to believe that it would be so, but now that it’s finally out, has it lived up to the hype?

There’s little doubt about his lyrical concerns on opening track Gangsta, which impressively manages to linger on the border just between being obnoxious and not, with its aggressively repetitious hook. It’s blunt and straight to the point, as is the song What They Want, which, while toned down in attitude, is just as menacing as the opener (even with 2 Chainz featuring).

In contrast, the longer tracks on ‘Oxymoron’ such as Hoover St. and Prescription/Oxymoron wear out their beat and are unfortunately the weakest on the record. It proves that Q works best when he’s concise, something that’s also found on the album’s lead single, Collard Greens. With its infectiously-bouncy bassline, Collard Greens makes ‘Oxymoron’ a worthy listen on its own. The stuttering beat at the 1:40 mark lets you know TDE’s reigning king Kendrick Lamar is about to crop up to claim the best featured verse on the record.

‘Oxymoron’ is obviously similar in subject matter to Q’s label-mate Lamar, and many listeners would immediately compare the two, arguing that Schoolboy Q doesn’t hold up to Lamar’s superb level of narrative. But it’s an unfair comparison; Lamar is the classic level-headed leader, while Q is the relentless partner-in-crime who really doesn’t give a fuck – and it shows.

‘Oxymoron’ ends with Man of the Year, a weird choice for an album closer, as the alluring strings that play in the last fifteen seconds don’t induce a feeling of complete closure, being cut off before they can ride out alongside the beat. You almost wish they went on for longer, giving the ending extreme replay value. Maybe this was Schoolboy Q’s plan from the start – a lasting treat to his fans that held out on the worthwhile wait.