50 Questions with Quincy

“We are always finding ways to step into our purpose. Overall, yes, I think I am living my purpose, but there is always a journey ahead and I feel like my affect on people and just being a good person will truly spread into my art, in life, in love, and in family.”

Editor-In-Chief VIKTORIJA PASHUTA @viktorija_pashuta 

Producer/CFO JACKSON CHONG @jacksonchong_ 

Photographer DYLAN PERLOT @dylanperlot 

Stylist AMBIKA SANJANA @styledbyambika

Hair JASMINE WATSON

Presented by CHINA POBLANO @drinkchinapoblano 
Special Thank You TO ZEVARRA LOFS @zevarralofts 

Words by KIMBERLY HADDAD

To practice humility is to embody more compassion and to broaden our sense of self-aware- ness with the intention of lessening our pride and becoming more attuned to the world at large. While humility is often buried in the vanity of our self-indulgent culture, we think being humble is Quincy’s biggest flex.

The biological son of legendary singer-songwriter and producer Al B. Sure! and the adopted son of Sean P. Diddy Combs, Quincy was immersed in a childhood abundant in R&B and hip-hip influences. Quickly developing a passion for the written word, he penned his first rap at just seven years old and continued to explore his fondness for music and poetry alongside his family. Since then, he has appeared in a handful of films and television series, including Brotherly Love, Dope, The Holiday Calendar, and the leading crime drama Power Book III: Raising Kanan.

Releasing tracks since 2013, Quincy led off his music career with the release of “The First Thing” as well as applauded singles, including “Exotic” featuring G. Eazy, “Special” featuring Ryan Destiny (2019), and his first EP entitled This is For You (2017). Most recently, Quincy revealed his long-awaited project Q Side B Side, an EP showcasing six songs created with The Code and Harmony “H-Money” Samuels.

Who is Quincy at his core?

Quincy is a lover. He is a good person over everything. He is a happy being, simply.

Tell me about your most meaningful experience being around music and how it has shaped the man you are today.

I think music has really affected me and my life as a child until now. It has been a constant common denominator. No matter what, in every situation, in some way, music is like a soundtrack to our lives. I think my fondest memory was being around music when I was 10 years old. I would pay a lot of attention to the lyrics and sing them, but sometimes, I didn’t really know what I was singing. It was about the feeling it gave me and I always gravitated towards that. I also saw how much music affected my family in a positive way, whether that was at church or in our kitchen. Being in the south helped too because everyone has that soul, that feel for sound, and that’s something that has really shaped me and my music.

What is your favorite luxury brand and why?

Coach. Coach has been redefining luxury in massive ways over the past few years. I’ve always known about the brand, but then I started to really pay attention to the things they were doing. Being able to work with them has been a huge blessing.

What is your sign and do you think it’s obvious to others who meet you?

I’m a Gemini and I feel that depending on who you are, it might be a dead giveaway. I am not super into astrology, but I do know I’m an Aries rising and Libra moon. Sometimes people actually think I’m a Libra. I also know that a Gemini and Libra have immaculate compatibility. Maybe that’s why.

Describe your creative process in five words or less.

Fun, patient, detail-oriented, free, and risky.

What was the last song you listened to?

The last song I listened to was actually one of my new songs with ASAP Rocky that I’m planning to drop on people’s heads. It’s untitled for now though. It’s such a great song, the title must be perfect.

What would your family think is the most unique thing about you?

My perspective. I just have a very different approach in how I do things.

How would your best friend describe you?

Should I call him? He would probably say that I’m funny as hell, a leader, and very focused.

How would one of your exes describe you?

Perfect. I always tell them I’m not perfect and they always say, “Yeah you are.”

When was the last big risk you took and what did you learn or gain from it?

The last risk I took was in May. I released an independent project in a world where rules run everything. It was my testimony to who I was as a person, and not as a rebel, but you know, I realized what this route does. You can really home in on your fanbase with your independence. It’s a different approach and you have to work five times as hard, but you learn more in the process and I like to do things with the bigger picture in mind.

What is one thing you want to see more of in hip-hop culture and one thing you want to see less of?

I want to see more unity and less beef, to put it simply.

If you and I were to trade places, what would be the one thing I should know?

I like snakes.

If you got to choose a song that would play every time you entered a room, what song would it be?

“A Lovely Day” by Bill Withers.

Do you have any hidden talents people do not know about you?

I’m an acrobat and I can flip my eyelids inside out.

With intrigue being out theme for this issue, what intrigues your most in life?

People. Everybody’s stories and journeys really tell who they are and no one has the same one.

What book are you currently reading?

The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari by Robin Sharma

What is the weirdest thing you own?

The weirdest thing that I own is probably a replica of half of my face that is either a stash pot for my weed or a few hundred dollar bills. It’s a necklace and wallet in one, but of my face. It’s pretty weird.

Describe a project that you’re especially proud of.

I put a lot of work into my latest EP Q Side B Side. I am really proud of how it came together and the process was super fun. Sometimes, when it comes to making music, you don’t really know what you’re getting into until it’s done.

What is the most romantic thing you have ever done for someone?

I transformed a nice little one-bedroom loft into a Valentine’s Day flower petal playpen. I wanted to go all out without doing too much. Plus, I got a deal from the floral district.

What is one harsh truth about yourself that you ignore?

I’m too humble.

Do you believe your opinions are solely your own or are they impacted by your surroundings?

I think that ultimately, your surroundings form your opinions, but for me, I definitely think it’s more about just considering others when forming my opinions. It’s not one-sided.

Do you think reality is just a construct of our minds?

Yes and no. It depends on the type of person you are. Society has obviously created a template for us to live within, but some of us choose to go the extra mile.

When do you feel most alive?

When I’m by the water. 

What is your true definition of success?

Happiness. I think the time you spend working has to translate somewhere. Like money is rewarding, but the real success factor comes from whether or not you are happy with what you are doing and what you are putting out into the world.

Are you the person you want to be?

As of right now, yes. But I think we all have places we want to go and we continue building on the person we want to become.

What is the worst piece of advice you have ever given?

To not do something. When someone tells me not to do something, it’s just the worst.

If someone were to make a film about your life, who would play you?

Will Smith, the f*ck?  

Have you ever had a paranormal experience?

When I was a kid, for sure, especially things around UFOs and alien activity.

Where was the last place you traveled?

I was in Columbus, Georgia.

Would you rather go into the past and meet your ancestors or go into the future and meet your great-great-grandchildren?

Great question. I’m all about the future, so I’m hoping on that time machine.

What is one thing you have learned about yourself this year?

How important time management is for me. You can’t schedule your entire life out, but you can schedule some of it and the rest will be a breeze. But this has been huge.

What is one thing that always makes you laugh no matter how any times you hear it or see it happen?

Anything Dave Chappelle. I can watch his comedy over and over.

Who was your childhood hero?

The Rock. He still is.

What kinds of people do you have difficulties working with in your career, and why?

People who just don’t actually want to work. It’s a pet peeve of mine.

What is one misconception people have about you?

That I got it made, while I’m trying to make it.

Aside from purple being your mother’s favorite color, why is it yours?

I think we all have different times in our lives where our favorite things change based on where we are and how we grow, but me loving purple has always been part of me. It resembles spiritual awareness in a way, too. I don’t know how deep it can go, but what I did start to realize was how much my mom implemented it in these ways that maybe went over my head at first. Then I realized there was so much purple everywhere. It wasn’t only because of her that I chose this color, but as I started going through more of her old things, I realized how much it had always been around me and it spoke to me in a different way.

Who have been some of your biggest influences throughout your life?

Quincy Jones, Nick Cannon, and of course, The Rock.

If you could wave a magic wand, what problem in the world would you solve and why?

In a blink of an eye, snap of a finger, I would try and create a universal, meet-in-the-middle grounds somewhere. I don’t think that has ever existed. There has always been a divide.

Do you like pineapple on your pizza?

I used to, but now I don’t eat cheese. Pizza is every once in a while, only if they can make it right without the cheese.

What title would you give your autobiography?

The Human Frequency.

Do you have any strange phobias?

I don’t know if I’m just getting payback, but I used to watch a lot of really gory shit—bloody surgery, pimple popping, cyst popping. But if I see that now, I might throw up. I used to overdo it and show all my friends these nasty videos, like bones breaking and popping out of arms. And now, I can’t take it.

What piece of advice would you give to your younger self?

To listen to myself. Sometimes I find myself seeking validation from others, but the more you do that, the less you become who you truly are. It’s so important to just trust yourself the whole way.

How do you think humans will become extinct?

A nuclear explosion.

What is one mistake that you will never do again?

Listen to someone else before listening to myself.

What is the most selfless thing you have ever done?

Honestly, this is how I always operate—in that state of selflessness and gratitude.

What is your purpose and do you think you are living in it?

We are always finding ways to step into our purpose. Overall, yes, I think I am living my purpose, but there is always a journey ahead and I feel like my effect on people and just being a good person will truly spread into my art, in life, in love, and in family.

What is something that most people don’t know about you?

My passion for music and creating in general. I feel like it gets pushed aside sometimes when it comes to the final result.