Artist description Black InQ is a blend of hip-hop and poetry with subjects that span from battle raps to human mortality. We are what others aren't. Original.

Music Style Hip-Hop/Spoken Word

Musical Influences Scarface, Sade, Michael Jackson, Erykah Badu, Bill Withers, Stevie Wonder, Run-DMC, and others

Similar Artists Canibus, Eminem, Outkast, XClan

Artist History In March of 1999, Steve "Verbal Chemist" Joseph, Brent "Zodiac" Whiting, and Randy "Manchild" Townsend gathered together at a wedding reception for Manchild's sister and began to speak...on similarities and differences. The balcony of the hotel where the three were standing was 12-stories high in 30-degree weather. Time stopped and the format of Black InQ began. Verbal spoke about an idea he had about marketing Manchild's poetry. It was the same idea Zodiac, a rapper, had about a year earlier except his idea was to sell it on the internet. Although the combination of poetry and the internet wasn't a unique idea, the energy, determination, and resources of the three would give the world a forum in which they could speak their minds through art freely and indiscriminately. That night, Zodiac recited his song, "Belladonna" to the two. That is a song in which he expressed his disheartened feelings about an ex-girlfriend. Impressed with the lyrics, Manchild recited his thought-provoking poem, "Suckers"; a role-reversal poem of oppression and mind sets. The ball had begun to roll. Four hours had passed on that cold balcony and the name of the organization needed to be created. It had to be something that would be emotionally-felt, descriptive, yet direct. Considering our emotional state was normally darkened and our expression was printed in either pen ink or printer toner ink, the name was naturally Black InQ. The capital "Q" is the unknown. It could be the InQuestion, InQuiet, InQuest, InQuality, or a Black InQuisition. The "InQ" is important because it could be anything. The "Black" is the state of mind where we write our best emotional output. The ball now gains speed. After that night, ideas were pondered by each member. It wasn't until early May, 1999, that Zodiac spoke with college friend, Gerson "Merlin" Martinez about the entire Black InQ concept. Considering he also attended college with Manchild and wrote poetry and rap lyrics, the idea of him joining the organization as a founder became inevitable. His mental capacity, quick tongue, public speaking and poetry skills added a flavor to Black InQ which completed the entire organization. The ball hits Mach 1. Now, with a roster of models, poets, artists, and musicians such as the rather nondescript, singer Chinua Hawk, Contax, Sham, and others, Black InQ is endless in creativity and originality. The organization is bound by art, music, words, and the unlimited boundaries of the mind. The end result could only end in the ball exiting the solar system and into the unknown reaches of the universe at the speed of light.

Group Members The Zodiac, Merlin, Manchild, and The Verbal Chemist

Albums 12 Disciples Divided by 3, Sixense, Limited Edition

Press Reviews Various.

Additional Info Chinua Hawk, Contax, Sham-God, Agent Orange, ILL Poppy, and others.

Location Monmouth Junction, NJ - USA

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