K-Quick Talks: Opening for Legends, Building Legacy, and Staying Rooted in the DMV
January 5, 2026
Kicking off my first interview is DMV based rapper K-Quick
In the 1990s, R&B music was dominated by vocal groups known for their captivating lead singers and smooth harmonies. This week, I wanted to highlight IV Xample and their single “I’d Rather Be Alone” for Slow Jam Saturday.
IV Xample, a talented R&B group hailing from Los Angeles, comprises Andre “Dre” Allen, Robert “Bobby C” Chevis (also known as Athemus Chevis), Raymond “Runni Rae” Chevis, and Bryant “Lucious” Woo. Their debut single, “I’d Rather Be Alone,” captures the raw emotions of heartbreak often expressed in R&B music, showcasing their soulful vocal harmonies over poignant lyrics.
“I’d Rather Be Alone,” written by Hershel Boone and Lovell Moorer II and produced by Steve Dublin, delves into themes of heartbreak, betrayal, and the struggle to move on from a failed relationship. The group takes turns sharing the lead vocals as they express their love for their partner while admitting a preference for solitude over staying in a relationship filled with lies and deceit.
The lyrics vividly portray the pain of realizing love was not returned and the challenge of letting go. Lines like “Girl, you made me a fool” and “There was no need to lie” emphasize the protagonist’s sense of betrayal and hurtmention of being the “only man” and hint at unfaithfulness, causing deep emotional scars.
The song accurately captures the bittersweet feelings of longing for the past while recognizing the need to move forward for personal well-being. “I’d Rather Be Alone” effectively conveys the complex emotions one experiences at the end of a relationship, underscoring the importance of self-respect and the courage required to let go for one’s own sake.
While only diehard R&B fans may remember this song, it’s easily a testament to the staying power of Nineties R&B.
Final Grade: B
Kicking off my first interview is DMV based rapper K-Quick
On the morning of February 8, 1977, Tony Kiritsis walked into a mortgage office in Indianapolis convinced the system had finally turned on him. What followed was one of the most unsettling media spectacles of the decade: a 63-hour hostage standoff in which Kiritsis literally wired a sawed-off shotgun to both his victim’s neck and his own chest. It was desperation theater, broadcast live, raw and ugly, and fueled by a man who believed grievance was the same thing as righteousness.
Eric Benét’s holiday album, “It’s Christmas”, finds the four-time Grammy nominee embracing comfort rather than challenge. He delivers a collection that is impeccably sung and tastefully arranged, though it ultimately feels a bit too cautious for an artist of his talent and history.