Quincy Owusu-Abeyie is one of the most iconic cases of talent going down the footballing drain. He was on a par with Leo Messi at an U-20 World Cup where they were both the best. The winger's career was antagonistic to that of the Barcelona player. Now he wants to shine by becoming a rapper and calls himself Blow.
His power was outrageous. So much so that he was on par with Leo Messi at the 2005 Under-20 World Cup in the Netherlands. The Argentinean ended up winning it, winning the Golden Ball and Golden Shoe. Quincy, despite scoring just one goal, garnered as much praise as he did.
Why? Because he was really strong because he was one of the best because he was pure talent. But he was also fractious, fickle and had an extra-sporting life incompatible with success on the park.
His career was going to be a blast at Ajax. But it wasn't. He promised the same thing. It didn't happen either. At Malaga, in the first chapter with the sheik, he starred in a meteoric match at La Romareda. Another harmless threat. He continued with a host of clubs in which he didn't succeed. And his career was extinguished.
Now he returns to the Quincy showcase, who wants to find in the world of music the opportunity he didn't get in football. That's why he calls himself Blow and goes as a rapper. His inspiration, as is often the case in the genre, comes from his childhood in a complicated environment, surrounded by crime and drug use in the difficult Biljmermeer neighbourhood.
"There wasn't a Ronald de Boer in our neighbourhood who said to us: 'With football, you have a future'. My role models were the ones who made money there, the men on the street driving around in horrible cars," he told 'Vice'.
And what are Quincy's challenges in music? "Now that I'm releasing my first solo mix, I want to show the world, 'This is me'. This is what I'm doing now. And I hope to make people in the neighborhood proud. First, as a footballer and now as an artist", he added.
For now, on his Instagram, where he wears his new 'gear', sunglasses and balaclava, he tries to make it at 33. Blow, named after 'blow all my money', boasts 'New Chapter', a 13-song album. Among them, one called Maradona.