After finishing out his contract with the Atlantic Records for the release of his 2011's album MusiqInTheMagiq, Musiq signed with Warryn Campbell's record label My Block Records.[1] However, in June 2014, he emerged as a rapper under the pseudonym The Husel.[2] At the time, he planned to release an album under the name, with guest appearances from Pastor Troy, T-Pain, Bone Crusher and Cash Out, among others. He later released the project as a free EP with five songs.[3] The move caused Musiq to receive heavy amounts of criticism on Twitter.[4] During the backlash, he defended his career change, saying it was primarily due to the change in the music landscape where R&B music's popularity has waned.[5][6]