Q-Tip: The Renaissance

If there is a award for best comeback by a hip hop artist it would have to definitely go to Q-Tip. Formerly of the old school group, A Tribe Called Quest, Q-Tip has been riding solo since 1998 after the group disbanded. His 1999 album Amplified produced notable hits like “Vivrant Thing” and “Breathe & Stop”, which still play in clubs across the country. Fast forwarding to 2009, Q-Tip has happily reunited with A Tribe… and brought out his 2nd solo album, The Renaissance, which I feel is a return to his days as the leader of A Tribe called Quest featuring a more mellow and laid-back tone. Q-Tip took the reigns of the producer/rapper titles on the album, producing all but 2 tracks on the cd (Move and Feva) in paying homage to the late, great, superproducer J-Dilla. There is not one weak track on this album as each track flows perfectly into the next. With tracks like Getting Up (first single), Move, You, and Shaka Q-Tip displays his early 90′s roots and what made him and A Tribe Called Quest infamous. Even his musical collaborations on the album – featuring Raphael Saddiq on We Fight/We Love, Norah Jones on Life is Better, and D’Angelo on Believe show his ability to successfully collaborate with high caliber Soul, R&B, Jazz artists.

In producing most of the tracks on this album Q-Tip used great samples to show his influences and, return to his original style as well as establishing himself as a force in music production. Q-Tip used samples featuring Black Ivory’s “You and I” on Getting Up, the Jackson 5′s “Dancing Machine” on Move, Ruby Andrew’s “You Made a Believer out of Me” on Wont’ Trade, and Can’s “Aspectacle” on Manwomanboogie.

My Favorite Tracks: Getting Up, Move, Believe

Support the Abstract and The Renaissance! Purchase his album here on

This is WHAT’S IN MY HEADPHONES…