The Renaissance by Q-Tip

Every genre has its creatively barren years. For Rock and Roll it was the 80’s, for Brit-Pop it was the 90’s and for Hip-Hop it is the 00’s. With his first album in nine years, Q-Tip reminds us how far Hip-Hop has fallen, as he returns the genre its soul.

Ever since the demise of the now legendary A Tribe Called Quest, I can only assume Mr Fareed, sat back and scratched his head, as the music he loved fell deeper and deeper into commercialism. As the likes of Soulja Boy topped the charts, record company pencil pushers became more and more reluctant to release his eclectic brand of Hip-Hop.

Many a fan was terrified that Arista’s failure to release the critically acclaimed Kamaal the Abstract, marked the demise of Q-Tip. But now signed to Universal Motown, Q-Tip’s back with a vengeance, and such rhymes as “What good is an ear if a Q-Tip isn’t in it?” remind us how much we’ve missed him.

With Q-Tip acting as front man and producer for much of Tribe’s back catalogue, the die-hard Quest fans would hope The Renaissance would reflect their old jazzified style. Indeed the downfall of his last solo album, Amplified, was Tip’s obvious attempts to distance himself from his old band, by dabbling in the electronic. Fortunately, now the retro returns, as, from the opener ‘Johnny is Dead’, Q-Tip flaunts his jazz chops, whilst also branching into funk and even soul, with surprising success.

Whilst no two songs are alike, they each have a patchwork quilt quality, mixing sample with instrumentation and lyric to create Hip-Hop tracks with infectious vibe. ‘Move’ produced by the late great J Dilla, stands out, as the skilful interplay between beat, bass and rhyme make it a danceable powerhouse. Refusing to stay static, Q-Tip wanders through style and genre. With ‘Gettin’ Up’, Q-Tip provides the most summer soaked groove ever released in November, whilst the emotive ‘You’, achieves a sincere soul-filled sentiment few others could achieve.

Lyrically, he’s as strong as ever. Whilst his topics are risky, he walks the tightrope masterfully. Apparently titled in hopes of a Hip-Hop rebirth, The Renaissance sees Q-Tip voice his dislike of mainstream rap, but at no point does he sound like a bitter has-been. Admittedly his political lyrics offer no grand insight, but at least it doesn’t sound like its been thrown in for good measure, as many a rapper is guilty of. Indeed his strength is being a cut above the rest, as he can push the boundaries further than any of his contemporaries.

It has indeed been a long time, and with many a critical eye watching and a natural desire for the Tipster to prove he’s still an innovator, The Renaissance could have quite easily been a shocker. Indeed Q-Tip crosses every line a rapper really shouldn’t; he goes political, sentimental and even sings. The only difference is; he pulls it off. Much to the despair of the cynics, The Renaissance is a triumph befitting his legendary status and one can only hope, that it will act as a firm slap round the face of the Hip-Hop establishment.

NOTE FROM REDFACE:

Big Thank-You to Q-Tip for promoting my site!