Q-Tip, A Tribe Called Quest’s frontman and visionary, has created a real novelty in his newest album, The Renaissance. Incorporating Tribe’s old-school style and feel, Tip has reinstituted hip-hop’s roots in today’s mainstream music culture.
When A Tribe Called Quest released its first album in 1990, its sound was ahead of its time in the development of hip-hop. Few before had mastered the mic like Q-Tip and Phife Dawg. Songs such as “Bonita Applebum,” “Check the Rhime,” and “Can I Kick It?” served as foundations for what would become one of the fastest growing genres in popularity of all time.
In today’s rap scene, however, Tribe’s once-innovative style is often considered antiquated among modern artists and producers. While performers such as Kanye West, Lupe Fiasco, and Pharrell Williams — my three personal favorites — rap atop beats that sometimes blow old-school hip-hop and R&B out of the water, their modern lyrical flow simply does not parallel that of early hip-hop stars. Moreover, with mega-studios, computers and Auto-Tune — think T-Pain — true rapping ability has become less and less valuable of late.
That’s why hearing The Renaissance came as a relief. The album, which was also produced by Q-Tip, has the same feel as any Tribe album, yet does not seem the least bit outdated. The music video for the album’s second single, “Move,” is a take off of Michael Jackson’s “Rock With You,” further emphasizing Tip’s desire to keep true to his signature era. With its funk/soul background and catchy lyrics, the song really gets my foot tappin’ and my head bobbin’.
The album’s first single, “Gettin’ Up,” is a slower love song but still just as awesome as the rest of the album. For the club crowd, it has been remixed with a guest spot by Eve, turning it into a more upbeat track than its original.
The Renaissance has a few guest appearances, adding to its cool-factor while keeping it feeling contemporary. “Life is Better,” a song about the history of hip-hop and its contribution to society, features the calming voice of Norah Jones, who has also been featured on other hip-hop albums with Talib Kweli, Outkast, and Wyclef Jean. “Believe,” currently the album’s most popular track according to iTunes, features R&B singer D’Angelo and has Tip rockin’ the mic during a relaxed yet attractive bass riff. The album also spotlights Raphael Saadiq and Amanda Diva.
But to my surprise, Common is not to be found on any of Q-Tip’s newest tracks. Q-Tip had told “XXL Magazine” that he had planned to form a rap group with Common called The Standard after completing their joint tour in early 2008. I had expected that fans would have seen a preview of what is to come with the release of The Renaissance, but I guess we’ll just have to wait it out a little longer.
Nevertheless, with or without Common, Q-Tip has proven that his legendary rapping is timeless. The Renaissance provides something new for Tribe and hip-hop fans with very little disappointment. While his style has remained unchanged after almost 20 years, its contemporary placement in rap’s modern world of music makes it seem incredibly and fascinatingly new. Thank you, Tip, for not letting us forget from where our favorite styles of today have evolved.
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