Q-Tip - The Renaissance
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Music CD Cover
Artist: Q-TipEdition: Music CD
Audio: English (Unknown)
CD Release Date: 2008-11-04
Music Label: Universal Motown
Free Music Notes for The Renaissance
Free Music Review: An Excellent Album!! Consistent Quality from Start to End.
Hit: 5 Stars
I bought this item because I was browsing in a shoe store in a mall in late 2008 and heard a familiar voice over the speakers. I asked out loud, "Is that 'Tip?" and turned around to confirm on the TV screen, that it was indeed Q-Tip, in the video for "Gettin' Up." I instantly wanted to try to get the CD, because the song I was hearing sounded so good, and because it was Q-Tip, a hero from early 90's Hip-Hop as the vocal focal point of the classic group A Tribe Called Quest, and I was excited that he was out with new material.
I eventually got the album, in early 2009, and was definitely not disappointed. It was a lot like listening to an album of old Tribe Called Quest material, except with only extended Q-Tip solos---and I certainly mean that in a very complimentary fashion, as I thought that brand of Hip Hop was awesome. Perhaps the most important thing I can say about "The Renaissance" is that it is full of great tracks. Basically every song is enjoyable to listen to, which helps the album to really flow as you listen to it. Also aiding in this is the fact that the album is presented in somewhat of a mixtape format, in which, sonically speaking, it is essentially continuous, with at least one sound carrying the flow from one song into the next or the tracks butted right up against each other, keeping it basically 'on beat.'
"Johnny Is Dead" opens the album with interesting instrumental backing during the verses and a nice sung chorus.
The second song, "Won't Trade," has a very cool singing sample from an old song, and subject matter relevant to today's pro sports area.
Next, "Gettin' Up," the single I mentioned above, is probably the strongest song on the album---it's very nice. It's got a nice mellow sample.
Next is the very strong "Official." It has great background vocal contributions.
The next song, "You," is good overall and has an interesting stylized chorus with Q-Tip and the background singers.
The next song, "We Fight/We Love," another good song, has a nice chorus sung by Raphael Saadiq.
Next we have "Manwomanboogie." It also really flows, with a nice bass performance, and charming man/woman subject matter.
Then we have "Move." It's track 8 on the CD, and it's really interesting, because it has two distinct phases, the first of which lasts nearly three minutes, and the second of which lasts just over three minutes. So really, it's almost two songs in one, making the album on some level a 13 song album rather than a 12 song album. The first phase of the song is good enough, with very interesting sampling of the Jackson 5 track "Dancing Machine". While this song has been sampled before in rap, I've never heard it sampled like this. Then the second phase hits...with a dope instrumental line over which Q-Tip's voice sounds awesome. This is definitely a highlight of the album.
Next, "Dance On Glass" opens with a very nice sung portion and transitions into a DOPE a cappella portion of Q-Tip's rapping. This transitions nicely into the rest of the song as the intsrumental music is brought in. Another very good song.
The next song, "Life Is Better," features great singing by Norah Jones. While she is not known as a hip-hop or probably even an R 'n' B personality, she does not sound out of place. Another great track.
"Believe" also has good background vocals. Another winner.
Only four tracks of the 12 on this album contain samples or interpolations from old songs. Q-Tip produced 11 of the 12 tracks. Q-Tip is supported on this album by a band of at least 7 players, who are collectively thanked seventh on Tip's long list of thank yous at the end of the CD liner.
For me, another very important thing about this album is that there is no "Dirty" or "Clean" version of this album. There is only one version, and it does not carry the Parental Advisory Explicit Lyrics warning label on it. He uses the n word very few times, and also very few curse words throughout the album. I think Q-Tip demonstrates that MCs don't have to be very foul-mouthed on their records to produce a great album.
I would recommend this album to anybody who likes Hip Hop music. Fans of "A Tribe Called Quest" I think would be very pleased. It is smooth sounding and has a bit of a mellow feel, with maybe a bit of a modern electronic or science fiction type feel as well. And again, even for anybody out there who likes to listen to mainly or even only hardcore rap, I would still recommend this album, because it is such a fine Hip Hop album; Q-Tip here continues to solidify his position as a dope MC, and one of the greatest of all time.
I give this album FOUR AND A HALF STARS, ROUNDED TO FIVE STARS.
The Renaissance Poster
THE HIGHLY ANTICIPATED ALBUM FROM Q-TIP - "THE RENAISSANCE"The album mixes soul beats, piano, guitars, and Q-Tip's usual thoughtprovoking lyricism, which takes you on a trip from relationships and summer songs to social issues of late, and has a kind of '90s feel to it. "The Renaissance" features Raphael Saadiq, Norah Jones, D'Angelo and Amanda Diva.
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