Most of y’all know that I think that Gilles Peterson is the best radio programmer of all time (who else drops Lil Wayne AND jazz legend Freddie Hubbard in the same hour?), and his Worldwide awards highlight the best in urban alternative music throughout the world. The ultimate winner of the 2008 prize is Q-Tip with his song Life Is Better with Norah Jones from his album The Renaissance. Tip will also be playing a stellar show with Gilles, Benji B (BBC 1Xtra), Little Dragon and the BMP on March 14th at the Roundhouse in London. Should be a good look for you UK readers out there.

Q-Tip
The Renaissance

The Renaissance is a solid effort from the leader of one of the most renowned- groups of hip-hop’s timeline, historically known as the Native Tongues era. Q-Tip’s greatest feat may have been the fact that he successfully pushed the boundaries of boom-bap, which often times can get protected and stagnated by it’s own pioneering producers and emcees. Everything that you expect from a Q-Tip album is sonically displayed from the bass knocking-harmonic production to delivering tales of love, current conditions and the future of hip-hop’s culture, with a slice of politics, with that signature voice and cadence which he often refers to as an instrument in itself.

Here’s the problem, we missed the full development of Q-Tip after we were introduced to him via his debut album Amplified, because of record label issues many of us missed out on what was to be his second installment, Kamaal the Abstract, which was to be released in ’02. So, the only thing we have to give this work real context is Amplified, which sounds similar at times to the Renaissance. However, The Abstract displays his talent and versatility–if you listen closely you can still here the expansion in the Renaissance, a perfect title for an artist who has dealt with many obstacles just to get his music out.

With all the redundancy that exists in rap music today, anything different would sound refreshing but “the Abstract” has the proven ability to take it a step further and progress the fundamental sound of the origins of rap music a little bit more with tracks like “You”, “Johnny is Dead” and “Official”. The Renaissance is an album to have in the collection, similar to a classic pair of Timbs.

Q-Tip Feat Eve – Gettin’ Up Remix

So I initially dismissed this track as one of those fake remixes where some rapper phones in a verse at the beginning of the track. (We all know what I’m talking about) I’m shocked to hear that this is a proper remix, with Q-Tip flipping Puffy’s “All About the Benjamins” sample and Eve proving once again that she’s one of the most underrated female rappers in the game.

The Renaissance drops next month.

Q-Tip – “Move” from Three/21 Films on Vimeo.

More videos and a review at SoulBounce.

Q-Tip speaks on his new album The Renaissance on 9.30.08 in DC from Butta Baby on Vimeo.

Q-Tip previews “Life Is Betta” from The Renaissance on 9.30.08 in DC from Butta Baby on Vimeo.

Q-Tip ft. D’Angelo – I Believe

Even though we must cherish the time when D’Angelo shows up on any form of recorded audio, I can’t really get into this Q-Tip track. As a grown and sexy dance floor filler, it serves its purpose, but when compared to the “Gettin’ Up,” Q-Tip’s first single from The Renaissance, it just sounds rather generic.