Shazam Meets… Q-TIP.
For fans of hip-hop, an artist like Q-Tip needs no introduction. After forming A Tribe Called Quest in 1985 with fellow rapper Phife Dawg and producer Ali Shaheed Muhammad, the group found massive success and acclaim throughout the nineties. Along with fellow New York natives De La Soul, the band developed a style of hip-hop that shied away from the masculine, gangster bravado that was associated with the genre at the time. Their intelligent lyrics and jazz infused beats were, and still continue to be, an inspiration for many. From their debut ‘People’s Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm’ – including the well known singles ‘Can I Kick It’ and ‘Bonita Applebum’ – through to their final long player ‘The Love Movement’, A Tribe Called Quest pushed the boundaries of hip hop and paved the way for artists such as KanYe West, Common, The Roots and Pharcyde to name just a few.
After A Tribe Called Quest split up in the late Nineties, Q-Tip delivered his debut album ‘Amplified’. While it could be argued tracks such as ‘Breathe & Stop’ and ‘Vivrant Thing’ were more commercial than anything that Tribe had released, the album was by no means a feckless attempt at mainstream success. After this fans were forced to wait until 2008 for its official follow up, ‘The Renaissance’, an album that was again greeted extatically by critics and fans. But fans of the rapper knew that the hiatus of new music was not down to the man himself, but record company wrangling.
‘Kamaal The Abstract’ was originally set for release in 2001, but his label at the time refused to release it. Deemed too ahead of its time, the record now draws comparisons with Gnarls Barkley, Andre 3000 and N*E*R*D, artists who have all found success since ‘Kamaal’ was originally set for release. After much delay the album has finally been released on RCA , although now in a remixed and re-mastered state. We were lucky enough to grab an interview with the legendary MC and get his thoughts on the album’s release, his plans for the future and chat about the forthcoming A Tribe Called Quest movie.
How does it feel to finally be releasing ‘Kamaal The Abstract’?
Q-Tip – Its great man, I’m excited about it. Excited it can finally see the light of day!
So the situation you found yourself in with Kamaal, did it make you frustrated with the way music gets released? Having to deal with labels that don’t understand where you’re coming from.
Ahhhh. I wasn’t really frustrated, it was annoying . I mulled it over and got through it and here I am so, I’ve got no complaints actually.
You produced and played a couple of instruments on the record, is that something you see yourself developing with each record. A new instrument for each album perhaps?
Yeah. I’m still learning, taking up new instruments. I’m still learning the craft. I think it’s important, it’s humbling. You’re never too old to learn anything; I think life is a continual learning experience. I wanted to continue to enrich myself artistically so that it’ll help develop my ideas – getting them out and across in a coherent way musically, you know what I mean? I’m a student of all of it, and I’m a fan of it; I’m blessed to be doing it.
After my fire (Q-Tip’s studio burnt down in 1998), when I lost my equipment and all my loops, I learned how to play music, piano and music theory. I still had the passion and the desire to play, just because I was devoid of some tools it didn’t mean that I had to stop. That was just my thing, I was happy when I got those abilities, because it was something that I always wanted to do. I was just a big fan of musicians, whether it be Herbie Hancock, Stevie Wonder, John Coltrane or Miles Davis – who are just extremely talented musicians. Although I’m not as proficient as them, I am able to move around as a musician.
Would you describe yourself as an artist who is generally forward thinking, maybe a bit ahead of his time?
Yeah I consider myself that I guess, that’s fair. That’s not necessarily a good thing all the time! You could be standing somewhere by yourself, but it’s all good though. There have been times where I’ve kind of connected so I’m willing to continue to make that a glacier where you measure the odds.
Obviously ‘Kamaal’ has been ready to release for a while, have you got a backlog of songs ready for a new album?
Yeah, I’ve already got the concept of it, the title and what I’m doing with it. I’m like, oh gosh, so excited. I feel like ‘The Renaissance’ was like my ‘Peoples Travels’ and I think this next one could be my ‘Low End Theory’. I’m just excited about where I am musically, creatively and everything. Stuff I’m working on for other artists, I just couldn’t be happier.
You’re no stranger to collaboration; previously you’ve worked with a range of artists including R.E.M, Korn, KanYe West and Norah Jones. Could you tell us who’ve you’ve got lined up for future joint efforts?
For my album? I’m gonna keep that under my hat for now, but I am working on the Nas album and working with Busta Rhymes on some stuff. Plus I’m helping some new artists that are coming out. I’m just creatively in a really great space.
Will you be performing anymore shows with A Tribe Called Quest in the near future?
Well you know right now with Tribe we’re working on this documentary. We’re getting filmed; Nas is producing a documentary on us. It should be out next year some time, it’s about us and our story and it’s looking good. Were gonna try and take it to Cannes and if that happens maybe we’ll do a show down in the South of France.
Being someone who’s been in the game for so long, what’s your thoughts on the current hip hop scene. Who are you rating?
There’s a lot of cats I’m feeling right now, I’m happy for New York. I feel like New York is on its way back with releases from myself, Raekwon, Jay-Z. I think that the three of us have definitely put New York back where it needs to be, you know what I’m saying? I feel like with my next joint that I put out, like my next real album since ‘Kamaal The Abstract’ is something that I did 10 years ago, when I put that out (the next album) I think it’s going to continue to cement that.
‘Kmaal The Abstarct’ is out now. And for the record folks, Q-Tip is a Shazam fan! “Your company did that? Wow! That’s incredible; it’s such a cool app…. I use it all the time!”
