Q-Tip (rapper)
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Kamaal Ibn John Fareed (born Jonathan William Davis, April 10, 1970), better known by his stage name Q-Tip, is an American rapper, record producer, singer, and DJ. Nicknamed the Abstract, he is noted for his innovative jazz-influenced style of
hip hop production Hip hop production is the creation of hip hop music in a recording studio. While the term encompasses all aspects of hip hop music creation, including recording the rapping of an MC, a turntablist or DJ providing a beat, playing samples and " ...
and his philosophical, esoteric and introspective lyrical themes. He embarked on his music career in the late 1980s, as an MC and main producer of the influential alternative hip hop group
A Tribe Called Quest A Tribe Called Quest was an American Hip hop music, hip hop group formed in Queens, New York City, in 1985,Q-Tip< ...
. In the mid-1990s, he co-founded the production team The Ummah, followed by the release of his
gold Gold is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol Au (from Latin ) and atomic number 79. In its pure form, it is a brightness, bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile metal. Chemically, gold is a transition metal ...
-certified solo debut '' Amplified'' in 1999. In the following decade, he released the
Grammy Award The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious ...
-nominated album ''
The Renaissance The Renaissance ( , ) is a Periodization, period of history and a European cultural movement covering the 15th and 16th centuries. It marked the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and was characterized by an effort to revive and sur ...
'' (2008) and the experimental album '' Kamaal the Abstract'' (2009). As an actor, Q-Tip has appeared in various films, such as ''
Poetic Justice Poetic justice, also called poetic irony, is a literary device with which ultimately virtue is rewarded and misdeeds are punished. In modern literature, it is often accompanied by an ironic twist of fate related to the character's own action, h ...
'', '' She Hate Me'', and '' Prison Song'', the latter of which he co-wrote and played the lead role. As a DJ, he has hosted the
Apple Music 1 Apple Music 1, previously branded as Beats 1, is a 24/7 music radio station owned and operated by Apple Inc. It is accessible through iTunes or the Apple Music app on a computer, smartphone or tablet, smart speaker (such as the Apple HomePod), a ...
radio show ''Abstract Radio'' since 2015. In 2016, Q-Tip was named the artistic director for
hip hop culture Hip-hop culture is an art movement that emerged in New York City, in the borough of The Bronx; Primarily within the black community. Hip Hop as an art form and culture has been heavily influenced by both male and female artists. It is charac ...
at the
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, and in 2018, he became the instructor of a jazz and hip hop course at
New York University New York University (NYU) is a private university, private research university in New York City, New York, United States. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded in 1832 by Albert Gallatin as a Nondenominational ...
's Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music. Q-Tip is one of the most acclaimed figures in hip hop.
AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...
states that he "led a jazz-based hip-hop revolution during the '90s", calling him "the best rapper/producer in hip-hop history".Bush, John. (November 4, 2008
The Renaissance – Q-Tip
AllMusic. Retrieved on 2011-12-18.
Several publications have ranked him as one of the greatest rappers and hip hop producers of all time, with '' The Source'' ranking him the 20th greatest rap lyricist, and ''
Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...
'' ranking him the sixth greatest hip hop producer. In 2024, Q-Tip was inducted into the
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (RRHOF), also simply referred to as the Rock Hall, is a museum and hall of fame located in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States, on the shore of Lake Erie. The museum documents the history of rock music and the ...
, as a member of A Tribe Called Quest.


Early life

Q-Tip was born Jonathan William Davis on April 10, 1970, in Harlem, New York City. His father, Jonathan Davis II, emigrated from the
Caribbean The Caribbean ( , ; ; ; ) is a region in the middle of the Americas centered around the Caribbean Sea in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, mostly overlapping with the West Indies. Bordered by North America to the north, Central America ...
island of
Montserrat Montserrat ( , ) is a British Overseas Territories, British Overseas Territory in the Caribbean. It is part of the Leeward Islands, the northern portion of the Lesser Antilles chain of the West Indies. Montserrat is about long and wide, wit ...
and was raised in
Cleveland Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located along the southern shore of Lake Erie, it is situated across the Canada–U.S. maritime border and approximately west of the Ohio-Pennsylvania st ...
. His mother is an
African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
from
Alabama Alabama ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Deep South, Deep Southern regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gu ...
. When he was a child, his family settled in St. Albans,
Queens Queens is the largest by area of the Boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Queens County, in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. Located near the western end of Long Island, it is bordered by the ...
, New York City. He first met his friend Phife Dawg at church when they were both two years old. At age nine, he began
rapping Rapping (also rhyming, flowing, spitting, emceeing, or MCing) is an artistic form of vocal delivery and emotive expression that incorporates " rhyme, rhythmic speech, and ommonlystreet vernacular". It is usually performed over a backin ...
after being encouraged by Phife Dawg; shortly before that, they both heard " Rapper's Delight" by The Sugarhill Gang for the first time. He was also inspired by his father's extensive jazz record collection, and at age 12, he began to DJ and make pause tape beats. Q-Tip attended Murry Bergtraum High School in
Manhattan Manhattan ( ) is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the Boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City. Coextensive with New York County, Manhattan is the County statistics of the United States#Smallest, larg ...
, where he first befriended
Ali Shaheed Muhammad Ali Shaheed Muhammad (born August 11, 1970) is an American hip hop DJ, record producer, rapper and bass guitarist, best known as a member of A Tribe Called Quest. With Q-Tip (musician), Q-Tip and Phife Dawg (and sometimes Jarobi White), the grou ...
, Afrika Baby Bam and Mike Gee, with the latter two forming the hip-hop group
Jungle Brothers Jungle Brothers are an American hip hop trio composed of Michael Small (Mike Gee), Nathaniel Hall (Afrika Baby Bam) and Sammy Burwell (DJ Sammy B). Hailed as pioneers of the fusion of jazz, hip-hop, and house music, they were the first hip-hop g ...
. In high school, he participated in rap battles and went by the
stage name A stage name or professional name is a pseudonym used by performers, authors, and entertainers—such as actors, comedians, singers, and musicians. The equivalent concept among writers is called a ''nom de plume'' (pen name). Some performers ...
s J Nice and MC Love Child. In 1985, he and Muhammad formed an MC and DJ duo, and using recording equipment provided by Muhammad's uncle, they began making
demos Demos may refer to: Computing * DEMOS, a Soviet Unix-like operating system * DEMOS (ISP), the first internet service provider in the USSR * Demos Commander, an Orthodox File Manager for Unix-like systems * Plural for Demo (computer programming ...
. They were later joined by Phife Dawg, who also rapped, and neighborhood friend
Jarobi White Jarobi White (born July 1, 1971) is an American hip hop artist, chef, and a founding member of hip hop group A Tribe Called Quest, alongside members Q-Tip (musician), Q-Tip, Phife Dawg, and Ali Shaheed Muhammad. He left the group after the releas ...
; collectively, they were known as Quest. When Q-Tip was 16 years old, his father died of
emphysema Emphysema is any air-filled enlargement in the body's tissues. Most commonly emphysema refers to the permanent enlargement of air spaces (alveoli) in the lungs, and is also known as pulmonary emphysema. Emphysema is a lower respiratory tract di ...
.


Career


1988–1993: Early success with A Tribe Called Quest

Afrika Baby Bam gave him the nickname "Q-Tip", which became popular in high school, eventually becoming his stage name.Exclusive: Q-Tip Interview
MOOVMNT.com. Retrieved on December 18, 2011.
In 1988, Q-Tip was featured on
Jungle Brothers Jungle Brothers are an American hip hop trio composed of Michael Small (Mike Gee), Nathaniel Hall (Afrika Baby Bam) and Sammy Burwell (DJ Sammy B). Hailed as pioneers of the fusion of jazz, hip-hop, and house music, they were the first hip-hop g ...
' songs "The Promo", which he helped produce, and "Black Is Black", in which he renamed his group
A Tribe Called Quest A Tribe Called Quest was an American Hip hop music, hip hop group formed in Queens, New York City, in 1985,Q-Tip< ...
, a name that was given by Afrika Baby Bam. Both songs appeared on Jungle Brothers' debut album, '' Straight out the Jungle''. That year, the two groups met the like-minded group
De La Soul De La Soul ( ) is an American hip hop music, hip hop group formed in the village of Amityville on Long Island, New York (state), New York in 1988. They are best known for their eclectic sampling, eccentric lyrics, and contributions to the evoluti ...
, with the three groups forming the core of the Native Tongues collective, known for their
Afrocentrism Afrocentrism is a worldview that is centered on the history of people of African descent or a view that favors it over non-African civilizations. It is in some respects a response to Eurocentric attitudes about African people and their hist ...
, positivity and eclectic sampling. In 1989, A Tribe Called Quest signed with Jive Records after being rejected by several labels, due to their unconventional image and sound. After recording several demos, they began working on their debut album, with Q-Tip serving as the group's main producer. During this period, Q-Tip began using the E-mu SP-1200 and Akai S950 samplers. The album, '' People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm'', was released in early 1990 and established Q-Tip as a highly skilled lyricist. Later that year, he made a guest appearance on the
house A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air c ...
single "
Groove Is in the Heart "Groove Is in the Heart" is a song by American dance band Deee-Lite, released in August 1990 by Elektra Records as their debut and lead single from their first album, ''World Clique'' (1990). Written and produced by the band, it was a hit in man ...
" by
Deee-Lite Deee-Lite was an American House music, house and Dance music, dance music group formed in New York City. The group's Single (music), single "Groove Is in the Heart", which was released in 1990 from their debut studio album, ''World Clique'' (19 ...
, which became a worldwide hit. In 1991, A Tribe Called Quest released their second album, '' The Low End Theory''. Wanting the group to "step it up in general", Q-Tip encouraged Phife Dawg, who had recently become diabetic, to stay with the group and increase his participation.Del F. Cowie . exclaim.ca. February 2008 The result was the "smoothest rapping of any rap record ever heard", due to the duo's strong chemistry. The group also garnered acclaim for Q-Tip's jazzy minimalist production. The following year, Q-Tip was involved in a fight with
new jack swing New jack swing, new jack, or swingbeat is a fusion genre of the rhythms and production techniques of hip hop and dance-pop, and the urban contemporary sound of R&B. Spearheaded by producers Teddy Riley, Bernard Belle, Jimmy Jam and Te ...
group Wreckx-n-Effect, over Phife Dawg's lyrics on the single " Jazz (We've Got)". As a result, it is believed that the ski mask that Q-Tip wore, in A Tribe Called Quest's video for the single " Hot Sex", was covering up his injuries. By 1993, Q-Tip became known for his outside production work, producing the hit single " Gangsta Bitch" by
Apache The Apache ( ) are several Southern Athabaskan language-speaking peoples of the Southwestern United States, Southwest, the Southern Plains and Northern Mexico. They are linguistically related to the Navajo. They migrated from the Athabascan ho ...
, among other songs. The song's chorus was performed by
Tupac Shakur Tupac Amaru Shakur (; born Lesane Parish Crooks; June 16, 1971 – September 13, 1996), also known by his stage names 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper and actor, regarded as one of the greatest and most influential rappers of all tim ...
in the film ''
Poetic Justice Poetic justice, also called poetic irony, is a literary device with which ultimately virtue is rewarded and misdeeds are punished. In modern literature, it is often accompanied by an ironic twist of fate related to the character's own action, h ...
'', in which Q-Tip made his acting debut as
Janet Jackson Janet Damita Jo Jackson (born May 16, 1966) is an American singer, songwriter, actress and dancer. She is noted for her innovative, socially conscious and sexually provocative records, as well as elaborate stage shows. Her sound and choreogr ...
's love interest. Later that year, A Tribe Called Quest released their third album, '' Midnight Marauders'', which was hailed as the group's most complete work. Along with his "practically telepathic" lyrical interplay with Phife Dawg, the album introduced Q-Tip's gritty style of production.


1994–1995: Production work and formation of the Ummah

After two critically acclaimed
platinum Platinum is a chemical element; it has Symbol (chemistry), symbol Pt and atomic number 78. It is a density, dense, malleable, ductility, ductile, highly unreactive, precious metal, precious, silverish-white transition metal. Its name origina ...
-selling albums with his group, Q-Tip began focusing on outside production. In 1994, he produced the single " One Love" from
Nas Nas (born 1973) is the stage name of American rapper Nasir Jones. Nas, NaS, or NAS may also refer to: Aviation * Nasair, a low-cost airline carrier and subsidiary based in Eritrea * National Air Services, an airline in Saudi Arabia ** Nas Air (S ...
's debut album '' Illmatic'' and performed the song's chorus. He also remixed the Nas single " The World Is Yours", as well as Craig Mack's single "
Get Down Get Down may refer to: * Get down, a stance or movement in traditional African culture, in African American culture, and throughout the Black African diaspora Film and television * ''Get Down'' (film) or ''Treed Murray'', a 2001 Canadian film * ...
", in which he contributed a guest verse. He made an additional guest appearance on the song " Get It Together" by
Beastie Boys The Beastie Boys were an American Hip-hop, hip hop and Rap rock, rap rock group formed in New York City in 1979. They were composed of Ad-Rock, Adam "Ad-Rock" Horovitz (vocals, guitar), Adam Yauch, Adam "MCA" Yauch (vocals, bass), and Mike D, ...
, from their album '' Ill Communication''. Film director
Spike Lee Shelton Jackson "Spike" Lee (born March 20, 1957) is an American film director, producer, screenwriter, actor, and author. His work has continually explored race relations, issues within the black community, the role of media in contemporary ...
asked Q-Tip to produce the single " Crooklyn" for the soundtrack to his 1994 film of the same name.The Crooklyn Dodgers: An Oral History
Red Bull Music Academy. Accessed on October 20, 2018.
Q-Tip helped Lee recruit three
Brooklyn Brooklyn is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City located at the westernmost end of Long Island in the New York (state), State of New York. Formerly an independent city, the borough is coextensive with Kings County, one of twelv ...
MCs for the song: Special Ed,
Masta Ace Duval Clear (born December 4, 1966), better known by his stage name Masta Ace, is an American rapper and record producer from New York City. A lead member of Mr. Magic's hip hop collective Juice Crew, he is best known for his guest appearance alo ...
and
Buckshot A shotgun cartridge, shotshell, or shell is a type of rimmed, cylindrical (straight-walled) ammunition used specifically in shotguns. It is typically loaded with numerous small, spherical sub-projectiles called shot. Shotguns typically use a ...
, who formed the group
Crooklyn Dodgers The Crooklyn Dodgers were a hip-hop supergroup based in Brooklyn, New York City, consisting of rotating members. They appeared in three separate incarnations in 1994, 1995, and 2007. The first two incarnations recorded for the soundtracks f ...
. During that year's
Lollapalooza Lollapalooza () is an annual American four-day music festival held in Grant Park (Chicago), Grant Park in Chicago. It originally started as a touring event in 1991, with Chicago becoming its permanent location beginning in 2005. Music genres i ...
, keyboardist Amp Fiddler introduced Q-Tip to young
Detroit Detroit ( , ) is the List of municipalities in Michigan, most populous city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated on the bank of the Detroit River across from Windsor, Ontario. It had a population of 639,111 at the 2020 United State ...
producer Jay Dee, who gave Q-Tip a demo tape of his group Slum Village. After being impressed by Jay Dee's beats, Q-Tip suggested that the two work together. By 1995, Q-Tip, Jay Dee and Muhammad formed a production team, known as The Ummah, in which each member produced songs individually and received a songwriting credit for their work.Beats, Rhymes And Life was A Tribe Called Quest's commercial peak—and first misstep
. '' The A.V. Club''. Accessed on October 20, 2018.
He and Muhammad also created a label, Museum Music, with Vinia Mojica becoming their first artist. Queens duo
Mobb Deep Mobb Deep was an American Hip-hop, hip hop duo formed in Queens, New York (state), New York in 1990. Consisting of rappers/songwriters/record producers Prodigy (rapper), Prodigy and Havoc (musician), Havoc, they are considered to be among the pr ...
, whom Q-Tip discovered in the early 1990s,James, Andy
The Story of How Mobb Deep Met Q-Tip Is Amazing
DJBooth.net. Accessed on October 20, 2018.
enlisted him as a
mixing engineer A mixing engineer (or simply mix engineer) is responsible for combining ("mixing") different sonic elements of an auditory piece into a complete rendition (also known as "final mix" or "mixdown"), whether in music, film, or any other content of a ...
and producer for their 1995 album ''
The Infamous ''The Infamous'' (stylized as ''The Infamous...'') is the second studio album by the American hip hop duo Mobb Deep, released on April 25, 1995, by BMG, RCA Records and Loud Records. The album features guest appearances by Nas, Raekwon, Gho ...
''.The Making of Mobb Deep's 'The Infamous'
''
Complex Complex commonly refers to: * Complexity, the behaviour of a system whose components interact in multiple ways so possible interactions are difficult to describe ** Complex system, a system composed of many components which may interact with each ...
''. Accessed on October 20, 2018.
He also contributed a verse to the song "Drink Away the Pain (Situations)".


1996–1998: Declining group chemistry to breakup

In 1996, The Ummah's production first appeared on
Busta Rhymes Trevor George Smith Jr. (born May 20, 1972), known professionally as Busta Rhymes, is an American rapper, singer and actor. Chuck D of Public Enemy gave him the moniker Busta Rhymes, after National Football League, NFL and Canadian Football Lea ...
's debut album, '' The Coming'', with Q-Tip producing and rapping on the song "Ill Vibe", while Jay Dee produced the other two Ummah productions on the album. That summer, A Tribe Called Quest released their fourth album, '' Beats, Rhymes and Life'', which was produced by The Ummah. Although Q-Tip was involved in the album's production, he considered the album a "showcase" for Jay Dee, who produced both of the singles, " 1nce Again" and "
Stressed Out "Stressed Out" is a song written and recorded by American musical duo Twenty One Pilots. Produced by Mike Elizondo and recorded at studios in Los Angeles and London, it was released as a promotional single from their fourth studio album, ''Blu ...
", along with three other songs. Q-Tip also added his younger cousin Consequence as a guest rapper on six songs. Much of the album's lyrical themes were inspired by Q-Tip's recent conversion to
Islam Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...
; however, his relationship with Phife Dawg became strained, negatively affecting their lyrical chemistry. Q-Tip also became an A&R for
Motown Records Motown is an American record label owned by the Universal Music Group. Founded by Berry Gordy, Berry Gordy Jr. as Tamla Records on January 12, 1959, it was incorporated as Motown Record Corporation on April 14, 1960. Its name, a portmanteau ...
and signed Consequence to Museum Music. The following year, he made a guest appearance on Janet Jackson's single " Got 'til It's Gone" and co-produced
Mariah Carey Mariah Carey ( ; born March 27, 1969) is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Songbird Supreme" by ''Guinness World Records'', Carey is known for her five-octave voc ...
's single "
Honey Honey is a sweet and viscous substance made by several species of bees, the best-known of which are honey bees. Honey is made and stored to nourish bee colonies. Bees produce honey by gathering and then refining the sugary secretions of pl ...
", both of which became worldwide hits. In early 1998, a fire completely destroyed Q-Tip's home recording studio; among the items destroyed in the blaze were his entire record collection, consisting of nearly 20,000 vinyl records, and a computer containing many unreleased songs.Q-Tip
Red Bull Music Academy. Accessed on December 24, 2016.
News Flash: Tribe's Q-Tip Loses LPs, Studio In Fire
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. Accessed on December 20, 2016.
The fire delayed the release of A Tribe Called Quest's fifth album, '' The Love Movement'', pushing the release date from May to September of that year. Produced by The Ummah, the album explored the lyrical theme of love; however, A Tribe Called Quest disbanded a month before the album's release.


1999–2000: ''Amplified'' and solo success

After the breakup of his group, Q-Tip began pursuing a solo career in 1999. He collaborated with R&B singer
Raphael Saadiq Raphael Saadiq (; born Charles Ray Wiggins; May 14, 1966) is an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer. He rose to prominence as a vocalist and bassist for the R&B band Tony! Toni! Toné!, which he formed with h ...
and released the hit single " Get Involved". Later that year, he signed with
Arista Records Arista Records ( ) is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the American division of the Japanese conglomerate Sony. The label was previously a division of Bertelsmann Music G ...
and released his solo debut, '' Amplified'', which he produced with Jay Dee. The album was promoted by the hit singles " Vivrant Thing" and " Breathe and Stop", which were more pop-oriented than his previous work with A Tribe Called Quest. However, other songs on the album maintained the ethos of the group and it received mostly positive reviews from critics. In January 2000, it was certified
gold Gold is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol Au (from Latin ) and atomic number 79. In its pure form, it is a brightness, bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile metal. Chemically, gold is a transition metal ...
by the
Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
and "Vivrant Thing" was nominated for a
Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance The Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance was awarded from 1991 to 2011, alongside the Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group. Previously, a single award was presented for Best Rap Performance. In 2003, this award was split into separate a ...
, presented a month later at the 42nd Grammy Awards.Q-Tip on finally getting his second album out
''
Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American online magazine, digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, ...
''. Accessed on October 20, 2018.
Q-Tip described his house fire as "symbolic", because he was left with no records to sample, but still had the desire to make music. In late 1999, he began seeking musicians for a live band, taking drum lessons from Omar Hakim, studying
bel canto , )—with several similar constructions (, , , pronounced in English as )—is a term with several meanings that relate to Italian singing, and whose definitions have often been misunderstood. ''Bel canto'' was not only seen as a vocal technique ...
, and taking piano lessons from Weldon Irvine, whom he sampled for A Tribe Called Quest's " Award Tour" single. He also became a member of the
Soulquarians The Soulquarians were a rotating collective of experimental Black music artists active during the late 1990s and early 2000s. Initially formed by singer and multi-instrumentalist D'Angelo, drummer and producer Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson, and p ...
collective during this period.


2001–2007: Label issues and collaborations

In 2001, Q-Tip starred in the film '' Prison Song'', which he co-wrote with the film's director, Darnell Martin.Q-TIP SET TO STAR IN "PRISON SONG" WITH MARY J. BLIGE, FAT JOE, ELVIS COSTELLO
MTV MTV (an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable television television channel, channel and the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group sub-division of the Paramount Media Networks division of Paramount Global. Launched on ...
. Accessed on October 20, 2018.
He also contributed to the
film score A film score is original music written specifically to accompany a film. The score comprises a number of orchestral, instrumental, or choral pieces called cues, which are timed to begin and end at specific points during the film in order to ...
, producing four songs. That year, he completed his follow-up album '' Kamaal the Abstract'', which was recorded with a live band and featured Q-Tip singing the majority of its songs. Originally slated for release in October 2001, the release date was pushed to April 2002, before Arista record executives decided not to release it, doubting its commercial potential. Q-Tip explained his label situation during this period: During this period, between album releases, Q-Tip recorded about 500 songs, about 300 of which were instrumentals. His 2002 guest appearance on Large Professor's song "In the Sun" earned him "Rhyme of the Month" in '' The Source''. In 2003, he co-produced '' Heartcore'', an album by jazz guitarist
Kurt Rosenwinkel Kurt Rosenwinkel (born October 28, 1970) is an American jazz guitarist, composer, bandleader, producer, educator, keyboardist and record label owner. Biography Born in Philadelphia to a musical family, Rosenwinkel began taking piano lessons when ...
. In 2005, he released the single "For the Nasty" on the Motown label, featuring Busta Rhymes, and was featured on
The Chemical Brothers The Chemical Brothers are an English electronic music duo formed by Ed Simons and Tom Rowlands in Manchester in 1992. They were pioneers in bringing the big beat genre to the forefront of pop culture. Originally known as The Dust Brothers, th ...
' hit single " Galvanize", from their album '' Push the Button''. The following year, "Galvanize" won the
Grammy Award for Best Dance Recording The Grammy Award for Best Dance/Electronic Recording (formerly known as Best Dance Recording) is an award presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists f ...
, earning Q-Tip his first Grammy Award. Jay Dee, who later went by the name J Dilla, died of the blood disease TTP in February 2006, with Q-Tip serving as a pallbearer at his funeral. The two had planned to work on a collaborative album, ''Buddy Lee'', before his death. That year, A Tribe Called Quest reunited for a tour across North America. In 2007, Q-Tip signed with Universal Motown Records and released the single "Work It Out".


2008–2009: ''The Renaissance'' and ''Kamaal the Abstract''

His second official album, ''
The Renaissance The Renaissance ( , ) is a Periodization, period of history and a European cultural movement covering the 15th and 16th centuries. It marked the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and was characterized by an effort to revive and sur ...
'', was released in late 2008, through Universal Motown, and included reworked songs from his shelved ''Open'' album. It spawned the singles " Gettin' Up" and "
Move Move or The Move may refer to: Brands and enterprises * Move (company), an American online real estate company * Move (electronics store), a defunct Australian electronics retailer * Daihatsu Move, a Japanese car * PlayStation Move, a motion ...
", which was produced by J Dilla. The album garnered widespread acclaim from critics, who praised it as a return to his A Tribe Called Quest roots. It became his highest-charting album on the ''Billboard'' 200, at number 11, and was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rap Album, presented at the 52nd Grammy Awards in 2010. After being shelved for seven years, ''Kamaal the Abstract'' was finally released in September 2009, through Battery Records."Kamaal The Abstract"
Metacritic Metacritic is an American website that aggregates reviews of films, television shows, music albums, video games, and formerly books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted average). Metacritic was created ...
. Accessed on October 20, 2018.
The album received mostly positive reviews from critics, including reviews from its initial press run in 2002.


2010–2016: Production work and final group album

Q-Tip was among a group of producers who were brought to work on
Kanye West Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer and record producer. One of the most prominent figures in hip-hop, he is known for his varying musical style and polarizing cultural and political commentary. After ...
's 2010 album, '' My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy''. In 2011, his production eventually appeared on West and
Jay-Z Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American Rapping, rapper, businessman, and record executive. Rooted in East Coast hip-hop, he was named Billboard and Vibe's 50 Greatest Rappers of All Time, the ...
's collaborative album '' Watch the Throne'', contributing to the songs " Lift Off" and "That's My Bitch". The following year, Q-Tip signed to West's
GOOD Music GOOD Music (often stylized as G.O.O.D. Music; a backronym for Getting Out Our Dreams) is an American independent record label founded by rapper Kanye West in 2004. The label entered an exclusive long-term worldwide music distribution, distributi ...
label, through Def Jam, and prepared the release of his new album, ''The Last Zulu''. In 2013, Q-Tip announced that A Tribe Called Quest would perform their last show, as an opening act for West's Yeezus Tour, and the following year, he produced the song "
Meteorite A meteorite is a rock (geology), rock that originated in outer space and has fallen to the surface of a planet or Natural satellite, moon. When the original object enters the atmosphere, various factors such as friction, pressure, and chemical ...
" for Mariah Carey and co-wrote "Ain't That Easy" and "Sugah Daddy" from
D'Angelo Michael Eugene Archer (born February 11, 1974), better known by his stage name D'Angelo (), is an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer. He first garnered attention after co-producing the single "U Will Know" ...
's '' Black Messiah'' album. However, in 2015, the group performed live on ''
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon ''The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by actor and comedian Jimmy Fallon that airs on NBC. The show premiered on February 17, 2014, and is produced by Broadway Video and Universal Television. It i ...
'' to commemorate the 25th anniversary of ''People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm''. That year, Q-Tip began hosting the radio show ''Abstract Radio'' on
Apple Music 1 Apple Music 1, previously branded as Beats 1, is a 24/7 music radio station owned and operated by Apple Inc. It is accessible through iTunes or the Apple Music app on a computer, smartphone or tablet, smart speaker (such as the Apple HomePod), a ...
, explaining that his intent was "rather than just follow any sort of current, what's popular...to try nsteadto figure out how to bridge many gaps and bring it all into one singular voice of good music." In March 2016, Q-Tip was appointed as the
Kennedy Center The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts, commonly known as the Kennedy Center, is the national cultural center of the United States, located on the eastern bank of the Potomac River in Washington, D.C. Opened on September 8, ...
's first artistic director for hip-hop culture, curating a series of hip-hop programs for the performing arts center. Later that month, Phife Dawg died of complications relating to diabetes. That October, Q-Tip revealed that A Tribe Called Quest secretly began working on a new album shortly after their ''Tonight Show'' appearance, completing the album after Phife Dawg's death. The following month, the group released their final album, '' We Got It from Here... Thank You 4 Your Service'', which received widespread acclaim from critics.


2017–present: ''The Last Zulu'', ''AlGoRhythms'', and ''Riotdiaries''

In 2018, he recorded a cover version of
Elton John Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is a British singer, songwriter and pianist. His music and showmanship have had a significant, lasting impact on the music industry, and his songwriting partnership with l ...
and Kiki Dee's song "
Don't Go Breaking My Heart "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" is a duet by English musician Elton John and English singer Kiki Dee, released by The Rocket Record Company on 25 June 1976. It was written by John with Bernie Taupin under the pseudonyms "Ann Orson" and "Carte B ...
" with
Demi Lovato Demetria Devonne "Demi" Lovato ( ; born August 20, 1992) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. After appearing on the children's television series ''Barney & Friends'' (2002–2004), she starred in the Disney Channel short series ...
. He also announced that his delayed album ''The Last Zulu'' would be released soon. Later that year, he joined the faculty of
New York University New York University (NYU) is a private university, private research university in New York City, New York, United States. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded in 1832 by Albert Gallatin as a Nondenominational ...
's Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music, where he began teaching a course that explores the connection between jazz and hip hop. In an October 2018 interview, he claimed that he would never retire or cease production work, stating, "I will do this to my death." In 2019, Q-Tip revealed that he was working on three solo albums (''The Last Zulu'', ''AlGoRhythms'', and ''Riotdiaries''), as well as projects by
Mary J. Blige Mary Jane Blige ( ; born January 11, 1971) is an American singer, songwriter, rapper, actress, and entrepreneur. Often referred to as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Hip-Hop Soul" and "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Qu ...
and
Danny Brown Daniel Dewan Sewell (born March 16, 1981), better known as Danny Brown, is an American rapper, singer and songwriter from Detroit, Michigan. He was described by MTV in 2011 as "one of rap's most unique figures in recent memory". After amassing ...
. He served as
executive producer Executive producer (EP) is one of the top positions in the production of media. Depending on the medium, the executive producer may be concerned with management accounting or associated with legal issues (like copyrights or royalties). In film ...
of Brown's album '' U Know What I'm Sayin?'', released in October 2019. Later that year, he also appeared on the song "Hit Man" from Gang Starr's album '' One of the Best Yet''. Q-Tip performed the chorus on the song "Yah Yah" from
Eminem Marshall Bruce Mathers III (born October 17, 1972), known professionally as Eminem, is an American rapper, songwriter, and record producer. Regarded as one of the greatest and most influential rappers of all time, he is credited with popula ...
's 2020 album, '' Music to Be Murdered By''. He also performed the chorus on the track "More Life", which he co-produced, from
Cordae Cordae Amari Brooks ( Dunston; born August 26, 1997), known mononymously as Cordae (formerly YBN Cordae and Entendre), is an American rapper. He began his career as a member of the hip hop collective YBN (collective), YBN. His 2019 debut studio ...
's 2021 EP, '' Just Until...''
Jack White John Anthony White (; born July 9, 1975) is an American musician who achieved international fame as the guitarist and lead singer of the rock duo the White Stripes. As the White Stripes disbanded, he sought success with his solo career, subse ...
's 2022 album '' Fear of the Dawn'' features Q-Tip on the single " Hi-De-Ho". Q-Tip is the producer of
LL Cool J James Todd Smith (born January 14, 1968), known professionally as LL Cool J (short for Ladies Love Cool James), is an American rapper and actor. He is one of the earliest rappers to achieve commercial success, alongside fellow new school hip ho ...
's 2024 album, ''
The FORCE The Force is a Metaphysics, metaphysical, mysterious, and Energy (esotericism), ubiquitous power in the ''Star Wars'' Universe of Star Wars, fictional universe. Characters refer to the Force as an energy that interconnects all things in the univer ...
''.


Musical style


Production

As a producer, Q-Tip is a self-proclaimed "perfectionist-at-work" and is known for his innovative and
experimental An experiment is a procedure carried out to support or refute a hypothesis, or determine the efficacy or likelihood of something previously untried. Experiments provide insight into cause-and-effect by demonstrating what outcome occurs whe ...
production, which "led a jazz-based hip-hop revolution during the '90s". In particular, he is noted for his ability to layer programmed drums, giving the drums a grittier sound; his unconventional use of three- bar loops; and his frequent use of rests (or "space"), which was inspired by
Miles Davis Miles Dewey Davis III (May 26, 1926September 28, 1991) was an American jazz trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the history of jazz and 20th century music, 20th-century music. Davis ado ...
.
Pharrell Williams Pharrell Lanscilo Williams (; born April 5, 1973), also known mononymously as Pharrell, is an American musician, singer, songwriter, rapper, record producer, and fashion designer. He first became known as one half of the music production duo ...
has stated that Q-Tip "picks the best loops  ... he'd pick like the illest chord,
bassline Bassline (also known as a bass line or bass part) is the term used in many styles of music, such as blues, jazz, funk, Dub music, dub and electronic music, electronic, traditional music, traditional, and classical music, for the low-pitched P ...
and all that." Williams asserted that "we're all -Tip'ssons", referring to himself, J Dilla and Kanye West, further stating that "we wouldn't be here man, if it wasn't for Tribe albums." 9th Wonder credits him for starting the trend of jazz sampling in hip hop: Q-Tip's recent production is a mix of live instrumentation and sampled music. Two decades after his house fire, he has since rebuilt his record collection; as of 2016, it consists of about 9,000 vinyl records.


Lyricism and rapping technique

As an MC, Q-Tip is noted for his philosophical, esoteric and introspective lyricism, often putting socially conscious messages in his lyrics. He writes his lyrics to the beat, allowing the music to help serve as inspiration for his songwriting.Edwards (2009), p. 168. Q-Tip's flow is commonly described as "mellow" and "smooth". When rapping, he treats his voice "like an instrument" in the music and is noted for his "flexible"
rhyme scheme A rhyme scheme is the pattern of rhymes at the end of each line of a poem or song. It is usually referred to by using letters to indicate which lines rhyme; lines designated with the same letter all rhyme with each other. An example of the ABAB rh ...
s.


Personal life

Q-Tip converted to
Islam Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...
in the mid-1990s, changing his name to Kamaal Ibn John Fareed. He also follows a
vegetarian Vegetarianism is the practice of abstaining from the Eating, consumption of meat (red meat, poultry, seafood, insects as food, insects, and the flesh of any other animal). It may also include abstaining from eating all by-products of animal slau ...
diet and practices Transcendental Meditation. He has been romantically linked to
Janet Jackson Janet Damita Jo Jackson (born May 16, 1966) is an American singer, songwriter, actress and dancer. She is noted for her innovative, socially conscious and sexually provocative records, as well as elaborate stage shows. Her sound and choreogr ...
,
Angie Martinez Angela "Angie" Martinez (born January 9, 1971) is an American radio personality, podcaster, singer, former rapper and actress. Dubbed "The Voice of New York", Martinez is widely known for her 28-year run at New York City station WQHT, Hot 97 ( ...
and
Nicole Kidman Nicole Mary Kidman (born 20 June 1967) is an Australian and American actress and producer. Known for Nicole Kidman on screen and stage, her work in film and television productions across many genres, she has consistently ranked among the world ...
. He is also a longtime friend of actor
Leonardo DiCaprio Leonardo Wilhelm DiCaprio (; ; born November 11, 1974) is an American actor and film producer. Known for Leonardo DiCaprio filmography, his work in biographical and period films, he is the recipient of List of awards and nominations received ...
and comedian Dave Chappelle. According to a DNA analysis he took in 2012, Q-Tip is descended, mainly, from the Jola people of
Guinea-Bissau Guinea-Bissau, officially the Republic of Guinea-Bissau, is a country in West Africa that covers with an estimated population of 2,026,778. It borders Senegal to Guinea-Bissau–Senegal border, its north and Guinea to Guinea–Guinea-Bissau b ...
. As of 2016, he has lived in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, and in nearby Edgewater.Briggs, Nicole
"Happy Birthday To Edgewater's Q-Tip"
Cliffside Park - Edgewater Daily Voice, April 10, 2016. Accessed September 17, 2017. "Happy birthday to Edgewater's Q-Tip! The rapper, record producer and DJ turns 46 today. He was born April 10, 1970."


Discography

;Studio albums * '' Amplified'' ( Arista, 1999) * ''
The Renaissance The Renaissance ( , ) is a Periodization, period of history and a European cultural movement covering the 15th and 16th centuries. It marked the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and was characterized by an effort to revive and sur ...
'' (
Universal Motown Universal Motown Records was an American record label that operated as a division of Universal Motown Republic Group. It was the contemporary incarnation of the legendary Motown Records label, and the " urban" half of the Universal Records ...
, 2008) * '' Kamaal the Abstract'' ( Battery, 2009) ;with A Tribe Called Quest * '' People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm'' ( Jive, 1990) * '' The Low End Theory'' (Jive, 1991) * '' Midnight Marauders'' (Jive, 1993) * '' Beats, Rhymes and Life'' (Jive, 1996) * '' The Love Movement'' (Jive, 1998) * '' We Got It from Here... Thank You 4 Your Service'' (
Epic Epic commonly refers to: * Epic poetry, a long narrative poem celebrating heroic deeds and events significant to a culture or nation * Epic film, a genre of film defined by the spectacular presentation of human drama on a grandiose scale Epic(s) ...
, 2016)


Filmography


Films


Television


Awards and nominations


BET Hip Hop Awards

, - , rowspan="1",
2009 2009 was designated as the International Year of Astronomy by the United Nations to coincide with the 400th anniversary of Galileo Galilei's first known astronomical studies with a telescope and the publication of Astronomia Nova by Joha ...
, ''
The Renaissance The Renaissance ( , ) is a Periodization, period of history and a European cultural movement covering the 15th and 16th centuries. It marked the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and was characterized by an effort to revive and sur ...
'' , Album of the Year , , -


Grammy Award The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious ...
s

, - , rowspan="2",
1997 Events January * January 1 – The Emergency Alert System is introduced in the United States. * January 11 – Turkey threatens Cyprus on account of a deal to buy Russian S-300 missiles, prompting the Cypriot Missile Crisis. * January 1 ...
, '' Beats, Rhymes and Life'' (
A Tribe Called Quest A Tribe Called Quest was an American Hip hop music, hip hop group formed in Queens, New York City, in 1985,Q-Tip< ...
)
, Best Rap Album , , - , " 1nce Again" (A Tribe Called Quest) , Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group , , - ,
1998 1998 was designated as the ''International Year of the Ocean''. Events January * January 6 – The ''Lunar Prospector'' spacecraft is launched into orbit around the Moon, and later finds evidence for Lunar water, frozen water, in soil i ...
, "
Honey Honey is a sweet and viscous substance made by several species of bees, the best-known of which are honey bees. Honey is made and stored to nourish bee colonies. Bees produce honey by gathering and then refining the sugary secretions of pl ...
" (as songwriter) , Best R&B Song , , - ,
1999 1999 was designated as the International Year of Older Persons. Events January * January 1 – The euro currency is established and the European Central Bank assumes its full powers. * January 3 – The Mars Polar Lander is launc ...
, '' The Love Movement'' (A Tribe Called Quest) , Best Rap Album , , - ,
2000 2000 was designated as the International Year for the Culture of Peace and the World Mathematics, Mathematical Year. Popular culture holds the year 2000 as the first year of the 21st century and the 3rd millennium, because of a tende ...
, " Vivrant Thing" , Best Rap Solo Performance , , - ,
2006 2006 was designated as the International Year of Deserts and Desertification. Events January * January 1– 4 – Russia temporarily cuts shipment of natural gas to Ukraine during a price dispute. * January 12 – A stampede during t ...
, " Galvanize" (with
The Chemical Brothers The Chemical Brothers are an English electronic music duo formed by Ed Simons and Tom Rowlands in Manchester in 1992. They were pioneers in bringing the big beat genre to the forefront of pop culture. Originally known as The Dust Brothers, th ...
)
, Best Dance Recording , , - ,
2010 The year saw a multitude of natural and environmental disasters such as the 2010 Haiti earthquake, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and the 2010 Chile earthquake. The 2009 swine flu pandemic, swine flu pandemic which began the previous year ...
, ''
The Renaissance The Renaissance ( , ) is a Periodization, period of history and a European cultural movement covering the 15th and 16th centuries. It marked the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and was characterized by an effort to revive and sur ...
'' , Best Rap Album , , - ,
2012 2012 was designated as: *International Year of Cooperatives *International Year of Sustainable Energy for All Events January *January 4 – The Cicada 3301 internet hunt begins. * January 12 – Peaceful protests begin in the R ...
, '' Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest'' (A Tribe Called Quest) , Best Long Form Music Video , , - ,
2014 The year 2014 was marked by the surge of the Western African Ebola epidemic, West African Ebola epidemic, which began in 2013, becoming the List of Ebola outbreaks, most widespread outbreak of the Ebola, Ebola virus in human history, resul ...
, "Nakamarra" (with
Hiatus Kaiyote Hiatus Kaiyote ( ) is an Australian jazz/funk band formed in Melbourne in 2011, made up of singer/guitarist Nai Palm, bassist Paul Bender, keyboardist Simon Mavin, and drummer Perrin Moss. Their albums include '' Choose Your Weapon'' (2015), ...
)
, Best R&B Performance , , - ,
2016 2016 was designated as: * International Year of Pulses by the sixty-eighth session of the United Nations General Assembly. * International Year of Global Understanding (IYGU) by the International Council for Science (ICSU), the Internationa ...
, " Go" (with The Chemical Brothers) , Best Dance Recording ,


MTV Video Music Awards

, - , rowspan="1",
2000 2000 was designated as the International Year for the Culture of Peace and the World Mathematics, Mathematical Year. Popular culture holds the year 2000 as the first year of the 21st century and the 3rd millennium, because of a tende ...
, "Vivrant Thing" , Best Hip-Hop Video , , -


Soul Train Music Awards

, - , rowspan="2",
2000 2000 was designated as the International Year for the Culture of Peace and the World Mathematics, Mathematical Year. Popular culture holds the year 2000 as the first year of the 21st century and the 3rd millennium, because of a tende ...
, "Vivrant Thing" , rowspan="2", Best R&B/Soul or Rap Music Video , , - , " Hot Boyz" (with
Missy Elliott Melissa Arnette "Missy" Elliott (born July 1, 1971), also known as Misdemeanor, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. She began her musical career as a member of the Contemporary R&B, R&B girl group 4 All the Sistas Arou ...
, Lil' Mo,
Nas Nas (born 1973) is the stage name of American rapper Nasir Jones. Nas, NaS, or NAS may also refer to: Aviation * Nasair, a low-cost airline carrier and subsidiary based in Eritrea * National Air Services, an airline in Saudi Arabia ** Nas Air (S ...
and
Eve Eve is a figure in the Book of Genesis in the Hebrew Bible. According to the origin story, "Creation myths are symbolic stories describing how the universe and its inhabitants came to be. Creation myths develop through oral traditions and there ...
)
,


References


Further reading

* *


External links

* *
Official A Tribe Called Quest Website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Q-Tip 1970 births Living people 21st-century American rappers A Tribe Called Quest members African-American DJs African-American male rappers 20th-century American male rappers African-American Muslims African-American record producers African-American songwriters American hip-hop DJs American hip-hop record producers American people of Bissau-Guinean descent American people of Montserratian descent Arista Records artists Converts to Islam Converts to Islam from Christianity Def Jam Recordings artists East Coast hip-hop musicians GOOD Music artists Grammy Award winners for dance and electronic music Motown artists Murry Bergtraum High School alumni People from Edgewater, New Jersey People from Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey People from St. Albans, Queens Progressive soul musicians Rappers from New York City Record producers from New York (state) Songwriters from New York (state) Universal Motown Records artists Soulquarians members Musicians from New York City African-American film score composers Muslims from New York (state)