The new Q-Tip single, “Gettin’ Up,” sounds more like the classic Q-Tip that was missing during the brief “Vivrant Thing” era, and it’s hard to complain about the Madlib beat, but something seems missing. I can only assume it’s the artistic hole left by Phife Dawg–if there’s not a five-foot-tall guy roaming around next to Tip, and occasionally dropping a verse, it’s hard to get too excited. A collection of more on point tracks from the A Tribe Called Quest days behind the cut.
“I Left My Wallet In El Segundo”
“Can I Kick It?”
“Check The Rhime”
“Find A Way”
A Tribe Called Quest [homepage]
wait, what was I supposed to hate about “Vivrant Thing” again?
I don’t care if it’s good or bad or so-so, I just hope his new record actually gets released, poor guy’s had more albums shelved than anyone of his stature deserves.
I always liked “Vivrant Thing”.
@Al Shipley: which albums were shelved besides the (awful) Kamaal the Abstract?
@Al Shipley: agreed.
@BenRad: me too. i even liked “breathe and stop.”
@Michaelangelo Matos: Who said “hate”?
the people who hated it, Dan.
Madlib used the same Black Ivory sample but I think Tip produced this one himself. Also, “Amplified” by Q-Tip/Dilla is GREAT.
@Michaelangelo Matos: He also had an unreleased album in 2005 called Open, and who knows how much other shelved material between being shuffled from Arista to Dreamworks to Geffen to Universal Motown. And I remember The Rennaissance at one point having a release date for October of last year. Again, I don’t care if these records suck and I might not have bought them even if they did come out, but he still deserves to release music.
I think Q is channeling Martin Gore with that hat.
He was great with Mos Def as his hype man at Rock The Bells. Mos should just dump Talib Kweli and do and album with Q Tip instead.
@Michaelangelo Matos: I hate those people, but I will say I prefer the ATCQ material to the solo stuff by a country mile.
“Vivrant Thing” made me want to fill my ears with super glue. Mark me down as “hated it” (C) Antoine Merriweather.
Also, no “Bonita Applebaum?”
At the very least, I enjoy Tip’s Davy Crockett hat.
I once ran into him in a record store before a Tribe/Beastie Boys show. He is startlingly tall and about 100 times hotter in person. I had to wipe the drool off my chin, seriously.
Digging the new song too.
People, people. Can we let the poor man grow up? All of this “I wish (fill in with pretty much any act) was as good as they were back in day.”
Well, OK. Why don’t you trying being as cool/sexy/skinny/unselfconscious/etc as you were, oh, well over ten years ago?
Times and people change, and while you’re lamenting the fact that it’s no longer 1995, a bunch of kids are laughing at your old ass and rocking out to something (dare I say it?) NEW.
I mean, you don’t have to like the new Q-Tip. I’m sure there’s an Okkervil River CD you can drool over or something. Sheesh.
PS: Never, ever get sick on a Friday, especially when one of your favorite bands EVER is playing a show that night, and you’re too sick to go. It SUCKS.
PS: the new Tip tune is smooth.
I like it a lot. It’s sounds good, very well produced. Never was crazy about Phife, it was Q-Tip and his voice who made ATCQ IMO.
Man, I love Tribe, but my heart broke a bit when I heard this unreleased “gem”…
@brandonsoderberg: You are correct, this is a Q-Tip production with his band adding the additional instrumentation.
@brandonsoderberg: You are correct, this is a Q-Tip production, with his band providing the additional instrumentation. Can’t wait for the album!
@Michaelangelo Matos: the “awful” Kamaal tha Abstract??? Whatever, that album is brilliant…