Reviews (page 2 of 8)
Its cool, Q-tip is a great rapper (and producer). Production is very nice.
This wasn’t on my radar, but it was great! Love the Norah Jones feature.
I absolutely love this album. Bought it the week it came out and have been listening ever since.
Really great instrumentals.
Surprisingly great. Solid production, some interesting guests.
It was pretty good but still a waste of a post 2000 album imo
Most of this was lively light hiphop. A few songs though had such repetitive lyrics it made you want to scratch your face off.
Decent beats a bit rambling.
I love it!
AA
Honestly don’t know quest love or q-tip or even if they’re related LOL but I went into this pretty blind but with a little bit of a bad impression about this album that I heard from others. But was very pleasantly surprised. Gives me Anderson Paak vibes but better, I think the rap/spoken word had so much flow.
Not a vibrant thing
#80 A couple good songs, but I didn't find this to be anything special. I don't care much for his voice, and most of the songs are forgettable and blend together. Highlights: Won't Trade, We Fight/We Love
It’s OK but zero wow factor
Johnny is dead - 3 Won't trade - 4 Gettin' up - 4 Official - 3 You - 4 We fight / we love - 3 Manwomanboogie - 4 Move / renaissance rap - 4 Dance on glass - 3 Life is better - 3 Believe - 3 Shaka - 3
Putting this on my "better than expected" list.
He's always good.
Solid album.
had low expectations and it surprised me, really good listen. the songs made sense one with another. there was a transition at one point that was craaazy
Al principio me gustó bastante, pero es dificil que un álbum de hiphop, sin canciones tan memorables, me parezca más que un 3. Igualmente disfruté escucharlo, pero no creo q lo vuelva a hacer.
Who would have guessed that a solo record by Q-Tip would be great? ✋me. I did.
A Tribe Called Quest is one of my favorite hip hop groups, so I was excited to listen to this album, but a little skeptical. Thankfully, I really enjoyed it, a lot of really good beats and some very solid rapping. I also really appreciated all of the features and what they brought to each song. High 4!
Pretty good, lot of catchy songs and also norah jones is featured on a song. But overall good album, cool transitions too.
Another day, another (c)rap
Rigtig god faktisk, solide beats der ikke lyder datede, q-tip er en alltimer, meeen ikke essentiel
Fedest når det lød med hiphop agtigt og mindre soul agtigt. Det var ok men kan godt komme i tanke om et par Tribe plader der kunne have været på listen over den her (udover dem vi allerede har haft)
Not the worst, but by no way any good. I just didn't hate it.
I think one of my favorite things this list has made me listen to is hip hop. I don't think I ever would've listened to any hip hop or most rnb if I wasn't determined to finish this list, but now that I have I've been pleasantly surprised
Variety, spice, talent, comic book references prior to the MCU. Can see the influence Q-Tip and A Tribe Called Quest must have had on Kendrick. Will be listening to more.
I enjoyed this!
Going to butcher this description, but this music seems like the baseline is smooth, but the beat is choppy, and his lyrics also feel choppy. It feels like an average voice and unremarkable lyrics, but in a musical style I generally enjoy.
Pretty good. Not something I'm really into but it was fun to listen to while working out. I didn't get why this made the list though.
I'm totally OK with giving this a 3.
I really enjoyed this album. Q-Tip is a favorite of mine. I was expecting a solo album of Tribe songs, which was stupid of me. There are some broad similarities, but this is wholly Tip. There's a ton of great variety between songs. Again, I need to question the inclusion of this album on the list. Tip wasn't a prolific or influential (as far as I know) solo artist. So why did I need to hear this album (aside from the fact it's really good)? Adding this album means something else needed to get dropped.
That was a pretty boring album.
Q-Tip is one of those rappers out there that I always enjoy either on a song with other rappers, or in small doses when solo. This album is no different, as I enjoyed it, but after a while he starts to bore me when he’s the only rapper for long periods of time.
A: Chill. Riktig vibe hiphop. Inte helt det bästa av det bästa av hiphop men angenäm bakgrundsmusik med chill vibe. Mer sånt här för att kunna få lite paus från 70-90-tals rockmusik. 4/5 (B-tier? kanske) D: Gillade viben och musiken. Komiskt hur varje hiphopalbum har samma soundboard de måste tränga in överallt. Jag tror inte att vi hörde hans bästa produktion. 4/5
Bra! Jag gillar Q-Tip och hans rap. Han har ett skönt flow och musiken får mig på gott humör. Jag tycker albumet funkar bra i sin helhet. Extra plus för att D'Angelo gästar. Tycker väldigt mycket om låten You.
I think my biggest issue with this album is that everything sounds the same to me. There isn't much variety.
I was surprised how much I liked this album. Hip Hop is not my favorite genre so it's really great to find an album that I really like.
This album was very varied. Q-Tip's sound is in every track but the tracks feel incomplete. Loved some of the features
Weird one for me. The whole album's really good, but I only really like the first few tracks? Despite the music all sounding pretty different song to song, it does weirdly blend together in vibe. Its a little too smooth. I like my hip hop with more grit. Might be a grower though. But yeah. Good album. Cool to hear Q-Tip evolve his flow from those early Tribe albums where he had a more old school style.
Very good, but not as good as almost any Tribe Called Quest album. Better than a three star record, but I’m not sure I can sell four.
While Q-Tip is a very skilled rapper, I do miss his riffing off Phife. Still, this is good.
I had largely lost track of Q-Tip after Tribe went on its long hiatus, and this album feels like connective tissue to the group’s swan song. He’s definitely developed his own distinct pacing style, while his production skills are of course formidable. Love the Raphael Saadiq cameo and the live instrumentation. And the crazy J Dilla production on “Move.”
Fine, but didn't wow me.
like it. sounds fresh
'I thumb thru the page / I don't come of age / I'm not a deity / I'm far from perfect see.' B/c he's an eminent producer as well as a luminous rapper, Q-Tip really set the precedent for the Kanye explosion, tho Common, Mos, & Talib were certainly closer at hand. 'The clairvoyant micist / Who always come the tightest / Queens everywhere / Demonstratin' who the flyest.' W/ Tribe, hip-hop is perfected to the pitch of the underground living at ease w/ the mainstream, a balance that Q-Tip matches on his second solo release: the 'purest' rap you'll hear b/c so damned unconcerned w/ self-receptions. Of course Kanye, at his best, is deliciously self-conscious, but his magic is an indebted phenomenon. W/o Tip, solo & group, no College Dropout et al.
3.18
4.17 out of 5 for Q-Tip but I'm bumping it up to a 5 star because this album is pretty much amazing from front to back. Intense sampling and when I say intense I mean, real crate digging for samples here, and he's doing it in 2008?!?! Sampling isn't lazy on this album, it's part of the whole backbone to it! The album starts out on an absolute tear with 7 tracks nonstop until we get a slight reprieve with ManWomanBoogie (which features a Krautrock sample from the band Can. It's only 3 seconds and that's plenty.) Enjoy this album, and realize that Q-Tip is one of the most important rappers of our generation.
Stand-out tracks: Johnny Is Dead, Gettin Up, You, Life Is Better, Believe Not really into the over-repetitve nature of some of the tracks. Overall it was ok, but only a few tracks stood out to me.
Highlights: Won't Trade, Gettin Up, Official, Fight/Love, ManWomanBoogie, Believe, Good Thang The mellow-voiced goat back at it again, but something was missing and therefore this wasn't goated. It's just not as slick and "deep" as when he's with the Tribe. Here he puts on his sexy-party-romantic suit and for some reason it just feels cheaper than what I remember him as. It feels like he tried to play it safe on this one and made mid. Beats feel more refined than usual, Fight/Love being a good example of this. He also had some groove on tracks like Move, but he fucked up that one on the beat switch. Features are poorly used as he makes his guests repeat the same line for a whole eternity. Norah Jones and D'Angelo come to mind as an appalling use of their appearances. Shaka had an interesting beat, but it was too repetitive. Not a great record. I expected more and got generic alternative hip hop about love n such.
Solid
One of the better hip hop albums. Interesting rhythms and minimum of anting sound effects.
mediocre album, 3.5/5, favorite songs: You, WeFight/WeLove, Life is better
meh Q-tip hatte sein Peak mit a tribe called quest.
Dope
Another hip-hop album. This is among the ones I enjoyed the most. Again, not my style, but I enjoyed most of the tracks. Interestingly, the song I enjoyed the most is the extra track ("Good Thang"). Other songs I liked: "Johnny Is Dead", "Won't Trade", "Getting Up", "Move/Renaissance Rap" (nice two-part track) or "Life Is Better". This is a solid 3,5 stars for me.
From alumni of "A Tribe called Quest". Good production, boogie rhythms, very funky.. Favorite track: getting up other picks: Johnny is dead, you, life is better
I had never heard any solo albums by Q-Tip before this, but I went back and listened to his first solo album and this one, and this one is definitely much better and feels more like Tribe Called Quest. The beats and samples feel more timeless, bridging the old east coast style with something newer. I don't think it is one of the greatest hip-hop albums or something that blows my mind in any way, but I am surprised how well it does stand up and stand out of time. I definitely will go back to it.
Day927 - q-tip has one of the most unique voices in all of music and i just turned this one up and jammed
The Renaissance by Q-Tip is one of the more modern hip-hop albums on this list, and I was looking forward to giving it a proper listen. I came away really enjoying it. It's a smooth, easy album to listen to, packed with great beats and excellent production. Everything sounds polished and effortless, without ever feeling overproduced. There's a confidence to the whole record that makes it flow from start to finish. What really stood out was Q-Tip's sound. Although the album was released in 2008, it has a timeless quality that feels rooted in classic hip-hop rather than chasing contemporary trends. The jazzy production, soulful touches and hints of R&B give it a warmth that's often missing from more modern rap records. It feels like an album made by someone who understands that great hip-hop is just as much about the music as it is the lyrics. It's not an album that's constantly trying to impress you with huge singles or flashy production. Instead, it's consistent, stylish and incredibly easy to return to. The more I listened, the more I appreciated just how well put together it is. I'd happily recommend this to anyone, even if hip-hop isn't normally your genre. It's a classy, understated record that's aged really well. Favourite tracks: "Good Thang" is a brilliant track and a fantastic way to close the album. Least favourite tracks: There isn't really a weak song here. Everything is enjoyable and deserves a listen. Album artwork: Love the album cover—simple, stylish and a perfect fit for the music.
Hey this is pretty sleek especially for its time. So many records from this time sound so brutally *2008*, but this one has some evergreen production elements and instrumental decisions that hold up. Most of the bars hold up well enough too. Nothing life-changing, unless you’re Anderson.Paak who clearly took this sound and ran with it. But solid flows front to back. “Gettin Up” rides the nice line of being pleasant to listen to and also being Grammy fodder. Love that simple bassline. The same can be said for “Official”. “Move” is my pick of the album for some forward-thinking sampling, this is the best beat by far. Lastly, you know I love a shoutout record, so of course “Life Is Better” was another highlight. I’ll give this a light 4. It doesn’t reinvent the wheel in any way, but it’s fairly sleek, it’s aged really well.
Feels like the precusor to the 2015 acclaimed Tribe album. Has that same smooth yet mysterious flow
ATCQ might be the greatest hip hop group of all time, and Q-Tip is a very big part of that equation. Hearing him do a solo record is definitely a weird feeling but he pulls it off, and thank God this is under an hour. I can't believe how many hip hop albums push an hour.
Beats are great as expected from J Dilla and Q-Tip himself. His flows are great and all the R&B features make the hooks really great. Favorites were Won’t Trade, Gettin Up, WeFight/WeLove, Move, and Life Is Better.
Qtip is a sneaky mount rushmore candidate for me in that his Tribe work is some of my favorite shit of all time. But never really resonated with his solo work. There are a couple trcks on here I like but overall doesnt move me. 3 stars
I liked this a lot. It seemed to settle in as the album progressed. If you expected a Q-Tip rapping to raap record you would be disappointed. But if you want great production with raps but as more of an R&B experience then here you go
At first I wasn't thrilled to have a hip hop album (not a style I like) but this wasn't horrible.
Really pleasant, aged and funky, like a good cheese
Enjoyable at the time but I’ve forgotten pretty much everything about this already, probably means I need to give it another listen 3.5
corny
it's ok
I listened twice and nothing stuck with me. Very listenable, but ultimately forgettable.
Not my vibe.
Very laid back but pleasant
Great music and the lyrics weren't bad. I really liked the rhythym and some of the lyrics. As with many of the hip hop albums i'd love an instrumental only version but find the version with lyrics to be somewhere between mediocre and good.
Not really to my taste. There may have been something to appreciate, but it eluded me.
Good stuff
Not bad at all
Not a very stimulating rap album
Pleasant laid back hip hop. Hardly groundbreaking but it’s alright
This was very inoffensive, but sparked almost zero feelings in me. It was just a bit bland and boring.
This was fine, but nothing much stood out to me. I liked the sampling. I liked ManWomanBoogie and Move. The Norah Jones feature was weird but sort of worked. This is very much a 2.5 album for me but it's going to get rounded down
that was just really good
Not as good as I remembered
Wowowow. Not sure what else to say. Absolute masterpiece.
we know you ! dit is gwn nice groovy chill jazzy yesyes
hele goede hiphop album
Meh
I like q-tip but found this weirdly bland. 2 listens through and i couldnt give you a sibgle lyric or hook. Not bad, but also very unmemorable and as someone who has a very surface level knowledge if hip hop can name 10 albums more interesting than this
Amazingly groovy and bouncy hip-hop. Love the production.
Q-Tip can really groove...... I love the backing tracks. Very polished, and professional, and smooth - and I mean that in a good way. The production is top notch. Dude also has really nice flow. Like every other hip-hop album on this list, it's too long. But that's literally the only criticism I have for this one. FOUR STARS
I hadn't hear this album before. It was good and some surprising tracks with D'Angelo and Nora Jones.
Q-tip on vist mu lemmikräppar/-produtsent nüüd. Tõesti-tõesti mõnus kuulamine, tüübi flow ja tämber on lihtsalt uskumatult hea ja võtab keha õõtsuma isegi kontoris olles. Väga jazzine taust lugudel ja mitu külalisartisti. Kuradile kah, saab 4.5/5, ma tõesti nautisin seda plaati.
VERY GOOD
This was an uninteresting album. Not bad on a technical level, just forgettable in every sense of the word. Norah Jones being featured was a plus.
Was unfamiliar with Q-Tip’s work and read that he was part of a Tribe Called Quest. Beats were tightly mixed and rapping was impressive at times. This album was good beginning to end.
As I’ve gotten older, I’ve come to feel that much lyrical and conscious rap often comes across as preachy and pseudo-intellectual, sometimes at the expense of the music itself. Thankfully, that isn’t the case with The Renaissance. The album is super soulful and skillful, with many parts that remind me of a young Kanye West and Common. I also can’t help but think that this album was a major influence on Open Mike Eagle’s work. However, despite my praise, there wasn’t really a single song that jumped out at me during my first listen. There’s much to appreciate here, but I’m not sure I’d ever return to it. I’d rather just listen to Tribe Called Quest.
Production: timeless and layered, bordering on lush. Rapping and rhymes: don't live up to the beats? Hooks: catchier and more melodic than I expected. This has a "songwriterly" quality that prophesied the 2010s work of Kanye, Kendrick, and Travis (although Renaissance doesn't have near the dynamic range). Enjoyable, but if I'm being mean: inconsequential...does not demand attention...stuff you put on while you're paying the bills. Man, I thought for sure that the intro guitar on "Shaka" was later sampled by Rihanna on "Woo"...but no???
The Renaissance is definitely a classier-sounding hip-hop album than a lot of what was coming out around this time. Q-Tip throws out the stereotypes and lays down some pretty great rhymes and smooth flows, all while keeping the album rooted in a warm, throwback sound. These tracks are easy to put on in the background, and the whole thing has a nice, laid-back groove to it. But that’s also what holds it back a bit. It feels like things are played just a little too safe, and nothing here becomes super memorable. Still, even when it doesn’t fully stand out, The Renaissance is a smooth reminder of Q-Tip’s effortless cool and old-school craftsmanship.
Loved this. I wish the Can-Aspectacle sample in ManWomanBoogie was more prominent. That melody would have been so good to hear throughout the song.
Loved it. Only really known Qtip from multiple collaborations but this was great.
The album cover says it all.
Great hip hop from the late aughts. Has a 90’s hip hop feel.
Meh, I wouldn't want to listen to this again.
It's like Digable Planets meets Bruno Mars
Lo dicho tantas veces: no es mi género y no lo disfruto. El disco no está mal, pero jamás lo volvería a escuchar.
Didn't hold my attention at all. Perfectly passable 00s hip-hop.
First Listen; 3.5; I really enjoyed this album. Unsurprisingly, reminded me of ATCQ. Very smooth, funky, quirky beats and riffs, with interesting lyrics. Something that I could see myself coming back to to listen to for fun, or listening to more of his discography. My one complaint is that it does sound a little repetitive as a whole. Favorite Track: Move
Life is Better has good flow. I dunno. The guy's called Q-Tip. It's pretty decent. Didn't give it a second listen. Maybe I'd have given it a better rating if I had.
Found myself enjoying this more than expected. I haven't been a huge fan of Q-Tips voice in the past but this had some solid beats and it all just came together. Not enough tracks grabbed me and I started to drift toward the end of the album.
Move was probably the best song on the album. The rest wasn't really remarkable.
Without having heard this before, I knew exactly what it was going to be. I haven't even looked at the reviews here yet, but I'm assuming this is referred to as "laid back," and "jazzy" a bunch. I'm a mid 40s white guy, this is what I gravitate towards these days. However, if I did want to listen to some hip hop that I didn't listen to in high school, this is something I'd reach for. Giving it a 3. Glad I listened, respect it a lot, probably wouldn't return to it on my own.
un poco aburrido
360/1001 Q-Tip - The Renaissance Heard before? ❎ Revisit? ✅ I love Q-Tip's flow on this, which seems very precise, yet a natural pace, which combines excellently with the jazz beats backing it. There's a lot more to this, which keeps it all interesting.
Not really my thing. The track featuring Norah Jones was OK.
Not really what I was expecting going into this but I actually enjoyed it. Good beats/grooves that I was able to listen through without skipping. (4)
Not usually into hip hop but this was enjoyable.
This is pretty solid rap but not anything that’s probably going to stand out or stick with me
An okay album, j liked Won't Trade the most.
It's solid! Not for me but not bad. 6.1/10
The show I went to for The Renaissance tour was great.
Good album. Groovy
Other than tribe songs I thing I’ve only ever heard Q-Tip as a feature. This was an interesting blend of modern (for the time) production and nearly an old school style. I say heart because Q-Tip didn’t just rely on his old flow here; it’s distinctly up to date in his own way. I think I liked “You” and “ManWomanBoogie” the most out of it all. I never felt like it was dragging but there isn’t a ton of really catchy hooks to come back to. It’s still good and a real testament to his skills.
Really solid album. Hadn't heard it before. He's got a great flow and the production was good.
Hell yes. I love A Tribe Called Quest but never listened to Q-Tip as a solo artist. Here we go.. Ok definitely got some vibes and sounds I was expecting but it also much different that ATCQ. Love it regardless. Putting this qtip all the way down my ear.
Is there a good way to listen to this? Not impressed by the production or delivery, and the lyrics were bad, like this conscious stuff just seems like you have to name drop the history of old school hip hop, or you can rap about the same stuff as other guys as long as you make it sound not fun. Oh and add a jazz beat.
Glad I gave this a second chance. I listened once and wasn't feeling it, so I listened again the next day and was grooving. Maybe it was just the vibe I needed today.
Don't think I've heard q-tip before, definitely a little bit more than the average but there weren't any beats or lines that really grabbed me. Wouldn't consider it to be particularly 'progressive' as the wiki would say, feels like a backup Kanye really. Which i suppose we could do with now, is q-tip still available? Decent for one listen.
Bit of a non-album for me this, I knew Jack would like it. Nothing stood out, I forgot it was on multiple times.
Never listened to Q-Tip before. Knew I recognised his voice but didn't know why. A tribe called quest, that's why! This was largely really good. Not totally convinced on the more jazz or soul sounding elements, but lyrically really good 3.5
Great easy hip hop sound. A true find!
This is nice, but if I'm honest there are at least three Tribe albums I prefer to it, and I see Q-Tip also has an extensive subsequent career that I haven't perused, so I'm not even sure if it's his best solo joint.
The songs here are repetitive and forgettable. The lead has a good delivery, but it’s the same delivery every time. Boring. A 2.
It's flowy but also feels a bit lo-fi in a way
Nah, didn't like it. Not the music or the vocals.
Just meh. Not terrible but not good.
A magnificent album. Gettin up, you, we fight/we love, life is better are all career highlights. Q tip has such a languid addictive style to listen to. Most of this album is addressing lost love but the production never grinds. Quite the opposite. The samples are sparse giving the instrumentation room to breathe. In a career full of high points this is the reference point album for q-tip.
WeFight/WeLove
This record was amazing. The production and flow was fantastic. Favourite Track(s): Move, Believe Least Favourite Track(s): You
From the moment I pressed play I thought this guy's name and voice sound familiar and it wasn't until I did more research that I found out he was in A Tribe Called Quest and now I feel dumb. That aside I did enjoy this album. I've never been the biggest fan of A Tribe Called Quest but this album clicked more than they did. Maybe this will change how I feel when I eventually get assigned a Tribe Called Quest album to listen to. 4/5
Eh
This was al-right. I don't think they could have picked an album to make me more baffled about criteria for this list.
meh. had to convince myself to finish this one
Det här är bra
Det växte på mig. Instrumentella och sångpartierna var nice, men rap är sällan min favorit. Helhetsbedömningen blir väl ok, en trea.
Mycket svag för q-tip. Pangskiva! D’angelos medverkan drar upp den till en stark 4a.
Stark trea. Svängigt
The album was fine. Hip Hop and Rap not my favorite type of music, but I didn't hate it this time as it didn't seem as angry as other rap songs and not as much foul language.
Awesome!!! The track featuring Raphael Saadiq was a highlight. I will keep listening to this one.
(4/7) fairly listenable
Honestly what kind of name is Q-Tip, hate it!
I almost took a break from listening today when I saw this pop up. It's been a really rough couple of days due to some personal stuff and a general lack of sleep, and I just didn't know if I had it in me to listen to another fairly long album that I felt like I wasn't going to be interested in. But, I decided to power through at lunch today while I caught up on some other things I needed. And while I have to say that I didn't love the album, it actually was much better than I expected. I think one of my issues with some rap music is that some of it is just not that musical (in my opinion) and it just sometimes feels angry in a not so pleasant way. The rap I do like is typically more melodic with an almost sing-songy tone to it. That's what this album is. The album uses a real band rather than a bunch of samples from other songs, and has guests artists like D'Angelo and Norah Jones singing on it. I'm likely never going to play a rap album when I drive somewhere or put my earbuds in to take a walk, but if I'm going to listen to it, this wasn't bad to listen to. I feel totally unqualified to say whether the album is good or bad in the grand scheme of things, but I liked it.
Amazing, especially the bass lines, props to Antuan Barrett, Kamaal Fareed, and Derrick Hodge. People actually playing instruments? Bueno. If I were a rap fan, this probably would be 5 diamonds. But I am not, even this obviously talented group. 4 "diamonds in the sky like" stars.
Whether this is your style or not, you can't argue how amazing the production is. Q-Tip was able to create such a soothing project. Something about his music is always so effortless and cool. In this project, he evolves his jazzy boom-bap sound from ATCQ into something that sounds modern, clean, and crisp. RIP to J Dilla and D'Angelo as both their contributions helped elevate the project, especially to the former as you can hear his signature sampling style throughout the project.
Everybody seems to like this album so I wondered that when I give it a 1 star rating it will end up (at -2.24) on my ‘albums I love lees than most’ list. However, on checking it seems that it is not quite bad enough. A pity really because it is still utter drivel. For an explanation why this is please refer to my previous reviews of rap albums. 1/5 3/6/26
It's good to hear a rap album with melody and some actual choruses. A lot of the lyrics didn't do much for me but the instrumentation and production made up for it. I enjoyed a lot of it, especially the duet with Norah Jones and the final song, "Good Thang," which was more indie rock than rap. He's like a less ego-driven and more sane Kanye.
This one's all about the production for me. The hooks aren't super memorable for the most part, and it's not as fun lyrically as a Tribe album, but Q-Tip is a man of impeccable taste and that shines through on pretty much every track. Ironically, the one song that the late great J Dilla produced, Move, might be my favorite here. Believe with D'Angelo is great too. Love some jazzy rap, excellent vibes on this one
No idea what's great about this. Times are OK and the taking pretty harmless. Basically middle of the road rap. Not fur me
A wonderful discovery for me!
Po mt legalzinho pra ouvir deboinha
3.7 Pretty decent hip hop which is a rarity. Enjoyed the style, the flow, the beats. Not all tracks I loved, bonus track was a waste of time, but pretty good album from someone I've never come across. Fair play
Interesting album and enjoyed the listen. Rating: 7/10 Favorite Song: Wefight/Welove
Was not a fan of the Tribe Called Quest album I got before and not a fan of this either. I just don't get Hip Hop. Only salvagable part of the album was Norah Jones's feature. Favorite Track - Life is Better Least Favorite Track - Johnny is Dead ⭐️⭐️
I hear and acknowledge the genius but still not my genre, it's still amaxing
lo que escuchábamos en el bronx back in da day. banger after banger. 3.7
Gran álbum, me gustó mucho las vibes de las canciones
2008. Earned him a Grammy Award nomination for Best Rap Album. Wanted to make an album with a pure hip-hop sound.
Fun rap/synth, highly enjoyed
Right up my alley, really cool and chill
I'm a huge fan of ATCQ and love Q-Tip. But this record, eh, it's fine. This was the record he made after Kamaal the Abstract was rejected by his record company. So you can imagine this one is pretty safe. Like straight down the middle of the road. Some good grooves and overall, a pleasant listen. But Kamaal the Abstract, which was eventually released, is by far his best solo work, and this is a far cry from that record
Delightful
love !!!!
2.9 2x ATL-OAK flight
Gettin' Up
great time!
My spirit dropped when another rap album came up as today's assignment. However, after a listen...I felt vindicated. While there were a few nice sections, mostly they were the bits without Mr Tip spoiling the groove. Not hateful, but ... just why?
Pretty good. Should put it on rotation.
Its okay
What a pleasant little rap album.
1. jonny - 1 2. trade - 1 3. up - 2 4. official - 2 5. you - 2 6. fight - 1 7. boogie - 1 8. move - 2 9. glazz - 1 10. life - 2 11. believe - 2 12. zhaka - 1
Nothing startling original here, but a strong collection of songs with numerous featuring a notable bounce in their step to make for an enjoyable listen. As an MC, Q-Tip is not the most commanding presence. More of a sly onlooker who commentates on the world around him. That understated style served him well with A Tribe Called Quest’s pastiche of sounds. While not a negative, it does limit how much the neo-soul tracks on this record stand out. In the hands of a stronger vocalist/MC, songs like “We Won’t Trade”, “We Fight/We Love” and “Move” would put this record near the top rankings. As a producer and arranger, Q-Tip has enough skills to turn these cuts into enjoyable listens. He is particularly skilled with blending samples, computers and live instruments as he makes the most out of special guests like Raphael Saddiq. I needed a better listen to fully process the lyrics, or maybe there needs to be better wordplay. No phrases immediately grabbed my attention, which can be a positive since too many hip-hop performers turn me off with the lazy use of familiar slurs. (a stereotypical old white guy complaint, but valid IMHO.) Difficult to continue making quality music 15-20 years into a career for any genre, particularly hip-hop. Q-Tip puts out a strong record as he moved into a new phase as a musician.
I found it to be constantly interesting. I was pulled by every song and I enjoyed the transitions from one song to the next, but they didn't make the album blend together, which, as heard in previously albums, is hard to do. I was never bored, both in the positive and negative. I enjoyed most tracks, but when I didn't I wasn't due to boredom, but something within the track that irked me. This is most clearly seen in "Life is Better" where Norah Jones might receive most of the blame because I've never been a fan of her voice, but the general repetition in the song of the title was always going to bother me, even if it was the most beautiful voice in the world. Other than Jones, I was a fan of all the collaborations, and even in the case of Norah I felt her voice went with Q-Tip, and never seemed like an awkward fit. D'Angelo was by far the best, where he not only fit the song, but brought himself to the song, and maybe D'Angelo does have the previously mentioned "most beautiful voice in the world." My favorite song was definitely "Move" where Q-Tip shows how you do a 5-minute song and not make a single second drag or bore me. No tune runs too long or too short on this album and overall, roughly 40 minutes is the length most albums should be. Like an episode of a good show, just enough flavor and information to get me to next week. Q-Tip, I will be tuning in next week.
somehow I like this even more than a tribe called quest
Far from the best thing Q tip has done but definitely a lot of bangers here, not the most memorable stuff ever
It was fine
Amazing album. Really cool, old school beats.
This is an album I thought I'd connect with more, but it just never reached me. It's not bad, but it's missing a standout element. Doesn't help that I'm not a fan of Q-Tip's vocal delivery either. Might be better on a second pass, but not sure if it's interesting enough to warrant a second pass. Top tracks: Johnny Is Dead, Believe
Nice to hear some solo Q-Tip, never heard anything outside of “A Tribe Called Quest”. Also, liked the callabo with Norah Jones!
First piece of this genre I kinda like. 2000s vibe
Definitely Q-Tip. Smooth like butter.
I love A Tribe Called Quest. I really wanted to love this, but I just don't. While the production is refreshingly different for this era, it just sounds lackluster at best. There are still some ATCQ jazzy parts, but it leans heavily on synth-based R&B. Rhymes and flow are great, but they are overshadowed completely in the mix, making it feel like your focus should be on the "music" and that has always felt wrong to me with hip-hop, an art form that should always place the MC front and center.
This was pretty good. I enjoyed it while I mowed my lawn. I felt pretty hard. Not really though, not what this was about at all!
nah wasnt feeling it
Jazzy neo-soul beats and a conversational reflexive set of verses from a rapper with nothing to prove, but not much to say. Feel good optimism with a nostalgic throwback feel.
Not for me
Smooth, cool, consistent without ever being spectacular or having a hit banger or two. I like it, but wonder if some of the similar but better albums from the likes of Talib Qwali are on the list?
Nice in an Organized Konfusion, Tribe Called Quest kind of way.
Hogwash.
Yo I had this a CD back in ‘08. What a great trip back in time. Q-Tip is probably the most underrated producer in hip hop especially since he’s not even known as producer to most.
Me gustó mucho no me cambió la vida (uno de los mejores de hip hop hasta ahora)
This album was a great return to form for Q-Tip after Amplified, which was mostly just a couple good songs with a bunch of filler and the overly experimental Kamaal the Abstract, which I'd first heard leaked in the early 2000s. The Renaissance has some great production, though the echo effect he often uses is a little jarring for me still. A couple of great editions from Dilla. Renaissance Rap is my overall highlight for production on this disc. Overall, this is really the Q-Tip solo album the Tribe fans wanted, a return to Tribe-style production and tracks. Especially in the oughts, which was otherwise a terrible time for rap music. I like the album as I'm definitely a Tribe fan. Because of that, I wonder why this album was on this list when only two other Tribe albums are there. I don't think Renaissance is better than any of the Tribe albums, including the more recent one. Though I could respect the opinion that this is better than Love Movement or the We Got it From Here. Maybe Dimery's thinking is that this album kind of paved the way for some of Kanye's subsequent albums? That would be something, I guess. But then again, I doubt Dimery put that much thought into rap overall. 4/5
eh
solidan rep album, jedan od boljih koji sam preslušao s ovog popisa, s dosta dobrim semplovima i sličnim, pa ću dati velikodušnu trojku
Different. I liked it.
Funny thing is I turned on this album and the first thing I thought was "that's actually pretty good, it's pretty jazzy and sounds a lot like A Tribe Called Quest". Yeah, imagine the look on my face when I realized that OF COURSE it sounds a lot like A Tribe Called Quest, as he was the main creative force behind them. So yeah, I enjoyed it very much.
Another pleasant surprise. I don't always love rap and hip hop, but I enjoyed this album. The music played a big part in that, as the tracks all had engaging arrangements beyond the words. I thought the vocals themselves were strong, too. A few songs stood out as better than others, though I wouldn't say any of it was bad. Importantly for me, it stayed interesting the whole time (even if some parts were more low key/subdued than others). It's not something I'd call great, but it was still pretty good. I'd listen again. Overall: 3.6/5
totally passable as a pharrel tape, but unique enough to be its own mastapeece
I was surprised how much I liked it.
I listened to this a few times, and enjoyed it more with each listen. It’s smooth, easy to settle into, and consistently solid throughout. Definitely an album I’d come back to again.
I'm not into hip hop, and there wasn't much I loved about this album, but I did enjoy it. It was good.
Starts off really strong... super varied but lost me a bit towards the end 6-7/10
rap, RnB, 2008 -> 1
Not very memorable
Para ser hip-hop es variado, pero sigue sin merecer la pena escucharlo unicamente por la música..
ja ganz cool i guess
I enjoyed this
Not bad
Q-Tip is rap's Billy Pilgrim, the Man Unstuck in Time. He croaks out his first verse on "Johnny Is Dead" and it's gasp-worthy, simply because he sounds so *old*, and wunderkinds aren't supposed to ever get old or sound old. And he knows it, and leans into it, with a clever aging-veteran sports metaphor ("Won't Trade") and beats and rhymes that wouldn't have been out of place on *Midnight Marauders*. It's like he went to space for a decade and then came back like nothing happened, only *everything* happened, including the rise and fall of the neo-soul movement he helped will into existence. And yet he's still here, older and just as wise as ever, soothing and emoting and wearing his heart on his sleeve like he's never worried about being hurt for it ("WeFight/WeLove"). So it goes.
Q-Tip’s best solo record
Nice airy summer vibes.
Some brilliant compositions and production. Good album.
Not even close to my vibe. Great bass playing, though.
Fun hip hop
Good rap from Tribe Called Quest spin off
I didn't know this at all. I enjoyed it. More on the 2nd listen, so I may go back...
An enjoyable listen! Is that even legal on this list?
Like qtip, thought Getting Up, Believe and Shaka were good, but nothing here was great
Maybe a half-star deduction for an unfortunate choice in name, but an enjoyable album nonetheless.
First time listening and was pleasantly surprised, although anything would sound good after the previous Tom Waits crapfest
Net geen 4 sterren. Kon m'n aandacht hier niet goed genoeg bijhouden. Wel gigantisch harde bass riffs af en toe.
Prima hip hop plaatje. Ga het niet nog een keer aanzetten.
As much as I love Tribe, it's surprising to me that I have never explored Tip's solo catalog. This is really good and I think I would probably rate it higher with more listens but right now it's just barely under four stars. Call it a 3.99.
Didn't hook me but the samples were fun. 2.9/5
My first listen to a Q-Tip solo project and it was just as good as I expected considering how strong every Tribe record is.
★★½
un par de temas me gustaron pero no es mi onda.
Zou het zelf niet snel opzetten omdat het niet helemaal mijn muziek is maar het is lekker voor op de achtergrond
Yeas
I did not know Q-Tip dropped solo records. I really enjoyed this but did not listen closely to give a reasonable review
Q-Tip sounds great in the 2000's. He's picked up a few new tricks, now influenced by neo-soul, utilizing more electronics, and features from Nora Jones, as well as original 'Soulquarian' D'Angelo. I'm always hesitant when it comes to solo albums, but Tip hasn't missed a step and remains as vital as ever.
I enjoyed (most of) that. There are some very smooth sounds and it was a good listen - there were a couple of exceptions but, as a genre and period that totally don't usually have a positive effect on me, this album was fun. 4/5
I can’t believe I’m just learning about this album. Criminally underrated record. I’ve only known Q-Tip as a legendary producer but this album truly shows his talent as a producer AND rapper. The overall vibe of this album reflects the best of 90s/early 2000s hip hop. Q-Tip’s beats and samples are sharp as hell. I love the way he blends hip-hop and R&B. It comes out to be a smooth but punchy listen. His flow is very chill but calculated. It’s clear where artists I listen to today (Logic, MF Doom, etc.) got their inspiration for their sound. I have limited knowledge about hip-hop but it’s a pleasure to listen to masterclass albums like this and finally develop an appreciation for this era of the genre.
I’m not a huge hip-hop fan. However, I did enjoy listening to the album more than I thought.
Wefight/Welove is a right jam!
This was fine
This is really fun! It’s so easy to listen to - I feel like I could have this on at a party. Loved how this didn’t feel like work to listen to lol
Good, nothing life changing but enjoyable
I love how cool and chill this is. His raps are silky smooth and flows so naturally. Great stuff!
I suspect I’m going to like this I do But Q … the N … ugh … hard to sing along, then it’s harder to hear… I’d say 6/10
Really good flow. Some really good lyricism as well. I got pretty into this one. It made me wanna dance! Wow. I liked it a lot more than I was expecting.
Well, this may be he first rap album that I was able to actually get through.
4.2 pleasantly surprised
renaissance is a very beautiful album of a very strange and particular pop rep, more than oddities and particularities it is not an album like the others
Seems like a nice, pleasant summer album. That's the vibe I get from it. It's nice see some rap with some depth. It's not my style of music but I liked it well enough. 3
The Renaissance feels like cruising through a stylish city at night with excellent headphones, sounding smooth, smart, and cool, although some songs pass by too gently to leave huge impressions before the next laid-back groove arrives and keeps everything pleasantly moving along afterward.
4.5/10
This one started off really strong, the first three tracks are absolute bangers. For the most part the rest of the album was really good but it did run outta stream a wee but towards the end. Top Track - Won’t Trade
This album is not my forte. I do appreciate the grooves that are laid down, but I don't care for this one a lot.
Meh
Might be the first rap album that I like. Sound is not repetitive and there are quite some interesting songs.
Still not my genre
was pretty good tbf would listen again
An upbeat album full of great flow and sick rhymes. But it's a bit too... overproduced. I missed some of the rawness of hip hop on this album, but for my first introduction to Q-Tip and a Tribe Called Quest, it's quite good!
The loungy sound is nice, coupled with a pleasant rap voice that has a lot of musicality to it. But despite that, the album as a whole feels rather monotone. Good, but not attention-grabbing.
A solid 2000s rap album, though it’s kinda odd to hear this poppier/funkier sound being rapped over by the Tribe Called Quest guy.
I was expecting this to be more A Tribe Called Quest than it was, which is a good thing, as this was a little better and gets three stars. An interesting musical journey that came and went smoothly.
This is for the people who don't respect rap music as a medium.. hope this changes you mind :)
This was a very pleasant listen. I liked the soul influences throughout.
Impressed, not bad at all. Varied, well written good samples.
2.5/5
-half the songs were a tiny bit boring/underwhelming for me -other half was lowkey fireee -not my style -good vibes/groovy -my favs are probably "you", "life is better" and "official" 7,5/10
4/5
A compentent, jazzy album that hits hard at the beginning and then gets a bit dull halfway through. Features, anyone?
For a rap album I liked it quite a bit.
No. 389/1001 Johnny Is Dead 4/5 Won't Trade 5/5 Gettin Up 5/5 Official 4/5 You 4/5 We Fight/We Love 4/5 ManWomanBoogie 4/5 Move 4/5 Dance On Glass 4/5 Life Is Better 4/5 Believe 4/5 Shaka 4/5 Average: 4,17 Just a great album. Really liked the flow of the songs.
Q-Tip's flow is one of the best. He just has what it takes to make you want to bob your head. 4/5
Great grooves and unique style. Tons of great collaborations too.
I love this one, this was in heavy rotation in high school for me. The beats are super cool and unique, and i love the features w norah jones and d’angelo
This is just so fun. Every song is so different.
vibey, not that interesting tho
renaissance is a very beautiful album of a very strange and particular pop rep, more than oddities and particularities it is not an album like the others
Easy 5, great album
First listen to a brilliant album, thank you!
Big fan of A Tribe Called Quest. Exactly the kind of rap/hip-hop I like. Smooth, windows down on a summer day in LA type vibe.
Have I listened to this album before? No How familiar am I with this album? Unfamiliar How do I feel about this artist? Tribe is fun but I’ve never listened to his solo work Favorite song(s)? WeFight/WeLove, Manwomanboogie Overall Thoughts: I’m gonna have to try to listen to this one again. I really enjoyed it but people kept calling me into work meetings while I was trying to listen. The rating probably won’t change, but I do think he deserves 48 uninterrupted minutes of my time.
Mostly good, but not 5/5
Q-Tip of the hat, this is good stuff. Ps if anyone else was enjoying the bassline from ManWomanBoogie, it’s from the 1979 Can track, A Spectacle
I always thought Q-Tip was mid-90's, so I was confused in Life Is Better when he started name dropping contemporary rappers. So that kinda changed how I saw this album because the sound of this album is very old school and doesn't match the "Cash Money" era of rap. Q is right when he said he wanted an album that was "sonic rap" because this is it. Every song and beat is so progressive and unique from rap at the time, and still has a great "old school" flow. It's Jazzy and funky and is balanced so well. He also produced and wrote almost every track. I mean this is just a great album. Great sound, great beats, great flow.
It was good, but something just wasn't clicking compared to his work with A Tribe Called Quest. His lyricism was still great, but just felt like a step back musically.
Fantastic in Tribe and fantastic solo. It's been a while since we've been fed a real top notch hip-hop album.
Tight and funky
Q-Tip is great as always. Legend.
I didn't realize how good he was - not diverse but a voice like no other. No bangers but coherent and entertaining.
I started playing the album while I was doing stuff around the house and before I know it the songs were over and I had been bopping my head throughout. The vibes, the flow, the beat, the guest artists. Its just so well produced and implemented. While all songs are good some definitely sound less good than others. Some have a bit to much scratching for my taste but that was the standard at the time.
Good but not as essential as his work with Tribe Called Quest
Hmm... A solo album from the leader of A Tribe Called Quest. Musically, it's pretty much on par with the Low End Theory for excellent beats and flows(and that's saying something, given that Low End Theory is excellent). It's soulful, funky, and catchy in equal measures, showcasing clear songwriting abilities beyond the usual hip-hop artist. Lyrically, it's all it needs to be. It's not particularly conscious or political, but it also doesn't have 5000 slurs and extreme depictions of violence, so it's better than a lot of rap on this list. Q-Tip is clearly a master of his craft, and this album proves his greatness even in the absence of Tribe. Even the featured artists are extremely well incorporated into the album's soundscape. An excellent hip-hop album from one of the best to ever do it.
I love Q-Tip, but this album just did not leave the same impression and impact as most of A Tribe Called Quest's albums.
One of the best albums to come out of the blog era and an overlooked classic.