Reviews (page 4 of 8)
Solid album.
Q-tip is cool, man
Enjoyed it overall, but nothing really stuck out with this album. It all kind of just flowed over me. Favorite Song: Feva
Good production and beats but otherwise kind of an unremarkable hip hop album.
Muy bueno.
figo bella voce ma non mi è rimasto particolarmente impresso
Well produced but sounds like the workings of a man who is out of ideas
Album 916 of 1089 Q-Tip - The Renaissance (2008) Rating : 2 / 5 Hip hop isn’t really my thing, but I’ll give credit where it’s due - this one didn’t lean on a lot of the things I usually dislike about the genre. That being said, it still wasn’t the kind of album that was going to win me over. In the world of hip hop, I could imagine some people calling this one “lame,” and honestly, lame is a pretty good word for it in my book. It’s not offensive, not hard to listen to, just nothing that really grabs or impresses. A fine effort, but nothing I’ll be thinking about once the project moves on.
Nice flow and beats.
Yawn 🥱
I had this record playing through some laptop speakers earlier today and my only reaction was "meh" and "But I like and respect "Q-Tip" — I was concerned just how this review would play out. Later in the day I had the chance to bump it louder and through some bigger speakers. Noticeably better, and yet, I am hard pressed to see how this album is one I must hear before I die. It's a nice comeback story especially in the "try try again" vein, but I'm also not floored by it.
I love this album so much. It is great start to finish with it continuously finding new ways to surprise and delight. There are back to back songs with Norah Jones and D’Angelo and they are both incredible and fit perfectly in sequence and it’s hard to imagine that working until you listen, but like this whole album, everything works
Me ha sorprendido, he rescatado algunas canciones que merecen la pena volver a escuchar.
Hip-hop is never going to be my thing. At least this has the decency to fuck off after 46 minutes.
Interesting fusion sound but lacks conviction or something
Really nice. Solid beats and storytelling without getting gimmicky.
Pretty solid, but I’m going to A Tribe Called Quest albums over this.
8.5/10 great album!!! i know it was released in ‘08, but it felt really ahead of its time. i was shocked it wasn’t released after 2020 or something. just overall a great time, definitely would return to the album and the artist. also LOVE the whole persona of the album and the storytelling
Wow this is so good. Need to listen again and pay attention to the lyrics because the bits and pieces I got were so smart but I was working at the same time sadly.
Fine
The sampling on this record is absolutely insane. 4*
Good grooves throughout, felt it faded into the background a couple of times but overall enjoyed it
Cool beats and cool rhymes.
Nope
found this really tedious and annoying
Immaculate beats, impeccable flow…and Norah Jones? I had a great time listening through this record, would have been completely off my radar otherwise. Best Track: Won’t Trade
Really cool vibe. Closing track Shaka I've heard before.
Excellent sampling, decent rapping. Won't add to my library, but I'm glad I gave it a listen.
Not bad at all, reminded me of Tribe Called Quest which is not a bad thing!
Get why Q-tip is considered essential, but this album is pretty average
Another standout album in Q-Tip's discography. Even 20 years into his career, he continued to showcase the strength of both his lyrics and production skills. For being released in 2008, this project offered a refreshing old-school approach to rap during that era. Considering how many classics Q-Tip has contributed to, it's wild that he's still underrated.
Ikke verst. Men må man høre på dette?
I had heard of Q-Tip but had never heard his music before. Holy crap this was really good. It's funky it's got a great flow. This is like REALLY GOOD.
When I saw this was from 2008, I didn’t think I’d be into it. It seems like sort of a throwback. I dug the soul and jazz samples. I liked the vibe overall. I didn’t get a chance to listen closely, but I may revisit this at some point.
Q-Tip is a great producer, he has nice flows and he's overall a really good artist. Here, though, I felt like even though his talents shine, I didn't find it a noteworthy record. The production is obviously the highlight, it's soulful, tasteful and polished. Q-Tip can also rap pretty well, his flow is super smooth and fits right with the songs. "Gettin Up" was great, "Life Is Better" is also excellent (Norah Jones' vocals are heavenly) and D'Angelo's feature is also nice, although I expected a bit more from a D'Angelo track. While everything works pretty well, I felt the record was kind of forgettable, no much stood out to me.
Really enjoyed this, wanted to listen again!
big 3
(68/100)
Bra jazzig vibe och produktion, men tycker inte låtarna riktigt når hela vägen
Helt ok.
Det är najs men håller med Dexter att det är något med produktionen som brister. Känns lite … tunt?
Loved this one
Vibing this on a monday morning
Godt selskap mens æ rydda, uten at æ hang mæ veldig opp i det på nokka vis. Inn det ene øret og ut det andre, men ikke fornærmanes underveis.
I honestly never get tired of hearing Q-Tip say he’s gonna clean out your ears
I really was disappointed when I saw this album. I’m looking to use this project to discover new and unusual works that I otherwise would never experience. So, in sum, this is a great hip hop album with excellent production and flow. I enjoyed it and will listen again
Zaskakująco skoczny i melodyjny album, jak na twórcę spod znaku hip-hopu. Nie jest to może coś wyjątkowo głębokiego, ale da się przy tym dobrze bawić. 7/10
This was pretty good. I listened to it a few times through. I'm not sure I would ever through it on just for the fun of it, but I'm not sure I wouldn't either.
Liked the first song but kinda went downhill from there
Great beats, such a classic sound
Yuck
No se porque está en los 1001 discos
great rap samples so far. q-tip rapping mostly on par with a tribe called quest. very strong second half. WeLove/WeFight and after is amazing. First half is good too but second is definitely better.
I enjoyed this quite a bit, despite not usually preferring hip-hop music. The album has a relaxed feel to it in most places that really sets it apart. Favorite track: "Life is Better"
There’s a lot of hip hop, rap, and similar stuff on this list that’s only relevant in the US. There’s nothing special about it, and there’s no reason for this album to be on the list. Another miss. Sometimes it really makes me want to stop, seriously.
Really good
I've never heard this before actually!! Obvi doesn't live up to the best of Tribe but it's real good
really nice... really smooth ... qtip the goat
# Album Name: The Renaissance # Artist: Q-Tip # Rating: 4/5 # Comments: At first i thought, fuck me, not another rap album. But i was very surprised with this. I enjoyed it quite a bit. It was enjoyable for the most part and definitely one of the better albums in the genre ive had so far. Admittedly i was torn between a 3 and a 4. The album kinda blended into one, in a good way, but no track stuck out to me as a banger. Maybe in time. Ill give this a low 4. # Top Tunes: life is better / move / We love # Would I listen to it again? Yes
Meah
Good stuff
Nej til rap. Det er tydeligvis velproduceret, men det er for kedeligt.
Very nice chill, will listen again
Some solid hip hop. It's from 2008, but it evokes more of an early 90s hip hop feel. I prefer the 2000s sound, but this was still nice to hear. Best song: ManWomanBoogie
The lyrics can be clever sometimes, but this style of hip hop is just not for me
One of the best rap out there. Im just not huge fan of genre.
- Würde ich definitiv nochmal hören - Nicer chilliger Vibe mit Jazz Vibes - Damit kann man angeben, dass man guten Musikgeschmack hat 😂 Topsong: Believe aber ganz knapp dahinter WeFight/WeLove
Gostei. Sonzeira. Boom bap de qualidade.
I honestly can't tell a good from bad rap album but it reminded me or 90s hip hop.
Pretty good. Groovy.
beat vo johnny is dead isch de hammer. er rappt so geil, ultra gechillt aber de flow isch au mega gnau und d reim sind ussergwöhnlich guet. wont trade au hammer. gettin up mega gechillt aber was au immer s sample isch slappt uhuere. official bitz langsamer, sochli de neo-soul woni nöd merga gern han. wefight/welove goht au bitz i de type ine aber ich find s groovt huere. ischmer chli z weich. manwomanboogie suuuper geils intro mit de hihat. und uuh de bass und de Q tip isch sooo gechillt. dance on glass acappella und denn beaaaaaatt coool
es rap album wo chürzer als e stund isch???? johnny is dead isch na spannend, aber weiss nöd öbs mer würkli gfallt? sin flow isch kraaass hmm bin öppe ide hälfti und ich find d lieder kreativ und so aber nüt spricht mi megaa ah bis jz move isch ultraaa groovy, passende titel poahh und de zweiti teil isch haaard oh shit I forgor jo WEISS NÖD tribe called quest hani lieber. isch das album weg dem es 3? isch ja au chli blöd guets 3? knapps 4i?
not for me
'Can I kick it', was a theme tune to my youth, so I had higher hopes than usual for this rap album. How refreshing, an album whose topic isn't Lambo's & BM's, weed, guns, all night parties, ill gotten gains, crime and 'ho's on ma dick' or similar. Creative, nice variety of style, wholly enjoyable will likely listen again.
Never heard of Q-Tip, which is not a great sign but this is okay. Definitely on the easy-listening side of hip-hop, to see point of being bland.
Hip hop remains a challenging genre for me and I’ve got three albums in a week. I mention this because I’m probably too fatigued to give this a fair review, so I will keep my notes to a minimum. I liked the fact that the album had more interesting music (beats) than most hip hop, with soul and funk influences. Perhaps I’ll revisit it later.
Noting special about it, and not my thang. 2 stars for a decent beat.
The last couple stinkers got redeemed by this guy.
Impeccable vibes on this one
Would have been a 3 if the production was better. I can’t comprehend the thought process of not boosting the vocals on a hip hop album .
Produkce je na 2008 hodne dobra. Bassy jsou hluboky a pevny. Texty jsou v pohode. Nic spatnyho ani extra dobryho. Akorat je album celkem kratky. 6/10
Move was the only track that I listened to completely. Too bad the album wasn't more like that.
2008 rap album that was better than I was expecting. It was fine. I didn't know half the people he was name-dropping on Life Is Better, so even though I'm 80%+ through this list, I still don't know a lot about hip-hop (even though there's plenty on this list).
Not for me. Too much base. Not enough trebble
Lots of great melodies and raps. Pleasantly surprised by how well it flowed, too.
Solid
4/5
Seems ok
Gut 10/10
3.9 liked it
marginaal beter dan de gemiddelde rapplaat
Not for me
I've said this a couple of times now about albums on this list. This is something I wouldn’t have listened to without this site, and I’m glad I did. it has a great vibe to it and it grew on me as the album progressed
Really cool, will definitely revisit
A cool, low key, vibey album. I liked it but wasn’t blown away
Good, fine, whatever, I can’t judge rap or hip-hop or whatever, I can’t define what’s good or bad. Except for Kendrick, he’s good. And he’s on the new Clipse, which is also good. Please don’t ask me. Congratulations to Mr. Tip.
Overall a solid listen, loved the jazzy soulful production. I felt as though the features were perfectly selected and the performances from all featured artist were great especially Norah Jones on Life is Better. Very uplifting album as well.
Really solid
4.4/5 solid all the way through
I like the flow of this one. Some of the repetitiveness was grating but overall I liked it.
Cool and groovy
Great lyrics, mellow vibe.
Every song sounded like the song preceding it and following it. Pass.
First impressions is the amazing jazz sampling and rap flow. I can hear where his style has had a major influence in modern hip-hop/rap. Very easy to listen to with effortlessly smooth transitions between tracks. I love his enunciations.
too soft for me, sounds repetitive
good example of the type of rap i do like i would listen again, maybe favorite song is believe or good thang
I really dug the beats and positive rhymes
Great listen. Very smooth and almost jazzy with some funk elements. The bassline on some tracks really enhanced the beat and flow. Overall, a masterclass on production and features.
Liked the vibe
I first knew Q-Tip from 'Chapelle Show' then realized he was part of the amazeballs group Tribe Called Quest. Anyway, this album was fun. I'll definitely revisit. Top Tracks: "Life is Better," "ManWomanBoogie," "Move," "Johnny is Dead"
--Johnny is Dead...oh snap, this might be a great experience --Won't Trade...the beat! the samples! --Gettin Up...funky and smooth --Official...first one I didn't love. Still interesting --You...not impressive lyrically but the production remains fantastic --WeFight/WeLove...Q smartly adds a new singer to help change things up. The smoothness continues --ManWomanBoogie...now we get smoothness with a kick. Very nice --Move...first half is great then we switch gears. It's still good, I'm just not sure why it wasn't listed as two separate songs --Dance on Glass...opens with a cappella (spoken word?) then drops a decent beat. Not bad but not as lush as other tracks (I like lush) --Life is Better...Norah Jones is a great addition --Believe...keeps the groove going but things are starting to sound samey. We're almost done anyway --Shaka...good closer. This was a very pleasurable listen
Can’t believe i didn’t know about this banger
Hip hop high class, diferente y muy bien producido. No es mi línea, pero, me impresionó gratamente.
It was good but not really stand out.
I’ve heard worse.
Quite nice - a smooth and jazzy hip hop album that makes for pleasant listening. On the fence with the rating. I didn’t dislike it at all, but it felt a bit same-y and nothing really reached great heights. 3.5
Not necessarily a top 1001 for me.
Not overlong. Not too grandiose. Not annoyingly repetitive. Pretty decent.
My obligatory three-star rating for hip hop that doesn't annoy me or particularly move me.
Really chilled lo fi hip hop
This was fine. It was cool to listen to this simply because I'd never heard ofQ-Tip's solo stuff. Especially was surprised to learn it was from 2008, but the sound aligned with that era. At its best moments it reminded me of Mac Miller, so I wonder if there was any inspiration he took from Tip. Unfortunately, I just personally don't like Tip's flow and lyricism that much. Still decent, but it was kind of forgettable. I'd probably give it a 2.5, but I'll round up to a 3.
nice - like that there's music and actual musicians behind the rap
Smooth, laid back grooves with a touch of 70s vibe.
01) Johnny Is Dead - 7,5 02) Won't Trade - 7,5 03) Gettin' Up - 8,0 04) Official - 7,5 05) You - 8,0 06) We Fight/We Love - 7,0 07) Manwomanboogie - 7,0 08) Move / Renaissance Rap - 7,0 09) Dance on Glass - 7,0 10) Life Is Better - 7,0 11) Believe - 7,0 12) Shaka - 7,0 TOTAL: 7,29 (73/100) Current ranking: 318/624
This was enjoyable fun hip hop, not loads to say.
I love q-tip 9.1/10
Nice album, enjoyed the rapping and beats. Easy to listen to Fav tracks - All
1.Getting Up 2.Life is better 3. Wont Trade 4. Move 5. Believe
Cool album, dumb as fuck name
Not for me
So sick, Q-Tip bangs for sure.
Never listened to his solo stuff but had some really good songs on this. Will check out more for sure
Suena bien y no lo conocia pero no me ha vuelto loca
Surprisingly good, given it’s not my major area of interest. Solid album but I probably won’t listen to it again.
I really enjoyed this one. It felt super flowy and groovy. I really enjoyed the production on it too. It was easy listening but still interesting.
this was cool. It probably deserves more listens. I like the bass lines and overall grooves of this record. Admittedly, I was somewhat distracted when I was listening to it. But that's fairly normal for me and this didn't exactly pull me away from cooking or doing my morning routine.
Pretty solid, creative hip hop album. Enjoyed it well enough.
I think I need a Q-Tip to get rid of this clingy lounge sound. Not something I want to listen to in my spare time.
Really not too bad.
I believe I liked this one. Funky.
This one surprised me - liked more than I expected. Maybe I should have been surprised... I like ATCQ a lot, but beat here feel harder in a way, less smooth.
Q-Tip has one of my favorite flows ever. I don’t listen to him as much as I should and every time I listen to one of his songs, I always find myself asking why don’t I listen to him more often. He’s not just a rapper, he’s a curator like these are great songs not just good rapping. I’m a fan of this project for sure, now let’s just hope I listen to this & him more often now.
Do not understand this genre at all.
This is an album where like I get it, but I don't like it. The rapping didn't really do it for me, the lyrics didn't really do it for me, the production is immaculate though. It sounds phenomenal. I like a lot of what Tribe does but this just didn't land for me other than yea this is a 2000's hip hop album. I think my lack of interest in R&B and most of what was happening in hip hop during this time is a detriment to my enjoyment of this album, but hey those instrumentals are great.
This was surprisingly good for a guy that goes by Q-Tip. There weren't any really weaknesses. I thought the production and sampling were good, the rapping was good, and the album dynamics were good. This probably won't fall into a regular rotation, but I was impressed. Decent 4
Thought this started really strong and then it just got even better. I don’t know much Q-Tip and definitely not anything outside Tribe, but this was so good. Dance on Glass is one of the best hip-hop songs I’ve heard this year. This is a 5/5 on all fronts. Production is so good, rapping is so good, features are perfect too. Not a dud on this thing.
Pretty solid actually, some dilla beats in here
hip hop til you drop
Fun!
Q-tip did great here :]
Quite good, actually
Easy listening. Basically every song would work well during a night talking with friends. The guy was in A Tribe Called Quest apparently.
Surprised at how much I liked this. Kept me engaged throughout. Smooth and hard at the same time. A solid album.
File this with the others I wish I liked more. I appreciate what Q-Tip has done for music, but it just doesn't click for me
Another almost 4 star. It’s got all of that Q-Tip magic but in the end, it comes off a bit like ATCQ leftovers, without the full charm.
Incredible album, supremely enjoyed listening
7/10
Really liked the beginning and end of the album. The middle kinda was a dip. Won’t Trade was the standout track for me. Overall like a 3.5 if I could do half stars
Finally a hip-hop album with people actually playing instruments vs sampling and loops. What a breath of fresh air.
Amazing
I love Q-Tip and there's some great stuff in here, but this album doesn't completely hold my attention. Still very worth while and I'm not done with it at all, just not my favorite.
Tribe are one of the greats and Q-Tip is up there in GOAT terms for me. If you know Q-Tip then you know what to expect: great flow, rhymes, hooks and superb production. It's very good, but for me it's lacking something that Tribe have. Best Tracks: Won't Trade; Gettin Up; Move
I liked a couple near the start Rating: 2.4
Eh
Mellow, great lyrically, very listenable. Not exciting.
Some decent songs on there. And surprisingly good features. The Can sample was kind of mind blowing
Love Q...he is my favorite Tribe member. Not an album I had listened to before and this one was largely meh. 2.5/5
A sleeper. Enjoyed very much and will be back.
3.2
Really fucked with this album. Very 2008 and just a generally fun and energizing listen
A Q-Tip solo album, huh? I'm down. I do love A Tribe Called Quest after all. How bad can Q-Tip's 2008 solo album The Renaissance really be? Well, as it turns out, not bad at all! This album's pretty cool! Not quite as good as something like The Low End Theory, but very few hip-hop albums are, so I'm fine with getting something that I consider pretty solid. This album does feel different from the Tribe albums I've heard for a few reasons. The first one that I noticed was that Tip sounds a bit different here. What happened? Uh... he aged. That's it. Of course his voice is going to have changed 17 years after The Low End Theory. It feels natural though. I think his voice aged pretty well, and his flow is still great. He's a strong rapper. He worked well as the de-facto leader of Tribe and he works well on his own. He's also a respectable producer. It's not all great on the production side. I think the first song had a beat that was way too loud in comparison to the vocals, but the instrumentation was generally good. The writing's solid as well. There's definitely some overlap in vibes between this and Tribe, with neither really going for the "gangsta rap" angle in the slightest. This album has songs about things like love and such. That's nice. The features are good. Anything with D'Angelo on it is bound to at least be solid. It's good to know that Q-Tip kept doing his own thing even while Tribe was on hiatus. He deserves it. The man is a legend and rightfully so. Good stuff. 4/5.
Ah the sweet 2000s
Funnily enough, I listened to this entire album and a couple days later have zero recollection of it. I guess the best I can say about it is that it is forgettable.
GOOD
Still has some of the banger lyrics from A Tribe Called Quest, such as “what good is an ear without a Q-Tip” but it lacks some of that je ne se quoi Ive come to appreciate over time with the group dynamic. Just… weaker overall.
Honestly pretty good. I wouldn't listen again, but I enjoyed my time with this album.
Nothing special
Do I hear Proto-Kendrick? I liked this a lot.
Really great stuff.
Great
super solid. albums like this really emphasize how much less i think of 90s rap because i’d but this (generally unremarkable) album above maybe any of them from the decade prior. a little gambino-y at times
I finished this about twelve hours ago. I've already forgotten what it was like.
2.5
걍 존내 클래식이구만?ㅋㅋ
With all due respect, this is one of the more questionable monikers in hip-hop. Which is too bad because the music is pretty cool but all I can keep thinking about is earwax. Sorry.
It had several moments that interested me. Probably a 3.5.
This is fun hip hop. Didn't pay that much attention to the lyrics, but there were a couple songs that had much better than average content. I'd only heard him in a Beastie Boys song. Now I know what he's on the mic for!
Over a decade after the demise of A Tribe Called Quest, Q-Tip crafted his solo magnum opus in the form of The Renaissance, a title befitting the music contained in it. As always, Q-Tip remains collaborative and open to all forms of sound, willingly uplifting and bending himself to fit into the sonic pleasures, to satisfactory results. Whether or not this measures up to his Tribe records is up to the listener, but The Renaissance captures Q at his very best. Favorites: Johnny is Dead, Won't Trade, Gettin' Up, Official, You, We Fight/We Love, Dance on Glass, Life is Better.
This is oddly musical and more enjoyable than anything else I have heard in this genre, whatever it is - hip-hop, rap, R&B, all the above.
I don’t generally like this genre, but this was really quite good. High production values, and I found myself toe tapping along.
Not good, not bad, and not a must hear.
So much better and authentic than other mainstream rappers.
Snore. Background music hip-hop, oh boy. Really not for me, just a meandering snoozefest.
Meh
Pleasant hip hop, lyrical
No. Can't get into this.
Listened to before: No This is just wonderfully produced and who could ever resist Q-Tips rapping? I like how the album incorporates large portions of soul and jazz, without compromising on it's Hip-Hop roots. Rating: 4.5
This is just run off the mill rap
Not particularly memorable
Då har eg hørt da og
-pretty good, wouldnt rly listen to again just bc its not my kinda genre -i liked Shaka a lot -3.5 rounded down to a 3
3.5 stars. Smooth hip-hop. Raps over some light jazz and finds steady beats throughout album. No big standouts, but no dud tracks either. Favorite was "ManWomanBoogie".
This was an eye opener. Wow. This is a fantastic album. Lots of soul, organic funky beats and original hip hop. Man I’m impressed. Easy 5 stars. This is why I am listening to 1001 albums, otherwise I would never have heard this.
This is #day287 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... while there are a few interesting beats and production hooks, it's not landing for me. It doesn't feel like it carries much historical weight. If this is a guy from A Tribe Called Quest (I know they're on the list and was looking forward to checking them out since I enjoy some golden age hip-hop now and then, especially with jazz interpolations), this isn't the best way to introduce the name. I'm giving it a 2 out of 5. Looking forward to #day288.
This album is pretty awesome. It took a couple of listens but eventually I spotify-liked maybe half the album (mostly the first half, but also the track with Norah Jones: Life is Better). What a great find. I didn't know Q-Tip was connected to Tribe Called Quest, but that makes perfect sense.
Had a blast walking the dog to this music.
Jesus Christ, Norah Jones really was *everywhere* at one point, wasn't she?
Chill hip hop tunes. Kind of enjoyable
I thought it was a great hip hop album overall. Great songs like Wefight/Welove and life is better were stand outs to me. His flow is a little repetitive but has that 90s hip hop style that is enjoyable for a casual listen. 9/10
I just love Q-Tip. I think for the Tribe review someone here said you could listen to Q-Tip read a phonebook and I co-sign that. I've had "Won't Trade" and "Move" on the rotation for a while and the rest of these aren't as good but not offensive at all. For the X time in a row I'm going 4 for a rap album. The floor is high and the ceiling is low for classic rap.
Pretty nice. I like the unusual and jazzy beats and the high tone of his voice and syncopated cadence. No hits tho
Nothing really stuck with me from this. Not a huge hip hop guy, but this pales in comparison to Kendricks album. It didnt suck though and sounded a lot more retro than 08’. Cool to have a feature from Norah as well.
Some decent grooves like ManWomanBoogie but the lyrics are pretty bad, right?
8/10
no skips, the whole album is a vibe
This is fantastic. It sounds like 80s hip hop all grown up. The cover image speaks volumes with Q-Tip sporting a silver suit and holding a sampler in front of his face. It's also a bit deceptive, as the sampler plays a diminished role here compared to previous efforts. Instead, Q-Tip brings hip hop back to its roots by forming a band to create a live sound. It owes tribute to 70s funk and soul but creates something new (though samples still feel at home here and there). But it still keeps the flow of classic hip hop. Lyrically progressive, he raps about love and positivity. This is definitely a refreshing album.
Meh....
very fun, but kinda bummed a couple of the songs were unavailable on streaming in the us and I think those were the most-hyped singles releases? More nerdy-rap than the machismo rap I thought it would be
Great progressive hip hop album by Q-Tip. It does suffer a bit from the unmistakeable sound of 00s hip hop production, which is also evident by the small collection of prominent 00s features.
Few hip hop artists are as effortlessly cool and intelligent as Q-Tip. The Renaissance might not be an actual renaissance for hip hop, but I would spin this over most rap albums on this list any day.
Won’t Trade
Not my favorite thing qtips done but its still qtip
Q Tip - The Renaissance This is such an easy listen. I worry with an album like this that sometimes they go 65 mins+ and lose a bit of momentum and end up becoming a chore, but every time this album has ended today I've clicked on the play button straight away. I think I'm going just about a 4. Really enjoyed it
I love Q-Tip but I bet even he would be hard pressed to make the case for this album on this list.
Interesting to get a Tribe spinoff album in this collection (or perhaps better to call it a comeback for one of its members, given how much later this was released), and nice to get more Q-Tip to boot. That said, this doesn't seem as strong as his much earlier work with the mothership Tribe, but that could just as easily be because it's not as quirky or collaborative as his work with A Tribe Called Quest, and the early tracks on the album seem surprisingly undifferentiated. The strongest tracks were probably the ones with guest artists, as many of the others seemed a bit too similar to each other, even with the creative instruments and samples at times (e.g. "You"); my favorites were the really strong and distinctive "Manwomanboogie" and the first half of "Move/Renaissance rap".
smooth flow though not too memorable
I guess it alright.
Not bad. Started off pretty strong then slightly lost momentum but overall we enjoyed it.
Nice vibes, I think some young rappers I’ve seen are emulating his style
This one was kinda awesome. Always liked tribe called quest Will I listen to again: 100%
Rating: 7.5/10 A very good album with great beats and a great performance by Q-Tip. The album picks up after the first few songs and maintains this momentum, making this quite enjoyable from start to finish.
Du boom-bap jazzy en 2008, ca peut être chiant mais je sais pas comment mais Q-Tip fait en sorte qu'on s'ennuie pas en écoutant l'album et même qu'on s'amuse, donc bravo pour ca
Me gustaron algunos de los temas del álbum. Principalmente "Move" y "Dance On Glass". Pero el estilo y la sonoridad no me resultaron muy interesantes a mi gusto personal.
This was fun! Played it a couple of times and it kept me entertained...something I think I will revisit. Hot take...I think I liked this more than Low End Theory. Probably not as many highs, and definately not as ground breaking, just easier to listen to from start to finish. 6.5/10
I really liked this album! It’s the best modern hip hop album I’ve heard so far. I really liked the R&B and Soul influenced sound, and the production was really good. I didn’t realize until halfway through that Q Tip is a member of A Tribe Called Quest. I may have to give The Low End Theory another listen and see if my experience is any different! Favorite Track: WeFight/WeLove
I enjoyed this more than The Low-End Theory. Groovier, hookier, structurally closer to songs. The live group feel is more welcoming and the bass sounds pretty good, although, even when musicians are playing together, they tend to repeat, digging in rather than developing. Towards the end of the record, the woozy synths are exhausting. Hardly no skips, but no skits is pretty good for a hip-hop album. 2.5 This wasn’t that bad. I am not keen on Q-tip‘s voice which has a thin, slightly nasal quality to it but I appreciate his efforts to bring more than a couple of bars of music on a loop into his work; the appearance of the chorus of Johnny is Dead caused a wave of relief to sweep over me. That said, a lot of this is still two bars on a loop and a fair chunk of that is the type of washy keyboard shit that God intended only for numbing the rage of people on hold with customer services; Gettin Up, Wefight/Welove, or the last three tracks. It’s also worth observing that Q-tip has a comfort zone; although the odd phrase is slickly abbreviated, almost every track is a 4/4 backbeat at about 100bpm. There is very little character or drama in Q-tip‘s voice and his lyrics, while largely free of gangsta-ese to their credit, only offer mundane, sometimes risible, rhymes. Almost all the triple rhymes on Gettin Up are excruciating. But I will finish on the positives; this was only 45 minutes long - fair play Q-tip. And I liked Won‘t Trade which was successfully hypnotic even though it didn’t have much structure and I don’t know anything about American sports. Is Division One the top division over there then? 2/5
Super fun, super smooth. Q-Tip clearly still had it post-Quest.
no
Grooooove
Immediately put it back on after it ended. To be totally frank, I'm really unfamiliar with Tribe Called Quest and Q-Tip. This is definitely sending me down a rabbit hole. Awesome album.
Unique and fresh production for the time period, not my favorite work from Q-Tip but it’s a lovely listen. If I recall correctly this album was in essentially development hell for years and was like a weight off Q-Tip’s shoulders when it was released, something he addresses in one of the songs. Loved to have a chance to go back and listen to it again!
Loved this!
This was a generally very funky and groove heavy album but it kinda all sounded the same.
A really fun album that proves why hip hop doesn’t have an age limit.
Not my jam, don't like rap
New favorite hip-hop album
solid rap album. i love the flow
90s hip hop vibes, pretty good for not so popular album
Decent hip hop album where Q-Tip is smooth as usual…smooth beats, smooth flow, and a casual, understated swagger to it all. Always nice to hear hip hop from a live band. Some head bobbers, not much to dislike, but also not sure if it’s memorable enough to bring me back much.
Love the theme and the rhymes. The beats are OK.
Solid album. Great vibe and lyrics Standout songs: Gettin Up We fight/We love Shaka
I didn't enjoy this as much as the fugees.
Super cool. Q-Tip has a style all his own.
I had heard some ATCQ before but never knew Q-Tip had some solo album, which made it more interesting to see what he had going on, especially when looking at some of the features here (I mean, D'Angelo and Norah Jones is interesting). On the whole? This was pretty great, I guess mainly because the beats were so smooth but still interesting enough to keep me engaged, plus his rapping is so distinct. Really, the most negative things I can say is that I wish it was a little more consistent and even that feels like nitpicking.
I liked it when I was listening in my car on the way home from work. I *loved it* when I listened to it on my headphones at home. Just excellent from start to finish. Jazzy, funky, soulful hip hop and that should come as no surprise …the man was in A Tribe Called Quest, after all.
not bad not great
This sounded really repetitive to me. Buh-buh-Buh-buh-Buh-buh-Buh-buh over and over again for 43 minutes. I have also never really cared for Q-Tip’s voice, even though I cannot fault his lyricism. The samples weren’t bad but I did not find them to be woven together into a pleasing whole. All things considered, I doubt that I will listen to this album again.
Y'know, I don't really have an intro to start this review/babble off with, so allow me to just cut straight to the chase and say that this album's fine. I mean, speaking as someone who usually isn't easily able to catch on to and understand lyrics, the instrumentals on this thing are so enjoyably smooth. These are some chill-ass, vibe-y beats. I can totally see throwing this thing on as something to mellow out to. Particularly with how Tip flows over these beats. He's just got such a good voice for this sort of thing, goodness me. And because I don't really have much to say about the lyrical content on this thing, as a result of my dang AuDHD brain... Yeah, that's really about the size of it. Now, I don't know if I'd go on record and say that this is something I absolutely think people should listen to before they die, and I don't know if this is gonna join my regular rotation of "mellow" albums... But yeah. Good show from Q-Tip. Kinda crazy my group got this before another proper Tribe Called Quest, but that's the Randomizer for you, I guess. (Also n' also, I wanna admit, too, that it actually took me a second to remember who Q-Tip was? Legit, for hours there I thought he was Questlove, no foolin'. I'unno, I guess I just thought the album cover fit his aesthetic? Whatever it is? I'm dumb sometimes and don't think about Quest often is the point — A Tribe Called Quest **and** Questlove.)
Even without the rest of his Tribe, Q-Tip can rap and produce with the best of 'em. Solid 5 Stars.
I’m at a 4. Been a while since we got anything from a member of A Tribe Called Quest, but Q-Tip delivers pretty damn well here. So much so that I’m really not sure I have that much to say; it’s a pretty solid 44 minutes, with some great production work, some great verses, some eclectic flow, & it’s just a really smooth listen with transitions that keep the album experience on its toes. I enjoyed a lot of this. So, why a 4 then? Realistically, some of my gripes with this album just boil down to “my brain got a little bored sometimes”. Just because I enjoyed a lot of this doesn’t mean I enjoyed every aspect of every track, and there’s just a lot of aspects that pile up over time that keep this from feeling like a totally clean album experience – some beats get stale after enough time, some of the lines on some of the verses are a little awkward, there’s an occasional repetition in the flow that isn’t as compelling to listen to the second time around, & the big one for me is that Q-Tip’s voice feels just a little too sterile at points here. His rapping voice stays around the same register on a number of tracks, and once the ear picks up on that, it sort of creates the perception that each track feels too similar, even if that’s not necessarily true. If the brain is sort of popping in and out like that, then you’ve made a pretty good rap album, but not a classic rap album. If there was just one or two more knockout tracks here, I might be compelled to go up to a 5, but I just think there’s too many little micro-issues that pile up to get there. Still, though, even if it’s not a classic, it’s a pretty good one. As a solo artist, Q-Tip retains a lot of the shine that makes A Tribe Called Quest incredibly compelling to listen to. It’s just not all there, but for 2008, enough of it is there to give this a pretty good 4.
Mostly harmless.
This is a cool one.
Q Tip is chill. Always been a Tribe fan but never considered his solo material. This album is pleasant enough for a social gathering or going for a nice sunshine walk. Not sure I'd clamour back to it in a hurry, but enjoyed the listen! 3/5
Not my favorite genre, but this album was a good listen. The songs were interesting, flowed well into one another and there was a noticeable lack of swearing, killing and calling women names. How refreshing.
4 novembre 2008, une date pas banale. Pendant que l'Amérique (et une bonne partie du monde) avait les yeux rivés sur les écrans, regardant Barack Obama briser le plafond de verre ultime avec son "Yes We Can" historique, un autre événement, plus discret mais tout aussi attendu par les fidèles du "boom bap", se produisait : le retour de Kamaal Ibn John Fareed. Q-Tip, putain. Pour ceux qui sortent d'un coma de trente ans (ou qui n'écoutaient que du black metal norvégien à l'époque, ce que je respecte), Q-Tip, c'est le cerveau, la voix nasillarde et le producteur principal de A Tribe Called Quest. Un des piliers du Native Tongues Posse. Le mec qui a injecté plus de jazz, de cool et d'intelligence décalée dans le hip-hop que n'importe qui d'autre. Son dernier "vrai" album solo, "Amplified", datait de 1999 soit neuf ans, soit une éternité dans le rap game. Entre-temps, des tentatives avortées (le fameux "Kamaal the Abstract", trop jazz, trop bizarre pour la major), des mixtapes, mais pas l'Album. Et puis, ce 4 novembre 2008, il nous lâche "The Renaissance". Rien que le titre, "La Renaissance", le mec n'arrive pas sur la pointe des pieds. Il annonce la couleur : on va rebâtir, on va redéfinir, on va revenir aux fondamentaux. Et sur la pochette, le symbole : Q-Tip, regardant son outil, la MPC2000XL. L'arme de prédilection du "beatmaker", la machine qui a sculpté le son des années 90. C'est une déclaration d'intention : je suis un artisan, et voici mon œuvre. Alors, on pose l'aiguille (ou on clique sur "play", on est en 2008 quand même). Et dès les premières mesures, on comprend, "The Renaissance" est un album… propre. Et je pèse mes mots, c'est léché, c'est soigné, c'est produit au millimètre. Q-Tip est aux manettes, et ça s'entend. C'est l'antithèse totale du son "crunk" dégueulasse ou de l'Auto-Tune qui commençait à gangréner le game à ce moment-là. Ici, pas de synthés putassiers, on parle de "vraies batteries", de lignes de basse qui groovent pour de vrai, jouées par des musiciens. On parle de "vraies émotions" (bon, ça, c'est le blabla marketing, mais passons), et même de "solos" comme chez les vieux. C'est un disque de Hip-Hop, sans aucun doute. Le flow de Tip est immédiatement reconnaissable, ce mélange unique de nonchalance et de précision chirurgicale. Mais c'est un hip-hop qui a trempé ses biscuits dans le Jazz, dans le Funk, dans la Soul. C'est une œuvre qui transpire la Néo Soul par tous les pores. On sent l'influence d'un J Dilla dans cette façon de faire respirer les prods, de laisser les boucles vivre. Le sampling, ADN de Q-Tip depuis "Can I Kick It?", est toujours là, mais il est organique. Il n'est pas posé là comme un parpaing ; il est intégré, digéré, fondu dans une tapisserie sonore incroyablement riche. C'est un disque "adulte", un disque de mec qui a passé la quarantaine, qui a tout vu, tout fait, et qui n'a plus rien à prouver, si ce n'est son amour pour la Musique, avec un grand M. Et c'est là tout le problème, enfin pour moi. Car voilà et je dois bien avouer que… je me suis un peu fait chier. Je m'explique… "The Renaissance" est, comme le dit la fiche technique, un "album complet". Il y a une vision, une cohérence totale du début à la fin. L'écoute d'une traite est fluide, agréable. C'est le genre de disque parfait pour un dîner chic, pour un bar à cocktails à Brooklyn, pour rouler la nuit dans une bagnole confortable. C'est du Hip-Hop de salon. Alors, quand j'écoute "The Renaissance", je hoche la tête poliment. Je me dis : "Ah oui, c'est bien fait, c'est très musical, c'est de bon goût." Mais c'est trop de bon goût ! Ça manque de crasse, ça manque d'urgence, ça manque de "Fuck You". Q-Tip est un maître zen, un artisan magnifique, mais il ne me bouscule pas, il me caresse dans le sens du poil. Quand je pense hip-hop, une partie de moi cherche la rage, le béton qui craque, le message politique frontal. Chez Q-Tip, en 2008, on est dans la réflexion, dans le groove feutré. C'est très "Obama" comme album, finalement. C'est l'espoir, le changement tranquille, l'intelligence au pouvoir. C'est propre, c'est digne, c'est classe. Mais moi, j'ai parfois besoin d'un son plus "Trump", tu vois ce que je veux dire ? Un truc qui fout le bordel, qui est vulgaire, qui pue, mais qui te réveille ! (Attention, comparaison purement sonore et bordélique, hein, calmez-vous). "The Renaissance" est un album "bio", un album cultivé avec amour, sans pesticides, sans OGM sonore. C'est sain, c'est bon pour la santé musicale. Mais de temps en temps, un bon vieux kebab bien gras, ça te remet les intestins en place d'une autre manière. L'album a été acclamé par la critique, et je comprends pourquoi. Objectivement, c'est un sans-faute, c'est le disque que le Hip-Hop devait faire à ce moment-là pour se rappeler ses racines nobles, face à la déferlante du "bling" et de l'Auto-Tune. Mais subjectivement, je n'ai pas plus accroché que cela. Ça rentre par une oreille, je valide la qualité, et ça ressort par l'autre. Ça ne s'accroche pas à mes tripes, ça ne me parle pas, à moi, le vieux con de l'indie rock. C'est un disque que je respecte profondément, mais que je ne réécouterai probablement jamais. Verdict : 3/5 Un deux sur quatre de respect. Deux pour la production impeccable, pour le flow légendaire, pour l'intégrité artistique. Mais seulement deux, parce que l'émotion, la vraie, celle qui te tord le bide, est restée coincée dans le velours des fauteuils du studio. C'est un chef-d'œuvre de maîtrise, mais un chef-d'œuvre qui manque de sang.
Hip hop but a little more laid back, almost with some pop elements? I liked it.
“Sampledelic”
A solid rap album with hip hop and jazz influences! I’ve never heard of Q-Tip or this album so it was fun to expose myself to something new! I would definitely recommend this to others!
From Tribe to this... hell yeah.
Whether with Tribe Called Quest, Native Tongues, great features like with Beastie Boys, and in his own right here - Q-Tip can put a tune together. Champagne music with a tasty intellectual edge. Funky. Favourite tunes: Gettin Up, Official, ManWomanBoogie, Life Is Better
I just love this album sonically, the mix of acoustic instruments and electronic programming, sampling, scratching. Such great vibes. The rapping is really good too, I'm not sure why he's not more popular.
7/10
I also enjoyed this. It hit its groove around the middle (manwomanboogie, move). Didn't mind the norah jones track either. Solid album for me
This was pretty good a times, but the times where it was trying to be more poppy/accessible were real weak spots. Norah Jones, looking at you.
Good, liked the flow feels like the begining of hip hop flow with electric beats
Обычный рэп
Pretty solid. Not a tribe record but way better than expected.
Very nice, cool chill beats, i assume he was saying smt worth hearing tok but i didnt pay atention because i was work on stochastic simulations assignment 3
Another pleasant surprise. Tribe have been 1 of the best gains from doing this for me. Wasn't expecting much from this, another solo album from the 2000s, will get through it all throughout the day - but blew through it 1st time in 1 go. Always grabbing your interest always engaging. Definitely will be coming back to, 4 Stars but could rise as get to know the album.
2 out of 5. This album has a good flow to it.
No thanks
Q in my opinion is one of the smoothest and better lyriciscts in the rap game. I remember being a bit dissappointed when this album came out because it was to relax and soft and the beats were too slow and maybe his style was a bit too r&bish for my personal taste. I love Q but this album has a few too many slower songs that dont pump you up. Good lyrics thou. I know he produces his beats so just a complete artists rapper that is doing his own thing with a different approach to the rap scene at the time.
Rap is crap
.
Che buenísimo, 4.5
Favorite Track: Getting Up
"But what good is a ear if a Q-Tip isn't in it?" Wouldn't go that far, but this album is alright. And he fits in not only Luke Cage, but also Doctor Strange.
Some fun beats and funkiness
I really like the sound of this album. The collaborations are fantastic. The beats are next level. I've said before that I tend not to pay attention to lyrics, and that pretty much held here. The vocals had a cool flow, but beyond that I didn't notice much about them. 4 stars.
This album has a sound from before its time in a good way. If you grew up on 90s hip hop this will be a nice throwback to that sound. Not quite as good as the MCs it pays homage to though. Favorite track was life is better
Solid sound. Really like the beginnjng but started to tap out towards the end
i love some freaky r and b but it’s also quite inspiring and uplifting with amazing music and beautiful beats as well as possible samples (?)
It an interesting album. Music boring and monotonous.
Looking for your soul and WMD’s You find nothing cause it’s empty 4/5
Groovy, fascinating, wonky, melodious! As somebody who rarely find hiphop I enjoy, this album shows the vastness of opportunities that exist within this genre.
Nice discovery here. Never heard it before. A Tribe Called Quest is a fine hip-hop act and I like Phyfe Dawg but Q-Tip brings it here solo style. Solid stuff.
Amazing album. Definitely added some songs to playlists and will listen again!
I loved it. I'm normally a rock and electronic guy, so I'm shocked that my two favorites from this list so far have been this and "good kid, m.A.A.d city"
I haven't heard of him before listening to this album today. It really enjoyed the flow and the nice beats. It's different from anything I have heard before but I can't quite put my finger on why. I like it and I'm going to listen to it again.
Meh