Reviews (page 5 of 8)
Pretty mediocre album for me, but on the good side of mediocre with some nice music
This was alright, a reasonably enjoyable listen. Maybe lacked some edge but I found it inoffensive with some decent songs. Nice to have on in the background.
like the 70s influence but it felt like there were unfinished thoughts which would’ve benefited from a couple songs being 30 seconds longer.
went into this thinking I was gonna hate it, but by the end I actually kinda liked it - just like a q tip 6.5 / 10 Best track/s: You, Life Is Better
2/3. Old-school aesthetic with a modern sound. Really groovy, great percussion and sounds, overall a fun listen. Not familiar with TCQ so I hadn't heard him before either, but I can tell why he's a legend.
was alright, MANY other rap albums i would rather listen to
didnt pay too much attention cause i got really focused with work but maybe this helped me do that idk favorite song: won't trade
This is a mid-level q-tip album. It's not bad, there are some great tracks. But I'm not sure why its in here when we already have tribe records on the list.
Pretty good, found a few songs that I liked.
Based on the beats and the lyrics, this deserves a 4/5. Except I don't like Q-Tip's voice. This is a case where with the right singer this would be stellar, but I found his voice grating. For that, it's a 3/5.
Pretty good.
1. weight/welove 2. move 3.dance on glass
Would not buy
RnB/Rap blandat intryck. Några bra samarbeten bl a med Norah Jones. En trea
Dig the vibe, just not my daily driver type thing.
Haven't heard this album before. Honestly it's pretty cool. The beats are fun and the flow is nice to listen to. No massive bangers here but it was a vibe anyway 3/5
Q-Tip is great and I really like A Tribe Called Quest, but this didn't hit for me like I'd hoped. It was good, but not great. The beats were good, Q-Tip has a great flow, and the guest spots worked really well, but something about it just didn't quite engage me like I'd wanted. It's still a very good album. I'd give it a 3.5 if I could, but I'm rounding down.
Not too bad, but not really something I enjoy too much.
BEST ALBUM EVERRRR
Won't Trade is the most stand out song but that just because of the strong mixing track.
Slightly funky, pretty decent. It comes in, does what it does, and then promptly buggers off.
One of the benefits of this exercise is reclaiming the good ol’ three (3) star. Feedback in the modern world seems to be binary - either a gushing five (5) star or it’s worse than hogshit. The humble three (3) to me now means “that was pretty good. I enjoyed it”
Mid hip hop
Oh, more hip hop! Not my bag but favourite track was “Good Thang”. Glad it’s over. 3
For the amount of ATCQ I’ve listened to I have never listened to the solo acts ATCQ is greater than the sum of its parts
Enjoyable
one or two songs i really enjoyed the rest were fine. consistently good production but starts feeling a little too samey towards the end
Really enjoyable with great features! Sent it to Dylan and will fs be sharing with my friends who are rap fans
Enjoyed it but pretty far below the benchmark set by ATCQ. Maybe that’s an unfair comparison.
Another hip-hop album that is pleasant to listen to and has themes beyond the usual gangster rap genre. As usual though, my enthusiasm was waning by the end of the album. Although it was upbeat and enjoyable, it still felt quite repetitive by the end. There is probably more depth to the lyrics than I was able to pick up on a first pass, but lacking any visceral reaction to it I'm unlikely to revisit.
sos amor a la deriva
Q Tip is one of my faves and definitely top 4 out of Tribe Called Quest lol. This was a chill, enjoyable album
Didn't know any of the songs but not bad.
day 2 of begging for the generator to assign me kimono my house tomorrow because of my post-show hangover 3.5/5
this is a nice listen i never would have found on my own.
enjoyable but nothing super stood out to me
This is one I can see growing on me, but considering that A Tribe Called Quest are one of the most legendary hip hop artists of all time, I feel just a bit underwhelmed by this. Q Tip is extremely talented, obviously, and that definitely does come through. However, I just find the writing and production on this album to feel maybe just a bit boring and generic. But maybe it's also down to expectations, I did go into this expecting to hear A Tribe Called Quest, so once I get more used to his sound as a solo artist I can see myself getting a lot more out of listening to this.
Will listen to more of him - Sian
This guy has got an incredible flow. So impressive. Great melodies and isn't too reliant on a sampled hook to take him through. Also the lyrics are brilliant, totally unexpected for a rap record (well for a complete rap outsider)
Good
Really smooth, chilled out rap / Hip Hop. Not my usual taste but enjoyable.
3.5/5, great album but i'll probably not re-listen to it
There were some good tracks. Still don't engage with the rapping.
Soulful laid back rap with tinges of jazz. Works mostly, e.g. on You, We fight / We Love and that one with Nora Jones. But, a few not so good, such as Getting Up - not great - more R&B than rap and Official, too smooth. Won’t Trade was strong track. And enjoyed the increased tempo initially in Move - though this was 2 different tracks pasted together (and he needs to work on his Renaissance pronunciation). Final track was a little bit Princey. On the whole sits between 3 and 4 (again!). Going with harsh 3 as don’t think it will be revisited.
For me this didn't really get going until the end. Quite liked Shaka and Feva
A peculiar offering. I like Q Tip’s lyrics and flow, though it does sound a little dated in places for the year of release. I found the opening four tracks to be underwhelming, but then in the middle it soars with four bangers, before tailing off once more in the home stretch third. ManwomanBoogie the absolute highlight for me - what a chooooon! One I will listen to many times again I’m sure. I wanted to give it four stars but couldn’t quite justify it. Definitely preferred the ATCQ album on the list as it was more consistent.
Heerlijke smooth rap. Melodieus en leuk om te luisteren, maar daardoor soms een tikkeltje saai
Pretty decent
Decent chill hip hop
5.5/10
Really nice jazzy hiphop album
Another Hip-Hop.
Smooth Hip-Hop / Soul
This was fine. Nothing really stood out to me as excellent.
This hip-hop album (the authors of the list really have a penchant for hip-hop, haven't they) is one of the more enjoyable ones in the genre, for me. ManWomanBoogie is my favourite and has an addictive bass groove - not surprising because it is Can's (fabulous band). I always struggle deciding how much credit I need to give the hip-hop artist for good tunes that really rely on other people's work. Yes, I get the idea of hip-hop, but really - what would Q-Tip (or US3 etc.) be without samples? Of course, it's also a skill to sample tastefully and do something creative with it. Yet, I can't rate this as highly as truly original work. Also, I don't like it very much even if it was all original. A generous 3.
Ok men varför är den här?
this was fun! the beats were great and some of the cuts were absolute HITS. I'd have to listen a few more times to have a real opinion... but this was good!
The backing music is really good, but his voice is so thin and monotone, it’s a shame. The guest star appearances are by far the best parts of this album. Thank you Norah Jones and D’Angelo, may you RIP.
It's cool. Not really a standout for me, but I enjoyed it. Q-Tip is so smooth. Favorite songs: WeFight/WeLove, Believe, Shaka, Official
This is fine. Generic hip hop. I didn’t know it was the guy from a tribe called quest but it makes sense now.
Started strong, but the charm wore off a bit by the end of the album. Still enjoyed it.
I like Q-Tips smooth delivery and lyrical content. Problem for me is that the beats for majority of the tracks are a little insipid and lacking groove/funk so it makes it a bit of a forgettable experience.
I had hard time getting into it.
Even more hip-hop that I don't hate. Remarkable what I've learned from this project.
One of the smoothest voices of all time.
Fine but no business anywhere near this list
Pretty good
HH tranqui muy agradable. 7
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.
figo bella voce ma non mi è rimasto particolarmente impresso
Nice flow and beats.
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.
Me ha sorprendido, he rescatado algunas canciones que merecen la pena volver a escuchar.
Interesting fusion sound but lacks conviction or something
Pretty solid, but I’m going to A Tribe Called Quest albums over this.
Good grooves throughout, felt it faded into the background a couple of times but overall enjoyed it
Cool beats and cool rhymes.
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
Ikke verst. Men må man høre på dette?
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.
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?
I honestly never get tired of hearing Q-Tip say he’s gonna clean out your ears
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.
Good stuff
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
One of the best rap out there. Im just not huge fan of genre.
I honestly can't tell a good from bad rap album but it reminded me or 90s hip hop.
Pretty good. Groovy.
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.
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
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).
Seems ok
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.
Cool and groovy
good example of the type of rap i do like i would listen again, maybe favorite song is believe or good thang
Liked the vibe
It was good but not really stand out.
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 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.
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
1.Getting Up 2.Life is better 3. Wont Trade 4. Move 5. Believe
Cool album, dumb as fuck name
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.
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.
Really not too bad.
I believe I liked this one. Funky.
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.
Pretty solid actually, some dilla beats in here
hip hop til you drop
Fun!
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.
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.
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
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
3.2
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.
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.
2.5
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 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.
So much better and authentic than other mainstream rappers.
Pleasant hip hop, lyrical
Not particularly memorable
-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
Chill hip hop tunes. Kind of enjoyable
Pretty nice. I like the unusual and jazzy beats and the high tone of his voice and syncopated cadence. No hits tho
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.
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
Super fun, super smooth. Q-Tip clearly still had it post-Quest.
This was a generally very funky and groove heavy album but it kinda all sounded the same.
solid rap album. i love the flow
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.
I didn't enjoy this as much as the fugees.
Super cool. Q-Tip has a style all his own.
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.
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.
“Sampledelic”
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.
Обычный рэп
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.
"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.
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
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.
eerste nummer klinken best goed, normaal gesproken geen muziek voor mij maar we gaan het zien. begin was wel het sterkste kant van het album, vind het daarna allemaal beetje in elkaar opgaan.
No real standouts but pretty fun thorough.
It's a good album, but it just doesn't stand out. Still enjoyable!
I can't say I will come back to this album, but that sure is a nice one. Great vibes all the way!
Exceptional flow and lyricism. The beats are tight but not overly stated or engineered. This is pure hip hop and well done. Not typically my vibe, but I don’t dislike this. It’s similar to Lupe Fiasco style, but not quite as polished.
#488. Pretty decent, but nothing stands out as being particularly interesting. 3/5: acceptable
While it wasn't especially gripping, the beats and bars fall easy out of Q-tip and make it a classic. It gets better to learn that he fought hard to get this music out there and put out something humble, vibesy, and self-conscious instead of hateful
You know what? I don’t like Q-Tip’s voice. I thought that I’d slept a bit on TCQ but I have given them a decent chance and his tone just annoys me. Sure, decent flow, nice lyrics, smooth production, a few catchy hooks but he’s too high pitched and nasal for me to enjoy.
phd in boring music💯
Interesting. Liked it.
Really solid album from an all time great. Doesn't live up to the ATCQ albums but it still has its highs Best Song: Official Rating: 7.0/10 3 Stars
That was largely alright ! 3*
Pretty nice really - he's got good flow with minimum thuggery and aggression. It had some good grooves, but actually faded into the background a little. Honestly, what do I want? I clearly don't like abrasive rap, but then complain if it doesn't offend my ears.
I appreciate how smooth some of the tracks sound. But for me, that’s about as far as this album goes. Every song just sort of blended together for me and made this 40-minute album feel like an eternity. The songs do have their moments, which makes this album more decent than bad, but it’s nothing special for me. Favorite track: Johnny is Dead Other hits: We Fight/We Love, Shaka, Move, Life is Better
It’s funny a competent album from one of the all time greats feels like a flop. It’s fine.
Zweiter Song sehr gut Overall gut aber halt kein Tribe called quest
3.5
ok
Never was a big fan of hip hop, but the mixing up with laid back groovy soul and RnB elements makes a difference here. There is a nice vibe going on throughout this album, so not so bad I guess…
This was a decent album, nothing crazy.
Generally not a hip hop fan but this was such a good listen. Q has the nicest flow and a unique voice. Good lyrical content a d production.
Jua... cava nog. Ik ben sowieso geen hiphop-fan (had wel een fase rond m'n 16e), dus dit was wel effkes buiten mijn comfort zone. 3.0
Generic modern hip hop. Nothing to really write home about. Favourite songs: Move, Official, Dance on Glass, Life Is Better, Won't Trade, Johnny is Dead Least favourite songs: ManWomanBoogie 3/5
I dont think I gave this album the attention it may have deserved regarding lyrics, but Q-Tip's flow is a retro delight. Playful and speedy lines that were an immediate throwback to A Tribe Called Quest, but the lyrics didn't tickle me as much as ATCQ on a first listen.
listenable
I liked this, but did think that there wasn't a lot of variety in the sound between the different tunes.
I’ve listened to a lot of Q-Tip through a tribe called quest and various features. Although I’d never even heard of this solo album. This album is a pretty cool blending of styles. You some decent early 2000s pop soul stuff, but the J Dilla tracks are for sure my favorite. It’s a good albulm, but nothing really exceptional, especially in the context of a tribe called quest. Favorite Song: Move Least Favorite Song: Won’t Trade
This was a refreshing change from the usual British dad boomer bops. The beats were great and the mixing, and electronics were really nice, I'm just not big into Q-tips flow or presence. It was just a bit one-dimensional for my taste, and he was easily outshined by D'Angelo and Norah Jones. All around a good listen. 3/5
Not bad, but given how much I generally like Tribe, I found the overall sound of this disappointing. 3/5
Gillar den här skivan. Skönt sound. Uppskattade den mycket. Gillade Q Tip från A Tribe Called Quest så kul att få höra den här skivan.
Helt ok album. Men en smula intetsägande, ingen låt som riktigt sticker ut. Men skönt bakgrundsljud.
Aldrig varit något superfan av TCB, men Q-Tip är ju rätt bra. Det är välproducerat och väl genomfört, men lite tråkigt och inget som sticker ut. Förstår inte riktigt hur den här plattan har hamnat på listan (eller det förstår jag visserligen eftersom gubbjävlarna i panelen definitivt inte kan något om hip-hop) - det finns så mycket annat som hade förtjänat platsen.
3/5
pretty good but not for me
3.5★. Consistently good, but that praise is double-edged and might serve as an indictment given that its consistency also amounts to a monotonousness. (Still really good though.)
Average hip hop album. Nothing stood out as revolutionary
Geinige country
Rap version of elevator music? It's OK, I guess, I can't really remember
Admittedly I've never heard much of Q-Tips solo stuff, very pleasantly surprised at the 'modern' sound he got while still keeping pretty true to the boom bap sound
hip hop sur sample
It's pleasant, but I'm apparently missing the genius that other people hear in it.
I like this a fair bit; Q-Tip sounds good as usual, and the beats are good. It isn't quite as good as the Tribe Called Quest stuff though, IMO. A high end three
Q-Tip’s comeback album that revisits the past with solid contributors.
Didn’t mind this. It’s not rare for me to check the album every now and then to see how long there is left to go. Not the case this time.
Very Scalextrix.
I enjoy his early work with ATCQ immensely but I found the sound of this album to be overall generic. I didn’t mind it but it did not meet my expectations from a production standpoint
I really liked this album but I think that this project is flagging up an issue for me. When an album too smooth and flawlessly produced, I find it a bit emotionally distancing. This was a slick, jazzy, nearly flawless listen though.
I didn’t love this album, but I didn’t hate it either. It’s cohesive in style and a solid production. Worth a listen, as it’s a good album… but not something I’d come back to.
That cool black character who wears glasses and is ‘conscious’ in every early 2000’s show is definitely listening to this album. Good rhythms and flow, was definitely head bobbin to a few
I have one play for Q Tip in my library... an Elton John cover. This is kinda cool though, jazzy influences, the kind of hip hop I’d listen to if I could only listen to hip hop.
I quite like this, even though it is a genre I don't normally listen to
Q-Tip’s flow is exceptional and made for a really chill listen on The Renaissance. Won’t Trade was a little cheesey but still entertaining. Decent beats to keep things interesting all the way thru, Norah Jones was a surprise. I liked this. Not quite 4… 3 stars
Won't Trade is a tune!! the rest of the album isn't as great unfortunately
The sounds of my least favourite GTA V radio station. There's probably a lot lyrically here that I'm missing but I find it dull musically.
Always loved Q tips voice- great album no big standouts but loved listening
The sampling/beats were great. I enjoyed it well enough, but it doesn't stand out. This tracks with the other times I've tried listening to Tip's solo work. I LOVE Tribe, but this is just fine.
Never head of Q-tip. Not bad rap/hip hop. 3.5 stars
this was chill and I enjoyed the groovy elements
This hits. The beat is pretty heavily laid out, and everything has a pretty clear rhythmic base to it. That can have a negative impact on some of the singing/raping/lyrics, just emphasizing being on beat more than have free expression of the words. But that only happens a few times and doesn't generally take away from an entire song. This is pretty high floor/low ceiling hip hop. I think it's kind of held back by its sub-genre and less than stellar instrumentation, with exception for the bass. The bass is probably the best part of the album. With the exception of "Move" and "Believe", the album starts with its best stuff, and gets a little worse with each song, until the end, which is pretty forgettable. And honestly, the second half of "Move" follows the pattern of the rest of the album. The Norah Jones part is also an exception. Honestly, this whole album is mostly just good moments put in disappointing songs. The songs are just less disappointing at the beginning of the album. Favorite Song(s): Gettin Up, Move, Believe
Surprisingly old school hip hop sound for 2008, but solid nonetheless. Must hear before you die? I guess so?
Soulful, funk, jazz, hip-hop. Q-tip comes back to define his sound for the future.
I went into this album feeling judgmental. I was kind of in a specific mood and was "oh, I don't want a rap album right now." But Q-tip goes way beyond that and it was evident from the first song. Lyrically, instrumentally, and just overall Q-tip is smooth, silky smooth at times and their hip-hop groove is undeniably pleasureable. This album was over WAY before I was ready to stop listening. Yes, at first, the silly name threw me... but I, as well as anyone on this planet, ought to know not to judge a book by its cover, and Q-tip is just ... mmmm...
Fun. Very chill
I feel like the rating could definitely go up on multiple listens
pleasant
Decent album.
Not my typical music I listen to but I like Q Tip. This was a good album, enjoyed it
This is good. I've enjoyed listening to it, but it's not gripped me enough to want to keep going back again later.
Pretty ok
Anderson Paak
The last couple songs got my attention lyrically
até meio injusta, mas preciso parar de 4 estrelas pra tudo que aperta minha mente
I love q-tip's vocal style though today I found the overall production a bit meh. Probably need a repeat listen or two to get into it
Cool interesting bit of hip hop. Feels like some Beck tracks where he focuses on hip hop. Lots of sound effects and such used quite well. 3.5
It wasn't bad, but it was forgettable.
Enjoyed this one more than I expected. 70s feel and smooth vocals. Wish I could say more, but I don't remember any of the tracks.
Does Q-Tip have the market cornered on smooth rap? It's like having a low key conversation with someone. Feels like a 3.5, but going to 3 because the music interrupts the flow sometimes and I can't understand what he's saying. Over time, could climb to 4.
3/5. I can hear the major influence on conscious and progressive rap even for today. Although yes, it is mostly a hip hop album but there are a lot more signing and pop choruses, much different from his Quest days. I do lose interest after some songs so it's not perfect but I do like this genre and creates a well-polished and complete album. Best Song: Move, ManWomanBoogie, Gettin' Up
Interestingly, I actually expected to like this more than I did. It’s good but started a little slow for me, overall though it’s a good album.
It has some similarities to Tribe, although I prefer those albums over this one. There are some nice grooves to be found here and the pacing of the rhymes is right in the pocket for my taste. Several songs have melodic riffs in the chorus, which I appreciate. And D’Angelo, yes please and thank you. 3.4
Some good beats and tasty bass lines on a few songs. Norah fits in perfectly; admittedly I liked the songs with featured guests more. It's the classic Q-Tip sound but with a refresh. He's pretty timeless . 3.5
Hyvät taustat!
Preferred this to some of the heavy gangsta shit.
I like this! Melodic, melodically and lyrically interesting.
Funky goodness!
I didn't hate it, but it didn't blow me away. Decent.
Good lounge rap album. Seems like one of those albums that gets better with subsequent listens.
interesting album. q-tip is a good rapper and has some creative ideas for composing/arranging/producing, so i appreciate that. however, on the whole (and after two full listens) the songs all kinda just blended together for me. i liked specific parts of some songs, but once it segued into a different section, it lost me. some of the instruments and samples felt really repetitive and grating after a while, so definitely a mixed bag for me. favorites: johnny is dead, won't trade, gettin up, life is better, feva
3.5
Sonntags Hiphop: Sommer Sonne gut vibes. Gute Mischung - leichte Kost.
Sanoituksia yhtään arvioimatta oli viihdyttävät jamit tämän levyn kanssa. Oma suosikki oli Move.
Laadukas setti, mut ei ollut tajunnanräjäytyksiä
It’s always hard to rate an album that I recognize is just not made for me. I think this is well produced. Some of the lyrics are great. There’s a smooth quality to it. But I’ll never listen to this again. It’s not terrible it just isn’t my thing. 3/5
Really different from what I expected from Q-Tip, but musically this is a nice, soulful album that's easy on the ears. Enjoyed it. Fave Songs: Life Is Better, We Fight/We Love, Move/Renaissance Rap, Manwomanboogie, Gettin' Up, Official
perfectly good hip hop album. wasn’t blown away by it but was nice background music.
I liked this.
нормальный вроде; много от хип-хопа воспоминаний не сохраняется
A handful of the songs stuck out to me, but I honestly did not listen closely enough to give this an accurate rating. Will most likely come back to this album and adjust the rating.
I liked it alright, but I can't say I'll ever return to it. "Move" is quite good though.
It's OK - just flows past - nothing stood out for me
- I like a lot of the backing here and both "Move" and "Life Is Better" are fairly innovative (particularly with the addition of Norah Jones in the latter). - This album seems to be set at a single, unvarying tempo and Q-Tip's rhythms are lacking in variety. Great flow, but I never felt surprised.
Reminds me of college. A slight album, but underrated because Q is so good.
I've never heard of Q-Tip or heard this album (obviously). I was pleasantly surprised, very nice beats, smooth rhythms and the music was soothing and accessible. Starts off strong, but begins to blur together and lags towards the end, but otherwise a solid album and satisfying listen.
The sample on won’t trade is amazing. Q-tips flow is so smooth. This album is a great demonstration of how great a producer he is. Loved it.
Ik ben dus geen fan van rapmuziek. Maar dit album heeft wel een paar lekkere beats, en daar ga ik dan weer wel goed op. De rap valt ook zeker mee qua "nigga" gevoel. Gewoon best een lekker album. ***
-Tip’s The Renaissance has a certain catchiness to it. His flow is exceptional on most tracks, with bars and hooks for days of many different varieties. However, I find myself having a hard time really diving into it. It is not necessarily bland, just directionless, no inherent uniqueness in the album as a whole. Highlights include Won’tTrade, Dance On Glass, and WeFight / WeLove. All in all, The Renaissance is a good album. Best Song: Won't Trade Worst Song: You
Pass
This is a bit of a dud from the great Q-Tip
Not a Hip-Hop fan,but this works..... Some good rhythms behind the rap...
Eclectic and entertaining. Especially liked sthe more innovative sounding stuff like "Manwomanboogie" ... OH SHIT!!! That's a CAN sample!!! It's Krautrock week and I am PRESENT! I love that there is a CAN sample on here, had no idea. Good job Q-Tip. There's a little trilogy of slightly twisted prog style in the mifddle of the albumthat I was really impressed by the sheer "newness" of the sound (for lack of a better word) with "We Fight/We Love", "Manwomanboogie", and "Move / Renaissance Rap." Wordy but not obnoxious or excessively violent or confrontational. Interesting album.
Pretty good, great beats, kind of an oldschool vibe even though it's from 2008. I dig it. 3.3.
Like the R&B influence in the music and the music in general including the top line melodies and rhymes. Just not as fond of the vocal tonality.
Bodaus... Bodaus on luovaa.. koska rakennetaan jotain uutta... Jotain jota ei ollut olemassa rakennetaan... se on silloin uutta.. se lihas.. Lihapää henkilö uskomaton sanataivuttelija ymmärtää sanan ydimmän luonteen.. luova sana.. tarkoitetaan tietenkin rakentamista.. jep rakentamista ja luovaa... TÄHÄN TARVITAAN PÄÄTÄ.. päätöksiä... mitä liikkeitä.. LUOVAA! Kuin artisti... Minua pitäisi kutsua artistiksi.. Mitä vittua lmao Albumin kuuntelu on luovaa... Luodaan omaan päähän oma käsitys albumista.. mitä muut eivät voi tehdä puolestasi.. Luovaa... Sinä luot.. olet luova... Tämän arvion äänensävy ei ole passiivis agressiivinen.. se on aktiivis veltto.... kirjoittaminen on aktiivista ja velton tästä tekee oma fyysinen olemus.. arviota kirjoittaessa.. Siksi se on.. Musiikista.. Rappia ja mukavaa wibaa myös musiikin puolelta ei pelkästään laulannan sanoituksen uskomaton ulottuvuus.. Ei varmaan lyyristä jumaluutta tässä en edses yritä löytää.. mutta mukava ääni korvalla..
Sampling was pretty awesome, Q-Tip doesn’t generally grab me and it wasn’t a bad album but nothing that stood out over a generally good but not great hip hop album.
Solid listen, enjoyed but didn’t love
Solid
a solid groove all the way through, but basically too smooth.
Don't mind it.
Hip Hop is just not my favorite. This album was lovely but it also doesn’t grip me like other genres can.
all the songs were decent but nothing stood out to me
Hip hop is the one genre where solo projects can be worth while. Problem here is that rappers normally do not age well. Rap is a young man's game. Q-tip holds his own here though
Not a classic but its a very good album
Lot's of fun things going on in the backing tracks, Q's flow is pleasant. Some samples or scratch work came across harsh, but only a few instances. Funky. Chill. Mid. 3
Interesting. I liked it more than I thought I would.