Reviews (page 6 of 8)
More enjoyable that I was originally expecting.
Pretty solid hip hop album
Not bad
Pretty good album. I will never listen to it again
Not really my genre, but this was nice.
Funky but forgettable
Whole time listening to this album I was saying this gives me huge Tribe vibes, forgot who Q-Tip was lol. The production on this album is pretty incredible and Q's flow is pretty strong on most songs. While this might not be the deepest or strongest hip hop album out there, it is a quick and easy listen and with some strong highs. 3.5/5
3/5
Not bad
It's alright, but not as good as his older work with A Tribe Called Quest. Too monotonous. Favorite song: Official.
Meh. It was okay. The flow was solid. Production was good. But this just didn’t vibe with me. Couldn’t tell you why. Just not my thing
Pleasantly surprised by it, a nice touch of electronic sprinkled into it
Enjoyable hip hop album, though it does not have any memorable songs
Johnny is Dead - 3.5 Won't Trade - 3.5 background's a little annoying Gettin Up - 4/5 Official - 2 You - 2 We Fight/We Love - 3, too repetitive ManWomanBoogie - 3 Move - first half is a 2, second half is a 4 Dance on Glass - 3 Life is Better - 3 Believe - 4 Shaka - 3
11/28/23 10:20 S Tier————————— A Tier————————— Johnny Is Dead Wont Trade Move B Tier————————— WeFight/WeLove Gettin Up ManWomanBoogie C Tier—————————2/5 Official You Dance On Glass
Tuesday 11/28/2023, 7:47, office S Tier————————— Johnny Is Dead A Tier————————— Move B Tier————————— ManWomanBoogie Won’t Trade You Getting Up Believe Shaka C Tier————————— WeFight/WeLove Life Is Better Official Dance On Glass
Going from Illmatic to this in 24 hours is quite the contrast. Illmatic is an undisputed classic, fresh and ground breaking. This is not Illmatic. It's overall fine, but by the end I was bored and waiting for it to be over, not one I will return to.
Phat beats
Only caught like three songs here but they were ok. Seemed pretty nineties for a 2008 production. Three stars.
Pretty decent but nothing here to encourage me to listen a second time. 3 stars
Great rhymes and flow but the beats are fucking whack. It’s a shame because it doesn’t make me want to relisten to this.
3.5
Above average rap album. Sorry thats all Ihave to say
Not a fan of his vocals but the beats were pretty sick, yo.
I had really only consumed Q-Tip's music through A Tribe Called Quest, which is all time(plus his great guest spot on Get it Together from Ill Communication). A lot of the Tribe aesthetic does bleed over into the production on this album, with maybe some more overt R&B inflections. Maybe just to my ear. A solid album
Easy listening. Nothing stands out as significant
Chilled hip hop - pretty ok nothing particularly special just decent 3/5
не пережил переход в 2000-ые...
Реп. А, это тот чел из Трайба... только 17 лет спустя. Блин, нуууу трайб мне больше нравился как-то. Здесь уже меньше прям такого наглого рэпа, челик расчиллился, скажем так. Но звучит хорошо. Прикольный трюк с треком Move, что к нему в конец просто докинули через скретч ещё одну часть, которая вообще считай отдельное произведение.
Has it's moments but feels pretty derivative. Still rather be listening to Wu.
The best Q-Tip album I’ve heard
Some fella
Rytmikkäimmillään koukkuisaa, eivätkä lounge-taustat ehdi häivyttää mielenkiintoa. Hello, my name is Kendrick.
Ok, nostalgic but kinda boring. If I’m you’ve heard one Q Tip song you’ve heard this album
Pretty good. Familiar songs used in production nowadays
It was okay.
Average album by my uneducated hip hop standards. Beats and flow was unique, that's for sure, keeping you on your toes, but being at least semi interesting. Q-Tip's rapping style was very bland. It was hard for me to get into the flow, it was a little bit too gentle and, in the end, boring. The only saving grace is its originality. Nothing happend here folks, let's all disperse.
A bit soporific.
This was a good start-your-day album.
Not a huge Hip Hop fan but this was a really strong record. Enjoyed it.
renesanssi...firenzen kaupungissa alkoi. medicin perhe. ja tähän albumiin päättyi...räppi albumia, q-tio referenssi tungetaan korvan. mutta ei p..kiinan poika koskettwöeee ksettle koskettelee vittu vituttaa move
I like jazzy vibe mixed with hip hop
Despite being a big Tribe Called Quest fan, i've never really gone into Q-Tips solo work fully, as this was just as pleasant as i expected. Instead of the usual jazzy beats it's more of a soulful sound, with some great features to compliment it (looking at you D'Angelo). Q-Tip sounds smooth as hell as usual, he flows over these beats easily. It's the kind of hip-hop album i could play on a drive with my mum, and I mean that in a good way. It's light, bouncy, easy to listen to. It's not blowing me away, but i'm enjoying the experience from front to back.
Wel chill, maar niet veel meer dan dat. Fijne stem iig.
It’s alright.pleasant to listen to.I like a tip as a rapper but there wasn’t a bangers on this album tbh.It’s fine.
Bra hiphop men vad sätte denna platta på denna förbannade lista??
swag
Fave tracks: Won’t Trade, You, Move, Dance On Glass 3/5
J'appréhendais un autre album de rap poche, mais j'ai été aggréablement surpris par des chansons très catchy et plein de groove. Plus proche de Jamiroquai que N.W.A disons.
This is a nice album, q-tip has always had a cool voice and flow, but by no means should this be in the top 1000. This isn't anywhere close to landmark, and just seems out of touch with what is important/good/definitive in hip hop. Three for the album, but absolutely baffled this is on the list.
It wasn't bad. Alright hip-hop
I liked the first two songs a lot and then it kind of just settled into a fine but unexceptional album to me. I didn’t dislike anything on it, but also didn’t think anything was exceptional or would make me really want to listen again. Kind of random but I did kind of like the Norah Jones cameo near the end too. I’m generally interested to get some more rap albums here. It’s a genre that I’ve previously listened to lots of songs but very few full albums, so it’ll help me calibrate a bit once I start listening to more full albums. Favorite song: Won’t Trade Other: Johnny Is Dead, Life Is Better
really enjoying this — even funkier than the Tribe I know. The production is more firmly within neo-soul kind of stuff and I think that that really works with Q-Tip. The J Dilla influence comes through. I wish I had listened to this in 2008. I can hear a clear line from j Dilla to this to Janelle Monae and others. Really enjoyed but dragged after awhile.
Really enjoyed this
Not my style but well produced
First listen Saved 5/12 Top track: Life Is Better
funky & weird
Original and was surprised by the sudden presence of Norah Jones.
Such an engaging rapper, and lovely to hear some native tongues vibes updated for the noughties. Like this.
Cat: Well. I just love everything about Q-tip. Not familiar with this album, though. But it’s everything I love about him still! The beats and bass are phenomenal, and his rhyming is so smooth. There’s something about the way he raps that makes you wanna move. Talks about love and life and even gets kinda silly, and the topics on this album have something for everyone. It’s creative, it’s cool, it’s uplifting and it makes me dance. Dance on Glass starts with no music. Just him. And you can feel the groove. Brilliant. So good that I have a perma-smile. You ever just laugh when something is so good it kinda blows your mind and makes you happy? How have I slept on this album? Listened twice so I could pick up on more lyrics. I love his love of old music, too. ManWomanBoogie 🔥 AJ: He’s cool. The music is cool. Love the beats and the bass and the smoothness. Just really cool. Won’t Trade and Gettin Up were my favorites. Late to the party, but I’m picking up what fans are putting down. Will have to give his tribe a listen someday soon too.
👍
Het is meer hiphop dan a Tribe Called Quest zelf, maar dezelfde relaxte vibe klinkt continu door. Ik ben niet goed genoeg op de hoogte van het genre om te kunnen oordelen of iets goed is of niet. Ik heb hem 2x opgezet en 2x kabbelde het prima door op de achtergrond, maar het is net zo vergeetbaar als Glass Onion a Knives Out Murder Mystery 2.
Actually really dug this album! I didn't know he was the same rapper of Tribe Called Quest. This is the type of hip hop / rap I like!
This was a pretty smooth and decent listen. However, I don't think I'll revisit it. But, as someone who doesn't actively pursue hip hop, that may be more of a reflection of me and my listening habits than the album. 3/5.
3.5
Has its moments but little bit cringy
I'm not a huge fan of old school hip hop, its just not enough cleverness in the lyrics, I do enjoy the chill beats
So fun and funky- love the basslines
The comparison is perhaps unfair but inevitable: solid throughout, and some bright gems (the final track in particular). YouTube music denied me a couple tracks (sampling rights bullshit I suppose) so I might have missed some. But generally though I liked it, it doesn't quite hit that magic alchemy of Tribe.
Ok!
Not quite the same level as ATCQ, but still a very good listen.
This was well done. A bit outside my wheelhouse but I enjoyed it.
Never heard of them. I sampled some of their more tracks - catchier than usual for hip hop, with interesting samples for a disco or maybe motown feel for variety and a certain grandeur. but this really isnt my genre of choice
Solid but not spectacular for me. I listened all the way through 2x though so I'm torn between a 3 and a 4.
Cool album, every song is lyrically and musically powerfull. Solid album as a whole, overall
Hip-hop. Ni fu ni fa.
Nice Oldschool-vibes, though it's not, but Q-Tip does deliver on here.
A lion in winter.
Good album
Significantly flatter than in his ATCQ contributions, but always unmistakable. Really like "Gettin' Up".
Post-ATCQ Q-Tip. I appreciate how he incorporated aspects of the 90s sound with late 2000s rap/r&b that was popular at the time. The instrumentals are great.
Smooth. Enjoyable. I'd give it a 3.5 if I could.
I’m not into hip hop and rap but I have to say, this was pretty likeable. I think I understand why it’s on the list. I probably wouldn’t listen to it again, but I didn’t mind it!
Will listen again. Unexpectedly pretty great for this Monday morning. Helped get me moving.
-Cool bass line in "ManWomanBoogie" -Generally nice flows throughout the album, but it was also kind of same-y -Didn't get me too jazzed up, but was fine. Just barely a 3, I'd say
Solid Album. Not quite sure if it's really iconic/deserving of the 1001 albums designation (especially relative to the other contributions Q-Tip has made to the hip-hop genre). Good production nevertheless.
It’s fun but everything started to sound the same after a while. Good for walking with a destination, maybe not for an aimless relaxing walk
Funky. I liked it, but it had a few moments where the scratching seemed wrong.
Yeeee liked it, would be good to study to or do chores or exercise. But a lot of it kinda blended together.
Pretty good, production and lyrics are top notch
I love Q-Tip's voice, and his flow, and there's some stuff that works really nicely here, it's really smooth. But nice is all it is - it doesn't bite lyrically and there's not enough punch to it. Not an unpleasant listen by any means, but not a great one. Just about scrapes a 3.
Can hear the Tribe Called Quest DNA.
Honestly I’m surprised by my enjoyment of this album. I automatically assumed that it would be bad so I was dismissive but I liked it and would listen again.
it was alright not my favorite there are some bangers that are really good but it was just okay
Old-school sound with some newer production coming from the hip-hop pedigree of A tribe called quest. The album has some great samples of older soul tracks which mesh together nicely with his lyrics. A few tracks have featured female vocals such as Norah jones which positively added to the variety. Favourite track Shaka
Smooth, mellow, I appreciated the beats. And thought it was quite hypnotic. I did find his voice very monotonous, and after a while a bit tiresome. I did really like Official and We fight/We love, but he would’ve benefited from more collaborators singing. I did find myself bouncing along to some of the funkier beats which is an endorsement of sorts. But I’m not sure he could ever top ‘Can I kick it?’ Others might disagree and reply though: “Yes he can!”
This is an okay album. I don't connect to it and rap, even though good, are too much fir my liking. It starts to sound like a baseball card stuck in the spokes of a bicycle... cool at first but annoying after about 15 minutes. I only listened to the album one time through and nothing stuck out as particularly impressive or interesting. I've put it on my list to give another listen but for now it seems just average.
This was a bit hit and miss for me. I enjoyed most of it, particularly the R&B-tinged material. Some of the rap was a little flat, some of it was pretty sharp. A solid 3 in my book.
Not bad! I love tribe so expected to like this but Its not super memorable
Pretty chill, smooth rap. Liked it more than I expected. At times a bit boring to me but overall I enjoyed. 3 stars.
Liked this more than I expected - don't normally listen to hip-hop. Gender dynamics give me an ick. Official was good.
I kinda like it. It's got funk. It's got beat. It's got style.
It starts pretty good, and songs like Won't Trade strike a good balance between having a beat that drives it forward and having lyrics of interest. Unfortunately, i think a lot of the album leans really heavily on interest from lyrics and the music is just okay. Worth listening to, though not very much my style.
En olekaan aikaisemmin kuunnellut Tribe called quest:in MC-osaston sooloja. Eihän tämä hullumpi ole. Aika jazzahtavat samplet, sekä lungi meno. Ei turhaa uhoomista. Toimii siis mulle joo! 3/5
OK but better with Phife and the gang
notes - q-tip is a member of a tribe called quest - made this album after a couple of attempts that multiple labels shot down for not being commercially viable - produced almost all the songs on here - some songs featuring d’angelo, norah jones, robert glasper, j dilla - the way that drums and found sounds are used is really interesting! - i dont love q-tips nasal and lyrical delivery - my brain kinda tunes it out after a bit, which is a shame bc he clearly put a lot of thought into his lyrics - first couple songs really dont do it for me - album gets better as it goes along fav - shaka - nice laid back vibe to end the album on least fav - man/womanboogie - doesnt fit with the rest of the songs 3/5
An introspective and interesting, not his best work, but I enjoyed it. 3/5
Generic
I actually liked a few songs on this one.
Pretty run of the mill hiphop. Not much more to say beyond that.
I liked the guitar in the fist track and the soulful chorus in track 2. The intelligent rapping and lack of F-Bombs sounded familiar then Spotify played Tribe Called Quest after and I made the connection.
Liked the front half of the album, but it didn't really do much for me overall. I liked that it has interesting instrumentation, which is usually where rap loses me. 3.49/5
Quelques pièces grove bien, je trouve l’ensemble inégal.
This was pretty chill. I got lost in some of the songs and didn't remember to pay attention to the lyrics. Would revisit most of the album! 3.5, closer to 3 but 3.5 is definitely more accurate.
T3B 1. We Fight/We Love 2. Move 3. Official Sets an awesome vibe. I’m moving and nodding the whole album. Solid 3.
very q-tip no songs really stood out but plenty of good ones 3.5
I do love me some smooth buttery flow of Q-Tip, but find that I was missing the je ne sais quoi of the Tribe. Good vibe to the album, but just ok.
I guess I only ever listened to the greatest hits so had a totally different impressions of the kinks. Feel ike they take an album to come up with a good tune.
I enjoy his proficiency as a rapper and the beats that sound so modern and different from what was out at that time, but his voice becomes a little irritating to listen to and there is no great song on this album. Great run time though!
Decent rap, almost more R&B than Rap, but nothing groundbreaking
Fine. No real impact.
there are worse things to stick in your ear
I enjoed it. 3 stars
Very funky, nice mix of rap and jazzy funky pop with jazzy pano chords and prominently features effect laden guitars, which for me makes for the most listener friendly rap. Light use of samples make for an authentic yet accessible album.
Pretty good album. I always like any new q tip music I can get, and some of these songs scratched that itch like You. Nothing huge from this one either but glad to see he was making music after the rifts with Tribe.
I love Q-Tip in a tribe but this is just lacking a lot of the crisp beats and flow of his best work
I hadn't heard of Q-tip, but apparently he's the producer from A Tribe Called Quest. Only had time for one listen through, but I enjoyed the funky and occasionally jazzy grooves on this album, the mix of rapping and melodies, and the thoughtful & non-violent lyrics (esp the opening track). But I'm unlikely to come back to it, so once again, three stars.
I wasn’t familiar with any of this album. Three or four tracks in I was finding it a little boring, and then was really taken with We Fight We Love, featuring Raphael Saadiq. From that point on, I found it to be most engaging. The 2 standouts for me were Move (featuring a Jackson 5 sample) and Manwomanboogie, featuring Amanda Diva. Great production. Enjoyed it.
I always enjoyed Q-Tip's distinctive and understated flow. I really like the neo-soul influences on this album (real drums and instruments, old soul samples, collaborations with Dilla, D'Angelo, Raphael Saadiq, Norah Jones). It's got a gentle, sophisticated, easily funky sound. Really 'musical' for a hip hop album; these sound like proper songs, rather than tracks that occasionally feature a vocalist. This album was completely new to me, enjoyed it. Fresh. Favoruite tracks: Good Thang, ManWomanBoogie.
Upbeat, jazzy hip hop with some great instrumentation and production. I like it.
Rapea muy bien. Las mezclas se me hicieron normales. Lo soporté sin problemas, no es mi género ni me pareció extraordinario, por lo que su 2.5 sube a 3.
Pos otro disco de Hip Hop. A diferencia de otros que son aburridos, este tiene sus momentos de instrumentación agradable que hacen que se ponga un poco mejor. Lo que no me encanta es el tono de voz, todo el tiempo así muy ñeñeñe.
Non convinta ma forse ero solo un po' infadtidita dal mondo oggi.
Not bad not my fav
shop
What I've always enjoyed about Q-Tip is that he focused on the songwriting in a way that most hip-hop producers and performers don't. There's lots of that on this record.
Quite decent for a rap album
Q-Tip had been out of the game for a few years when The Renaissance dropped. 1998 would mark A Tribe Called Quest's final album before their return in 2016, and Q-Tip had tested the waters with a solo album in 1999. As such, his return would be highly anticipated. It's pretty good. Production is very contemporary for 2008, that being clean and tight. Q-Tip's style, however, is still very much influenced by his jazz rap 90's roots. There is some influence from Common à la his rapping, but it still feels like the same Q-Tip from Midnight Marauders. The only difference is that I feel like Midnight Marauders had infinitely more appeal in it's personality. The Renaissance is still a good album, but I would hesitate to say if it's reflective of any hip-hop trends of the 2000's.
Todd Malone think it ok. just ok for Todd Malone
Its okej. i don't hate it, but I don't love it.
Rap plus smooth jazz and R&B … meh
quite different from his tribe called quest days chill hip hop vibe, good samples and basslines
Hip-hop. Boring.
interessant
Ok je ali mi se onaj prije čini bolji a kamoli a tribe called quest
fine.
Kinda good
This is a good Q-Tip album. Tip's best work came from the Tribe years. Should this album merit inclusion based on it being a Q-Tip album, or an album that is from a member of the Tribe. Regardless, this album doesn't rank high on the Hip Hop / R&B / Jazz-Hop / Fusion albums to be worthy of inclusion on this list. 3/5.
I enjoyed Won’t Trade. The rest left me a little cold.
Q tip does to 80’s rap, it’s what Kendrick did for the gangsta rap sound with G.K.M.C, improving the sound of his idols with better recordings. This is what NWA and many others would have sounded with access to proper recording tools. Even so, this is cool but not on the level of those classic 80’s recordings.
Solid qtip
Seems to be trying to bridge a gap between R&B and hip hop, which to be honest is not really a gap that needed filling. I'm also impressed at the efforts Mr Tip is making to not be gangsta. Listenable, but unless I'm missing something, also unremarkable.
Surprisingly good! Really liked it.
Pretty good
Good rhythm all the way through.
Some of the lyrics are a little cringeworthy, but there are some good instrumentals
For a 2008 album, it sounds remarkably fresh in 2022, which is impressive in a context like hip-hop, where things change very quickly. It's not so remarkable on these songs, but nice to listen to them and know a little bit more about
Not bad, but just not my kind of music. Rap/Hip-Hop doesn't do it for me on regular. Feels very monotone. I did give it a go to be fair. But yeah not my thing.
Pretty good, had a nice vibe listening to this.
3.4 - Funky tracks on here but I felt it all wash over me and I've already forgotten about it. Fine as background music.
Once again, not my jam. But could appreciate the musicality.
I really wanted to like this album bc I love quest but I found myself waiting for it to end
I'm a huge ATCQ fan. Q-tip is a fave of mine. This was very midnight marauders in parts, so I kept waiting for Phife to bust a verse. I miss Phife dawg. When the album was done a Phife some came on. 🥴 Long story short, the sum of the parts is greater than the bits alone. I really like the Tribe, but this fell shy of the mark.
Some pretty solid beats, a nice listen.
Hip hop molt influencia pel r&b, soul i tocs de jazz. Com alguns discos de The Roots o posteriorment gent com Kendrick Lamar, Q-Tip es demostra gran coneixedor de la música negra i tots els samples i arranjaments de cada tema s'acoplen de manera perfecta amb el rapejat elegant de Q-Tip
L'album était plutôt sympa mais fut rendu extrêmement désagréable par la découverte suivante: Q-Tip est le leader de l'horrible groupe A Tribe Called Quest.
Genre: East Coast Hip Hop 3/5 For as much as I loved A Tribe Called Quest's The Low End Theory (an album I gave a 5/5), and as much as I've grown to appreciate the hip hop genre and what it has to offer, especially when it comes from legends like Q-Tip, this was incredibly underwhelming. Released in late 2008, while still sounding as if it were sonically stuck in the early 90s, The Renaissance by Q-Tip is anything but a rebirth. "The Retreading" is a bit more of an accurate title, as every song on here reeks of the past, and, beyond some hip/cool features from some more contemporary recording artists, this is clearly an album clinging to the past in hopes that the remnants of boom bap may live on. While the production is clearly supposed to be reminiscent rather than a complete retracing, it's hard to look beyond the sonic landscapes here. With the genre growing as it was in the late 2000s, songs like Gettin' Up and Move, both decent songs in their own right, sound like fossils amidst the growing pop rap fusions of the day. Instead of harkening back, Q-Tip simply moved backwards, and what we're left with is a decent, yet unsatisfying album with plenty of forgettable lyrics and arrangements. Life Is Better is a great track, as Norah Jones saves the album to a degree with her late-aught's style crooning, but it's surrounded by musical equivalents of the "how ya doin', fellow kids" meme. Not a bad record, but clearly 15-20 years too late.
No está mal, lo volveré a escuchar. No conocía al autor aunque si había oido sus colaboraciones. De este disco me han gustado "Won't trade", "ManWomanBoogie" y "Shaka". Y también me ha hecho conocer el nombre del sampler con el que se tapa la cara en la portada el AKAI MPC 2000XL.
Why? I mean there's nothing wrong with Q-Tip, but in terms of rap pioneers, I'm guessing there will be some left off this list that could easily replace this entry.
Not ball at all, just mediocre. Has that 90s hip-hop vibe even though it's late 2000's.
3/28/22
Enjoyed this
I must confess to hearing very little hip hop before this, so my insights will be a little limited. Regardless, I found this album an enjoyable experience . The way Q Tip makes words flow was entertaining, and the instrumentation was surprisingly well done. The album has a crisp, fresh sound, which contributes to the smart feel of the music. I most liked the songs ‘official’ and ‘Shaka’ Overall I’ll give this album a 3.5 stars. This was an enjoyable, and refreshing, listen.
Theres not much wrong with it, but its not remarkable either
Un bel mood, durante la fine del mondo ci vuole. Un hip hop leggero, che devo dire, mi piace.
Hip-hop. Ni fu ni fa.
I was today years old the first time I listened to Q-Tip. Usually not my speed but this was a good record! I particularly liked Move. I would def listen to this album again
I feel like this album is the whole reason I began this journey, and I'm only a few days in. He sampled quite a few songs throughout the album, and songs from multiple genres at that. Creativity oozes from Q-Tip, his lyrics are something else! "Won't Trade" in particular grabbed me. Some songs not so much, but I have tons of respect for Q-Tip regardless.
Reminded me a lot of Solange's music which I like.
Good
nice to explore members of ATCQ, nice jazzy, R+B rap
It’s like a Tribe album at 70% - Q-Tips silky voice grooves throughout a generally pleasant album - one or two good bangers - ManWomanBoogies and Move stand out - but it generally comes and goes and does not stay for coffee.
Dit kende ik niet, maar vond ik wel oké klinken.
good
Very solid but nothing stood out?
The rapping style reminded me a bit of Kendrick Lamar (yes I know Kendrick came later). Backing beats were funky, maybe a little like Jamiroquai.
Ganz locker-kopfnickendes Stück hiphop, das sich zu selten solch tolle Ausbrüche leistet wie bei „ManWomanBoogie“ oder „Move“. Okaye 2.6
Ersten drei Tracks mich voll abgeholt: was das denn für geiler Spätwerk-Shit? Albumtitel voll verdient! Dann bisschen eingeschlafen (sorry, my bad!), aber bei Move wieder ganz wunderbar wieder zurückgeholt worden. Danach aber wieder bisschen more of the same. Unterstreicht insgesamt natürlich voll die Ausnahmestellung die Q-Tip im MC-Biz hat, eröffnet dann aber auch nicht so viel neue Perspektiven. War das das fresheste, was HipHop 2008 zu bieten hatte?
This is another one where I can't really find fault with anything here - Q-tip is great! - but I didn't really get sucked in at any point, either.
Never heard this - very unusual hip-hop album. Liked it!
giving me the good old school rap vibes
It's fine, but nothing special.
Good listen. Great production and cool vibe throughout. Not bad lyrically, it's Q-Tip, but also nothing memorable at all.
I'd say a 3. enjoyable listen even though it's a style I can usually go either way on.
tried to like it more
the bass is great 1+ 2+ 3+ 4- 5- 6= 7= 8+ 9- 10+ 11+ 12=
This album wasn't bad. In fact, some of the lyrics were very creative. I question whether there are more important albums to put on this list.
To be consistent with how "jazz" works, "jazz rap" also has to be recognized as a reductive category, trying to pin down something elusive. The music on this record is subtle, but eventually reveals itself as jazz-y in an important sense, probably closer to the funk era of the instrumental music thanks to its angles. Songs, not just their production, maintain sharpness with their use of space if not silence. The beat is largely in the negative space, reminding me that dance is part of life instead of commanding me to get up. A few sudden transitions emphasize the effect. It's very grown-up hip-hop, without exuberance. I don't love it on first listen, because it's not really reading music unless it's the music you're reading. One definite takeaway: The closer is thematically satisfying but musically tantalizing.
It's a pretty interesting album. Every song sounds like it could be played over a TV show or movie about teens in a big city coming to age. I think where it falls a bit short is the lyrics either sometimes go over your head or don't need to be listened to. All in all though, it's a pretty good modern hip hop album.
Wiggly jazzy fun.
Q-Tip is a legend. Not from ATCQ, but from a lot of his features and production. He is a top tier rapper for me but I never really went out of my way to check his solo career. "The Renaissance" is a nice, decent little plug on Q-Tip's router. The features are pretty scarce, but there are some familiar names like D'Angelo & Norah Jones. While ATCQ has a more reggae/jazz-rap vibe, this is all just what a standard album by Q-Tip would be like. No, not an album by Q-Tip's standards, an album thats more like the rest of hiphop that was in 2008. The production didnt really wow me, but I really did like the Dilla 2-part beat on "Move" While a lot of good tracks bump this record up, I can't give it much more praise than that. 7/10 As of July 19th 2021 Best Tracks: Johnny Is Dead, Won't Trade, You, Move, Dance On Glass, Life Is Better Worst Track: We Fight / We Love
Funky jazzy head nod hip hop. The back half of the album is way better than the beginning. Q’s rhymes go up another level and the beat selection is nice. I like the cover art. Move probably is the track most likely to be revisited.
Good flow, interesting harmonies, but so so so so monotonic that it gets boring. Resident sleeper album. 3/5.
Some decent hip-hop. Nothing terrible, nothing that really wowed me.
Decent start, classic soul & boom bap beats. Track 3 standout so far. Track 5 is awesome. Track 8 is good but too long. Track 10 bangs overall decent first album
wonderful
Solid 7/10. His flow is crazy smoothe
Smooth like butter, rolls from one track to the next seemingly never breaking its stride. This constant flow, whilst pleasant listening, meant I couldn’t get my teeth into the constant so smoothly did it slip on by.
pas mal fav : move, shaka
Low 3. It's good, but not something I'd usually listen to.
Another record that I've somehow never got around to listening to. Therefore, it wouldn't have been my obvious hip-hop choice for the 1001 list. However, it is good! It has some of the appeal of early Tribe Called Quest, but with the sprawling hippie stuff stripped away, and a more crisp, contemporary sound throughout. It didn't blow me away, but yeah, he's a major talent of the genre. I'm going to say 3.5
Quite a decent listen, it had my toes tapping. There are some interesting tunes and melodies throughout. I enjoyed it, though I likely won't ever revisit, it didn't stand out from the hip hop crowd at all really.
Not heard so will try it
I imagine historians would agree that recalling a popular style from 10-15 years is too short of a time for an official renaissance. This is a solid album that doesn't make sense in 2008. By this point Kanye has completed his college trilogy and I want Q-Tip to be part of moving it forward rather than a throwback. The production is smooth as hell J Dilla jazz. Q-Tip's delivery is smooth as hell onomatopoeia. I wouldn't hesitate to put this on in the background of a low key beach gathering or a pickleball tourney, and not worry about having to skip any songs. Only concern would be getting hypnotized into thinking it's 1993 and drifting into grandma's kitchen. B-
.
Pretty decent for rap. More musical than most.
Pretty alright rap album. 0RS
Was a good change of pace for my day. Musically pleasing, but not something I think I’d seek out on my own, or ever again. It’s not that I didn’t enjoy it, I’m just sure there is so much more out there I have yet to discover.
Enjoyable
Good beats and nice flow but all the songs sounded the same
pretty good like the production most
Great headbobbin music. Nothing sticks out though.
Buenos ritmos. Acordes pegadizos
Bastante funky para ser hip hop... Muy rescatable.
I fucking loved this album! I dont listen to much rap but the collaborations, beats, and lyrics were great.
i like his style in general, but didn't love this album.
Not my preferred style, but not bad. After one listen I didn't hate it and I could see a couple of tracks growing on me. Though I didn't like anything enough to add it to my new music playlist, so three stars at best. Could go up or down with further listens.
"a surprise indeed but a welcome one"
Solid.
Noice
Definitely heard "Love Vigilantes" before, funny I think it was a cover Iron & Wine did. Elegia wow, definitely heard this before, I heard it in a trailer for "Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain" (video game). Besides those two, not much does anything for me here. Not bad.
As far as hip-hop goes it was pleasant but I didn't love it. It's fine.
Surprisingly good. Not really a fan of rap but quite enjoyed this. Definitely enjoy this style of rap over rap from more recent rap.
Not as great as his A Tribe Called Quest work, but still enjoyed it quite a bit.
Cool beats, nice flow
nice enough but not my thing
Now that's what I call good hip-hop. So different from what was popular at the time. Very reminiscent of the late 80s/early 90s hip-hop without sounding dated.
Made me bob my head. Wouldn't say no.
Good beats
I've not listened to much hip hop, but enjoyed this album quite a bit. Admittedly, didn't catch most of the lyrics, as I was working. Will focus more next time.
jazzy hip hop. it was ok.
Not my taste
I love Q-Tip in ATCQ, and some of his features are among my favorites. It's hard to stick with his lazy delivery for an entire album, though. Could have used more appearances by the Norah Joneses of the world. Best track: Won't Trade
probably revolutionary for its time but now it kinda just sounds like a youtube vlog soundtrack
Je ne m'attendais pas à mieux venant d'un bâtonnet ouaté
Meh
I like q-tip but found this weirdly bland. 2 listens through and i couldnt give you a sibgle lyric or hook. Not bad, but also very unmemorable and as someone who has a very surface level knowledge if hip hop can name 10 albums more interesting than this
As I’ve gotten older, I’ve come to feel that much lyrical and conscious rap often comes across as preachy and pseudo-intellectual, sometimes at the expense of the music itself. Thankfully, that isn’t the case with The Renaissance. The album is super soulful and skillful, with many parts that remind me of a young Kanye West and Common. I also can’t help but think that this album was a major influence on Open Mike Eagle’s work. However, despite my praise, there wasn’t really a single song that jumped out at me during my first listen. There’s much to appreciate here, but I’m not sure I’d ever return to it. I’d rather just listen to Tribe Called Quest.
The album cover says it all.
Meh, I wouldn't want to listen to this again.
Didn't hold my attention at all. Perfectly passable 00s hip-hop.
Move was probably the best song on the album. The rest wasn't really remarkable.
un poco aburrido
The songs here are repetitive and forgettable. The lead has a good delivery, but it’s the same delivery every time. Boring. A 2.
Nah, didn't like it. Not the music or the vocals.
Just meh. Not terrible but not good.
meh. had to convince myself to finish this one
Was not a fan of the Tribe Called Quest album I got before and not a fan of this either. I just don't get Hip Hop. Only salvagable part of the album was Norah Jones's feature. Favorite Track - Life is Better Least Favorite Track - Johnny is Dead ⭐️⭐️
This is an album I thought I'd connect with more, but it just never reached me. It's not bad, but it's missing a standout element. Doesn't help that I'm not a fan of Q-Tip's vocal delivery either. Might be better on a second pass, but not sure if it's interesting enough to warrant a second pass. Top tracks: Johnny Is Dead, Believe
Not for me
Not very memorable
Para ser hip-hop es variado, pero sigue sin merecer la pena escucharlo unicamente por la música..
Not even close to my vibe. Great bass playing, though.
★★½
un par de temas me gustaron pero no es mi onda.
Well, this may be he first rap album that I was able to actually get through.
4.5/10
Meh
2.5/5
Quite nice, but not my thing
I liked the A Tribe Called Quest album with the Lou Reed sample better
Boring rap album. Pretty generic
Þetta var allt í lagi hjá þessum eyrnapinna. Nær því sem ég hef hlustað á í rappheiminum en samt afskaplega auðgleymanlegt. Eiginlega bara ekkert sem situr eftir.
I guess it was ok? I like rap, but this seemed so boring. I gave it two stars only because it at least had a few songs that I found the music to be enjoyable.
Some catchy songs but not the best.
not my taste
Rap, with a good bass beat, but not my thing
2,3/5
Just cant get into this at all
Ok vibe
OK.
Fine but forgettable.
It was fine
I tried to like this but, man, hip-hop and R&B; just really isn't my thing although I've tried. Two stars.
Not bad. It's clear it's rap, but the backing instrumentals is not bad.
Harmless.
Starts strong but drops off.
Heard
Ambivalent to this me
Kind of dumb.
I liked it.
Not my usual genre but still enjoyed it.
When this album first played I didn’t like it. I felt th first couple of songs let it down. But the more of the album you listen to the better it gets. I would have loved this album about 8 years ago and I still love the sound of Q tips voice, very melodic and the way he flows is great. I do think this sounds very 2000’s in its more chill rap offering. I did enjoy this, I just think it could have been stronger.
Mostly forgettable rap.
One of so many hip-hop albums which all sound the same ... except for a few good songs with other artists (D'Angelo, Norah Jones)
This is quite a well made late 2000s rap album from an artist who doesn't seem to be relevant anymore. It has a bunch of guest appearances and is overall well made. However, I don't think there is a standout song on here and I probably wouldn't listen to again.
Ok, not really my genre, but it was fine.
Low replay value for me. It's not bad. I wouldn't mind putting it on in the background.
Just couldn't get into it