albums and tracks

Editor's rating

Hardcore fanatics of Q-Tip's much lauded brand of hippy-hop can breathe a collective sigh of relief. Nine years after his solo commercial debut, Amplified, an indulgent follow-up that never saw the light of day (Kamaal the Abstract) and a few guest spots here and there, he's returned with a virtually flawless sophomore effort reminiscent of his days with A Tribe Called Quest.

And it's about time too.  While Cool Kids, Lupe Fiasco and even Kanye have tried to fill in the gap with their leftfield attempts at retro rap, nothing has quite matched the charm of this veteran MC, who's still as flirty, effortless and socially aware as ever.

The snappy album opener 'Johnny is Dead' sets the tone. The Renaissance is all about Q-Tip honouring his formative years with a minor upgrade of his avant-garde soul-cum-jazz production, but he's not stuck in nostalgia. On 'Official', his trademark flow creates a striking picture of his lyrical prowess over a laidback melodic beat, a nod to Amplified's stand-out track, 'Ride'. Likewise, lead single 'Gettin' Up' is just as cool and relaxed, while the joints made to dance to, such as 'Manwomanboogie', are not too old-school to be dismissed as lazy sampling.

A host of guests like Raphael Saadiq, Norah Jones, Amanda Diva and D'Angelo all fit right into the grooves as Tip offers what hip-hop should have sounded like, if only he'd delivered a few more albums in the time he's been doing his thing underground.  But better late than never.

Matilda Egere-Cooper