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Q-Tip (rapper)

 

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Q-Tip (rapper)



 
 
Q-Tip (born April 10, 1970), is an American hip hop
Hip hop music

Hip hop music is a music genre typically consisting of a rhythmic vocal style called rapping which is accompanied with backing beats. Hip hop music is part of hip hop culture, which began in the Bronx, in New York City in the 1970s, predominantly among African Americans and Latino Americans....
 artist, singer, and occasional actor
Actor

An actor or actress is a person who acting in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio programming in that capacity....
 from Queens
Queens

Queens is the largest in area, the second-largest in population, and the easternmost of the Borough which form the New York City. The Borough of Queens' boundaries are identical to those of the County of Queens , a Administrative divisions of New York#County of the State of New York in the Northeastern United States United States....
, New York City
New York City

The City of New York is the List of United States cities by population in the United States, while the New York metropolitan area ranks among the List of urban areas by population....
, perhaps best known as the leader of the critically acclaimed group A Tribe Called Quest
A Tribe Called Quest

A Tribe Called Quest is an United States Hip hop music group, formed in 1988. The group is composed of rapper/producer Q-Tip , rapper Phife Dawg , and DJ/producer Ali Shaheed Muhammad....
.

des performing with his popular and successful jazz-influenced hip hop
Jazz rap

Jazz rap is a fusion of alternative hip hop and jazz, developed in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The lyrics are often based on political consciousness, Afrocentricity, and general Political positivism....
 group, Tip also did production work (under his production alias the Abstract or often—along with fellow Tribe member Ali Shaheed Muhammad
Ali Shaheed Muhammad

Ali Shaheed Muhammad is an United States hip-hop DJ who enjoyed moderate fame as a member of A Tribe Called Quest.With Q-Tip and Phife Dawg, the group released five albums from 1990 to 1998....
 and the late Slum Village
Slum Village

Slum Village is a Hip hop music group from Conant Gardens, Detroit, Michigan.The group was formed by three members: rappers Baatin and T3, plus rapper and Record producer J Dilla....
 member Jay Dee
J Dilla

James Dewitt Yancey , also known as J Dilla, Jay Dee, or "your favorite producer's favorite producer", was an American record producer who emerged from the mid-1990s underground hip hop scene in Detroit, Michigan....
—as part of the Ummah
The Ummah

The Ummah was a music music production collective, composed of members Q-Tip and Ali Shaheed Muhammad of A Tribe Called Quest, and the late J Dilla of the Detroit-based group Slum Village....
) for artists such as Nas
Nas

Nasir Jones, , , better known by his stage name Nas, , formerly Nasty Nas, is an American rapping and actor. The son of jazz musician Olu Dara, he was born and raised in the Queensbridge, Queens housing projects in New York City....
 ("One Love," from Illmatic
Illmatic

Illmatic is the debut album of American Hip hop music rapper Nas, released April 19, 1994 on Columbia Records in the United States. Recording sessions for the album took place from 1992 to 1993 at Chung King Studios, D&D Studios, Battery Studios and Unique Recording Studios in New York City....
, 1994
1994 in music

This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1994....
), Mobb Deep
Mobb Deep

Mobb Deep is a hip-hop duo that consists of Havoc and Prodigy . The group is perhaps best known for their dark, hardcore delivery as shown on the classic single "Shook Ones Pt....
 (co-producer on "Give up the Goods (Just Step)," "Temperature's Rising," and "Drink Away the Pain," from The Infamous
The Infamous

The Infamous is the second album by the United States hip hop music duo Mobb Deep. Embedded with hypervisual lyricism, dark soundscapes, and gritty narratives, it marked Mobb Deep's transition from a relatively unknown rap duo to an influential and commercially successful one....
, 1995
1995 in music

This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1995....
) and even R&B divas Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey

Mariah Carey is an United States singer-songwriter, record producer and actress. She made her recording debut in 1990 under the guidance of Columbia Records executive Tommy Mottola, and became the first recording artist to have her first five singles top the U.S....
 ("Honey," from Butterfly, 1997
1997 in music

This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1997....
) and Whitney Houston
Whitney Houston

Whitney Elizabeth Houston is an United States singer, songwriter,actress, record producer, film producer, and former model . Houston rose to international fame in the mid-1980s and her crossover success opened doors for many other African American women to find success in booty shaking & pop music and movies....
 ("Fine," from Greatest Hits).

ibe Called Quest disbanded in 1998
1998 in music

This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1998....
, after which Q-Tip pursued a solo career.






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Q-Tip (born April 10, 1970), is an American hip hop
Hip hop music

Hip hop music is a music genre typically consisting of a rhythmic vocal style called rapping which is accompanied with backing beats. Hip hop music is part of hip hop culture, which began in the Bronx, in New York City in the 1970s, predominantly among African Americans and Latino Americans....
 artist, singer, and occasional actor
Actor

An actor or actress is a person who acting in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio programming in that capacity....
 from Queens
Queens

Queens is the largest in area, the second-largest in population, and the easternmost of the Borough which form the New York City. The Borough of Queens' boundaries are identical to those of the County of Queens , a Administrative divisions of New York#County of the State of New York in the Northeastern United States United States....
, New York City
New York City

The City of New York is the List of United States cities by population in the United States, while the New York metropolitan area ranks among the List of urban areas by population....
, perhaps best known as the leader of the critically acclaimed group A Tribe Called Quest
A Tribe Called Quest

A Tribe Called Quest is an United States Hip hop music group, formed in 1988. The group is composed of rapper/producer Q-Tip , rapper Phife Dawg , and DJ/producer Ali Shaheed Muhammad....
.

Career


Early years

Besides performing with his popular and successful jazz-influenced hip hop
Jazz rap

Jazz rap is a fusion of alternative hip hop and jazz, developed in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The lyrics are often based on political consciousness, Afrocentricity, and general Political positivism....
 group, Tip also did production work (under his production alias the Abstract or often—along with fellow Tribe member Ali Shaheed Muhammad
Ali Shaheed Muhammad

Ali Shaheed Muhammad is an United States hip-hop DJ who enjoyed moderate fame as a member of A Tribe Called Quest.With Q-Tip and Phife Dawg, the group released five albums from 1990 to 1998....
 and the late Slum Village
Slum Village

Slum Village is a Hip hop music group from Conant Gardens, Detroit, Michigan.The group was formed by three members: rappers Baatin and T3, plus rapper and Record producer J Dilla....
 member Jay Dee
J Dilla

James Dewitt Yancey , also known as J Dilla, Jay Dee, or "your favorite producer's favorite producer", was an American record producer who emerged from the mid-1990s underground hip hop scene in Detroit, Michigan....
—as part of the Ummah
The Ummah

The Ummah was a music music production collective, composed of members Q-Tip and Ali Shaheed Muhammad of A Tribe Called Quest, and the late J Dilla of the Detroit-based group Slum Village....
) for artists such as Nas
Nas

Nasir Jones, , , better known by his stage name Nas, , formerly Nasty Nas, is an American rapping and actor. The son of jazz musician Olu Dara, he was born and raised in the Queensbridge, Queens housing projects in New York City....
 ("One Love," from Illmatic
Illmatic

Illmatic is the debut album of American Hip hop music rapper Nas, released April 19, 1994 on Columbia Records in the United States. Recording sessions for the album took place from 1992 to 1993 at Chung King Studios, D&D Studios, Battery Studios and Unique Recording Studios in New York City....
, 1994
1994 in music

This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1994....
), Mobb Deep
Mobb Deep

Mobb Deep is a hip-hop duo that consists of Havoc and Prodigy . The group is perhaps best known for their dark, hardcore delivery as shown on the classic single "Shook Ones Pt....
 (co-producer on "Give up the Goods (Just Step)," "Temperature's Rising," and "Drink Away the Pain," from The Infamous
The Infamous

The Infamous is the second album by the United States hip hop music duo Mobb Deep. Embedded with hypervisual lyricism, dark soundscapes, and gritty narratives, it marked Mobb Deep's transition from a relatively unknown rap duo to an influential and commercially successful one....
, 1995
1995 in music

This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1995....
) and even R&B divas Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey

Mariah Carey is an United States singer-songwriter, record producer and actress. She made her recording debut in 1990 under the guidance of Columbia Records executive Tommy Mottola, and became the first recording artist to have her first five singles top the U.S....
 ("Honey," from Butterfly, 1997
1997 in music

This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1997....
) and Whitney Houston
Whitney Houston

Whitney Elizabeth Houston is an United States singer, songwriter,actress, record producer, film producer, and former model . Houston rose to international fame in the mid-1980s and her crossover success opened doors for many other African American women to find success in booty shaking & pop music and movies....
 ("Fine," from Greatest Hits).

Solo career

A Tribe Called Quest disbanded in 1998
1998 in music

This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1998....
, after which Q-Tip pursued a solo career. His first solo singles, "Vivrant Thing
Vivrant Thing

"Vivrant Thing" is the first single released by Q-Tip on his debut solo album Amplified . The song is also featured in A Tribe Called Quest's 1999 compilation The Anthology....
" and "Breathe & Stop
Breathe & Stop

"Breathe And Stop" is the second single released by Q-Tip on his debut album Amplified . The video to this single featured Q-tip in unusual attire dancing with girls....
," were far more pop-oriented than anything he had done in A Tribe Called Quest, as was his solo debut LP for Arista Records
Arista Records

Arista Records is an United States record label. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment and operates under the RCA Records....
, Amplified. His 2002
2002 in music

This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 2002....
 follow-up, Kamaal the Abstract
Kamaal the Abstract

Kamaal the Abstract is an unreleased album by rapping Q-Tip , recorded around 2001. It features Q-Tip rapping, as on previous album Amplified, notably though it also features him singing on several tracks....
, although critically acclaimed and issued a catalog number, was never released because the label believed that it did not have commercial appeal.

A Tribe Called Quest reunited in 2006 and played a limited number of dates. The group was composed of its original lineup, including Tip and occasional member Jarobi White
Jarobi White

Jarobi White is an United States hip-hop artist, and one of the four original members of A Tribe Called Quest....
. Early the next year, Tip signed a new solo deal with Motown
Motown Records

Motown Records is a record label originally based in Detroit, Michigan, USA. Founded by Berry Gordy, Jr. on January 12, 1959 as Tamla Records, the company was incorporated as Motown Record Corporation on April 14, 1960....
/Universal Records
Universal Music Group

Universal Music Group is the largest business group and family of record labels in the Record industry. With a 25.5% market share, it is one of the Music industry....
.

As of late, Q-Tip has been very active, once again happily reunited with the full line-up of A Tribe Called Quest
A Tribe Called Quest

A Tribe Called Quest is an United States Hip hop music group, formed in 1988. The group is composed of rapper/producer Q-Tip , rapper Phife Dawg , and DJ/producer Ali Shaheed Muhammad....
 on the 2K7 NBA Bounce Tour, Rock the Bells Tour '08, and regaining control of his previously label-owned MySpace
MySpace

MySpace is a social network service website with an interactive, user-submitted network of friends, personal profiles, blogs, groups, photos, music, and videos for teenagers and adults internationally....
 page. He has announced that he is negotiating for the ownership of the masters of earlier material from his previous labels and plans to release them independently.

Q-Tip has recently stated that he will be forming a hip hop group with fellow rapper Common
Common (rapper)

Lonnie Rashid Lynn, Jr. , better known by his stage name Common , is an United States rapper and actor.Common debuted in 1992 with the album Can I Borrow a Dollar? and maintained a significant underground following into the late 90s, after which he gained notable mainstream success through his work with the Soulquarians....
, called "The Standard." His latest album The Renaissance
The Renaissance (Q-Tip album)

The Renaissance is the second studio album by American Hip hop music artist Q-Tip , released on November 4, 2008 by Universal Motown Records....
 was released on November 4, 2008 through Universal Motown.

Discography

  • 1999: Amplified *RIAA Certified Gold*
  • 2002: Kamaal the Abstract
    Kamaal the Abstract

    Kamaal the Abstract is an unreleased album by rapping Q-Tip , recorded around 2001. It features Q-Tip rapping, as on previous album Amplified, notably though it also features him singing on several tracks....
      (Unreleased)
  • 2008: The Renaissance
    The Renaissance (Q-Tip album)

    The Renaissance is the second studio album by American Hip hop music artist Q-Tip , released on November 4, 2008 by Universal Motown Records....


Films

  • 1993: Poetic Justice
    Poetic justice

    Poetic justice is a Literary technique in which virtue is ultimately rewarded or vice punishment, often in modern literature by an irony twist of fate intimately related to the character's own conduct....
  • 2000: Disappearing Acts
    Disappearing Acts

    Disappearing Acts is a 2000 in film Romantic drama film, film director by Gina Prince-Bythewood, and stars Sanaa Lathan, Wesley Snipes, and Regina Hall....
  • 2001: Prison Song
    Prison Song

    Prison Song is a 2001 United States prison film about a boy brought up in group homes with a gift and passion for art....
  • 2002: Brown Sugar
    Brown Sugar (film)

    Brown Sugar is a 2002 in film romantic drama film, screenwriter by Michael Elliott and Rick Famuyiwa, and film director by Rick Famuyiwa. This movie stars Taye Diggs and Sanaa Lathan....
  • 2004: She Hate Me
    She Hate Me

    She Hate Me is a 2004 in film LGBT independent comedy-drama feature film directed by Spike Lee and starring Anthony Mackie, Kerry Washington, and Ellen Barkin....
  • 2008: Cadillac Records
    Cadillac Records

    Cadillac Records is a 2008 in film Cinema of the United States musical film biographical film written and directed by Darnell Martin. The film explores the musical era from the early 1940s to the late 1960s, chronicling the life of the influential Chicago, Illinois-based record-company executive Leonard Chess, and the singers who recorded...


Personal life

Q-Tip was born Jonathan Davis in Harlem, New York
Harlem

Harlem is a Neighbourhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan, long known as a major African-American residential, cultural, and business center....
. He attended Murry Bergtraum High School
Murry Bergtraum High School

The Murry Bergtraum High School for Business Careers is a public secondary school in New York City. It is located in Lower Manhattan, adjacent to the Brooklyn Bridge and New York City Hall....
 in Manhattan, New York. He converted to Islam
Islam

Islam is a Monotheism, Abrahamic religion originating with the teachings of the Prophets of Islam Muhammad, a 7th century Arab religious and political figure....
 in the mid-1990s, and changed his name to Kamaal Ibn John Fareed. The
Q in Q-Tip's stage name
Stage name

A stage name, also called a showbiz name or screen name, is a pseudonym used by performers and entertainers such as actors, comedians, musician, and professional wrestling....
 stands for Queens, the borough
Borough

A borough is an administrative division of various countries. In principle, the term borough designates a self-governing township although, in practice, official use of the term varies widely....
 of New York City
New York City

The City of New York is the List of United States cities by population in the United States, while the New York metropolitan area ranks among the List of urban areas by population....
 from which he hails. On Martha Stewart he said his name Q-tip was his childhood nickname because he was skinny and had big hair. March 6th, 2009.

Q-Tip has been a resident of Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey
Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

Englewood Cliffs is a Borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the borough population was 5,322....
.

External links

  • discography at Discogs
    Discogs

    Discogs, short for discography, is a website and database of information about music recordings, including commercial releases, promotional releases, and Bootleg recording or off-label releases....
  • at MySpace
    MySpace

    MySpace is a social network service website with an interactive, user-submitted network of friends, personal profiles, blogs, groups, photos, music, and videos for teenagers and adults internationally....
    .
  • at Twitter
    Twitter

    Twitter is a social networking and micro-blogging service. It enables its users to send and read other users' updates , which are text-based posts of up to 140 characters in length....
  • at Artst Guild & Gallery
  • from lasvegasweekly.com