The Renaissance revives the old sound of hip-hop

the new album gives us a respite from ringtone and autotune rap.

By Derek Reagan

Published Nov. 6, 2008

It has been nearly seven years since Q-Tip, one of the greatest rappers/producers of all time, released any solo work. During his absence, ringtone and autotune rap has become the mainstream sound, and the fresh, unique sound upon which hip-hop was founded went M.I.A. Many hip-hop heads are discouraged by the genre's current predicament, but Tip promises to bring back hope with The Renaissance, an album that exemplifies the sound that helped A Tribe Called Quest garner mainstream attention in hip-hop's early years.

On the album, Tip demonstrates song after song how to show off the instrumental, as well as his talents on the mic. The album has a new sound with every song, but Tip impressively weaves different sounds together to make a great whole. The album is a must-buy for any hip-hop fan that wants to return to the time when it was just about the music.

The first single, "Gettin Up," is a great model of what the legend does best. Flipping the Black Ivory sample "You," Q-Tip flows in perfect harmony with the jazz-infused hip-hop sound. It is hard to believe it has been nine years since he has put out any material, but this sound makes up for lost time.

"ManWomanBoogie," featuring Amanda Diva, is a fun dance song. The beat is very simplistic, a majority of it being a snare drum and the strums of the bass guitar. The song shows off one of the many directions that Tip decides to take with the album. The flow and lyrics are unlike a traditional song, and they feel as if he just said what he wanted, when he wanted.

"ManWomanBoogie" seamlessly transitions into the next song, "Move," the only song on the album not produced by Q-Tip. The instrumental, created by the late J Dilla, is a classic Dilla beat with a heavy jazz/funk sample mixed with the requisite hip-hop drum line. The song takes on an entirely new direction halfway through when the upbeat funk scratch shifts into something straight out of the Renaissance with some ye olde wind and string tones. The song is a great illustration of what Q-Tip does, making various sounds mix into one great finished product.

The best showing of lyrics comes on "Dance On Glass," where Q-Tip goes a capella for a full minute before the beat and chorus fills in behind him. With an obvious focus on lyrics, the beat is very minimal with some scratchy drums and jazz samples. Tip talks about how he is unaffected by the pressure to make something catchy and would rather make music for the people on the streets. His skills are on full display when he remains meaningful, rhyming "magnanimous" and "unanimous." Most rappers don't have as many syllables in one line as Tip has in one word.

Another notable sound is the Norah Jones-assisted "Life Is Better," a fantastic ode to rap, with Q-Tip paying homage to lyricists old and young. Using only verses between the Norah chorus, piano, and mellow rhythms, Q-Tip honors everyone from Afrika Bambaataa to Lil Wayne.