By Kennita Hickman
NEW YORK(RushPRnews)15/11/08–Sporadically, an album will come along and surprise you with its goodness. Q-Tip’s The Renaissance does just that. The 12 track LP is produced mainly by Q-Tip with the exception of Move (produced by J Dilla). It also features collaborations from D’Angelo, Raphael Saadiq, Amanda Diva and Norah Jones.
The album as a whole feels more neo-soul than straight hip-hop. That’s one of the things Q-Tip has been great at, fusing the lines that separate genres of music. If you listen to this album looking for something profound, you may miss the beauty.
What you can appreciate about The Renaissance is the simplicity of the album. It’s more storytelling than random lyrics put together. Lyrically, it’s not profound, per se.
But, it’s a real album that deals with everyday things, love, sex and relationships. Granted, it’s not a total departure from his previous works (including that with A Tribe Called Quest). However, it’s refreshing to hear an album that goes below the surface to convey real, true emotions.
The standout track is You, that is about a chic who’s cheating but accusing you. Vivid in the little nuisances and accusations that plague relationships, only to find out the accuser is really up to “no good”.
Another track to check for is Life Is Better featuring Norah Jones – her voice seems to float on the track/chorus. If for no other reason… you can vibe to this record.
Overall Tip’s The Renaissance deserves 4 out of 5 stars.
