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Critic Reviews
100
His music now seems as fresh and necessary an alternative to rap's mainstream as it did when Tribe first arrived. Welcome back, old friend.
10y
90
His long-awaited return on The Renaissance is no disappointment, offering more of the same understated, aqueous grooves and fluid rapping that the Abstract Poetic has built his peerless career on.
15y
90
Q-Tip‘s latest actually manages to find the intersection of the desires of the artist, the office and the fans.
12y
85
The beats are almost universally delicious and Kamaal himself seems to have paid more attention to the words, too.
1y
84
After a ridiculously long and convoluted voyage, the former Tribe MC finally releases his first solo album in nine years-- and it's a tight refining of both classic boom-bap and fusion experimentalism.
15y
82
The Renaissance is the logical extension of this exploratory work, coupled with Q-Tip’s need to, once and for all, step out from behind Tribe’s long, dominant shadow, and in many respects (if not all), it succeeds wildly in both dimensions.
14y
80
The Renaissance feels like a complete album. Each song has distinctive characteristics, and brilliant sequencing allows for seamless transitions between tracks.
11y
80
In between there's much else to savour, from smooth slow jams to Won't Trade's terrific blast of rap meets '60s soul.
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3y
80
In a year that seems overrun with pop-rap releases, Q-Tip’s second solo effort comes as a breath of fresh air, especially against the omnipresent pollution of AutoTune machines.
8y
80
At the end of an extraordinary year in America, hip hop is witnessing the start of its lost icon's second term.
8y
80
The cookie-cutter joints are tossed out the window for The Renaissance as Q-Tip attempts to show that he can creatively flow over whatever unusual progression or production twist comes along with each successive track.
10y
80
His reliably nerdular delivery and thoughtful lyrics still make it sound box-fresh compared to the generic macho fare that still dominates mainstream hip hop.
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3y
80
Cloaking its eclecticism with a homogenising sheen, the album's frequent changes of mood and direction dazzle.
10y
80
The Renaissance Q-Tip reaffirms his stature as one of the hip-hop greats by waxing unassuming, cool-headed and wise.
11y
80
His confidence is not misplaced: he refuses to rest on past glories, exchanging the contemporary style of his last album for a jazzy sound reminiscent of his ‘90s outfit A Tribe Called Quest which is fleshed out by minimalist synths that bring the listener firmly into the 21st century, as on Gettin’ Up, the album’s Dilla-produced standout.
12y
80
The Renaissance, which is almost entirely self-produced by Q-Tip, pushes the genre forward musically. The beats are extremely laid-back and jazzy. It is not a hook-heavy record. This is hip hop that needs to be digested.
12y
80
Up-tempo and uplifting, this largely self-produced record blurs distinctions between accessibility and avant-gardism.
14y
76
The Renaissance functions as a representation that he’s never needed to say much of anything to be immensely enjoyable.
11y
75
It's an appropriately elegiac, bittersweet conclusion to a solid though less-than-transcendent comeback album from a hip-hop icon who has survived to make good music, even if he hasn't exactly thrived.
14y
60
The Renaissance offers a compromise between the rootsy East Coast rap he helped to define and the LP you imagine the label wanted.
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2y
It’s kinda crazy how I haven’t checked out a single one of my favorite rapper of all time’s solo projects. So why keep waiting? And what makes it even better is that my favorite rapper surpassed my expectations. I haven’t really checked out a lot of 2000’s pop rap, and I think this serves as a great introduction to the genre. Even with all the changes made within the genre, to me Q-Tip represents true hip hop. And this album is a reminder of that fact. Every song ... read more
A record so good that it's considered honorary Tribe, required listening for any fan of the Native Tongues. For good reason - Q-Tip taps into a soulful, groovy style with a late 2000's swing to it. Won't Trade is probably the best rap song about sports you'll ever hear, Official is one of the catchiest songs Tip's ever made, and Life Is Better is as inspiring as it is pretty. You won't regret hearing this one, you'll walk away with a few tracks to add to your Best of Tribe playlist.
One of my favourite albums. Dilla and Q-Tip are a match made in heaven, and the result is an album so infectious it will leave you moving long after it's finished.
fav song: Move (specifically the Renaissance Rap part)
least fav song: ManWomanBoogie
Rating #311: The Renaissance - Q-Tip
This requires another listen, but I like what I heard.
An all-time classic, 'The Renaissance' shows Q-Tip's full rapping abilities with J. DIlla production and next-level writing.
Best Song: 'Believe'
Worst Song: 'ManWomanBoogie'
Best Feat: D'Angelo (Believe)
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patton, royalflush, thisisabtlgrnd, philthy, Alejandro González, JediMark, erik, OPENblinds, GoGap, bigfis_H, smartnameBecome a Subscriber
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Track List
| 1 | Johnny Is Dead 3:01 | 90 |
| 2 | Won't Trade 2:41 | 92 |
| 3 | Gettin' Up 3:17 | 91 |
| 4 | Official 3:18 | 88 |
| 5 | You 3:01 | 85 |
| 6 | We Fight/We Love 4:47 feat. Raphael Saadiq | 88 |
| 7 | ManWomanBoogie 3:05 feat. Amanda Diva | 79 |
| 8 | Move 5:49 | 93 |
| 9 | Dance On Glass 3:01 | 84 |
| 10 | Life Is Better 4:41 feat. Norah Jones | 86 |
| 11 | Believe 2:56 feat. D'Angelo | 90 |
| 12 | Shaka 3:32 | 87 |
Total Length: 43 minutes
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