Q-Tip's The Renaissance

I got Q-Tip's new album from Amazon's $5 Digital Download Black Friday Sale (still going on!!!).

It is a flat out fantastic record. From Track 1 to 11, ever song is a hit. He's solo now, but there's dipping back into that A Tribe Called Quest, and it serves him right. 'Gettin Up' sounds like an updated track from Midnight Marauders. It's got that funky little piano, and Q-Tip just breathlessly and effortlessly rhymes over the whole thing.

And like any major hip hop effort now, there's always guests. But Q-Tip uses them judiciously, and the effect is pleasant. Raphael Saadiq, D'Angelo and Norah Jones fit right in as backup singers; you'd almost miss them if no one pointed them out.

The truth is, this record owes much of its sound to the late J Dilla (he even gets production credit on two tracks, the single 'Move' and the aformentioned 'Gettin Up'). The laidback-ness is directly attributable to him, and Tip acknowledges as much on the ode to hip-hop track, "Life is Better."

It's hard to imagine that Tip's been rapping for over 20 years. He sounds young and as vibrant as ever. If you're looking for something to round out your hip hop collection, , from one of the giants and living legends of the game, get this now. It'll fit right in nicely with your Mos Def Black on Both Sides download I told you to get a few days back.