We got our first taste of A Tribe Called Quest – then, a quartet – with their 1990 debut, “People’s Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm.” Their single, “Can I Kick it?” got the album off the ground, followed by the sing-songy tale about a girl named “Bonita Applebum.”
After the departure of Jarobi White, Tribe became a three-man operation and we couldn’t get enough of Tip, Phife and Ali. “The Low End Theory” was a stellar sophomore effort and included “Check the Rhime,” “Jazz (We’ve Got)” and Busta Rhyme’s now-infamous vocal wild-out on “Scenario.”
By the time Tribe took us on an “Award Tour” for their 1993 album, “Midnight Marauders,” everybody was bobbing their heads. Along with the Busta-infused “Oh My God,” the trio brought us “Electric Relaxation,” which was accompanied by one of the illest black & white videos on record. But we still wonder…where was homegirl walking to?
1996’s “Beats, Rhymes and Life” came right in the midst of the much-hyped East Coast/West Coast rap war. Led by the singles “Stressed Out” and “1nce Again,” the album earned the trio a Grammy nod. And yes, their album artwork continued to be as creative and original as their sound.
The Queens trio released their last (and hopefully, not their final) studio album, “The Love Movement” in 1998, led by the smoothed-out hit, “Find A Way.”
Before the group’s “Hits, Rarities & Remixes” collection was released in 2003, Q-Tip burned up the charts and video channels with “Vivrant Thing,” “Breathe & Stop” and “Let’s Ride” from his solo debut, “Amplified.”
Q-Tip gets his spin on at the Hugo Boss store opening celebration in Manhattan in 2004.
Q-Tip performs during the CMJ Music Marathon at New York’s Blender Theater in 2007.
Q-Tip takes the stage during the “Best of Both Worlds” Tour at Madison Square Garden in 2004.
Diddy and Fabolous pose alongside Q-Tip while backstage at VH1’s Hip Hop Honors, circa 2006.
In 2008, Q-Tip released the his second solo project, “The Renaissance,” which featured the talents of late producer extraordinaire, J Dilla, as well as Nora Jones, D’Angelo, Raphael Saadiq and Amanda Diva. He earned a Grammy nod for Best Rap Album for his efforts.
Q-Tip works up a sweat on stage at 2009’s All Points West Music & Arts Festival in New Jersey.
Last fall, Q-Tip released his ever-eclectic, long awaited collection, “Kamaal the Abstract.”
Just this year, Q-Tip was photographed doing his DJ thing, ever-so well.
