Hip-Hop Wired » q-tip

10 Rappers In The 40 & Over Club That Still Got The Glow

D.L. Chandler — Mon, 21 May 2012 20:49:10 +0000

There is no doubt to ~~some~~ most that if Christopher “Notorious B.I.G.” Wallace were alive today, his crisp baritone flow would still be intact and potent as ever. In honor of Biggie's 40^th birthday today, Hip-Hop Wired has compiled a list of so-called “old fogies” age 40 and over in the young man's sport of Hip-Hop that still smash microphones on the regular.

You young whipper snapper rappers will be blessed to get a fraction of their longevity. Here are 10 rappers in the 40 and over club that still got the glow*.

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-- Photo: CNN

*Really 13, but who's counting?

Exclusive: Game Says He's “Forever Grateful” For Adam “MCA” Yauch, Rappers Share Condolences Via Twitter [PHOTOS]

Latifah Muhammad — Fri, 04 May 2012 22:41:46 +0000

The Hip-Hop world is still reeling from the death of Beastie Boys member Adam “MCA” Yauch who lost his battle with cancer early Friday (may 4). News of the 47-year-old's death pierced the hearts of music fans, and artist alike, with many taking to Twitter and releasing statements expressing their condolences.

One person touched by Yauch's career is Game, who shared his thoughts on the passing of the MC. "We lost a great musical legend,” Game told Hip-Hop Wired exclusively, after hearing the news. Growing up as a fan of the Beastie Boys, hearing of the Yauch's death marked a sad moment for the Compton native. “My heart and condolences go out to MCA's family and friends. Beastie Boys paved the way for Hip-Hop artists like us. I will be forever grateful.”

Yauch was diagnosed with a cancer in his parotid gland back in 2009, and was unable to attend the Beastie Boys' Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony in last month.

Check out more rappers sharing their thoughts on Yauch's untimely death below.

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Q-Tip Says Kanye West Is Not A Jackass, Theorizes Barack Obama Lost A Dice Game

Alvin aqua Blanco — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 19:14:28 +0000

Yesterday, news broke of Barack Obama telling the The Atlantic that he preferred Jay-Z to Kanye West; going as far as saying that the latter was "a talented jackass." Recent G.O.O.D. Music signee Q-Tip begs to differ, though.

"Kanye's not a jackass—that's my boy, I know him,” Q-Tip told New York magazine's Daily Intel column at BAM's 150th Anniversary party on April 11th. "I guess the President is basing his comments on something I'm not aware of. Maybe Kanye beat him in dice and he's mad."

Well, Tip did rap, "Scared money don't make none," on ATCQ's "Midnight" (clap for yourself if you get that reference). However, there is an extensive list of moments Obama could have considered while drawing his conclusion. And no doubt, PETA agrees with the POTUS. But we'll chalk up the Abstract's defense of his G.O.O.D. Music label boss—who made a surprise appearance at last year's Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival—as riding for the home team. Tip's next album and Def Jam debut, The Last Zulu, is due out next year.
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Photo: Brooklyn Bodega

G.O.O.D. Music's Q-Tip Excited About Joining Kanye West, Working With 2 Chainz [LISTEN]

D.L. Chandler — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 17:23:20 +0000

When the news that longtime A Tribe Called Quest frontman Q-Tip was taking his talents to the label Kanye West built, the Internets went bananas over the possibilities. Having already worked together on Kanye's and Jay-Z's collaborative effort Watch The Throne, Q-Tip's inclusion on the G.O.O.D. Music imprint seemed to be a seamless transition. This morning, the Abstract Poetic called Hot 97's The Cipha Sounds and Rosenberg Show to reveal how the signing came to be and other little tidbits.

“I was at Def Jam and I worked with Kanye since the Dark Twisted Fantasy [album]. Kan was like, ‘Yo you should come work on this.' I came through to Hawaii and we started working on Watch the Throne,” shared a mellow Q-Tip. “He came through and we was just listening to joints. He was like, ‘What's up?'and I like, ‘I deejay and I got my thing.' He said, ‘Man, you should just link up with the team. It don't make no other sense but to do it.' I was just like, let's do it.”

After Cipha Sounds playfully ribbed Tip's laid back delivery of the news, Tip got into the business of explaining some upcoming jams he's working with, his work on Watch The Throne and also the release of his fourth solo project The Last Zulu. However, the big surprise was Tip working with southern mainstay 2 Chainz, who has been rumored to be signed to G.O.O.D. as well. Tip didn't confirm whether or not he'll be on the upcoming compilation from the label, but did tell host Peter Rosenberg that songs are in the works.

“Yeah. It's a joint with me and 2 Chainz and Rasheed [AKA] Common, that we messed around with,” said Tip. “I don't know if we finished it. Then, there was another joint with Pusha that we was working on. So yeah, we're messing around with ideas as well.”

Folks already know Q-Tip is a capable producer. Do you think Kanye West is going to inject some creative juice to Tip's upcoming joint?

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Photo: MissInfo.tv

Q-Tip Signs To Kanye West's & Def Jam's G.O.O.D. Music Label

Alvin aqua Blanco — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 14:10:40 +0000

Q-Tip is still on point. Def Jam has revealed that the renowned a Tribe Called Quest frontman and accomplished producer has signed to Kanye West's G.O.O.D. Music label. The Abstract's forthcoming album, The Last Zulu, will be released via G.O.O.D. Music/Def Jam and the announcement arrives via Barry Weiss, Chairman & CEO of Universal Republic and Island Def Jam.

“I am thrilled to be working with Q-Tip once again,” said Weiss in a press statement. “He is a respected voice in the music community as shown by his acclaimed solo albums and countless contributions to the work of other artists. His creativity continues to surpass all boundaries of hip-hop, R&B, pop, and jazz. We welcome Q-Tip to the G.O.O.D. Music / Island Def Jam family.”

“I'm excited to be a part of the great iconic Def Jam label,” added Q-Tip. “I'm humbled to be a part of such a storied history. To reconnect with Barry Weiss is a great thing. As far as G.O.O.D. Music, I'm excited to solidify my working relationship with Kanye, and I look forward to all the opportunities that lie ahead in our partnership. I will do my best to present the most cutting edge music I can.”

Reuniting with Weiss is a sort of homecoming for Q-Tip since the exec is the founder of a Tribe Called Quest's longtime label home Jive Records. Weiss left Sony (where Jive is housed) last year. Hopefully label relations will continue on good terms, no pun, considering ATCQ famously bickered with Jive.

Q-Tip's The Last Zulu is due out in 2013.

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Photo: YouTube

Roc Marciano - "Emeralds" [VIDEO]

Alvin aqua Blanco — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 15:35:07 +0000

Roc Marciano remains steadfastly dedicated to creating rap tunes that will cause you to scrunch your face up as if your are in pain and inevitably give you the urge to smack the taste out of a chump's mouth. "Emeralds" accomplishes that mission and here is its no frills video. No need for exotic locales and make believe when the music is what matters here.

"Emeralds" is off Roc Marci's forthcoming sophomore album, Reloaded, which will be drop ~~in April~~ this summer and be executive produced by Q-Tip. Redbull USA gets the premiere.

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Photo: Roc Marciano

Nas Hints At Joining Common & Q-Tip In 'The Standard' Collaborative Project

D.L. Chandler — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 23:06:43 +0000

On paper, the trio of Nas, Common and Q-Tip sounds like a dream come true for even the most marginally devoted rap fan. With all three men all possessing over 20 years of rap experience, the output has the potential to be explosive. Back in 2007, the Abstract teased that he and Common formed a duo under the name The Standard. While nothing has materialized of the union publicly, Nas hinted at the possibility of joining the collaborative effort.

The New York Daily News reported today that an insider with ties to the Tribe Called Quest front man confirmed that Tip is indeed in the studio but neither with Common nor Nas. It appears that Q-Tip is focusing his energies on his latest solo outing and “in the studio, working on his own album,” said the Daily News' source about Q-Tip's current plans.

While none of the rappers' reps elected to confirm news about forthcoming material from The Standard or Nas officially joining the group, the Daily News did offer that a recent conversation with Nas yielded some fruit, although vague. When asked if he would be working with the pair, Nas, who is also working on a new solo album, simply replied, “definitely.”

Could this mean that Nas is joining The Standard or that he will simply be working alongside his fellow veteran rap stars?

Photo: Def Jam

A Tribe Called Quest Frontman Q-Tip Discovers His African Roots [Video]

D.L. Chandler — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 14:10:29 +0000

Although Q-Tip has flirted with African drum samples and loops since the early inception of the legendary A Tribe Called Quest, but the New York City native has discovered an even deeper connection to the great continent of Africa. Sitting down with OkayAfrica in their latest "The Roots of" series, the eternally youthful Abstract Poetic playfully lobbed verbal jabs at the cameras while swabbing the inside of his cheek to collect DNA to be tested by genealogy experts African Ancestry.

Revealing his mother's Alabama roots and his father's West Indian heritage during the clip, Q-Tip seemed eager to learn more about his lineage. “I really want to know about where my people come from because I feel like it just answers a lot of questions for me,” shared Tip. “You know, just a bunch of generational, psychological things that could be answered as well. It's a lot of intrigue for me.”

Stating that he's never been to Africa, Tip rattled off a few guesses as to where his maternal roots stem from. However, the moment of truth revealed that he was a bit off with his geography. After a two month process, Q-Tip sat with Gina Paige of African Ancestry for the big reveal—once again stating his furthest knowledge of his roots were in Alabama. Tip learned his roots are connected with the Jola tribe—no pun intended—in the West African country of Guinea-Bissau.

Q-Tip was further surprised after Paige introduced the rapper to Sana Ndiaye, a native from his newly discovered homeland that has mastered the Jola tribe's banjo-like instrument, the akonting.

Could Q-Tip rename his crew A Tribe Called Jola in the near future?

Consequence Says He's Responsible For Getting Q-Tip On The Watch The Throne Album

Jason Weintraub — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 16:42:15 +0000

During a recent interview with Street Disciplez Radio, Cons admitted while he has ended his beef with Kanye, he still has some animosity towards Q-Tip.

In the beginning, Cons was hesitant to speak on Q-Tip, saying:

"We just gotta do next question with that," Next question. I'm only here to talk about positive things...I'm making a valiant effort to move in a positive direction. I had a couple public discrepancies with a few folks that I had relationships with in the past. I just think it's more healthy at this point to stay away from certain questions because I do have a blackout switch. So, when you start saying today's secret words like certain peoples' names, that's where I just have to stop you."

However, he later began to talk about how his relationship helped Q-Tip get his production on Kanye and Jay's "Watch The Throne Album."

"Q-Tip knows what time is it with me. He knows I been thorough from the day he brought me around his situation. I been thorough and ain't nothing change about me. And I'm a positive energy person. That's why Q-Tip has three records on Watch the Throne. And you can tweet that. Tweet that and say I said it."

Consequence Says Pusha T Beef Isn't Squashed, Speaks On Issues With Q-Tip [Video]

Sha Stimuli — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 18:01:06 +0000

Consequence Speaks About Q-Tip Situation New Mixtape And More

Street Disciplez Radio talked with former G.O.O.D Music emcee Consequence, who is still claiming that he's one of the top lyrical cats in the game.

Cons didn't want to get into his problems with Q-Tip but he did say that he's the reason his cousin had something to do with Watch The Throne.

He also stated that he only squashed beef with Kanye West and everyone else (Pusha T) can still get it.

Consequence goes from preaching positivity to talking about his handskills if someone steps to him. Which Consequence do you believe?