Q-Tip has a wealth of knowledge to share anytime he sits down for an interview. As part of the Red Bull Music Academy, the Abstract had a two-hour chat with renowned journalist Chairman Mao. Besides speaking on a plethora of topics about his career, the A Tribe Called Quest rapper played a snippet of unreleased Kanye West track “Mama’s Boyfriend.”
Reports Complex:
There were plenty of highlights and insights in the nearly two hour interview, but an exceptional moment came at about the 1:36:30 mark when Tip talked about working with Kanye West.
Tip talked about working with Kanye on his album, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. Tip recalls that Yeezy had various versions of his song “Mama’s Boyfriend” and then he even plays a snippet of the song. According to The Abstract, there was even a version that had Soulja Boy on it. However, the version Tip played actually sampled Billy Joel’s “Moving Out.”
Kanye had previously rapped a verse from “Mama’s Boyfriend” at Facebook’s headquarters, but for whatever reason it didn’t make any of his albums or his G.O.O.D. Fridays series and has still never been officially released.
West’s mother, Donda West, passed away in 2007. Yeezy’s new album, Yeezus, is in stores June 18. Q-Tip new album, The Last Zulu, is reportedly due out sometime this year on West’s G.O.O.D. Music label via Def Jam.
Check out the entire in depth interview with the Native Tongue below.
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Photo: RBMA
