“Johnny
Is Dead” is the first cut of the LP and
Q-Tip raps to piano keys and guitar strings.
Tip sings the chorus and talks about what he
is and isn’t in music and otherwise.
A
sample of “You Made A Believer Out
of Me” is used on “Won’t
Trade” a fast paced track where Q-Tip
talks about his life and what he wouldn’t
trade for anything.
Q-Tip
talks about enjoying time with a lady and relationships
on “Getting
Up”, another smooth upbeat cut you can
play at all times of the day and night.
"Official"
reminds you of classic Tribe and you almost
expect Phife Dawg to hop on the second verse!
Elements bass guitar and electronica are
played throughout this cut.
“You” is
about a failed relationship and knowing that
the break was a mistake. Q-Tip poignantly talks
about wanting together again but it being a
two person activity and nothing he can do by
himself.
"We
Fight/We Love" features Raphael Saadiq on
the chorus and the song talks about those relationship
that are worth the temporary struggles. If
something is too easy is it really worth
it? This song address this and more. Saadiq
sounds so comfortable in his higher octave
that you might have to take a double take to
realize that it’s him. Life is
love and love is life is the theme of the
song and world in my opinion.
Amanda
Diva comes through to do the bridge and chorus
on “Manwomanboogie”,
a jamming fast cut that you can see people
doing the hustle and the shuffle to. Q-Tip
talks about having a good time & the problems
of the world stopping some from having a good
time on this track.
The
song is a nice lead into the Dilla produced “Move”,
a racy cut that uses a sample from “Dancing
Machine” made famous by The Jackson Five
The song moves into another tone a few minutes
and you’d think it was another song if
you weren’t paying attention. Tip tells
you there is a renaissance in Hip Hop and he
is a leader in the movement while he gives
some lessons as well.
Q-Tip
starts rapping acappela on "Dance on Glass"
talking about the state of Hip Hop and how
making money and making moving music is something
different. The hard-hitting beat comes on at
about a minute and Q-Tip keeps on moving with
his flow and tells this generation about using
music and not letting it use you.
The
sweet jazzy sounds of Norah Jones joins Q-Tip
on “Life
is Better”, a song
with a sound that all would expect a former
Tribe member to perform on and no one would
get mad at. Q-Tip gives you a name run down
on Hip Hop and makes sure to give props to
his former Ummah partner: J-Dilla.
D’Angelo
does his thing on “Believe”, a
track in which Q-Tip tells people to stay positive
and make things work to the best of their ability
over a soul sound that will keep you motivated
to make change.
"Shaka"
is a cut for the fallen people in Q’s
life including his father, Dilla and Waldon
Irvine.
If
you have the Target store's bonus cut "Feva"
you will get to hear Dilla and Q-Tip collaborate
one more time. Tip lets the people know you
have to have the feva for something good!
Overall
while I’ve reviewed and listened
to some of this content before it’s like
it’s
brand new because of the packaging and delivery.
Even those older cuts are mixed a bit and presented
in a fascinating way. You can listen to this
LP from front to back and what appears to be
a slower cut can change up on you quickly.
The guest appearances are nice but doesn’t
overshadow Tip and his themes of love, education,
respect for the past and moving music has kept
him in the game and it’s good to see
him back. This is not to mention that he produced
11 of 13 tracks on this heated LP.
I'll
give the LP 4.5 GeoGlobes. |
You've got to stop dividing yourselves. You got to organize. 
