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Product Description
Review
That Q-Tip spent his own money to purchase the rights to this previously-shelved album suggests how close it is to his heart. That it took the name he chose when converting to Islam in the mid-90s, Kamaal, as its title suggested that this follow-up to the rapper’s smash debut, 1999’s Amplified, would be a more personal work.
Recorded in 2001 with the late J Dilla, who had produced both Amplified and work by Q-Tip’s old group, A Tribe Called Quest, Kamaal the Abstract saw its makers collaborating with studio musicians, including jazz legends Kenny Garrett, Gary Thomas and Kirk Rosenwinkel – instead of lifting grooves from dusty vinyl, Dilla and Q-Tip cut their own. It features more singing than rapping, blurring the lines between hip hop and soul, and funk and jazz, coining an amorphous amalgam all of its own.
Q-Tip’s label responded by refusing to release the album, which they deemed to be “un-commercial”. But this is no unlistenable ego-indulgence, no failed folly: on the contrary, it’s among Q-Tip’s strongest records, and is easily his bravest. It’s loose, and some of the tracks run past the five-minute mark, the musicians enjoying the groove, allowing it to unfurl – like on Do You Dig You, a sparse and summery seven minutes of Rhodes funk, lilting harmonies and bristling flute.
Throughout, Q-Tip’s songwriting chops impress: the handclap-driven soul/rock of Barely in Love evokes the Isley Brothers in their 70s prime, while the melancholic Caring sounds like it slipped off an old Minnie Riperton LP. Most striking, though, are Q-Tip’s vocals: while he raps with the sing-song flow he cultivated with A Tribe Called Quest, he boldly breaks into wonderfully-wounded Marvin Gaye-esque howls and tender croons, these moments delivering many of the album’s goose-flesh moments.
Un-commercial only by the standards of the clearly airplay-orientated Amplified, this complex and nuanced album is comparable with similarly idiosyncratic LPs released by Erykah Badu, Common, D’Angelo and The Roots during its era – kindred spirits and, like Q-Tip and J Dilla, members of loose musical collective The Soulquarians, operating in an orbit of their own between hip hop and neo-soul. Certainly, the success of OutKast’s similarly pigeonhole-adverse Speakerboxxx/The Love Below in 2003 suggests Kamaal’s ambitions could have easily been rewarded, had the label shared Q-Tip’s confidence in his audience.
But you can hear it now, and you really should. --Stevie Chick
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
First thing I'd like to say is that I am only giving this album four stars in comparison to Q-Tip's latest album, 'The Renaissance', which was an outstanding album. 'Kamaal The Abstract' has been a long time coming...recorded around 2001 but deemed too un-commercial for release - this album has been sitting on the shelves for years. Indeed advance copies of the album have been floating around the internet for a long time (I've had it for a good few years now) but the sound quality was a bit lacking so its great to finally have a perfect sounding version to take home.
In a way I can see why Arista Records were unsure what to do with this album. Recorded just a short time after Tip's most commercial sounding record 'Amplified', which had semi-radio friendly songs such as 'Breathe & Stop' & 'Vivrant Thing', 'Kamaal The Abstract' is NOTHING like its predecessor. Even compared to 'The Renaissance', which was a true hip-hop album for hip-hop heads this album can be a bit out there. As a whole the album has a jazzy feel to it and unlike 'Amplified' which mainly had Tip rapping over Dilla beats, this album makes use of live instruments much more (in that respect this album can at times sound like something we are used to hearing from The Roots). 'Do You Dig U?' is essentially a seven minute instrumental, 'A Million Times' is largely instrumental as well, whilst the last 2-3 minutes of 'Abstractionisms' tail off into what sounds an impromptu jamming session.
The music itself is outstanding - 'Feelin', the saxophone inspired 'Even If It Is So', and the aforementioned 'A Million Times' are among my favourite Tip songs. 'Barely In Love', however, gets my vote for best song on the album...trust me you haven't heard Tip sounding anything like this before! 'Caring' is really the only song on the album which does nothing for me...very out of place! The two new songs that were added to the original tracklist are 'Make It Work' & 'Damn You're Cool' - both sounds solid enough.
Overall, the album deserves a listen if nothing more than for being an extremely innovative & creative effort from Q-Tip. Perhaps not everything comes together on the album but it is a breathe of fresh air among all the crap rap/hip-hop that is out today (even tho it was recorded almost a decade ago!). True Q-Tip/hip-hop fans will love this album - though it has to be noted it wont be to everyone's taste!
In a way I can see why Arista Records were unsure what to do with this album. Recorded just a short time after Tip's most commercial sounding record 'Amplified', which had semi-radio friendly songs such as 'Breathe & Stop' & 'Vivrant Thing', 'Kamaal The Abstract' is NOTHING like its predecessor. Even compared to 'The Renaissance', which was a true hip-hop album for hip-hop heads this album can be a bit out there. As a whole the album has a jazzy feel to it and unlike 'Amplified' which mainly had Tip rapping over Dilla beats, this album makes use of live instruments much more (in that respect this album can at times sound like something we are used to hearing from The Roots). 'Do You Dig U?' is essentially a seven minute instrumental, 'A Million Times' is largely instrumental as well, whilst the last 2-3 minutes of 'Abstractionisms' tail off into what sounds an impromptu jamming session.
The music itself is outstanding - 'Feelin', the saxophone inspired 'Even If It Is So', and the aforementioned 'A Million Times' are among my favourite Tip songs. 'Barely In Love', however, gets my vote for best song on the album...trust me you haven't heard Tip sounding anything like this before! 'Caring' is really the only song on the album which does nothing for me...very out of place! The two new songs that were added to the original tracklist are 'Make It Work' & 'Damn You're Cool' - both sounds solid enough.
Overall, the album deserves a listen if nothing more than for being an extremely innovative & creative effort from Q-Tip. Perhaps not everything comes together on the album but it is a breathe of fresh air among all the crap rap/hip-hop that is out today (even tho it was recorded almost a decade ago!). True Q-Tip/hip-hop fans will love this album - though it has to be noted it wont be to everyone's taste!
Format:Audio CD
If your a Q-Tip fan, you'll like this album. Yes it has been sitting about for years, but it still sounds current. Its different from his old skool stuff, but still has that Q-Tip sound. There is a real mix-mash of melodies here, incorporating rap, jazz, funk, rock and soul, yet it comes together excellently. Favourites of mine are 'Feelin' and 'Heels'.
I have to say it isnt as easy listening as his last album, and I personally skip a few songs! But all in all, I'd recommend it.
I have to say it isnt as easy listening as his last album, and I personally skip a few songs! But all in all, I'd recommend it.
3 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Not your typical hip-hop album but then that should not be expected with Tip. This album is just FUNKY, simple and plain, melodies just get your head nodding.
Put the cd in, sit back and just enjoy the jazzy funk.
Put the cd in, sit back and just enjoy the jazzy funk.
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