Q-Tip: Amplified

The legendary Q-Tip decided to release his first solo effort in 1999 when Amplified dropped. After hearing the lead singles, “Breathe and Stop” and “Vivrant Thing” a lot of Tribe fans were left skeptical. However, Q-Tip dropped a nice little surprise on us.

From the beats to the lyrical content, Q-Tip proved that he hadn’t lost a step over the years. “Wait Up” is the lead track and with a laid back beat and smooth flow, Tip started the album off quite properly. “Higher” is eerily similar to vintage Tribe. The jazzy beat completely locks you into the track and the overall feel of the track make you want to further your expedition. “Breathe and Stop” was one of the singles off the album, and this definitely helped Tip garner some mainstream appeal, along with “Vivrant Thing”. The tracks weren’t for the die hards, but Tip had a calculated formula and it paid off. However this album does have a few low points but those seem to be few and far between. “Things We Do” is a great track and reminds us that Q-Tip is still the Q-Tip of old. “Go Hard” is an infectious track and it’s a banger, something I could imagine Red and Meth spitting over. I think this shows Q-Tip‘s unique ability to make a hit without really making a hit. “Do It, See It, Be It” is probably my favorite off of this release. The beat is completely dope. Similar to a Dre beat circa The Chronic. “Hip Hop came, the ghetto copped the soundtrack.” That line always stuck in my mind because Q-Tip has a distinct ability to say things so simple in such great ways.

This may not have been the album that Tribe fans wanted but Q-Tip still proved that he was in the upper echelon on emcees. Whether he needs to make club bangers or vintage Tribe music, Q-Tip has the ability, talent and smarts to exceed all expectations. True, it wasn’t the best album in the whole wide world, but it certainly wasn’t the worst!

Overall Score: 3.5/5