Q-tip And The Tribe Called Quest

Born in 1970 in New York, Jonathan Davis is better known as Kamaal Ibn John Fareed

, The Abstract or Q-Tip. As rapper and producer in defining hip hop group A Tribe Called Quest, he has been credited with being an integral part of the 'golden age' of hip-hop.

It was in the mid-90s that Jonathan converted to Islam, changed his name to Kamaal lbn John Fareed. He mainly resided in Linden Boulevard, and was raised by his Montserrat father from the Caribbean, and his mother, an African-American from Alabama. He was given the name Q-Tip by Afrika Baby Bam of The Jungle Brothers, who said his voice was soft like a Q-tip, otherwise known as a cotton bud.

In A Tribe Called Quest, Q-Tip shared production responsibilities with DJ Ali Shaheed Muhammad and rhyming responsibilities with Phife Dawg and Jarobi White. Together with De La Soul they formed the Native Tongues Posse, and enjoyed significant commercial success for their unique blend of pop, hip hop, jazz and turntablism, including songs like 'Bonita Applebum', 'Can I Kick It?', 'Check The Rhime' and 'Jazz (We've Got)'.

A Tribe Called Quest released five albums between 1990 and 1998; 'People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm', 'The Low End Theory', 'Midnight Marauders', 'Beats, Rhymes and Life' and 'The Love Movement'.

As well as rapping and producing these classic hip-hop albums, Q-Tip also claimed production credits for a number of other artist's tracks, including 'One Love' by Nas (from the definitive 'Illmatic' album), 'Temperature's Rising' by Mobb Deep (from 'The Infamous' album), 'Honey' by Mariah Carey and 'Fine' by Whitney Houston. More recently he has been involved in the production of the Kanye West and Jay-Z album, 'Watch The Throne'.

When Tribe disbanded, Q-Tip pursued a solo career, writing and recording two solo singles; 'Vivrant Thing' and 'Breathe & Stop'. 'Amplified', his first solo album was released by Arista in 1999, but his 2002 follow-up, 'Kamaal/The Abstract' was canned. He went on to release another album in 2008 called 'The Renaissance', and in 2009 'Kamaal/The Abstract' finally received a release by Battery Records. In 2010 Q-Tip toured with a full live band, including a lively and energetic performance at Glastonbury festival in Somerset, England.

More recently he has worked with Norah Jones, Kanye West and Mark Ronson, as well as receiving a Grammy nomination for 'The Renaissance'. After some fifteen years, music critics seem to have realised the incredible legacy that early 90s hip hop groups created. Defining the genre with soulful rap songs full of jazzy sample material, acts like A Tribe Called Quest and De La Soul shed rap of its gangsta image and offered a more-musical approach to rap. These songs are bound to remain popular music downloads and mobile ringtones for many years to come.

by: Bill Weston

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