I was really having a bad day until my boy injected some ooey-gooey hip-hop goodness into my Jumpdrive. I was able to let Q-Tip swab my ears with his newest project.

The front man-producer for influential hip-hop quartet A Tribe Called Quest and one of the genre's dopest MCs, Q-Tip has kept to himself since 1999, when his last album, "Amplified," hit No. 4 on the national hip-hop/R&B chart. Outside of a scant few guest verses on other performers' songs (including the Chemical Brothers' European smash hit "Galvanize," for which Q-Tip won a Grammy) and dribs of production work for the likes of Stevie Wonder, Mariah Carey and Mobb Deep, he's remained virtually silent. Whereas real Hip-hop aficionados like myself and others, never forgot him.

The Guests on this album are few but you know what? That's Tip, he doesn't need guest appearance to promote his album. Secondly you can't argue with the likes of Raphael Saadiiq ("Midnight" Midnight Maurauders), Andre 3000, Common, and Norah Jones. I smell a high position on the charts when this album drops and who more deserving than the Abstract? (If you say Lil' Wayne I'll merk you with a verse MYSELF)

We start off with the infectious kick drums and snares on "Believe" which features D'Angelo crooning the hook. The message behind this track and the beat itself have equal command and not many tracks do that nowadays unless you listen to artists like Immortal Technique, or Slum Village. His lyricism and rhymescheme are second to none and it reminded me of when I heard Tip when I listened to "The Low End Theory" for the first time. I wouldn't have been surprised if Ali Shaheed Muhammad was running the boards. How dope would that have been?

"Dance On Glass" is a dope track which melts right into the lead single "Getting up" which is a true headknocker with a heavy piano influence (notice that each song was done with live instrumentation which makes this album sound so crisp). "Getting up" is certainly what a party joint should sound like. I couldn't even get to the next track because I kept playing this one over and over again... puloooooooooooooooooo! :)

"Johnny is Dead" is a track that shouldn't be looked over which again provides unique production that swabs your ear hole like a q-tip out of the microwave (believe it or not that feels pretty good almost orgasmic). Another joint that one could bang in the system sure to make heads turn and be like "damnnnn is that Q-Tip??"

Tracks like "Life is Better" which feature Norah Jones are lovely bump joints that make me feel warm and fuzzy inside not to mention "Manwomanboogie" which features the sultry, juicy, vocals of Amanda Diva that truly ran over me like chocolate syrup during a foreplay of some sort.

Another sick highlight of this album was indeed the track "Shaka" which was a tribute to a friend that tip lost, and also tells the listener to show love to the ones that are no longer with us. (RIP Barbara J Kinsey) The thing that truly caught my attention is the head knocking drum kits used and the melody which really brought the track together, not to mention the snare.

Other tracks that deserve excellent acclaim would be "Move", "Official" and "Fight/Love" which features one of my favorite influences by the name of Raphael Saadiq who hasn't lost his touch. But then again we are talking about the brainchild behind Tony! Toni! Tone!.

Overall nothing disappointed me about this album, sick production, along with an excellent supporting cast that delivers their signature sound on each track that they were featured on. Once again Q-Tip truly lives up to the name and my ears feel squeaky clean just like the first time I listened to "The Low End Theory"

S3kshun8

SonicAmp Rating: 10/10