"At one point, it didn't seem like it was going to come out because there were a lot of hurdles I had to go through," he said. "I knew it would come out. I had to wait until the time was right. If I put it out a couple of years ago, it wouldn't have been right. But now you have people like Santogold, Kanye West, Lupe [Fiasco], Common. It seems like it's a bit more in tune with what I'm doing. I think that in the next six years I can keep putting albums out. I feel like the environment's right. So I'm going to take advantage of where the culture's at."
He explained that the plan, as it stands, is to finally release "Kamaal the Abstract" around Christmas this year, then, in January, to head into the studio with British studio whiz Nigel Godrich, the producer behind Radiohead's "OK Computer" and Beck's "Sea Change," to cut a new album. "He's really dope," Q-Tip said.
Around 2 a.m. that night, Q-Tip was doing what he does best. In a subterranean club in the Meatpacking District called APT, he had given his friend, DJ Rich Medina, several tracks from "The Renaissance" to preview. When the percolating beat of "Life Is Better" (featuring Norah Jones) came over the speakers, the rapper slipped into a fugue of disco bliss; dancing and rapping along with his own voice.
Blame either the sake or the impending release of his first new album in nearly a decade, Q-Tip's energy suddenly seemed both boundless and contagious. By the time everyone figured out who was behind the song, the packed house was already rocking, waving arms and shaking hips. Women leaned in to kiss Q-Tip's cheek and men pounded him on the shoulder heartily. "I'm the renaissance man, the Rose King," Q-Tip said, smiling, tipsy.
He seemed relieved. The Abstract had been waiting for this moment.
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chris.lee@latimes.com
