Q-TIP

Kamaal the Abstract

Battery/Jive ***

After the former Tribe Called Quest rapper hit gold with Amplifiedin 1999, he went into a studio with a bunch of jazz musicians and recorded Kamaal the Abstract. When his label bosses heard the album's boho soul, head-nodding hip-hop and spacey jazz, they deemed it a hopelessly uncommercial album and shelved it. A peeved Q-Tip subsequently purchased the rights and it's now receiving a proper release. Kamaalis all about the groove, with Q-Tip conducting Rhodes, Moog, organs, piano, synth, bass, guitars and drums inputs to create the kind of jazz-funk vibes not seen since fusion was first in full effect. While it's easy to understand why the label was unhappy with the lengthy tracks, outbreaks of muso-noodling and lack of radio- friendly fare, Q-Tip's vision, determination and confidence to do what he saw as the right thing at the time must be admired. www. myspace.com/qtip

Download tracks:Do You Dig You, Blue Girl