Kamaal the Abstract Tracklist
Kamaal/The Abstract is the third solo album released by Q-Tip, but it was supposed to be his second. Following the success of Amplified and dancefloor movers like “Vivrant Thing” and “Breathe and Stop,” Q-Tip’s then-record label Arista Records balked at the hip-hop/jazz fusion album citing its lack of commercial appeal and shelved it from release in 2002.
After years of being bootlegged and it’s limited promotional release, it was fortunately rescued by Battery Records, a subsidiary of Jive Records. Kamaal/The Abstract was finally released September 19, 2009 with new artwork. The original promo artwork used a black-and-white version of an image of Q-Tip in profile; this image previously appeared in the liner notes of Amplified.
With the renewed interest in Q-Tip after he signed a new deal with Universal and released The Renaissance in 2008, the time was right to unearth Kamaal. Though his label was correct that no early 2000’s smash singles were anywhere to be found on the project, the set is a sprawling creative feat in Q-Tip’s discography. Mostly employing live musicians with extended jazz breaks and very few drum machines, as on “Barely In Love” and “Abstractionisms,” Q-Tip dips in and out of rapping, sometimes eschewing it entirely to sing instead (“Blue Girl”). The whole album is so avant-garde, it borders on being the bebop equivalent of hip-hop.
For the die hard fans, it’s a treasure to listen to what is some raw work product from the genius behind years of A Tribe Called Quest hits. As a bonus, more familiar sounding songs like “Make It Work” and “Damn You’re Cool” were added to the release as bonus tracks.
“Kamaal the Abstract” Q&A
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What did Q-Tip say about this album?
The thing about Kamaal The Abstract was right after I did ‘Vibrant Thing’ with Clive Davis (legendary music label head), I told him, ‘I want to come totally left on this next album.’ I wanted to use a live band and make an album that was like how Miles [Davis] did Bitches’ Brew. I knew that Clive had a hand in that album, so I started working on it. It was such an eclectic album…jazz, rock, funk, hip-hop. ’ We were set to release it in 2002, but Clive had got brought out and L.A. Reid came in. I played it for L.A. and he told me he really liked it, so we started sending out copies of Kamaal The Abstract to the press.
We were starting to get good reviews and there was an excitement coming back about the album. But then L.A. tells me, ‘I don’t think I hear a single. Go back and work on some more songs.’ So I went back in the studio to work on more tracks and I played it for him. That’s when I decided, ‘You know what? I don’t think this is going to work.’ I asked for my release from the label because I started seeing L.A. start to change up. But I’m really proud of that album.
— Vibe, 2011
