Q-Tip questions whether hip-hop needs a new subgenre

6 August, 2024

Q-Tip performing at Bestival in 2017. Photo credit: C Brandon/Redferns

Q-Tip has commented on whether hip-hop needs another subgenre after fellow legend 9th Wonder says there needs to be.

Recently, 9th Wonder said on X/Twitter that he had been telling “folks for at least 20 years now” that hip-hop needs a new subgenre. The esteemed DJ-producer cited the albums Common and Pete Rock respectively released this year, and said they should file into a category called “Adult Contemporary Hip-Hop”.

“Tell that to the moment in music history when they created the term ‘Neo-Soul’,” the North Carolina star said, comparing his suggestion to the creation of the R&B subgenre. “It not only separated it from other R&B styles, but it damn came with a starter kit.”

Q-Tip opined that there isn’t necessarily a need for more subgenres in hip-hop: “Adding [the] ‘ADULT CONTEMPORARY’ category [to] hip-hop programming is divisive. It would be nice to have everything in one pot BUT… if there is a need to do so, call it TRADITIONAL hip hop as ‘ADULT’ will make [an] AGEIST prejudge.”

The A Tribe Called Quest rapper also agreed when a fan pointed out that the suggestion could widen the divide between generations of hip-hop fans.

Another X/Twitter user said: “To me, it’s just hip-hop. I never considered a recent Nas release that, nor do I consider the new Common ‘adult contemporary’” – to which Q-Tip added: “Totally agree… but a lot of folks inside are pounding the table for it.”

Last June, it was revealed that Q-Tip would serve as the executive producer of LL COOL J‘s upcoming studio album, ‘THE F.O.R.C.E’. The 14-track LP will have guest spots from Eminem, Nas, Snoop Dogg, Rick Ross, Busta Rhymes, Saweetie and more.

While speaking to NME, LCJ said that – when he briefed the ‘Vivrant Thing’ star on his thoughts for the album – he told him: “I want to do the Blackest shit in the world”.

He continued: “I want the hot sauce, barbecue, pickle juice. I don’t care whether we’re doing curry chicken, fried chicken, rice and peas, or potato salad, whatever it is. I want the blackest black album I could ever make in history. And I want you to help me make that.”

‘THE FORCE’ is LL COOL J’s 14th album and marks his first LP in 11 years. The record is set to drop on September 6 via Def Jam Recordings/Virgin Music Group. You can pre-order/pre-save it here.

In other news, Q-Tip earned an honorary doctorate from Berklee College Of Music back in May. He was rewarded alongside jazz artist Ledisi, and Puerto Rican bandleader Gilberto Santa Rosa.

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