Q-Tip

Released: November 30, 1999

Songwriter: Q-Tip J Dilla

Producer: Q-Tip J Dilla

[Q-Tip Talking]
Lets talk about these things we see
Walking across the land
Lets talk about these joints I got
Every body get down
Lets talk about these things we see
Lets talk about these joints I got

[Chorus]
Lets talk about the rules I bring
And the things we take
And the jobs we hold
And the land we stole
And a buck or two
And the love for you
And the things you do (5X)

I puff L's with ladies and gentlemen
I break spells with faith in a burst of wind
Others talk but.what they talk about?
Who could walk but live what they walkabout
A calm head in the middle of wartime
People go down just so they could get more shine
Girls wave your flag and surrender your faculty
Niggas got g's but its not really mack to me
Keep it soft like we killers and often gat
You walking on me guaranteed you be crawling back
Abstract, seeing life, just like a kitten do
Nine lives, living one more 'fore I'm fuckin' through
Dogs don't eat it up increase they feedin time
I'll be damned if a mutt starts eating mine
Let's stay clubbed out the moon makes it whistle
Pants gripped your ass now I hope they don't fall apart
Look around you tell me who else is shining girl
Fat rapping cats on my dick they just whining girl
That's just the magnetism that a Queens fella has
Range rover gism and he fronting with his Lexus ass
But watch I'mma drop to a bronco
See me in your Bentley nigga just honk yo!
And just know that your man to can get that
And just though that I don't really wet that
And just know that this nigga here flips tracks
Ummah grooms ya, pain and slip dat
The illest regiment is what I represent
Get us mad you gonna see the way gorillas went
Mack time; I need a dime and at least a friend
I fear Allah he has no start and he has no end
We raise the roof up and tear the fuck up off
Bucking hard like the coast guard, who's soft?

Repeat chorus (3X)

Jonathan Davis (born April 10, 1970), aka Kamaal Ibn John Fareed, aka Q-Tip is a rapper and producer known as a member of A Tribe Called Quest, the hip-hop group responsible for helping popularize “jazz rap” and releasing classics such as “Bonita Applebum,” “Scenario,” and “Electric Relaxation.” After Tribe released their fifth album in 1998, Q-Tip launched his solo career, releasing three albums and popular singles such as “Vivrant Thing” and “Breathe and Stop” before reuniting with Tribe in 2016 to release the group’s final album following the death of his rhyme partner Phife Dawg.

Q-Tip also produced on a number of other projects during his time with Tribe, most notably for Queens representatives Nas and Mobb Deep on their classic albums Illmatic and The Infamous respectively. In 1995, he connected with producer Jay Dee aka J Dilla and Tribe’s DJ/producer Ali Shaheed Muhammad to form the production crew The Ummah, and the trio produced and remixed tracks for Busta Rhymes, Janet Jackson, and Michael Jackson. Tip also produced for Run-DMC, The Roots, Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, and he also worked with both Jay-Z and Kanye West on their Watch the Throne album.

Q-Tip currently has his own Abstract Radio show on Apple Music’s Beats 1 station.

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