| Q-Tip | |
|---|---|
 | |
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Birth name |
Jonathan William Davis |
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Also known as |
The Abstract, The Lone Ranger |
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Born |
10 April 1970 (age 50) |
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Origin |
Queens, New York, U.S. |
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Genre |
|
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Occupation(s) |
Rapper, record producer, DJ, actor |
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Years active |
1989-present |
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Label |
Jive, Arista, Battery, GOOD Music, Def Jam |
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Associated acts |
Beastie Boys, Busta Rhymes, De La Soul, J Dilla, Jungle Brothers, Mobb Deep, Nas, Queen Latifah, A Tribe Called Quest, Kanye West |
Kamaal Ibn John Fareed (born Jonathan William Davis; April 10, 1970), better known by his stage name Q-Tip, is an American rapper, record producer, DJ, and actor from Queens, New York. He was a part of the hip hop group A Tribe Called Quest, which released a stream of critically acclaimed albums throughout the 1990s. After the group split up, Q-Tip embarked on a solo career and has released four albums.
Born Jonathan William Davis in Harlem, he moved to Queens as a child. He was given his stage name by Posdnuos of De La Soul, which he used as a replacement for his prior name MC Love Child.[1] In 1989, he formed A Tribe Called Quest with his high school friends Phife Dawg, Ali Shaheed Muhammad and Jarobi White. The group signed to Jive Records and released five studios albums before dissolving.
Q-Tip signed to Arista Records to release his solo debut album, Amplified, in 1999, which was more pop-oriented than anything he had done previously. Its follow up, Kamaal the Abstract, was originally planned for a 2002 release, but it became shelved when Arista did not believe it would sell. Q-Tip signed to Motown/Universal Records for the release of his album The Renaissance in 2008, which was nominated for Best Rap Album at the 2010 Grammy Awards. He is currently working on his fourth studio album, The Last Zulu.
Discography[]
Studio albums[]
- 1999: Amplified
- 2008: The Renaissance
- 2009: Kamaal the Abstract