The Q in his name stands for Queens, and it is also said to be a name that represents his ability to get into one’s ears.
Early career:
Q-Tip's first appearance on record was on the Jungle Brothers' Straight Out the Jungle in 1988. Besides performing with his popular and successful jazz-influenced hip hop group, Tip also did production work (under his production alias "the Abstract" or often — along with fellow Tribe member Ali Shaheed Muhammad and the late Slum Village member Jay Dee — as part of The Ummah) for artists such as Nas ("One Love," from Illmatic, 1994), Mobb Deep (co-producer on "Give up the Goods (Just Step)," "Temperature's Rising," and "Drink Away the Pain," from The Infamous, 1995) and even R&B divas Mariah Carey ("Honey," from Butterfly, 1997) and Whitney Houston ("Fine," from Greatest Hits).
Solo career:
A Tribe Called Quest disbanded in 1998, after which Q-Tip pursued a solo career. His first solo singles, "Vivrant Thing" and "Breathe & Stop," were far more pop-oriented than anything he had done in A Tribe Called Quest, as was his solo debut LP for Arista Records, Amplified. His 2002 follow-up, Kamaal the Abstract, although critically acclaimed and issued a catalog number, was never released because the label believed that it did not have commercial appeal. His next album, The Renaissance, was released November 2008.
A Tribe Called Quest reunited in 2006 and played a limited number of dates. The group was composed of its original lineup, including Tip and occasional member Jarobi White. Early the next year, Tip signed a new solo deal with Motown/Universal Records.
As of late, Q-Tip has been very active, once again happily reunited with the full line-up of A Tribe Called Quest on the 2K7 NBA Bounce Tour and regaining control of his previously label-owned MySpace page. He has filled the page up with demos and rarities, (some of them from Kamaal the Abstract), and has announced he is negotiating for the ownership of the masters of earlier material from his previous labels and plans to release them independently. Currently, he resides in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey.
Q-Tip has recently stated that he will be forming a hip hop group with fellow rapper Common, called "The Standard."
Blue Girl
Q-Tip Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Listen to your laugh, it's disheartening
I can see your common sense, it's clear to me
I can tell you're hurting, it's plain to see
Hoo hoo hoo, hoo hoo hoo hoo
Don't be blue, girl
Hoo hoo hoo, hoo hoo hoo hoo
Wanna let you know how you're making me feel
Got my head spinning like a ferris wheel
We can ride around until it's shangri-la
When we get there, I can marry ya
Got my head spinning like a wonder wheel
Said I wanna let you know how you're making me feel
Making me feel
All you gotta do to soothe your pain
Close your sparkle eyes and chant to me
Hoo hoo hoo, hoo hoo hoo hoo
Don't be
You're a blue girl
Hoo hoo hoo, hoo hoo hoo hoo
Don't be
Don't be blue, girl
Girl
Hoo hoo hoo, hoo hoo hoo hoo
Don't be
You're a blue girl
Hoo hoo hoo, hoo hoo hoo hoo
Don't be
Don't be blue, girl
Girl
Claimin' you got brains in your head
Then why you got that pain in your head
Always testing folks and always have a reason
Blame the pain from before, the sight is never leaving
Them self help books and that meditation
Can't set you free, you still have hesitation
Been trained "through pain there's love"
Most of us have sailed above
Playing games and lighting old flames
Girls, being blue is such a shame
Taking secrets with you to the grave
Little girl, it's you I can't save
Playing games and lighting old flames
Girls, being blue is such a shame
Yeah, yeah, the birds
are singing just for us
And the sun's shining just for us
In this moment, we're infinite
So don't let your sadness win
I can see that you're holding back
But together we can tackle any setback
Let's take a step and leave our worries behind
Letting go of the weight, we'll fly
In Q-Tip's song Blue Girl, the singer is speaking directly to a girl who is feeling down and telling her not to be blue. Q-Tip pays close attention to the girl's feelings, acknowledging that he sees the pain she's carrying and wants to show her that there is a way out. He compliments her common sense, but tells her that it's also clear to him that she's hurting. He tries to lift her spirits up by making her feel special and cherished, telling her that she's making him feel like his head is spinning like a ferris wheel, and even suggesting that they run away to Shangri-La together.
The song seems to touch on themes of pain, healing, and hope. The singer seems to be encouraging the girl to let go of her past hurt and embrace the present moment with him. He acknowledges that there are self-help books and meditation practices out there, but reminds her that ultimately her healing journey is her own. He urges her to not let her sadness win and to find joy in the small moments, singing that the birds are singing just for them and the sun is shining just for them.
Line by Line Meaning
Looking in your eyes and it's sparkling
I see the happiness in your eyes
Listen to your laugh, it's disheartening
Your laugh is sad and troubling
I can see your common sense, it's clear to me
You're intelligent and reasonable
I can tell you're hurting, it's plain to see
You're in emotional pain and it's evident
Don't be blue, girl
Don't be sad, girl
Wanna let you know how you're making me feel
I want to tell you how I feel about you
Got my head spinning like a ferris wheel
You make me feel excited and dizzy
We can ride around until it's shangri-la
We can be together in paradise
When we get there, I can marry ya
I want to spend my life with you
Got my head spinning like a wonder wheel
You make me feel like I'm on a carnival ride
All you gotta do to soothe your pain
To feel better, you just need to
Close your sparkle eyes and chant to me
Close your eyes and meditate with me
You're a blue girl
You're feeling sad and down
Girl
Hey girl
Claimin' you got brains in your head
You say you're smart
Then why you got that pain in your head
Why are you feeling bad if you're so smart
Always testing folks and always have a reason
You're always questioning and rationalizing
Blame the pain from before, the sight is never leaving
You blame your past for your current pain
Them self help books and that meditation
You've tried self-help methods
Can't set you free, you still have hesitation
You're still not feeling better and you're hesitant
Been trained 'through pain there's love'
You believe love comes from pain
Most of us have sailed above
Most people rise above pain
Playing games and lighting old flames
You're distracting yourself and revisiting past relationships
Girls, being blue is such a shame
It's a shame for girls to be sad
Taking secrets with you to the grave
You're keeping secrets until you die
Little girl, it's you I can't save
I can't save you from your sadness
Yeah, yeah, the birds
An interjection indicating agreement or affirmation
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Antwan Levar Barrett, Kamaal Ibn John Fareed, Christopher Lee Sholar
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind