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."
Hey
Q-Tip Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
from the left, dead all the jokes and the riddles
Comin from the maximum gain, the octane
that's on the radio it made me feel so low
It seems we gotta, brighten, the damp prison
I'm Nintendo 64 and you Mattel Intellivision
Bustin from no mo' trey-eights, now papi weight
This joint is like a Ruger, watch it roar like a cougar
and work it out all night that's what you came here for
Just chem', I fills it to the rim, your shine is lookin dim
Daddy shine the light on him, ahem it's me
Leader of the Starfleet Force
Guaranteed to knock your joint off course, we took the loss?
Damn right, sure as Tina made Ike
We gonna put it in your noggin all night, and all day
The Trilateral commission we dissin
Tellin citizens be straight, but like snakes they hissin
I'll be damned if I let his song fall to the side
Goin piggybackin shit, let's ride, c'mon
I put it down, now what you gonna do (8X)
Hey, now, what you gonna do, with yourself, hah? (4X)
When you hear this, recognize you hear love
MC nigga illin over be -boy dubs
Riding through the shit like Tron
Doesn't matter if you onboard, do you want to get on?
Cause if you do, watch all the moves that we make
Gotta do the things right, ain't no time for mistake
It's the hip-hop cat that can't, fuck with Jake
Just because he wear a badge doesn't, mean he straight so
what you want to swallow it down or let's take it
Disregard those who fake it, yo it doesn't matter
about the realm, hip-hop is to the helm
It's divine to hit the mind like slippery elms
So put it down man, put it on down
Put it down man, put it on down
Put it down woman, put it on down
Put it down man, put it on down
Put it down man, whatchu gonna do
Put it down woman, whatchu gonna do
A-put it down man, whatchu gonna do
Put it down woman, whatchu gonna do
('Hey' repeats in background for a bit)
The lyrics of Q-Tip's song Hey showcase his self-confidence and leadership as he enters the scene through the middle, deadening all jokes and riddles. As he rides over beats with his rap, he feels low listening to the radio's maximum gain octane. He thinks it is time to brighten the damp prison and move on to the dancefloor to work it out all night, which is what the audience came for. Hip-hop is to the helm, and Q-Tip is the leader of the Starfleet Force, guaranteed to knock listeners joint off course.
Q-Tip is smooth in his flow, drawing a Tron-like imagery, and asking if listeners want to get onboard, making the right moves with no room for error. Q-Tip believes in doing things right, and he disregards those who fake it. He believes that it doesn't matter about the realm and hip-hop is divine to hit the mind like slippery elms. In the end, he encourages listeners to put it down, man and woman, and asks what they're gonna do.
Overall, Q-Tip's Hey song delivers a powerful message to the audience to join the force and make move to the beat. It is full of confidence, self-assurance, and leadership that inspires to take action and make a difference using the power of words and beats.
Line by Line Meaning
The name is Q-Tip, enterin through the middle
Introducing himself as Q-Tip, he is entering the scene with great confidence and power.
from the left, dead all the jokes and the riddles
He is eliminating all the unnecessary distractions with his superior style coming from the left.
Comin from the maximum gain, the octane
His words are coming with full force and energy like gasoline's octane rating.
that's on the radio it made me feel so low
He is not impressed with commercial radio, which made him feel down and uninspired.
It seems we gotta, brighten, the damp prison
The world is like a prison and he wants to spread hope and positivity.
I'm Nintendo 64 and you Mattel Intellivision
He is using a video game analogy to describe his superiority and advanced level of skill in rap music vs. his opponents' inferiority.
Bustin from no mo' trey-eights, now papi weight
He has upgraded his weaponry from a .38 special to a more powerful weapon (papi weight) like a Ruger or a machine gun.
This joint is like a Ruger, watch it roar like a cougar
He is comparing his music to a powerful weapon like a Ruger and its roar to that of a cougar.
And we gotta, move on the dancefloor
He wants everyone to enjoy his music and move their bodies on the dancefloor.
and work it out all night that's what you came here for
The purpose of his music is to entertain everyone and make them dance all night.
Just chem', I fills it to the rim, your shine is lookin dim
He is full of energy and creativity and he is shining brighter than anyone else.
Daddy shine the light on him, ahem it's me
He is asking Daddy (the universe) to shine the light on him so he can prove himself and he believes he is the chosen one.
Leader of the Starfleet Force
He is the captain of his own musical ship and leading the way with great authority and power.
Guaranteed to knock your joint off course, we took the loss?
He is confident that his music will have a profound impact on everyone and he is asking if anyone has ever lost themselves to his music.
Damn right, sure as Tina made Ike
He is affirming that indeed people have lost themselves to his music, with the same certainty as Tina Turner made music with Ike Turner.
We gonna put it in your noggin all night, and all day
He wants his music to stay in people's heads and make them dance all day and night.
The Trilateral commission we dissin
He is not afraid to call out powerful organizations like the Trilateral commission that control the world's politics and economy.
Tellin citizens be straight, but like snakes they hissin
He is calling politicians snakes, who deceive and hiss like snakes.
I'll be damned if I let his song fall to the side
He is determined to never let his music be forgotten or neglected.
Goin piggybackin shit, let's ride, c'mon
He wants everyone to ride along with him and enjoy his music together.
I put it down, now what you gonna do (8X)
He is challenging everyone to step up and match his skill and energy.
Hey, now, what you gonna do, with yourself, hah? (4X)
He is asking what people are going to do with their lives now that he is here to inspire and motivate them.
When you hear this, recognize you hear love
He wants everyone to know that his music is a message of love and positivity.
MC nigga illin over be-boy dubs
He is a master of his craft, with superior skills and flow over classic be-boy tunes.
Riding through the shit like Tron
He is riding through life with great confidence and authority, like Tron (a sci-fi hero).
Doesn't matter if you onboard, do you want to get on?
It doesn't matter if someone is hesitant or skeptical, he is offering them a chance to join him on this journey and share the fun.
Cause if you do, watch all the moves that we make
If someone agrees to join him, they should follow his lead and watch his every move.
Gotta do the things right, ain't no time for mistake
He emphasizes the importance of doing things correctly, as there is no room for mistakes.
It's the hip-hop cat that can't, fuck with Jake
He is the best in the business, and no one can match his skills or compete with him.
Just because he wear a badge doesn't, mean he straight so
He warns against stereotyping people based on their appearance or job, such as police officers who may not be trustworthy.
what you want to swallow it down or let's take it
He is asking if people want to accept things as they are or rise up and take control of their own lives.
Disregard those who fake it, yo it doesn't matter
He advises to ignore the fake people in life, as it ultimately doesn't matter.
about the realm, hip-hop is to the helm
Hip-hop music is the most important force in culture and society.
It's divine to hit the mind like slippery elms
His music has a divine quality and has the power to stimulate and inspire the mind, like the bark of an elm tree.
So put it down man, put it on down
He is asking everyone to enjoy the music and let it move them.
Put it down woman, put it on down
He is encouraging women to also enjoy and dance to his music.
Put it down man, whatchu gonna do
He is challenging men to take action and do something with their lives.
Put it down woman, whatchu gonna do
He is challenging women to take action and change their lives as well.
A-put it down man, whatchu gonna do
He repeats the challenge to men to do something meaningful with their lives.
Put it down woman, whatchu gonna do
He repeats the challenge to women to change their lives and achieve their dreams.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: KAMAAL IBN JOHN FAREED
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
luthervaughn1
Been searchin' for this song for 18 years now. YEEEAHHHHH BOY!!!
Nate Dogg
First time ever hearing Slippery Elm in pop culture, respect to q tip for natural remedies for stomach aches lol!
zatoichi
The sample is "熱帯夜" (or "Nettaiya" in english) by Haruomi Hosono from the album "Tropical Dandy".
Red
J Dilla King of the Beats
øZzLX98
Nah, he's overrated asf. Plus, Q-Tip produced this...
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