Kamaal Ibn John Fareed (born Jonathan William Davis, April 10, 1970 in Harl… Read Full Bio ↴Kamaal Ibn John Fareed (born Jonathan William Davis, April 10, 1970 in Harlem, New York), also known by his stage names Q-Tip, Kamaal the Abstract and The Abstract Poetic, is an American Grammy Award winning rapper, actor, producer and the former leader of the group A Tribe Called Quest. He converted to Islam in the mid-1990s and changed his name to Kamaal Ibn John Fareed. He later moved to Jamaica, Queens, New York as a child. As referenced in the song "Check the Rhime", he mostly resided at Linden Boulevard. He released his debut solo album Amplified in 1999 and followed this up in 2008 with The Renaissance. His third release, Kamaal/The Abstract, was recorded in 2002 but was shelved by his label Arista as they didn't believe it had commercial appeal, but it was eventually released on CD in 2009.

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."

Official
Q-Tip Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Oh, yeah, well the bell has rung because the time is here
Oh, yeah, we gotta switch it around and put the thang in gear
Oh, yeah, not much is for sure, but this here is true
Oh, yeah, I gotta do it for me, but then I'll do it for you

Major attraction, trouble distraction
Scramble up my name and it still come action
Music's our number, dial to sue slumber

Open up your ears to the low tint of thunder
Creative queens native, mixes are the native
Want some fresh shit? then we're correlative
Busta is ferocious, unflawed and precocious
Airin fools out cause my willy bodacious
Peoples don't blame me, shorties can't game me
Country cherokee but the city here made me
Rock like coral, distinctive 'bout my orals
Got lil' grime and got lotta laurels
The rhythm stay bangin, my one, two thangin
Is exemplified by the comp left hangin
Percussion's our weapons, drums are smith & wesson's
Lyrics poppin off leaving deep impressions

Oh, yeah, well the bell has rung because the time is here
Oh, yeah, we gotta switch it around and put the thang in gear
Oh, yeah, not much is for sure, but this here is true
Oh, yeah, I gotta do it for me, but then I'll do it for you

I feel what the beat does, people fuck wit me cause
When the song end, I become what the beat was
Same thing as other, no need for cookie cutter
The bar gets raised, not your average old gutter
For that I hit a chin up, b, ya time been up
Would've came sooner but I overslept my get, up
Now let's get in the middle, girl I'll solve your riddle
Cause we can be strong and protect against the brittle
If groupies need to see me, go and get the cd
I aerosol you all top to bottom like graffiti
Biz {?} lot and, dudes say I'm pardon
When you hear the music, thus begins the mardi gras and
Rhymes ain't the issue, that's how I'm gon' get you
Don't need a billboard hit for me to +hit+ you
The clairvoyant micist, who always come the tightest
Queens everywhere demostratin who the flyest

Oh, yeah, well the bell has rung because the time is here
Mmm, mmm, we gotta change it around and put our thang in gear
Oh, yeah, not much is for sure, but this thang is true
Mmm, mmm, gotta do it for me and then I'll do it for you

Oh, oh, gotta do it for me and then I'll do it for you

Oh, yeah, gotta do it for me and then I'll do it for you
Oh

Overall Meaning

The song "Official" is about Q-Tip's determination to succeed in the music industry and his confidence in his own abilities. The opening lines of the song suggest that it is time to take action and work towards success. He is aware that there are no guarantees in life, but he is committed to working hard for himself and for others.

The lyrics also make reference to Q-Tip's Native American heritage and his upbringing in the city. He takes pride in his unique perspective and uses it to create his own style of music. He boasts of his lyrical ability and his skill with percussion, claiming that his music makes a deep impression on listeners.

Line by Line Meaning

Oh, yeah, well the bell has rung because the time is here
It's time to take action and make changes.

Oh, yeah, we gotta switch it around and put the thang in gear
We need to change things up and get moving.

Oh, yeah, not much is for sure, but this here is true
We may not know much for certain, but we can rely on this.

Oh, yeah, I gotta do it for me, but then I'll do it for you
I need to take care of myself first, but I'll also help you.

Major attraction, trouble distraction
We can be easily distracted by things that seem important.

Scramble up my name and it still come action
Even if things get messed up, I'll still take action.

Music's our number, dial to sue slumber
Music can wake us up and keep us energized.

Open up your ears to the low tint of thunder
Pay attention to even the subtlest sounds and messages.

Creative queens native, mixes are the native
Being creative is part of our identity and heritage.

Want some fresh shit? then we're correlative
If you want something new and exciting, we're the ones to look to.

Busta is ferocious, unflawed and precocious
I am fearless, confident, and unique.

Airin fools out cause my willy bodacious
I am bold and confident, and won't hesitate to put others in their place.

Peoples don't blame me, shorties can't game me
I won't take the blame for others' mistakes, and won't be manipulated by others.

Country cherokee but the city here made me
I embrace my cultural heritage, but also adapt to new surroundings and influences.

Rock like coral, distinctive 'bout my orals
My style is unique and stands out, like coral rock in the ocean.

Got lil' grime and got lotta laurels
I've experienced both good and bad, but have achieved many successes.

The rhythm stay bangin, my one, two thangin
My music stays fresh and exciting, and I always stay on beat.

Is exemplified by the comp left hangin
Other musicians can't keep up with my unique style and skill.

Percussion's our weapons, drums are smith & wesson's
Our music is powerful and can have a big impact.

Lyrics poppin off leaving deep impressions
Our lyrics are powerful and leave a lasting impact.

I feel what the beat does, people fuck wit me cause
People appreciate my music and connect with it emotionally.

When the song end, I become what the beat was
My music represents me and my values, even when the song is over.

Same thing as other, no need for cookie cutter
I don't conform to expectations or follow others' paths. I forge my own way.

The bar gets raised, not your average old gutter
My music sets a high standard, and won't be seen as mediocre.

For that I hit a chin up, b, ya time been up
I won't back down, and others' time to shine has already passed.

Would've came sooner but I overslept my get, up
I could've achieved more earlier, but missed my chance.

Now let's get in the middle, girl I'll solve your riddle
Let's work together and I'll figure out what's troubling you.

Cause we can be strong and protect against the brittle
If we work together and stay resilient, we can overcome obstacles.

If groupies need to see me, go and get the cd
If people want to see me and hear my music, they need to buy my album.

I aerosol you all top to bottom like graffiti
I have something to say and I'll make sure everyone hears it, like graffiti on a wall.

Biz {?} lot and, dudes say I'm pardon
I have a lot to offer and others recognize and appreciate it.

When you hear the music, thus begins the mardi gras and
When my music starts, it becomes a celebration and party.

Rhymes ain't the issue, that's how I'm gon' get you
It's not just the lyrics, but the whole package that will make an impact on people.

Don't need a billboard hit for me to +hit+ you
I don't need a top hit to impress or move people.

The clairvoyant micist, who always come the tightest
I am skilled and confident in my abilities as a musician.

Queens everywhere demostratin who the flyest
I represent my hometown of Queens and show the world who's the best.

Mmm, mmm, we gotta change it around and put our thang in gear
We need to make changes and get things moving in a new direction.

Oh, yeah, not much is for sure, but this thang is true
We may not know what the future holds, but we know what we stand for.

Mmm, mmm, gotta do it for me and then I'll do it for you
We need to prioritize self-care, but also help and support others.

Oh, oh, gotta do it for me and then I'll do it for you
Prioritizing self-care will enable us to help and support others in a more effective way.

Oh yeah, gotta do it for me and then I'll do it for you
We need to take care of ourselves first in order to be able to help and support others.

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: ROGER KAY KARSHNER, CHUCK MANGIONE, JAMES DEWITT YANCEY, OTIS LEE JR. JACKSON

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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