The abstract one is back with the new video for his single “Life is Better” featuring Norah Jones, off his dope “The Renaissance” album. In typical Q-Tip fashion, “Life is Better” is definitely the work of a man who follows his own vision, even if it takes him into left field. Check it out:
The Refined Take:
1) I shouldn’t be surprised, but this video is visually on another level. To go black and white is a bold move, but black and white like this? Where even the blacks are washed out in white? Basically Tip has decided that he’s going to do whatever he wants, and if you don’t like it, f**k you.
2) I mostly know Norah Jones as “that woman VH1 loves” but her sweetly understated voice definitely fits here. Could this be the beginning of Norah showing up on more hip-hop tracks? If Ludacris can get her to appear on a remix to “P Poppin” I’ll really be impressed.
3) By the way, I recently took a listen to Tip’s new “Kamaal The Abstract” album and frankly, it suddenly makes a lot of sense why Arista wouldn’t release it. “Kamaal” isn’t just an abstract hip-hop joint, it’s this acid jazz/experimental r&B album. It’s quality music, but I have to believe it will be too much for even a significant portion of Tip’s long time fans.
| d-mac |
this video is weird as shit, yet dope! |
| Posted on Oct 07, 2009 |
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