Won't Trade - Q-Tip

As a member of A Tribe Called Quest, producer/MC Q-Tip established himself as a unique visionary in hip-hop by drawing on jazz, soul, and funk samples during a time when brash aggression dominated the boombox. His extensive knowledge allowed him to create ties between the jazz his father raised him on and the vastly growing rap game. Q-Tip's influence on producers and rappers that followed over the next twenty years cannot be understated; Kamaal was Kanye before Kanye became Yeezy. 

Despite having done wonders sampling the likes of Jimmy McGriff, and Kool & the Gang, there is a sense that Q-Tip still has a plenty of material to work with. His ability was on show in "Won't Trade", from 2008's The Renaissance. In it Q-Tip traverses a relationship through the lens of a sports metaphor, equating his woman's affection to that of a team and its superstar. The song receives a heavy assist from Ruby Andrews' "You Made A Believer (Out Of Me)", as the song's bass line and Andrews' vocals contribute the hook. Q-Tip's footsteps are more obvious, but the beat doesn't lose points for that. On his own without a partner to split his verses, Q-Tip wisely recycles more. <PM>