Q-Tip, Kamaal the Abstract

When we heard in 2001 that Q-Tip was recording a new album, we waited with breathless anticipation for its 2002 release.

And waited.

And waited.

Arista, apparently, held it back as unmarketable and refused to release it.

For two years, I searched for it. Finally, in March, 2004, I found 7 of the 9 tracks.

It's hard to believe that Arista thought it would be hard to market. Other artists of Q-Tip's caliber, and arguably less fame, had been recording and releasing albums that stretched beyond their role as MCs at that time, notably Cee-Lo with his Cee-Lo and His Perfect Imperfections (released in 2002 on the date scheduled for the Kamaal the Abstract release) and Mos Def with his work as a singer on Charlie Hunter's Songs from the Analog Playground (released in 2001).

Regardless, record companies do as they wish. It's their marketing money.

Here are two of the tracks from Kamaal the Abstract. I do hope that they are soon released so that we can buy the album and support an artist we have enjoyed for almost two decades.

The market has certainly demonstrated that we will buy albums by artists we love, even if they experiment outside their genre. (Like those little songs "Hey Ya" and "Crazy." I heard they sold a few copies.)

Q-Tip, Blue Girl.

Q-Tip, Feelin.

So Much Silence posted about Q-Tip this morning. Hopefully, he wil have success with new projects and this old one will see the light of day.