Q-Tip first rose to prominence in 1988 as one of the founders of the trailblazing hip-hop group A Tribe Called Quest, whose cerebral wordplay, socially conscious themes, and intricate fusion of jazz and other genre-bending influences changed hip-hop’s lexicon forever. The group’s five-album legacy includes their groundbreaking1990 debut on Jive Records, People’s Instinctive Travels And The Paths Of Rhythm, as well as their follow-up classic Low End Theory in 1991. A Tribe Called Quest disbanded in 1998 and Q-Tip launched his solo career with Amplified soon after. The album spawned two hit singles, Grammy nominated “Vivrant Thing” and “Breathe & Stop.” In 2008, he released his sophomore album, The Renaissance, which garnered widespread critical acclaim and the 2009 Grammy nomination for Best Rap Album. The long-awaited album Kamaal the Abstract was released in 2009 and was further proof of Q-Tip’s jazz sensibilities and skilled musicianship.