“A Tribe Called Quest has one more album to put out,” teased Epic Records executive, L.A. Reid back in August earlier this year.
Last October 27th, Tribe member Q-Tip finally provided a concrete answer to silence the speculations running around, by posting an actual handwritten letter addressed to media followers worldwide. The New York MC follows along a brief narration of how the idea of a final album came to be.
The note begins with Q-Tip recollecting their memorable reunion performing last year on “The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon”, telling that the event “sparked creativity”: “It was our first TV performance in eighteen years,” the rapper wrote, “The energy for us that night was one that we hadn't experienced on stage together in some time.”
Continuing, Q-Tip cited the tragic terrorist attack that transpired in Paris occurring on that same night, and how it further served as an “impetus” for the group to move along with the project. The rapper continues, “As we left 30 Rock I felt the need, we all did, to get back to the studio and start that cook up!! So we got to write it.”
The letter then touches on the passing of fellow tribe member Phife Dawg earlier this year, and how “he left us with the blueprint of what we had to do.” After mentioning the inclusion of Busta Rhymes and Consequence, he then addressed, “this isn't filled with old Phife bars... This is that pure, unstepped on pure.”
A Tribe Called Quest's latest and final album drops November 11th, 2016.
By Jods Arboleda for RAPStation.com
