Rapper Q-Tip of A Tribe Called Quest performs onstage with A Tribe Called Quest performs onstage during FYF Fest on July 22, 2017 in Los Angeles, California.
(Photo by Scott Dudelson/WireImage
Q-Tip and 9th Wonder Debate Inter-Genre Labels for Boom Bap
These two legends have different opinions about how parts of rap should be classified.
Following the release of Common & Pete Rock’s joint album (The Auditorium, Vol. 1) last month (July 12), 9th Wonder explained why he thought rap should get its own “Adult Contemporary” subgenre. Now, Q-Tip has issued a response, and it looks like he’s not quite on board with 9th Wonder’s idea.
Posting to his Twitter account late last week, the A Tribe Called Quest legend explained why he would be hesitant about 9th Wonder’s suggested classification for boom bap.
“Adding "ADULT CONTEMPORARY" category [to] hip hop programming is divisive. It would be nice to have everything in one pot BUT.. if there is a need to do so.. call it TRADITIONAL hip hop as “ADULT”will make AGEIST prejudge,” Q-Tip wrote in a tweet.
While Q-Tip has his reservations about the whole new rap label thing, it’s an idea 9th Wonder has apparently been sitting on for a while. He said as much in his original tweet.
“This Common and Pete Rock album begs the conversation I’ve been having with folks for at least 20 years now,” 9th wrote. “Adult Contemporary Hip-Hop needs its own category. Word to DO IT ALL from Lords of The Underground… we’ve been said this homie!!!”
Q-Tip and 9th Wonder’s comments arrive as rap continues to expand into different sonic avenues every few months. These days, there are so many structural differences between rap subgenres like trap music and boom bap that it’s easy to see why someone might want more new classifications for hip-hop. People have already done it before, so why not now?
But to Q-Tip’s point, that could help drive more generational schisms when it comes to art that comes from the same creative tree.
See 9th Wonder and Q-Tip’s tweets about the matter just below.
