The 20 Best Q-Tip Beats

​As an MC/Producer, Q-Tip ranks among a rare class of individuals whose work in both disciplines has had a profound impact on rap music. These are the 20 best beats he’s made.

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Without Ahmad Jamal, One of Rap’s Greatest Hits Wouldn’t Exist

Nas’ “The World Is Yours” is considered one of rap’s greatest hits. An Ahmad Jamal sample is a crucial piece of why that is. What sets the tone for “The World Is Yours,” the second to last single Nas released from his debut album Illmatic, is that opening piano melody. Those six syncopated piano strikes,

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Without Wayne Shorter’s Weather Report, Jazz Rap Wouldn’t Be What It Is

Weather Report, the jazz fusion group co-founded by the brilliant Wayne Shorter, is integral to the rap subgenre known as jazz rap.

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