Q-Tip has admitted that he is not on board with 9th Wonder‘s recent calls for the establishment of a new subgenre of Hip Hop.
9th Wonder, seemingly inspired by listening to Common and Pete Rock‘s collaborative album, called for another genre of Hip Hop to be created, similar to how the Grammys have various categories for R&B.
He said on X (formerly Twitter): “This Common and Pete Rock album begs the conversation I’ve been having with folks for at least 20 years now. Adult Contemporary Hip-Hop needs its own category. Word to DO IT ALL from Lords of The Underground….we’ve been said this homie!!!”
9th Wonder later compared his idea for a new genre to the establishment of neo-soul in the 90s: “Tell that to the moment in music history when they created the term ‘Neo-Soul’. It not only separated it from other R&B styles, but it damn came with a starter kit.”
This Common and Pete Rock album begs the conversation I’ve been having with folks for at least 20 years now.
Adult Contemporary Hip-Hop needs its own category.
Word to DO IT ALL from Lords of The Underground….we’ve been said this homie!!!
— 9th Wonder (@9thwonder) July 12, 2024
Tell that to the moment in music history when they created the term “Neo-Soul”.
It not only separated it from other R&B styles, but it damn came with a starter kit. https://t.co/70b1q2LnXi— 9th Wonder (@9thwonder) July 13, 2024
Adding “ADULT CONTEMPORARY” category 2 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
— QTip (@QtipTheAbstract) August 1, 2024
I actually agree it should just remain as is… https://t.co/1Pg2T7j1CZ
— QTip (@QtipTheAbstract) August 1, 2024
Totally agree… but alot of folks inside are pounding the table for it https://t.co/gRycPjF9jh
— QTip (@QtipTheAbstract) August 1, 2024
Q-Tip did not necessarily agree with the need for more subgenres: “Adding ‘ADULT CONTEMPORARY’ category 2 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.”
The A Tribe Called Quest founder then agreed with a fan that the move could create more division between generations of Hip Hop fans.
Later replying to a fan who said “To me it’s just hip hop. I never considered a recent nas release that, nor do I consider the new common ‘adult contemporary’,” Tip added: “Totally agree… but alot of folks inside are pounding the table for it.”
9th Wonder previously spoke about being inspired by the Common and Pete Rock album in other ways as he suggested that he and the group Smif-N-Wessun should team up for a project.
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In addition to his plans of collaborating with his contemporaries, the former Little Brother producer also has his finger on the pulse when it comes to the current generation of artists.
Following Latto‘s jaw-dropping performance of “Sunday Service” at the 2024 BET Awards two weeks ago, he took to social media and praised her prowess as an MC while contemplating how far she can go with it.
