"Gettin' Jiggy wit It" is a song by American rapper and actor Will Smith, released as the third single from his debut solo album, Big Willie Style (1997). The verse is based around a sample of "He's the Greatest Dancer" by Sister Sledge, and the chorus is sampled from "Sang and Dance" by the Bar-Kays. Released in early 1998, the song was Smith's second hit produced by Poke & Tone and L.E.S., who replaced his long-time partner Jazzy Jeff, though the record-scratching techniques of Jazzy Jeff can be heard in the song.
Ill Na Na is the debut studio album by American rapper Foxy Brown. It was released on November 19, 1996, by Def Jam Recordings. It was reissued on September 29, 1997, in the UK with an addition of the song "Big Bad Mamma". Brown began working on the album after being discovered by the production team Trackmasters and appearing on a number of singles by other artists, such as LL Cool J, Case and Jay Z. The immediate success of the singles led to a bidding war at the beginning of 1996, and in March, Def Jam Recordings won and signed the then 17-year-old rapper to the label. Mostly produced by Trackmasters, Ill Na Na features guest appearances from Blackstreet, Havoc, Method Man, Kid Capri and Jay Z. Lyrically, the album mainly focuses on themes of fashion, sex and mafia.
"E.I." is a song by American rapper Nelly. Released as the second single on October 17, 2000, from his debut album Country Grammar, it peaked at number 11 on the UK Singles Chart and 16 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. A remix of the song, called "Tip Drill", was released in 2003 along with lyrics and a music video that drew controversy for its misogynistic themes.
Amplified is the debut studio album of American rapper Q-Tip, released November 30, 1999, on Arista Records. It became his first solo release after the disbandment of his former group A Tribe Called Quest in 1998. Production was primarily handled by Q-Tip and Jay Dee of The Ummah. The album spawned the Billboard Hot 100 hits "Vivrant Thing" and "Breathe and Stop".
"The Greatest Romance Ever Sold" is a song recorded by American musician Prince, under his unpronounceable stage name called the "Love Symbol". It was released as the only single from his twenty-third studio album Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic (1999). It was issued on October 5, 1999, in several different formats, including a 12-inch single, CD single, and a maxi single. Prince solely wrote and produced it, while Mike Scott provided guitar strings for the track. Several music critics found the single reminiscent to the works on his previous studio album, Diamonds and Pearls (1991).
"No Scrubs" is a song recorded by American girl group TLC as the lead single from their third studio album, FanMail, on February 2, 1999, by LaFace Records and Arista Records. The song was written by producer Kevin "She'kspere" Briggs, former Xscape members Kandi Burruss and Tameka "Tiny" Cottle, and TLC member Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes. The song lyrics describe the role of a man in a relationship. Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas sings the lead vocals for the first time on a TLC single.
"Doo Wop (That Thing)" is a song by American recording artist Lauryn Hill for her debut solo studio album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (1998). It was written and produced by Hill. The song was released as the lead single from The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill on August 10, 1998, by Ruffhouse Records and Columbia Records. No commercial release was originally intended for the single in the US, but limited-quantity physical formats were issued two months later, on October 27.
"Breathe" is a song by American rapper Fabolous, released as the lead single from third studio album, Real Talk (2004). The song reached number 10 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart in November 2004 and became a top-40 hit in several countries worldwide.
Kamaal the Abstract is the third studio album by American hip hop artist Q-Tip, released September 15, 2009, on Battery Records. Recorded in 2001, the album is a departure from his solo debut album Amplified (1999). Kamaal the Abstract is an eclectic album that features Q-Tip rapping, singing, and exploring his jazz influences. The album contains introspective and life-related lyrical themes.
The Anthology is A Tribe Called Quest's 1999 greatest hits compilation spanning their career up to that point. The compilation contains songs from all of their currently existing full-length catalogue, including People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm, The Low End Theory, Midnight Marauders, Beats, Rhymes and Life and The Love Movement, as well as select soundtrack releases. It also contains Q-Tip's "Vivrant Thing", which was featured on the first music compilation for Violator Management through Violator Records/Def Jam Recordings. The song would also later be featured on Q-Tip's solo effort, 1999's Amplified. "Vivrant Thing" is also substituted with "Mr. Incognito" for the Japan release. The album cover features Erykah Badu with fluorescent stripes of green and orange reminiscent of the traditional colors of the Kente tribe of the north Congo.
"Like This and Like That" is a song by American singer Monica. It was written by Dallas Austin, Colin Wolfe, and Malik Edwards, and produced by the former two. It was released as the second single along with "Before You Walk Out of My Life" from Monica's debut studio album, Miss Thang (1995). The song is built around a sample of "Spoonin' Rap" (1979) by American hip hop trio The Sugarhill Gang, written by Gabriel Jackson. Mr. Malik from former rap duo Illegal performs several ad-libs and sings part of the bridge, earning him a place as a featured artist on the track.
The discography of American rapper Memphis Bleek consists of four studio albums, twelve mixtapes, seventeen singles and fifteen music videos. An early signing to rapper Jay-Z's record label Roc-A-Fella Records, Bleek appeared on several of Jay-Z's early songs, and collaborated with him on the single "It's Alright" from the soundtrack to the film Streets Is Watching, which peaked at number 61 on the US Billboard Hot 100. Bleek went on to release his debut album, Coming of Age, in 1999, which contained the singles "Memphis Bleek Is...", "My Hood to Your Hood" and "What You Think of That".
Violator: The Album is the first installment in the Violator hip hop compilations series. It was released on August 10, 1999 through Violator/Def Jam Recordings. It was the first release through the imprint Violator Records, a spin-off of Mona Scott & Chris Lighty's Violator Management company. A number of then-Violator Management clients and associates appear on the album, among them Q-Tip, Busta Rhymes, and Noreaga.
"I'll Be" is a song recorded by American rapper Foxy Brown for her debut studio album, Ill Na Na (1996), featuring Brooklyn-based rapper Jay-Z. It was released as the second single from the album on March 4, 1997, by Violator and Def Jam Recordings. The song was written by Shawn Carter, Jean-Claude Olivier, Samuel Barnes, Angela Winbush, René Moore, Bobby Watson and Bruce Swedien with production by Trackmasters, and samples René & Angela's 1985 song "I'll Be Good". It was recorded at Chung King Studios in New York City, while the mixing of the track was finished at The Hit Factory. "I'll Be" is a hip hop and R&B song with explicit lyrics that revolve around sex and money.
"Ex-Factor" is a song by American recording artist Lauryn Hill for her debut solo studio album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (1998). Written and produced by Hill herself, it incorporates elements of R&B, neo soul and hip hop soul. The song features a sample of "Can It Be All So Simple" by Wu-Tang Clan. It has been claimed to be about Hill's former Fugees groupmate Wyclef Jean. The song was released as the second single from The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill on December 14, 1998, by Ruffhouse Records and Columbia Records.
This is the solo discography of Q-Tip, an American hip hop musician, record producer, and DJ.
"Nothin'" is the lead single from American rapper N.O.R.E.'s third studio album, God's Favorite (2002). The song was produced by the Neptunes and features Neptunes member Pharrell Williams performing the song's hook. "Nothin'" reached No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100, surpassing his 1998 hit "Superthug" as his biggest solo hit. At the end of 2002, "Nothin'" was ranked No. 37 on the Billboard Year-End Hot 100 singles of 2002.
"A Rose Is Still a Rose" is a song recorded by American singer Aretha Franklin. It was written and produced by singer Lauryn Hill for Franklin's album of the same name (1998). The song focused on a motherly figure giving advice to a younger woman who keeps getting into bad relationships. Throughout "A Rose Is Still a Rose", Franklin advises that in spite of everything and despite the woman's "scorned roses and thorn crowns," the woman is "still a rose". Elements of the song "What I Am" by Edie Brickell and the New Bohemians were sung throughout the song by Hill herself.
Folarin II is the seventh studio album by American rapper Wale released on October 22, 2021, by Every Blue Moon, Maybach Music Group and Warner Records. The production on the album was handled by several producers, including Cool & Dre, DJ Khalil, Harry Fraud, Hitmaka, J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League, Lee Major, OG Parker and Rogét Chahayed among others. The album features guest appearances by Rick Ross, Chris Brown, J. Cole, Jamie Foxx, Ant Clemons, Yella Beezy, Maxo Kream, Chase Young, and Shawn Stockman. The album was executive produced by Ross and Wale. It is the sequel to Wale's 2012 mixtape Folarin.
"Poke It Out" is a song written and performed by American rapper Wale featuring fellow American rapper J. Cole. It was released on September 30, 2021, as the third single from Wale's seventh studio album Folarin II (2021). The song was produced by Cool & Dre and samples "Vivrant Thing" by Q-Tip.
