Top tracks — play these first
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Breathe and Stop — This track highlights Q-Tip's seamless blend of smooth rhythms and clever wordplay, making it a quintessential representation of his unique style.
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Vivrant Thing — As the album's most commercially successful single, it features an infectious hook and exemplifies Q-Tip's ability to merge catchy melodies with sophisticated lyrics.
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Let's Ride — This track showcases a laid-back groove paired with introspective lyrics, encapsulating the album's core themes of positivity and self-reflection.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
Innovative production and varied vocal styles create a vibrant sound that stands out in hip-hop.
What we noticed
- The album features a consistent use of jazz samples, with several tracks incorporating live instrumentation alongside programmed beats.
- The track 'Vivrant Thing' employs a call-and-response structure in its chorus, enhancing its catchiness and appeal.
- Composition 25% of the score
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7/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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8/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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6/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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8/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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7/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Significant within its genre. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- steady flow for focused listening
- vibrant energy for social settings
- gradual climax rewarding patience
- catchy hooks for sing-alongs
Maybe skip if you
- dislike extended track lengths
- prefer fast-paced instant gratification
Where this album fits
- Career context
- Released in 1999, 'Amplified' marked Q-Tip's first solo album after the dissolution of A Tribe Called Quest. Following the group's final studio album, 'The Love Movement' in 1998, this project represented a significant step into his individual artistry, blending hip-hop with elements of jazz and soul while maintaining the spirit of his previous work.
- Stylistic neighbors
- A Tribe Called Quest· De La Soul· The Roots
Tracklist
Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.
- 1 Wait Up 3:43
- 2 Higher 3:30
- 3 Breathe and Stop 4:04
- 4 Moving With U 3:22
- 5 Let's Ride 4:08
- 6 Things U Do 4:06
- 7 All In 3:09
- 8 Go Hard 3:03
- 9 Do It 2:51
- 10 Vivrant Thing 3:12
- 11 N.T. 3:55
- 12 End of Time / Do It, See It, Be It 8:33
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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