Q-Tip will continue to exert his influence as he has most recently joined the faculty at New York University’s Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music to come on board as a co-professor for a new course that will examine the connections between jazz and hip-hop. As a founding member of A Tribe Called Quest, a group known for its heavily jazz-influenced sounds, Q-Tip’s qualifications precede him and make him more than fitting to take on the new role.
“I couldn’t be more excited to share with the students what I know, and I look forward to them also teaching me,” Q-Tip said in a press release. “Teaching is an exchange of sharing and receiving for all involved.”
Beginning in September of the Fall semester this year, the course will be divided into seven classes with curriculum covering artists like Public Enemy, The Roots, Lauryn Hill, and Kendrick Lamar while students benefit from Q-Tip’s mentorship as they complete both in-class and out-of-class assignments that include investigating “the social, cultural, musical, and business aspects of the relationships between jazz and hip-hop,” and “compositional and studio choices at the nexus of hip hop and jazz.”
“We’re thrilled to have Q-Tip join the faculty of The Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music,” said Jason King, associate professor and director of Writing, History & Emergent Media Studies at the Institute. “In searching for instructors to teach in our program, our aim is to always bring top-flight working professionals to the classroom who have made a major impact in their fields. That’s why we’re so excited to welcome Q-Tip, since he’s a peerless icon who redefined hip-hop for generations to come and brought jazz to the genre, especially through his contribution with A Tribe Called Quest. He also has a natural instinct for teaching and cultivating excellence in students in terms of their focus on craft and expressive style. It’s going to be transformative to have him on board.”