Now I was one of the first to bring up how terrible the new Tip song is, and on further listen, I cant really recant my statement. Now after readin Quest's post and the whole Barry White comparason, does make me more open to the joint....BUT the track still hurts me to listen to, because it IS Q-Tip. Now here goes my attempt at an analogy, alright if a kid get like 1400 on his/her SAT, and is not satisfied and decides to take it again. One can expect that he/she will score within plus or minus 30 points of their last score. Now back to Q-Tip, when I listen to "Electric Relaxation" and then "A Vivrant Thing" it simply does not "make the grade." We expect as a spoiled hip-hop listeners that Tribe or Q-Tip in this matter will be close with his work, either better or worse than his previous joints(thus the plus/minus, I really dont think that anaolgy is gonna fly...oh well) but we should expect a certain level of performance from our favoriute artists. Thats why we respect you guys, cause yall never stop from putting out the quality product....but I guess I am sort of a hipocrite, in that I respect yall as artists, but I am quick to put down the gavel on joints like "A Vivrant Thing" But like I said above, change is constant and at times good, but when we are forced to comprimise in the name of change, we the listener are short-changed. And as far as the Roots doing a Rock track, or sumthin outside the norm, we know its gonna be hott, cause the Roots will not release a track, that they feel is inadequate. Remember yall, Quest says he can barely listen to "DYWM" while most of us realize that it's a hip-hop classic. See the gripe over "vivrant" is that it seems the track was done in haste....for example Tip says "special girl, do your thing in my eity bity world..." and "sittin back with this mic in my hand/ spittin hot shit tryin to see this grand..." NOW yall tell me, can you imagine a Roots track with lyrics like that??!?!?!??! I know im bein rough on one of my ALL TIME FAVORITE mc's, but we must be judged by our actions.....<BR>now Im all for doin tracks which appeal to larger audiences, but my concern comes when artists retard thier style to make a hit...remember Tip a couple of years ago "they know the abstract is soul on ice/ the characters of man/never ever of mice/shorty let me tell you my only advice/its gosta to do with lots of lovin/and it aint nuthin nice" now tell me thats not brilliant. But I respect the fact that when Quest gives a thumbs up to a song, you know it must have sumthin special(hey you dont mess with the best) but...i hope yall understand where im comin from....<P><BR>Peace<BR>Ram"igotcarpaltunnelafterthispost"XL<P><BR>