A Tribe Called Quest's 'The Low End Theory' to Receive 25th Anniversary Edition, Q-Tip Says

BY Gregory AdamsPublished Jun 23, 2014

Velvet-voiced rap icon Q-Tip has hinted he'll be putting his long-promised G.O.O.D. Music debut The Last Zulu into stores next year, but fans of his back catalogue will apparently also be treated to a 25th anniversary edition of A Tribe Called Quest's Low End Theory.

An interview with BBC's Benji B during a new Q-Tip-geared radio special had the rapper talking about his career, eventually revealing that the 1991 long-player is due to get the special-edition treatment at some point in the future. Though the details have yet to be revealed in full, the re-release will apparently feature era-specific bonus tracks, including a song called "Silence" that has A Tribe Called Quest teaming up with "Scenario" bros, the Leaders of the New School.

"We're going to include all the stuff you've probably never heard and different mixes," Tip told the BBC, adding of why "Silence" didn't make the cut the first time around. "I didn't feel that that song really captured them [Leaders of the New School] properly. I just wanted to get them on it. I knew how exciting they were at shows; I just wanted something to capture all of that."

There's also a chance that the record will feature its originally planned artwork, a nude painting of supermodel Naomi Campbell.

As for The Last Zulu, Q-Tip didn't offer too many more details, but he referred to the solo set as "the evil twin of Tribe." Apparently inspired by the likes of David Bowie and Miles Davis, the record had previously been said to feature "sinister beats not normally associated with the Tribe rapper." A due date for the record has not yet been set in stone.

Tip also discussed the upcoming Tribe-related TV show he's producing with Jonah Hill and Leonardo DiCaprio, noting that a big announcement behind the project is coming soon.

You can listen to the entire BBC special below.

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