Q-Tip Recruits Beck for New Album, Potentially Gets Fiona Apple and Kanye, Too

Q-Tip has said he’s recruited Beck for his upcoming solo album, Zulu Death, which was first announced back in 2012. In a new interview with Billboard, he also said he’s “talking to Fiona Apple and some other singers” for the album.

“You know how on the old records back in the day, if you’re listening to ‘Young Americans’, you know Bowie had Luther Vandross and he had Nona Hendryx singing background on a couple records,” he told Billboard. “They won’t be featured, but you’ll be able to listen to the songs and pick out their tones, which is important for me.”

He added that he and Kanye West have been “talking about some ideas” for the album as well. (So, yes, Kanye and Beck could potentially end up on the same album.) He’s still signed with Kanye’s G.O.O.D. Music, and he hopes to release the record by the end of the year.

Q-Tip also talked a little bit about Kanye’s new record, which he originally said he and Rick Rubin were producing. It seems those plans have changed. “Yeah, Rick and I were gonna do the record, and Kanye went through different phases musically, so we’ve yet to reconnect on his project,” he said. “We’ve met a few times and he’s kept me up to speed here and there on what’s happening.” He also denied rumors that Kanye has scrapped that record. 

Additionally, Q-Tip told Billboard that he’ll host a show for Apple Music’s Beats 1 station. It’ll be called “Abstract Radio”, and it debuts on Friday.