With his long-awaited second solo LP, The Renaissance, dropping in March, rap’s original Tip gives five contradictions from his musical quest.

As told to Richard “Treats” Dryden; Photograph by Brook Nipar To be smart in hip-hop is a good thing... But the problem is not being too smart or too dumb. The problem is [the audience] being conservative. Growing up, hip-hop was supposed to be one of the most liberal art forms, but a lot of people who listen to it are conservative. Everybody has these heralded opinions that they feel are etched in stone. People need to not take it so seriously.

It’s interesting to see people want to channel the ’80s. They wear the rope chains and the doorknockers and the fades and all that shit. I get a kick out of it, I’m not mad at it...But I lived it. It was a very violent period in rap. To go to the park, we had to love hip-hop. For me to go to a party in Bed-Stuy, I’m risking my life for hip-hop. You on the train with a Polo goose and you run into the wrong crowd, you’re going to ride the train home without a jacket. It was really happening.

Kids pay attention to what they see and hear, so I know I am a role model, even though I didn’t look at myself as one when I was younger...But some people want to be preached to. I just don’t because I’m as flawed as the next man. The same way we got certain epithets from society, we need to get the answers from society, not the messenger.

I’d like to straighten out Oprah. I really don’t agree with her approach. Rap music did not come up with “nigga,” “bitch,” or “ho.” I mean, Oprah, you’re from the ’hood of Milwaukee! I understand that as the voices of the streets, it reflects back to us...But don’t put us on blast. I’ll keep it 100-I’ve seen [Oprah’s best friend] Gayle [King] at my parties dancing to the music. Keep it real, Oprah.

Music was better back in the day; the bar for substance was higher...But it’s a great time now [too]. We have a fucked-up administration, so there’s things people can do with this time right now. There’s an artistic awakening. Kids need to look around and see that there’s some real shit happening right now.

Home // CELEBRITIES // MY COMPLEX // Q-Tip