Q-Tip

Did you know?!

1. About the name

   Q-Tip got his stage name from Afrika Baby Bam of the Jungle Brothers, who gave him the nickname in high school before it stuck as his professional name.

2. First role

   Q-Tip made his acting debut in Poetic Justice as Janet Jackson's love interest, after Tupac Shakur performed the chorus of Q-Tip's Apache production "Gangsta B*tch" in the same film.

3. 

   Behind the camera

   Q-Tip co-wrote the 2001 film Prison Song with director Darnell Martin, played the lead role, and produced four songs for its score.

4. Behind the award

   Q-Tip's 2005 guest spot on The Chemical Brothers' "Galvanize" won the Grammy for Best Dance Recording the next year, his first Grammy Award.

5. Early training

   After his group broke up, Q-Tip took drum lessons from Omar Hakim, studied bel canto singing, and took piano lessons from Weldon Irvine while assembling a live band in late 1999.