In his song “Believe,” Q-Tip makes a statement that encapsulates the concept, tone, and execution of his first album in nine years—“Naysayers can hate. We concentrate to bring believe back.”

The Renaissance possesses a purpose that’s as arrogant as its title, claiming that rap music needs a positive-minded savior, and for that matter, so does the world. The record would be a classic example of an approaching-40 rapper refusing to shed his ego, if it all weren’t so relevant and refreshing.

When Q-Tip’s group A Tribe Called Quest called it quits in the late 1990s, they left a void in the genre that hasn’t been filled. ATCQ’s revolutionary fusion of jazz sampling, live instrumentation, and free-wheeling positivity inspired a generation, but none of its apostles have improved on the formula, including such greats as the Roots, Mos Def, and Common.

So when Tip includes the lines, “It’s up to me to bring back the hope/Good feeling in the music that you can quote,” in the first stanza of The Renaissance, his egotism rings true. One listen to the rapper weave his rhymes through the reverb-laden guitar chords of “Johnny is Dead,” and it feels good to have him back. And Q-Tip capitalizes on the good vibes throughout, presenting the most message-driven album of his career. Every track is tied to a theme of love, change or belief, and the production is dominated by simple, airy soul breaks that are firmly in the Tribe tradition.

Granted, this album isn’t on the level of The Low End Theory or Beats, Rhymes & Life. While Tip’s delivery is as profoundly smooth as ever, his only guest artists are singers—the spunky counterbalance that Phife Dawg brought to ATCQ is certainly missed. And a few of the lyrical concepts should have been reconsidered. “Won’t Trade” might be the catchiest, most head-knocking tune of the record, but it relies on sports metaphors to describe a relationship.

But all in all, The Renaissance’s flaws are few. It’s all too appropriate that it was released on Election Day, because it’s a much-needed breath of fresh air. Listening to it is like getting a transfusion—out with the materialism, misogyny, and braggadocio, in with love. Can hip-hop still be powerful and positive? Yes, it can.

Appeared in the December 11, 2008, issue of Artvoice.