"You're A Nice Guy Rich"


One of Q-Tip's many collaborators, Raphael Saadiq

Last week on one of my semi-regular stops at the Virgin Megastore in Union Square who would I come across but the Lone Ranger -- Q-Tip. Although I was semi-starstruck I refused to follow him around the store as he shopped for CDs. Thankfully, some other fan took care of that, when I decided to go downstairs to see where he had gone to.

Of course it was the jazz section. As I muddled around "looking" for possible new jazz CDs (Courtney Pine's Underground and Modern Day Jazz Stories have been added to my must-get list), I glanced over from time to time to see the fan and Q in conversation. And I guess the fan noticed me and ran up on me with a camera and asked me to take a picture of him and Q. Being a nice guy I did and watched the fan give his goodbye dap and thanks.

This was my opening... I stopped Q as he walked by me and gave him a dap and a "What's Up and segued into a "I am one of the people who was fortunate enough to have a copy of your Abstract album." This he seemed to nod in approval to me having it and then I asked if it was rally not coming out. He said yes but that he garnered a deal with some other label. According to him, it would be more of the same but more "structured." He would still experiment and I responded with you should always experiment." Then I spontaneously pointed to the Miles Davis section (which is huge) behind us and said "look at him." Which was met with another nod of agreement. And then I let him go.

When I told my friend later that night about the incident he simply said to me: "You're a nice guy, Rich."