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Q-Tip previews Kanye West - "Mama's Boyfriend" at RBMA lecture
Q-Tip previews Kanye West - "Mama's Boyfriend" at RBMA lecture

Q-Tip Previews Kanye West - "Mama's Boyfriend" [alt. version] At His RBMA Lecture [Full Video + Audio]

Q-Tip previews Kanye West - "Mama's Boyfriend" at RBMA lectureQ-Tip previews Kanye West - "Mama's Boyfriend" at RBMA lecture

Q-Tip previews an unheard version of Kanye West's incredible, oedipal singalong "Mama's Boyfriend" during his surprise lecture at Red Bull Music Academy--quite an event in and of itself, seeing as The Abstract's appearance to close out the recent RBMA sessions here in NYC was not confirmed until the very last minute. The Kanye track was originally debuted as a live verse during Ye's live appearance at Facebook HQ in 2011, and leaked online soon after. However this sneak peek from G.O.O.D. Music soldier Q-Tip gives us a listen to a different version which prominently features him flipping a sample from Billy Joel's classic rock hit "Movin' Out"--not much need for cratedigging there, to confirm the source just get in your car and drive in any direction while scanning the FM dial and this song will come up within 20 minutes or so.

As Tip explains there have been multiple versions of the track including one produced by Soulja Boy (tell 'em) so its not 1000 percent which one will be included on Kanye's new LP Yeezus, set to drop June 18th (for one thing, this Billy Joel version has got to be one hell of a sample clearance). You can get that tidbit at about the 1:37 mark (that's 1 hour 37 minutes) of the lecture. Goes without saying the Kanye-related bit is just one highlight of a long and highly educational talk from this OG of the Okayplayer movement, who takes us through his whole repertoire as a producer, beginning with pause tapes of "Soul Makossa" and other breaks in the 80s--before he ever thought about being an MC--right up to his work on "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy" and other recent projects. For the beat-heads, there's detailed breakdowns of the interplay of live and programmed elements including chops of some amazing Robert Glasper piano stems. Get an mp3 of the Kanye preview above and then watch the whole 2 hour, 5 minute brain-expander below: