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Q-Tip Among Producers on Kanye West's Next Album

Queens MC working on 'Ye's new release with Rick Rubin.

Kanye West's next album will feature production from Q-Tip, the A Tribe Called Quest member said in an episode of Elliott Wilson's "The Truth" series. 

In discussing topics like reuniting with Tribe for the Yeezus tour, working with Busta Rhymes and his The Last Zulu album, Tip casually mentioned the Yeezy collaboration. "I'm producing Kanye's new album with Rick Rubin," he confirmed, giving no more details aside from, "That's coming up."

West announced last month that he was itching to drop a new album, telling Philly's Power 99 the release would be out "by next summer." He previously turned to Rubin's legendary talents to help guide Yeezus, which sold 367,000 in a week (his lowest solo LP debut numbers).

Bringing The Abstract on board alongside Rubin isn't a huge surprise to West's fans, however. Before his Shade 45 interview with Sway Calloway turned into an awkward screaming match last week, the formerly minted Louis Vuitton Don noted Tribe as one of his "biggest inspirations" and called Tip his "hero."

What may come as a surprise to fans was revealed in yet another radio interview promoting his tour. The 36-year-old shared his thoughts on legendary hip hop records, the Notorious B.I.G.'s "Juicy" and "Big Poppa," major hits for the acclaimed MC. West isn't fond of either. "That 'Juicy' beat, I don't like that beat man," he told Atlanta's V-103. "And I don't like the beat for 'throw your hands in the air, if you're a true player [Big Poppa],'" he said. "I don't like the Dr. Dre worm noise on the chorus at all. To this day."

Citing their Gemini zodiac connection as evidence, West added that Biggie likely felt the same way. "I don't imagine that Biggie liked that that much either. Biggie Smalls made you think that 'Big Poppa' beat was cold. It was not a cold beat."

West is of course entitled to his own opinion, one which he has no qualms about expressing, but unfortunately Biggie isn't around to substantiate his claims. As for "Big Poppa's" co-producer, Sean "Diddy" Combs, he has yet to weigh in on West's critique.     

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(Photo: Johnny Nunez/WireImage)

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