Radio Music Society

Q-Tip was executive producer and co-producer of tracks 3 and 11, Terri Lyne Carrington added production, Joe Ferla engineered and mixed, and Paul Blakemore mastered at CMG Mastering in Cleveland. It was recorded at Avatar, Raydar and MSR in New York, Atlantic Sound in Brooklyn, Water Music Recorders in Hoboken, Kung Fu Bakery in Portland, Rodby in Chicago and Zobiz in Porter Ranch; no recording dates were given. Guests include Lionel Loueke, Joe Lovano, Lalah Hathaway, Jack DeJohnette, Billy Hart, Gretchen Parlato and Becca Stevens, and Thara Memory arranged and conducted the horns on the big-band tracks with the Pacific Crest Jazz Orchestra. Singles were "Black Gold" (February 1, 2012) and "Radio Song" (March 26, 2012). It had about 25,000 first-week sales and 135,000 US sales by January 2016. Metacritic scores it 74; the Times's John Bungey called it the most convincing display yet of her abilities and No Treble's Phil Wain called "Endangered Species" an instant classic, while Rolling Stone gave 2.5 stars and Groovenotes said it misses the mark. A 10th anniversary edition was reissued by Craft Recordings.