Q-Tip Urges Crowd ‘Don’t Give Up’ at Phife Dawg New York Street Unveiling [VIDEO]
Finally, the corner of Linden Boulevard and 192nd Street in Queens, N.Y., has been renamed Malik “Phife Dawg” Taylor in honor of the late A Tribe Called Quest member Phife Dawg. On Saturday (Nov. 19), hundreds gathered to pay homage to the self-proclaimed “Five-Foot Assassin” at the corner where Q-Tip, Jarobi White and Ali Shaheed Muhammad hanged out during their childhood.
The occasion was equally poignant because a week prior, ATCQ released their final project, We got it from Here... Thank You 4 Your service, to great reviews. In the music video for “We the People...,” a mural of Phife Dawg comes to life as he delivers his observational verses.
"I see some of my dudes who I've actually logged mad hours with on this corner, in front of this store. It's a dope thing," said Jarobi at the ceremony. "Like people get murals and tributes to them all over the place, but to have a mural on the very block, the very street that we walked every day? Wrote rhymes up and down this block, battle people, have people come from other neighborhoods to battle me and Phife - you know, all kinds of stuff."
Q-Tip was also there and he delivered a rallying call to the crowd. The Abstract said their latest album was created for a higher cause not for sales.
"This album that we put out has nothing to do with us," he said. "It has nothing to do with the fame and notoriety. It's for reason and purpose. That same reason and purpose is instill and embedded in every one of you."
"Don't feel bad because you have to do sometimes what you have to do to survive and to do better for yourself and your family," he added. "Don't give up! Don't give Up!"
Q-Tip then ordered the crowd to chant "Phife Dawg," which they obliged him.
Watch Q-Tip's speech above and other videos from the event below.