"The Renaissance" by Q-Tip; Universal Motown

Q-Tip's 2003 solo album, "Kamaal the Abstract," was never released by Arista, which doubted its commercial appeal. That decision touched off a period in which the Queens, N.Y., native jumped from label to label in the middle of creating new work. Now he returns with his second official solo album, "The Renaissance," a casually complex, brilliantly executed work of neo-soul made for the street philosopher.

The former de-facto frontman of the landmark '90s hip-hop group A Tribe Called Quest immediately dispenses with legend, rapping wearily in his trademark nasal flow, "I'm not a deity / I'm far from perfect, see," on the opening track, "Johnny Is Dead."

Although he gripes that fans are always bringing up Tribe, "The Renaissance" is a showcase for Q-Tip's cool consciousness. The trait has made him one of hip-hop's most admired MCs — even when chiding a cheating girlfriend on "You," he's reflective and tender.

Norah Jones, channeling her inner Nelly Furtado, appears on the bright and smooth "Life Is Better"; and "We Fight, We Love," with Raphael Saadiq, is one of the album's standout tracks, a sophisticated take on a complicated relationship made even more so by the man fighting in Iraq.

Kamaal Fareed, the name Q-Tip took in the mid-'90s after converting to Islam, is at the helm here, but like a good actor, he knows how to draw power even when he's not letting the rhymes go. It's a renaissance with redemption and humility but also maybe, if the adage about success is true, a touch of sweet revenge.