Shortly after the release of A Tribe Called Quest’s sixth and final studio album, We Got It from Here… Thank You 4 Your Service, Q-Tip – artist/producer and one of the founding members of the hip-hop group – reached out to pro-audio sales, studio consulting and gear servicing specialist Vintage King about purchasing a new console and selling his vintage API 3288.

The desk, which was originally housed at Radio City Studios in New York City, has belonged to him for five years and was used during the production of the last Tribe record.

Q-Tip, who has also carried out production work for Mariah Carey, Pusha T, Lady Gaga and Kendrick Lamar in the past, said of the desk: "The thing that drew me to it is that sound. I like the combination of the rock and roll sound and the R&B sound."

And when asked what was his secret studio weapon was for the new album, he replied: "I think it’s the API, you know. The circuitry, the way it was designed, the EQs are very concise and exact. You get a real sharpness and there is a clarity to it. You can hear the difference. I’m not trying to brag or nothing, but when you hear this album and you compare to all the other popular music out there, there’s a certain warmth to it. It has a certain declaration of sharpness. I think the thing about that board is the high mids, the mid thing on that board is really, really great."

As for his hopes for the new owner of his prized console, Q-Tip stated: "I would like to see it go in the hands of someone who is going to use it and not let it sit and relic, someone who is going to make good music on it and take care of it. I hate to see it go, but the only reason I’m getting rid of it is because I want to go a different route in the sound, otherwise I’d keep it. I would like to see someone take it because The Ramones made their first couple records on it, Blondie recorded their first album on it and now the Tribe album. I’d like to see somebody take it who is going to continue that."

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