Released August 4, 1999 Recorded 1999 Length 3:11 | Format CD single Genre Hip hop Label Arista | |
"Vivrant Thing" is the first single released by Q-Tip on his debut solo album Amplified. The song is also featured in A Tribe Called Quest's 1999 compilation The Anthology. It was produced by Q-Tip himself, although Jay Dee was also in the credits (they were a production duo). "Vivrant Thing" was the first rap song to reach number 1 on Billboard magazine's Hot R&B Singles & Tracks Airplay chart, although it only reached number seven on the main R&B chart due to the lack of a commercially available single.
The single was a success, charting the Billboard Hot 100 at number 26, making it Q-Tip's highest rated single to date. The beat contains a sample of "I Wanna Stay" by the Love Unlimited Orchestra. The remix features stanzas by rappers Missy Elliott and Busta Rhymes.
The song was used as the opening scene on the television series, The Game, in the episode, "The List Episode", on March 30, 2008. The beat was frequently used in the animated series MTV Downtown.
Music video
The music video was directed by Hype Williams.