Q-Tip To Portray Miles Davis In A Play Written By Nelson George

Q-Tip and A Tribe Called Quest are often credited with bringing the genres of Hip-Hop and Jazz closer together through sampling, collaboration, and emphasizing different sounds in the music. Q-Tip will now portray one of the most iconic Jazz figures of all-time. The veteran MC, producer, DJ, and actor will play the lead in a dramatic reading of the Miles Davis-inspired play, My Funny Valentine.

Written by author and playwright Nelson George, My Funny Valentine reportedly centers on “a day in the life of the Jazz giant.” George recently took to Instagram to announce some of what fans can expect ahead of a March 26 staged reading at Joe’s Pub in New York City. In the photo, the script in Nelson’s hand credits Q-Tip with the “idea” behind the play.

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The Miles-inspired play is the latest piece of art celebrating Davis. This reading takes place two years after Miles Ahead, a film directed by and starring Don Cheadle film that depicted Davis’ life during the late 1970s during his hiatus from performing.

George’s play and Tip’s casting have been in the works for nearly a decade. Back in 2010, the MC/producer spoke with XXL about baring the responsibility of portraying the legendary trumpeter and whether or not he was nervous about that. “Nah, not really, because I relate to [Miles Davis],” he explained. “But I was a little nervous at first. But we’ve already done some table readings and Miles’ nephew, and some of his really close friends that he knew for many years—a girlfriend of two—and some of his old band-mates have checked out the table reading like, ‘Oh, sh*t, they nailed it.’ So that made it easier for me. It let me know my instincts are right.” Previously, Q-Tip has acted in Poetic Justice, She Hate Me, and Cadillac Records, among other films.

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Veteran author, screenwriter, and producer Nelson George has been deeply involved with the American Gangster TV series, Good Hair, and Brooklyn Boheme. The former Billboard Music Editor has also penned titles including Hip Hop America, Thriller: The Musical Life of Michael Jackson, and The Death Of Rhythm & Blues.

Miles Davis, who passed away in 1991, won eight Grammy Awards during his musical career and was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame in 2006. His 1959 album Kind Of Blue is the best-selling Jazz album of all time. At the end of his career, he worked with Hip-Hop artist/producer Easy Mo Bee on the album, Doo Bop.

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My Funny Valentine‘s announcement comes just a few days after Q-Tip and Pop star Demi Lovato released the visuals for “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart.” The song covers Elton John and Kiki Dee’s 1976 #1 hit.

Tip and Demi’s track is off of Revamp: The Songs Of Elton John & Bernie Taupin. That album arrives on April 6.

Tickets to My Funny Valentine are on sale through Public Theater.