Q-Tip Receives Honorary Doctorate At Berklee College Of Music: 'Still Pinching [Myself]'

Q-Tip has received a prestigious honor from Berklee College of Music having been granted an honorary doctorate alongside jazz artist Ledisi and Puerto Rican bandleader Gilberto Santa Rosa.

Taking to Instagram on Saturday (May 11), the A Tribe Called Quest and Native Tongues legend shouted out his co-honorees while thanking the college.

“Thank you again to the folks at Berklee for the honor bestowed,” he wrote underneath a photo of him wearing a customary cap and gown, along with a scarf reading: “Black excellence.”

“What a great time to share w dear friend @ledisi and new friend @santarosalive and CONGRATS to the class of 2024! Im still pinching [pinching emoji] #berkleecollegeofmusic.”

Tip was honored for his “forward-thinking artistic vision, which merges rap, jazz, and other styles with socially conscious lyrics, as well as for his impact as a producer, actor, educator, and cultural ambassador,” according to Berklee.

Speaking in front of more than a thousand graduates at the commencement ceremony, the 54-year-old offered some words of wisdom to the graduating class.

“To choose this path [of the artist] is a courageous choice indeed. You are handed the task to be courageous in your personal lives, to find balance between intellect and instinct… to not let bad choices define you, but to refine you,” he said.

Check out Q-Tip’s (since-deleted) Instagram post, along with footage from the commencement ceremony below.

Q-Tip receives honorary doctorate at Berklee College of Music: "Still pinching [myself]" pic.twitter.com/iGBex1BmK7

— HipHopDX (@HipHopDX) May 12, 2024

Q-Tip and the rest of A Tribe Called Quest are enjoying quite the year, despite them not releasing any new music.

Last month, it was announced that the legendary group — alongside Mary J. Blige — will be inducted into Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Thy will be joined by a slew of other music icons including Ozzy Osbourne, Cher, Dave Matthews Band, Peter Frampton, Foreigner and Kool & The Gang.

Blige reacted to the news on Instagram, writing: “Beyond Grateful!!!!!! This is incredible!!! God always has the final say!!!! Thank you to my fans all over the world!!!! Tears of Joy!!!!”

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Founding Tribe member Jarobi White also wrote: “Wow!!! @qtiptheabstract @alishaheed we did it!!!! Phifey we got you in the hall of fame!!!! Wish you were here. Well I know you’re watching so….. Fuck yeah!!! lol To all of the questers, from the bottom of our hearts thank you!!!! #jedibusuness.”

The class of 2024 will be officially inducted later this year, with the ceremony airing live on ABC and being available to stream on Hulu the following day.

Tribe are just the sixth rap group to be inducted into the Hall of Fame after Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five, Run-DMC, Beastie Boys, Public Enemy and N.W.A.