My NTS
Live now

The Gift Of Gab

The Gift Of Gab

The Gift Of Gab has been played on NTS in shows including Fela Kuti Day, featured first on 15 October 2017. Songs played include Stardust, Kalakuta Show (Mix Master Mike, Lateef And The Gift Of Gab Remix) and Communicate.

Gift of Gab (born Tim Parker) was an American rapper, best known as the lead MC of the California hip-hop duo Blackalicious, as well as a member of Quannum Projects (along with Chief Xcel, DJ Shadow, Lyrics Born and Lateef). The name seemingly is taken from the personal quality one is said to attain upon kissing the Blarney Stone. This is also interpreted as someone who can talk the talk and is streetwise and can get through life by the way they speak. This would be associated with bargaining a deal etc.

After a series of Blackalicious projects, he also released a solo debut 4th Dimensional Rocketships Going Up in 2004. One of the album's songs 'Rat Race' from 4th Dimensional Rocketships Going Up was at one point frequently used on the Sky Sports show Soccer AM. In 2009, his second album Escape 2 Mars was released, followed by his third effort The Next Logical Progression in 2012.

Sometime after the release of his third album, Parker had suffered from kidney failure and was receiving dialysis multiple times a week. In January 2020, Parker received a kidney transplant. Parker died on June 18, 2021 of natural causes. His fourth album (and first posthumous album) Finding Inspiration Somehow was released three months after his passing, initially being recorded during the midst of his health troubles and completed before his death.

read more

The Gift Of Gab

The Gift Of Gab has been played on NTS in shows including Fela Kuti Day, featured first on 15 October 2017. Songs played include Stardust, Kalakuta Show (Mix Master Mike, Lateef And The Gift Of Gab Remix) and Communicate.

Gift of Gab (born Tim Parker) was an American rapper, best known as the lead MC of the California hip-hop duo Blackalicious, as well as a member of Quannum Projects (along with Chief Xcel, DJ Shadow, Lyrics Born and Lateef). The name seemingly is taken from the personal quality one is said to attain upon kissing the Blarney Stone. This is also interpreted as someone who can talk the talk and is streetwise and can get through life by the way they speak. This would be associated with bargaining a deal etc.

After a series of Blackalicious projects, he also released a solo debut 4th Dimensional Rocketships Going Up in 2004. One of the album's songs 'Rat Race' from 4th Dimensional Rocketships Going Up was at one point frequently used on the Sky Sports show Soccer AM. In 2009, his second album Escape 2 Mars was released, followed by his third effort The Next Logical Progression in 2012.

Sometime after the release of his third album, Parker had suffered from kidney failure and was receiving dialysis multiple times a week. In January 2020, Parker received a kidney transplant. Parker died on June 18, 2021 of natural causes. His fourth album (and first posthumous album) Finding Inspiration Somehow was released three months after his passing, initially being recorded during the midst of his health troubles and completed before his death.

Original source: Last.fm

Tracks featured on

Most played tracks

Stardust
The Gift Of Gab
Quannum Projects2004
Kalakuta Show (Mix Master Mike, Lateef And The Gift Of Gab Remix)
Fela (Lateef, Mix Master Mike, The Gift Of Gab mix)
Synchronic2007
Communicate
New Flesh, Gift Of Gab
Gifted Music2006
Ride On
The Gift Of Gab
Quannum Projects2004
Way Of The Light
The Gift Of Gab
Quannum Projects2004