[3][4] The Renaissance was produced primarily by Q-Tip and features guest contributions by D'Angelo, Norah Jones, Amanda Diva, and Raphael Saadiq.

Upon its release, The Renaissance received universal acclaim from music critics, who praised Q-Tip's lyricism and production aesthetic, and earned him a Grammy Award nomination for Best Rap Album.

[8] Q-Tip made appearances during September to November 2008 in promotion of the album, including performances at Santos Party House, the Knitting Factory, VH1 Hip Hop Honors, and the Late Show with David Letterman.

[25] Anthony Henriques of PopMatters complimented its "Ummah-era aesthetic – smooth, soulful, jazz-infused" production, writing that "The Renaissance feels like a complete album.

[26] Chicago Sun-Times writer Jim DeRogatis commented that guest appearances by Raphael Saadiq, Norah Jones, and D'Angelo "sound inspired".

[24] Barry Walters of Spin noted "his eloquent flow over liquid arrangements shimmering with rhythmic finesse" and commented that the album "blurs distinctions between accessibility and avant-gardism".

[3] In his Consumer Guide, Robert Christgau gave the album a one-star honorable mention () while picking out its two songs ("Shaka" and "Official"), and quipped, "If jazz lite it must be, by all means, rap on top.