After the breakup of his group, Q-Tip began pursuing a solo career in 1999. He collaborated with R&amp;B singer Raphael Saadiq and released the hit single "Get Involved". Later that year, he signed with Arista Records and released his solo debut "Amplified", which he produced with Jay Dee. The album was promoted by the hit singles "Vivrant Thing" and "Breathe and Stop", which were more pop-oriented than his previous work with A Tribe Called Quest. However, other songs on the album maintained the ethos of the group and it received mostly positive reviews from critics. In January 2000, it was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America and "Vivrant Thing" was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance, presented a month later at the 42nd Grammy Awards.