The Low End Theory

Geeze, this is a great album. Another cornerstone crew of hiphop, Tribe is just... just great. They defined the genre for a whole generation of artists and their influence continues to be felt in the work of artists like Childish Gambino, Chance the Rapper, and more. The way that the verses are built over hooky boom-bap beats is compelling, neither element distracting from the other but each remaining engaging individually. So good. Just so damn good.

Devastatingly cool and smooth. This album can be enjoyed in the background, with beats that go on for days, or with an intensive focus, with lyrics that bend and twist in delightful ways. This 1001 albums list is making me realize that I'm a much bigger fan of hip hop and rap than I initially thought.

One of the greatest hip hop album ever. I really love the jazzy vibes.

An album I didn't even need to listen to for the rating. Absolute classic Native Tongues, and maybe my favorite. The entirety of the second half of this album has a sequencing and flow unlike many of its kind. All are highlights.

Not a huge hip hop fan and this album didn’t change that. A few songs have some slightly interesting “jazz” vibes (If you call a simplistic repetitive phrase with slightly unusual chords “jazz”), but all in all I still don’t get the hype. It’s 4/4 repetitive rhythmns with rhyming. 3 stars since it’s a foundational album for many subsequent artists and my bias gives it the benefit of the doubt, but I really don’t see what’s so special about it myself.

One of the best hip hop album ever.

Jazz and hip-hop were meant to be together. Just good fun, old school hip-hop. The fact that this album ends with Scenerio just shows how full of solid tracts this album is. 4/5

This is so boring. Can anyone really tell these songs apart from any other hip-hop/rap songs? The album description in apple music mentioned something about a jazz aesthetic. What does that even mean? Jazz is about interesting variations on a melody, which is the opposite of a canned beat. Also, it is impossible to follow the lyrics unless you pay attention all the time. What happened to songs having a chorus to sing along to?

I liked a few songs. the stripped down drum, bass, vocals thing really does work, BUT it only works for a few songs for me. After 3 or 4 I find myself getting bored. I know that's blasphemy to some, but I just find that I don't really click with hip-hop.

I like how this album is poetry about their lives, trying to understand themselves and describing how they saw their lives. It's slow, smooth, and honest. 5/5

I love this. Smart, cool, jazzy, intellectual. No drugs, minimal cursing - and I love both of those things. But it's just a very refreshing vibe. Can see why its a classic.

Favorites: All Widely considered one of the greatest hip hop albums. Hugely influential in bridging the gap between jazz and hip hop

Rap and hip-hop isn't my inherent wheelhouse. I didn't grow up listening to it, I don't listen to a lot of modern hits, and most of what I listen to is make or break for me. This album just CLICKS with me, though. The smooth, jazzy backbeats, the atmospheric and melodic instrumentation, Phife and Q-Tip's fun and flowing lyrics...it's just the perfect rap album in my mind. It's influenced so many different artists today: Kanye, Pharrell, Dr. Dre, Lin Manuel-Miranda, Kendrick, Dave Chapelle...there's hardly any entertainer or artist that isn't inspired or owes something to this album. Everything from its structure, emotion, and production is top notch. Favorite Song: What? Least Favorite: Ahh...this is so hard...Show Business? Everything is so good, though. Least Favorite: Sagar (The Ocean) ... only because of it's slow start and it's a pretty long song. It's still a great piece, just not one I'd revisit as much.

Absolute classic that set a standard for the genre. Excellent samples create a jazzy atmosphere that match up with the great lyrical team up of Q-Tip and Phife Dawg. One of the best albums in 90s hip-hop and an absolute must listen.

Classic hip-hop shit. Standout Tracks: Buggin' Out, Butter, Verses from the Abstract, What?, Scenario

It made me so soft, my cock ring fell off in the supermarket.

To this day, I’m not sure why, but an older kid I vaguely knew took me aside and handed me the first two A Tribe Called Quest albums in the locker room at school. "Listen to these, give them back when you’re done." At the time, these albums were unlike anything I’d ever heard—instant classics. The Low End Theory in particular was a revelation, with its deep basslines, minimalist beats, and live jazz instrumentation offering a sound that was both raw and smooth. It broke away from the heavier, sample-driven style of its era, creating something that instantly felt timeless. The heart of the album is the incredible chemistry between Q-Tip and Phife Dawg. Tip’s laid-back, cerebral flow perfectly complements Phife’s punchy, no-nonsense delivery. Their synergy is effortless, shining brightest on tracks like “Check the Rhime,” where they bounce off each other with precision and style. As for its legacy, The Low End Theory reshaped 90s hip-hop, proving the genre could be introspective without losing its edge. And let’s not forget—it introduced the world to Busta Rhymes, whose explosive verse on “Scenario” set the stage for his breakout. Those CDs still sit in my collection. The guy never asked for them back, and it’s become a running joke for me to message him every few years on social media to ask if he wants them returned. Did/Do I own this release? Kinda still do Does this release belong on the list? For sure Would this release make my personal list? Definitely Will I be listening to it again? No question

Genre: Jazz Rap 5/5 This is very, very, very good. An album that sounds old-school, but with arrangements and concepts that are fresh to the ears as anything on this list, The Low End Theory is one of the best rap albums I've ever heard. The absolute vocal dominance showcased by everyone on this, especially the two kingpins, Q-Tip and Phife Dawg (RIP), is truly some of rap's best. The songs that everyone has heard, Scenario and Check the Rhime, are some of rap's most recognizable singles, and still continue to influence the newest generation of rappers. Busta Rhymes' line "ra-ra, like a dungeon dragon"? Nicki Minaj made it a hook in 2010. But it's the rest of the songs on here, the sheer quality of every beat and bar on this album, that's truly something to behold. Starting with the first track, Excursions, where Q-Tip eloquently ties together the growth of hip-hop to the growth of all popular black art, this album brings a full jazz-funk style of production that might sound like it's old hat, but for the time was a true standalone musical experiment. This is hip-hop's first full-length Jazz Rap experience, and it's a sound that really hasn't been topped since, excluding Kendrick's To Pimp a Butterfly (which takes the jazz and truly shoves it down your throat, which I appreciate). From there on out we have tracks like Skypager, a tremendous ode to the then-daily pager usage rampant among those looking to showcase a modicum of wealth and importance, especially in black communities. We have songs like Rap Promoter and Show Business, songs that vividly describe the predatory natures at play in what was, at least in '91, the Wild West, with white CEOs and men in suits looking to do anything they can to cash in on what was essentially a cultural movement gone mainstream. Then we have songs like What?, another Q-Tip masterclass in wordplay and social commentary, and a track that rewards repeat listens. This is so, so good. I would hope those who aren't generally into rap music give this a try and truly enjoy it for what it is. This is such a great example of what rap albums can do well. Thematically, musically, vocally, this album touches on so many important cultural and political struggles of the time, while also sounding like a true love-letter to all black art which preceded it, and while STILL SOUNDING THIS FRESH. Wonderful album.

Day 3 of 1001 albums you must hear before you die and I got my first hip hop album!! The 1991 sophomore album from the groundbreaking group A Tribe Called Quest. The Low End Theory was a follow up to their debut album People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm, which was the first album to receive the then prestigious award of 5 mics in The Source magazine. The Low End Theory was released slap dab in the middle of The New Jack Swing era, gangster rap and the times of huge pop successes of acts like MC Hammer and Vanilla Ice. Instead of making music about guns, girls, money and dancing, Q-Tip and Phife Dawg let their commentary about social issues spill onto jazz samples and record samples spun by DJ Ali Shaheed Muhammad. The classic New York sound of jazz infused hip hop seems so natural now, looking back, however it was Tribe that founded the iconic sound that was considered alternative hip hop at the time. The biggest stand out of this album is Scenario. This monster of a song is credited for boosting the solo career of Busta Rhymes and is a fantastic energetic song. The lead single Check the Rhime is a nostalgic ride through the early 90’s. Q-Tip has one of the most unique voices in music and his back and forward exchanges with a much different sounding Phife gels so satisfyingly well together. (RIP Phife Dawg) This group paved the way for so many acts and inspired the culture so much it’s almost as if it had always been that way. Please share your thoughts and memories of this album. This is only my take on it and being that I was in elementary school when this released, it would be great to hear others perspective! 😎

No. 67/1001 Excursions 3/5 Buggin' Out 3/5 Rap Promoter 3/5 Butter 3/5 Verses From The Abstract 4/5 Show Business 3/5 Vibes And Stuff 3/5 Infamous Date Rape 3/5 Check The Rhime 3/5 Everything Is Fair 3/5 Jazz 3/5 Skypager 2/5 What? 3/5 Scenario 3/5 Average: 3,0 This has all the ingredients for me to love it. Old scholl hip-hip, universally loved by critics and fans alike. But I just couldn't get that much into it. I felt musically it was lacking.

Great raps and awesome flow from ATCQ with beats and grooves that are jazzy, deep and sparse, but thick as molasses and warm as butter. Even taking into account ‘The Infamous Date Rape’ which sounds like a rare misstep coming at it with 2022 ears, ‘The Low End Theory’ is still one of Hip Hops greatest hits.

Essential 90's hip hop starts and ends with A Tribe Called Quest. Q-Tip and Phife Dawg (RIP) expertly spit bars over fantastic jazz beats. The opening moments of the album with the bass of Excursions is neigh-unforgettable, setting up expectations for the rest of the album's runtime. The Tribe has the stage: now is the time to listen. The vibes on this album are perfection. It's so incredibly mellow, like hanging out with your friends, chillin'.

Do you know the importance of a Skypa-jah? Love, love, love. Saw TCQ tour this album at the Flood Zone with Busta Rhymes. They went out with Scenario and the whole place was going wild! The Low End Theory is contaminated with all the good post-high school memories, there's no way that I could provide an unbiased review today. ----- Equally as good is the TCQ doc. Highly recommend. https://www.amazon.com/Beats-Rhymes-Life-Travels-Called/dp/B005LM7KP0

A landmark album in hip-hop, and one of the father's of jazz rap. The beats are great, the lyrics are clever and impactful, and it's just generally fun all around. And then they came out with Midnight Marauders too... Favourite Tracks: Buggin Out, Vibes and Stuff, Scenario

OK here's another group i've heard so much about but I don't know if I've ever listened to - was far too much into guitar rock at the time but *wow* I missed out on this. Or maybe I wasn't ready - but this is the kind of hip-hop I love. Should I even categorize it merely as hip-hop? Because forget the rap for a minute - the first thing I'll ever notice on any album is the music and the music *KILLS* here. It's impossible to not move to the opening track "Excursions" - there's a hard jazz element with heavy drum loops (no 808s - and although these are samples they sample the real deal which IMO is always better. Always.) and the album never lets up at all. The music mostly isn't loud and in your face, but at the same time it propels and is never dull. I want to hear and see them performing this entire album with a full band - I can hear it translating brilliantly. Moving to the actual vocals I *love* the attack of multiple rappers (and as big a Public Enemy fan I am, and Chuck D is the best, Flav is a sideshow...) - it works so well on every song - including the guest spots (e.g. "Show Business"). I think my favourite aspect of the rapping is how rhythmic they are - accentuating, complimenting, and becoming *part* of the music - so much more than a ton of modern hip-hop that I just haven't been able to connect with. It's hard for me to find a favourite, but some other standouts are "Verses From The Abstract" "Check the Rhime" and "Jazz." Tribe feel like a BAND on every track here, rather than rapping over a beat - it's an integrated experience. This defines cool in every way and I'm psyched to add this to my collection - if there's any negative, it seems to tail off on the last few tracks - nothing bad, just loses a little steam. But the highs are so good that for only the second time in ~150 albums I've gone in completely blind and come out looking at 5 stars... 9/10 5 stars.

listened to it before baby

Not my bag but some great history. Enjoyed it,

'A pair of Nikes, size ten-and-a-half'; 'I sport New Balance sneakers to avoid a narrow path.' Hip-hop had been Adidas-centric for the longest. Tribe's embrace of the other brands implies an ethos of divergence. They diverge from gangsterism, no doubt, but they also deviate from their Native Tongues collective. Tho just as spunky, allusive, and self-consciously soft as De La, Tribe is ultimately heaved to fresh heights w/ Q-Tip's resourceful production. Is there another hip-hop release that is more ingeniously reliant on the technology of break loops and the lowdown addiction to the double bass? 'So low-key that you probably missed it.' But it's a low-key vitalness. 'Who knows but that, on the lower frequencies, I speak for you?'

Banger

a true beginning for a tribe that had its eyes set on being the one rap group to be preachy as hell but also really cool at the same time . experience flows here and is conveyed with a degree of mastery in terms of flow and beat making that is virtually impossible to match . a collection of songs trying to stop the descent of a sub culture set to exclude every one except the ones who match the people who popularized it and pleaded for life above anything . i could talk at length about the idea that some of the ways its worded are out dated but its undeniable these 20 year old dudes probably know better than other 20 year old dudes and will continue their excursion . the title implies a continuing quest rather than one with a set destination . pretty sure this is a 9 !! won me over seeing in all of its totalities . casually has the best beats of all time probably

I could have sworn that I already had this album suggested but that might just be because I have it in semi regular rotation in my personal collection. This record is so damn smooth and buttery, a bona fide staple of early hip hop and also absolutely timeless. For a laugh, check out "Rap Promoter" if you want to hear what Kid Rock tried to rip off..

this was, for me, my first introduction to 90s hip-hop, and i don’t think there could have been a better album. the lyrics, which provide a social commentary, without being too harsh, are set against a backdrop of dance-inducing beats, creating the perfect balance between perfecting the album sonically, and getting their points across this album and the group as a whole has also had a vast impact on similar artists, with influences still evident today in hip-hop, rap and r&b. their legacy is immense, and defined the 90s hip hop scene. a rarity in this album is that i believe it has no skips - something that cannot be said for many. therefore, i rate it five stars

its so cool if you own this on vinyl (i own this on vinyl)

ATCQ created a style like no other. Choosing jazz samples in a lot of their work brought a fresh groove and laid back swagger to their music, quite different from anyone else at the time. Q Tip and Phife Dawg bring some of that verse swapping from old school hip hop whilst pushing into subjects, rapping about damn near anything. The two are so great together and it is a sad loss to music we have lost Phife so soon. The Low End Theory is one of a few hip hop albums that could convert the hip hop non believer. Its sound is so good, its rhymes are so quotable, its mood is fun, its rappers charismatic. A fine, fine record. Bump this on a summer day.

Reaching backward with that double bass, Low End Theory is both a perfect 90's rap album and a bridge to an older peer music. Never frantic, Tribe is able to keep their pace up: The number of strong tracks on the second half is notable in itself.

One of the greatest, RIP Phife Dawg

Amazing. Just fuck me up with this over and over and over.

Very solid album. I am tempted to give it a 5, but I think at times their rhymes and beats are so pleasantly rolled out that they can run together. Still, some excellent songs and talent.

Very good, I enjoyed the atmostphere it set and some good music on there

I actually really like this album considering it’s genre I thought it was fun I like the music and I also like the singing aspect so I was thinking about giving a four or three I would give it 3.5 but I think I’m going to get before just because I don’t think I would like any other music that sounds like this this one is just different

If Arrested Development were a Hip-Hop artifact to be seen as a relic of how the genre used to sound, A Tribe Called Quest is a Hip-Hop database that you still hear referenced to this day. I've heard so many artist bite not only the flows but the literal lyrics from Tribe songs, I don't know how many times. All paying respect to their originators of course. This album is peak 90s Hip-Hop and I couldn't have been more pleased with a return listening. Only thing I will dock for is that the vibe is pretty samey throughout.

On ne peut qu'être reconnaissant envers A Tribe Called Quest d'avoir composé la bande-son du jeu Monstres et Compagnie sur Game Boy Color (cf morceau What?). Dans celui-ci, Bob Razowski avait la possibilité d'effectuer deux sauts consécutifs en appuyant sur la touche A, tandis que Jacques Sullivan ne pouvait en effectuer qu'un seul.

As music, rap has never moved me. Adding a jazz bass line doesn’t make it much more palatable for me. The social commentary is sometimes quite powerful, some of the pieces are humorous. But it’s more speech performance to my ears than music. Sorry…

Not my thing. Why is rapping considered singing?! #oldwoman

Only comparable rap group is wu tang Goated shit Verses from abstract is amazing

Loved every second of this. Embodies exactly what hip hop is about. Storytelling woven into excellent musicianship. Can’t get much better than this

Quest is the best. Timeless

Perfect

A great classic, I had totally forgot about them

Good album

Perfect, no notes. I wish I had known their music better (and been somewhat sober) when I saw them at Lollapalooza.

Excursions Check the Rhime Jazz (We've Got) Scenario

it good

One of the best

Always loved this album so coming back to it and really *listening* to it was a joy. The double bass, the way Phife and Tip interact with each other is just a joy. 5/5

Very swingy hip hop - reminds me of De La Soul

The jazzy grooves and the super smooth rhymes are still super fresh.

Ok I was about to give Low End Theory a 4 (to give myself a little headroom to give Midnight Marauders a 5) but then Scenario came on and I’m jumping around my living room thinking I can rap the Busta Rhymes verse. (I cannot). Scenario is the greatest posse cut in hip-hop. Also, sick Ron Carter bass. 5 stars.

Tribe's style is my favourite flavour of hip hop - if you throw in jazz samples then I am likely going to like it. The godfathers of everything that I love in this genre.

still my favorite tribe album

Top 10, hands down.

love love love

Another dope 90s boom bap.

The Low End Theory is the second studio album from A Tribe Called Quest, a hip-hop trio from New York City. The band made down-tempo hip-hop, based in jazz samples and rhythms. They were the center of a "conscious rap" trend of the early nineties, with lyrics based in social commentary and well-crafted rhymes. The Low End Theory is regarded as not only one of the best alt-rap albums, but also as one of the best albums of all time. A Tribe Called Quest features rappers Q-Tip, Phife Dog, and Jarobi White, and DJ Ali Shaheed Muhammed. This collection of songs is incredible. The samples and rhythms make the track worth repeating; the lyrics are well-considered enough to impress, even after many repeats.

This is a classic hip-hop album that has truly stood the test of time. They kept it simple in the best way, with Q-Tip handling most of the production. I love the old school style of beats, because they hit hard and carry real weight, but the jazz samples balance it all out, creating a laid back musical landscape that flows perfectly with the vocal interplay between Q-Tip and Phife Dawg.

Esenciales, brillantes, influyentes y sobre todo excelentes compositores. De lo mejorcito del hip-hop, y eso es mucho decir. Otros destacados de Native Tongues fueron De la soul, Latifah, Black Sheep, Monie Love o J Dilla, y obviamente los Jungle Brothers. Yo prefiero el debut y sobre todo Luck of Lucien, pero este segundo es otra joya a lomos de Check the Rhime y otros lujos como la inicial Excursions el tremendo final con Scenario. Mi favorita? Verses from the Abstract. Portada excelente. Un disco de ATCQ es imprescindible y puede ser este, el debut o exquiisto retorno y epitafio We Got It from Here... Thank You 4 Your Service. No son Stetsasonic o Digable Planets pero eson imprescindibles.

Absolutely love this. I remember a few years ago I was one of those people that would only listen to 60s and 70s rock and never really opened up to other genres. For some reason, I listened to this album one day and I think that was the start of a change in my music taste. This remains one of my favourite hiphop albums. Also, this cover is one of my favourites, it’s so pretty

Great album, thoroughly enjoyed listening to it. I was aware of some of their songs, and listened to their newer material growing up, but hadn't gone into their catalogue before.

that’s more like it

Better than Coldplay

This album was one of a few that made its way to me in High School and changed my perception of Hip-Hop. I've made reference to my transition from "everything but hip-hop or country" guy in High School to having separate multi-year 'hip-hop only' and 'mostly country' (nothing after Willie Nelson) phases later in my 20s. I can say for a fact that this album influenced the musical tastes of weed smoking white boys from suburban MA forever. The sample on 'Excursions' is legendary. "Skypager" is hilarious. Man's got duracells. This could be a longer review, but it won't be. This album is amazing. The lyrics are funny, the flows are smooth, and the beats are funky. There's nothing wrong with this album. 10/10

Really a 4.5 but great album

A classic and a personal favorite of mine. The Tribe somehow improve upon their debut from the year prior. Still and always jazz-oriented, the production is also notable for its crisp drum programming and double bass (hello Ron Carter!) this go-around. This created the perfect backdrop for the main acts: Q-Tip and Phife Dawg. Q-Tip was no stranger to many at this point, but Phife Dawg sort of broke through here and became more prominent as a vocalist. Phife's somewhat silly, yet self-assured lyrical delivery paired with Q-Tip's mellow and contemplative delivery makes for entertaining lyrical interplay and flow. A smooth listen that never gets old. Early 90's hip-hop classics such as "Excursions", "Buggin' Out", "Check the Rhime", and the greatest posse cut ever in "Scenario" (hello Busta Rhymes!) are found here. I implore those who don't consider themselves hip-hop "fans" to check this album out, as I'd consider this jazz-based, "alternative" hip-hop sound to be pretty accessible. But if this isn't a needle-mover for some, then that's fine too. Hard to argue against the immediate and lasting influence this album had on the genre as a whole, though.

There was a time when I considered myself a connoisseur of rap, especially 90s rap. How wrong I was. Sure, "The Low End Theory" has been on my radar for a long time (an embarrassingly long time), but I've never actually put the time aside to listen. This was a mistake. The rhymes (e.g. "Bust a nut inside your eye/to show you where I come from"), the beats, the humour, the wordplay, the attitude. Everything a rap album should be.

I have listened to this album many times, one of my favorite hip-hop/rap albums of all time.

Suck mes 5 étoiles bitch

Mes amis disent que c'est bon.

Microphone check one two what is this? This album is great but you already knew this.

Awesome listen, classic

great beats...... date rape song wtf

Dated sounds, but love instrumentals and rhymes.

SO good. Love how minimalist and dark it is. The jazz samples just work so well and you can hear the influence on a ton of later stuff.

This is hands down the best sounding record of the 90s. Fight me. For real though, if you're (for some reason) reading this before listening to the album for the first time, go find the best set of headphones you can find, even if you have to buy some, light up a spliff, lay down on your couch with nothing but a candle providing light, and turn this album on. I promise you'll have the best night of your entire life.

The Big Bang decoded the cosmos, natural selection decoded evolution, general relativity decoded physics, and The Low End Theory decoded how hip-hop could simultaneously expand its universe while honoring its origin.

Usually not a fan of rap but this was goooood

Yes

Loved it, I hadnt listen to them before

Incredible shit

Now I understand the hype around this group… really fun and interesting album that gets bonus points for a typically great Busta Rhymes feature

Baaaang. Finally got to listen to it in full after years. 5 stars. One of the best hip hop LP’s ever

Also enjoyed. Midnight marauders album maybe edges it for me, but both are great

90s hip-hop, minimalist sound that combines bass, drum breaks, and jazz samples. Considered one of the greatest and most creative alternative hip-hop albums. Hip-hop over jazzy beats is indeed incredibly cool. Fantastic beats.

It’s a simple formula: bassy jazz, drum line with non-stop rhymes, it should get boring after a while but it doesn’t for me. The laid back amalgamation of hip-hop drums and beats with jazzy undertones works for me and I love actually hearing what they’re saying even if the meaning does go over my head sometimes.

This should be required listening before you can be exposed to Hamilton. You can hear this sound echo through nearly every rap album that's come out since.

What am I going to say that hasn’t already been said? It’s a classic, one of the absolute greatest hip-hop albums of all time.

I feel like this was easy. One of my all-time favorite albums. Classic to the max. Go read "Go Ahead in the Rain" right now. Do it!

Intelligent hip hop. Listened twice.

Fat, smoove and fresh fun to the max.

I love them so much. Their flow. The two MCs going back and forth. “Check the Rhyme” is forever one of my favorite rap songs. I will forever have a little crush on Q-tip too.

I'm not sure which is a more perfect album in the annals of prog hip-hop between this and "New Refutations of Space and Time" by Digable Planets...they're both perfect.