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.

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.

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

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

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.

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

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

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 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.

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

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

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! 😎

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

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.

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

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.

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.

Not my bag but some great history. Enjoyed it,

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

Loud and clear

Great album

Big De La Soul 90s vibes. Great sound overall.

One of my all time favourite albums and one of the greatest hip hop albums from the golden age. The production on this album is bass heavy and just right and they named it accordingly, although the name also was a comment on the status of black Americans. Almost every song is a classic. When I first heard this 30 years ago, it felt a little sparser than their other albums but I grew to love this sound. Pure hip hop. It’s like butter, baby.

Just what I’ve been looking for. Smooth beats. Can’t believe it took this long. The story telling the sampling. Such a great listen.

Excellent, I enjoyed this one a lot! Fun instrumentals and vocal work. 'Excursions' was my fave track.

This is great; already a favorite. I love the interplay of Q Tip and Phife Dawgs voices.

Classic!!!

The Bars are so on point and a tribe called quest is one of the best aging old school music to me. Really love the album. Smooth like butter and thats a Fact!

a quintessential hip-hop album. not only one of the greatest hip-hop albums of all time but it's one of the greatest albums ever!

Milestone album, this came out in 1991. Insane! 5/5

Tribe was one of my favorite hip-hop groups, and this remains arguably their best album. I loved that they were socially conscious and provided an alternative to the gangsta and hardcore rap, much of which I've struggled to connect with. Tip and Phife are great lyricists, and their respective vocal deliveries allow them to stand out among their peers. The music across this album displays their influences while perfectly accompanying their words, and I love the uses of humor as much as the serious messages. I'd give this top marks based on songs like "Buggin' Out" and "Scenario" alone just for how those songs make me feel. When those hit, I've gotta move with a smile on my face, every time.

Fantastic. 5/5

Classic rap.

One of the all time best albums and ny favorite hip hop album. Just fantastic. Favorite track: Check the rhime other picks: jazz we’ve got, excursions, buggin out

Lowkey Banger after Lowkey Banger. I'm not a Boomer Puritan, but the lack of any kind of crude language on this thing really impressed me. Socially conscious jazz beat Rap? Sign me up. 5 stars.

When hip hop was getting popular I was waiting for an album like this - one that has someone rapping over live instruments. This one features the legendary Ron Carter on bass and the groove is delivered so solidly. Q-Tip is the smoothest! Liked Songs Added: Excursions Butter Infamous Date Rate Jazz (We've Got)

Exceptional as exceptional gets. Really hard to top this Best Song: Check the Rhyme Rating: 10/10 Stars: 5/5

9/10

I gotta listen to more of their stuff.

Hippity hop but a classic

generational

I love Tribe and was very happy to have this one popped up in my list. An immaculate hip hop classic and a contender for the GOAT record in the genre. Possibly Busta Rhymes best verse ever in Scenario as well. I could listen to this all day every day. RIP Phife Dawg. "A man of the fame, not a man of the people. Believe that if you wanna but I tell you this much, Riding on the train with no dough, sucks."

buggin out, butter, scenario, jazz, rap promoter, so many great songs on this album. classic tribe beats and great vibes. my favorite project from them. wish we could do half stars. 4.5

Probably the best hip hop album I've heard. No duds the entire album. I'll be playing it again.

9/10

My favorite from ATCQ! This is where Qtip really perfected his producing craft and it’s still a constant inspiration for me. I’d put this one in my all time top 100, not sure where I’d put it within that 100 but it would crack that list for sure. It’s worth noting that all 100 within that list would be evenly ranked and 5 star albums, so it’s basically tied with 100 of my favorite albums. The beauty of hip hop is that it’s constantly evolving. Even today there are artists who are pushing the genre to new dimensions and in that respect they have much in common with ATCQ, but Joey Bada$$’s 1999 from 2012 is one that looks back at what hip hop was in the 90’s with really solid results. Definitely worth a listen if you like these old school hip hop artists. While there are better albums that have come out since this albums release, The Low End Theory still remains the perfect snap shot of where hip hop was in the early 90’s and for that it’s an easy 5 for me.

This is the one. This is early 90's hip hop. The chill, trip-hop jazzy rhythm. Other groups followed, but this is the standard. This immediately takes me back. By far their best album. Buggin' Out and Vibes and Stuff are my favorites. 5, no doubt about it.

This album is a hip hop clinic. Such great story telling. Excursions and Jazz are masterpieces. A descendant of Trinidadian immigrants made the list. RIP to the five foot assassin. It's a real skill to be able to sample and build these songs the way Tribe does.

Generational sounding album. Can tell it’s a precursor that inspires music like mos def and Wu-Tang in the following years. Even 3 decades old, this album is still fun to listen to and feels fresh. Very fun listen with great lyricism/artistry. First I had heard the cypher or group rapping. (It deleted my previous notes, pieced them back together quickly)

One of my favorite albums of all time, hands down. Show Business, Check the Rhime and Butter are all classics and part of my DNA. It is the ethos of 90s hip hop to me and shows the genre is more than just "bitches and hoes" like the critics would like one to think. This is instrumental listening to anyone wanting to appreciate music.

Immagina dare 4

A fucking classic. The production on this album is unmatched, just a genius move to pair lyrical acrobatics with such trad jazz instrumentals. There are MCs still living in Phife and Tip’s shadows, their level of skill on the mic still rivals most of the rappers working today. And to end it on that phenomenal Busta Rhymes feature - this album is firmly one of the all time greats.

one of my all time favorite albums front to back. I wish I was a teenager during this exact time but was born 3 years after this release. either way, i’m so happy I got to enjoy this during my time in high school. they started the 90’s era of rap search that I hold dear. “Bust a nut inside your eye, to show you where I come from.” REST IN POWER PHIFE DAWG

The perpetuality of the flow, the grooviness of the samples, the grittiness of the beats, the seriousness of the lyrics - A golden discovery for me, and already one of the best hip-hop albums I've heard.

A shining example of rap. The flow and lyricism hits melodically and the jazzy tracks make this a record I can listen to whenever. Check the Rhime is a goddamn classic. Go listen to this one.

A classic album.

This is what I think is when somebody says hip-hop. Just an incredible album that oozes with coolness Really love the jazzy vibes.

Slaps, love the song about pagers. It’s 1991 forever

Fantastic start to finish, great samples, smooth deliveries

Really good Loved electro bass Good lyrics Good melodys

A complete revelation. How did this ever pass me by as a teenager? So many factors - peer group, ethnicity being two immediate thoughts - but goodness, the musicianship, the lyrics. Pure poetry. LOVED IT!

Great beats Great Rhymes

5 big booms easily

Q-Tip and Phife, legendary

superb album start to finish

I have such an admiration for older rap albums, and just the way you can hear the flow of the freestyle and it’s all just authentically good. This album was really enjoyable. I could tell they were getting some inspiration from the N.W.A. album I listened to, and it’s cool because I noticed that new gen rap like Nicki definitely got inspiration from this one :)

industry rule number four-thousand-and-eighty, record company people are shadyyyy

This rules. Probably my favorite album up to this point.

The Low End Theory is genuinely one of the greatest hip-hop albums of all time, and it's still a toss-up between this and Midnight Marauders as the best Tribe album, somehow. A Tribe Called Quest were really on to something special. Every track they put together during their run (even on the later albums when tensions were higher between Phife and Q), feels like they're discovering something new. As true pioneers to the genre, it feels like they push boundaries at every turn and craft something truly unique in the process. The production on this is as crisp and interesting as possible, Q is in his prime form, and somehow Phife rises up to meet him right where he is. The tracks are unique, diverse, and expertly crafted. This, in my mind, is the real first Tribe album. It was the start of something incredible, and it's put together damn-near flawlessly. 10/10

Great old school hip hop.

Huge record. Jazz, buggin out, and check the rhyme some of my favourite hip hop tunes ever

That the shit I like. Good, creative, unique (in it's time).

Kjempebra!

Already listened, many times.

Come on now. Easy 5.

I've listened to this album more times than I care to remember. I have original vinyl copies of this album, their debut album Peoples Instinctive Travels and the third album Midnight Marauders. All of them are incredible, and 5 stars in my opinion. If I have a slight preference it is for Midnight Marauders (which probably puts me in a minority).