Reviews (page 10 of 14)
I love the references to pagers and watching Arsenio Hall on channel 9
I love this album. One of my all time favorite hip hop albums. No one can flow like Q Tip.
I love the Scenario but I hadn't heard much of this album. It was really good.
Finally some hip hop
Honestly? It is GREAT. High relistenability.
Both the flow and the music are great, lyrics are also quite good. I love the jazz samples used in it.
Fav song: Check the Rhime Cool album Obviously a classic
Dug it
Hip hop ok!
Classic 90s rap album.
Really good album. Great rhymes and flow.
Classic hip-hop beats. Good stuff
Great music, but not for work.
good rap, just like JF used to like... traitor!
Good shit
Good!
Great hip-hop.
i already listened to this it's great
30/09/2020 Sat in room when the water went out and phys got cancelled. Really enjoyed this album and was excited for my first hiphop piece. However, some of the album has not aged well at all, although it was part of a genre defining movement at the time. Songs like 'infamous date rape' in particular are not an easy listen. Tempted to give a 3, but because I am so aware of the position ATCQ have in hiphop, and the general influence of this album, I feel inclined to give a 4. Sugar Hill Gang/Grandmaster Flash influences run through the blood of this album.
1991: Check the Rhime, Scenario, Excursions
Old school hip hop perfection.
I liked how jazzy this album was. Plenty of fun basslines as well! The whole thing was pretty smooth to listen to, but no individual song really stood out for me? Maybe Verses from the Abstract, but not by much.
It's not my kind of music, but should be good for whom likes it
Kind of boring and uninteresting in current day of age, most songs sound mostly the same with the same bassline, drum pattern and similar vocal performances. In my opinion not aged well. Not bad but nothing amazing for me. I can see the significance of the album however and that it probably inspired some of the music that I do enjoy, so maybe I'm listening already having heard that so the original doesn't seem that significant to me. Standout track(s): Check the Rhime, Scenario 4.5/10
Really solid. The production is great, especially in “Scenario” with so much going on. I think if I spend more time with this I might come back and rate it higher.
Toinen levy kyseistä artistia, eikä mieli oo sen kummemmin muuttunut siinä välissä. Hyvää perus hiphop/rap kauraa, mojovat biitit, mutta tän tyyppinen flow ei itelle kolahda pidemmän päälle.
Great album
Never heard of tribe called quest but i emjoyed that
Again really cool and interesting hip-hop but need time to listen to the lyrics to really appreciate it.
Classic old school rap
Good, but a bit samey. I wonder if I would have liked it more is it hadn't been immediately preceded by Raekwon.
Just felt like mall music to me. Very background noise core.
Not a huge lover of Hip hop, but I really love this. Great 90's nostalgic music. Would listen to it again!
Es como escuchar a Eminem pero sin Eminem
Si?
I have heard the name of this group. However, I have not heard any of their music. Well, here goes. This is not bad for a rap album. There is a lot of rapping backed by drum machines. There is little or no funk and soul influence in their songs. I don’t hear much of a jazz influence either.There doesn’t appear to be any misogyny or glorification of violence in their music. My biggest complaint is the music is monotonous. It all sounds the same. Show business wasn’t a bad song and the infamous date rape was interesting. Overall, this is an average album. Three stars.
Classic beats, 90% great lyricism and flow but suffers from the weird horny/misogynistic obsession that a lot of rap has. We get it you have sex
It is a fun album for sure.. didn't win me with something to make it one of my favourites 3/5
Laid back funky groove but got a bit repetitive
Fun, but not what I am gonna return to
It’s becoming more apparent I really only enjoy tribes hits.
Good, but not exceptional flow, and good, but not great, instrumentals.
A Tribe Called Quest's second album is considered a benchmark blend of rap and jazz, two genres with which I have a very complex relationship. So, I was initially wary of this record. However, it turned out well — the album is interesting because it's not just jazz rap, it's, let's say, acoustic jazz rap. It stands on three pillars: vocals, drums, and double bass; practically every song uses only these instruments. Sometimes it's just the beats, sometimes the band invited real musicians, but the fact is, they've created a well-rounded release that's enjoyable to listen to in the background and to delve into. And the lyrics aren't bad either. It's not about money, chicks, and guns; here, the bros tackle social issues, both humorously and seriously (which was actually quite fashionable in hip-hop at one point). De La Soul, but less fun, overall.
Progressive rap but not my thing
OG some of the best Intelligent hip hop.
Pretty good, catchy and whatnot.
un rapsito piola. nada wow 5.5/10
The lyrics are genius and way ahead of their time. But the drums are far too forward in the mix and the fabulous backing tracks get drowned out. A sabotaged-by-production 3*
Not a fan of hip hop rap and shit especially from the 70s and 80s i mean the beat is nice, the ad libs the female vocals sometimes but I ain't from the hood so I have a hard time i interpreting what these lyrics mean otherwise it's a vibe no I'll shit about this album. It's meh.
Big 3
It was nice. Would listen again. 6/10.
Not my thing but not unenjoyable. This one is a winter evening when it's almost storming and you feel about to blow up. 3.3/5
Pretty good!
Ok songs. Nice crisp production. Clean and raw
Fun but kind of repetitive
Love the groove 3.5
Very good album. Notes deleted dont remember enough to write more. Just enjoyable to listen to. Favourite: Butter Least favourite: Scenario
Sounds good.
Not bad, but certainly not my style. ★★★
Great basswork. Pretty sure it's a standing double bass, and dang it, it completely overshadows all the other sonic elements here. Not that that's a bad thing. Not a huge fan of Q-Tip(?)'s vocal. For its time, it isn't terribly notable, but that's just it: half of the post-1990 male rappers sound exactly like this guy. This benefits ATCQ in that the music sounds more modern and less dated, but it also plays to its detriment – without any sort of melody and generally missing hooks or riffs, I feel like I've heard these songs hundreds or thousands of times before. Each song is individually decent – or most of them are, anyway – but as a collective? I see this as a set of good songs, *not* a good album. We start with the supremely groovy Excursions, a masterclass in "less is more" production and instrumentation. There isn't that much going on, particularly during the verses (vocals, bass, drums), but those are arguably the most compelling parts of the song. Obviously it could do with a melody, but such is the tragedy of rap. At least the brass breakdowns in the middle/end present a nice contrast. Buggin' Out is extremely similar – good, but not great – and I sincerely hope the band switches it up to give audiences some more variety. (Spoiler: they don't switch it up.) Nice transition from Rap Promoter to Butter, which has the best lyric thus far: "It's like butter, like the butter, baby / Not no Parkay, not no margarine / Strictly butter". Unfortunately, the remaining lyrics boast about sleeping with every girl in your senior year. I hope people don't listen to this due to finding the poetry relatable. Suffice to say, the novelty wears off quickly. "Once had a fetish, fetish for some booty / Now I'm getting funky in my rap and that's my duty" "Chickity Choco, the chocolate chicken" After Butter, the next time we hear anything notable is in the extremely questionable track Infamous Date Rape. The narrator complains about his one-night stand changing her mind about consent after the fact. I mean, sure. I don't know why I would ever actively seek out this song again, though. And isn't that the point of music? To make memories, to relate to art, to experience emotions? Right now the only emotion I'm feeling is supreme frustration. At least we get the tiniest bit of retribution in Check the Rhime, where Tribe fans cling to any semblance of musicianship with that funky bassline. And props to Everything Is Fair for having a completely novel funk/hip-hop sound, particularly in the vocal hook, than any of the other tracks. The synth keyboard in the penultimate track, What?, kicks ass. Yet another case of i-IV chords being absolutely unbeatable for jamming purposes. I can almost forgive Tribe for their past crimes. Worth mentioning, though, that apart from that one track, there is nothing jazzy about The Low End Theory. Uniform 4/4 beats and one-bar basslines repeated to death do not count as jazz. 3/5 Key tracks: Check the Rhime, Everything Is Fair, What?
A appreciate this music and didn't dislike listening to it, it's just not my thing. On the same level as the other 90s rap/R&B I've had. It's fine! Top Songs: Butter, Jazz (We've Got), What?
The album that established the career of Q-Tip and Busta Rhymes and brought more jazz samples into hip hop. They called it ‘Boom Bap’ apparently! It’s a more relaxing listen than some rap albums and the double bass (Ron Carter in places which is highly credible) is a distinctive feature. It didn’t soundtrack 1991 for me but it definitely was for cooler people and movie soundtracks. I think the presence of Mr Carter adds a star to the review! Not a million miles from the vibes of De La Soul.
Old school. Don't know it, but nostalgic for the style.
The beats on here are undeniable, and Q-Tip and Phife are obviously in the upper echelons of rap wordsmiths. That said, if pressed to indulge in 90s hip-hop I will always have more time for the harder edged, grimier sounds of Wu-Tang and Nas. That's just me!
I liked it. The lyrics are extremely clever. It’s not my style, it terms of a regular listen.
I like the jazzy vibe of it, this is pretty cool. I like this tyoe of hip hop that is a bit different. And it works pretty well. It got me a bit bored though.
a 3-star for me, but the kind that is intriguing enough and unfamiliar enough to myself that upon second listen it could just as easily drop to a 1-star as it could rise to a 5-star.
Классический умный и расслабленный хип-хоп с динамичным флоу, который приятно слушать в качестве фона или создания правильного ритма для рутинной работы. Для меня единственный минус - что при более детальном рассмотрение тяжело выдержать все 48 минут, но альбом все равно приятный
- Much like the Q-Tip album I previously reviewed, I respect the craft but Qwest does little for me. Something about the delivery just feels insanely repetitive and I find myself becoming less and less connected as these tracks play. - Some interesting lyrics, but the rhymes do not feel particularly creative. The spare backing is interesting, but I begin to once again lose interest after over a dozen songs. - "Scenario" is the best track and Busta Rhymes immediately stands out.
2.5
Kind of fun, but since they mostly just want to talk about themselves it didn't do much for me.
- 3/5 - nyc rap ? Era era - - “I dont get the message so you gots to run the pigeon” - It’s not bad, I prefer my rap to be a bit more melodic/ with background samples like MF DOOM - Jazz (we’ve got) is getting there? Bits of it!!
Fun but not for me
Yep, looks like East coast jazz rap is my flavour.
very samey but it's a pillar of hip hop
3.5
Idk, I really enjoyed *Instinctive Travels* a good bit more than this one. I honestly probably should revisit both and see where I land. This felt a bit more homogenous now, but that's look past all that this influenced on 90s hip hop. But I seem to remember enjoying the more feel good vibe of the predecessor much better. (6.8) ★★★
2 ATCQ albums in the book seems a bit overkill and Q-Tip’s best moment was on Groove Is In The Heart anyway. Not bad but kinda same boring beats and flow throughout. Definitely not needed.
ok
Good rapping vocals are on point and it has a decent beat. Nice lyrics however it just feels dated and very samey the samples dont change much so was a little disappointed.
Standard criticisms apply… but this is a touch groovier than its contemporaries.
Definitely a cut above the majority of other 90s hip hop albums we've been gifted.
I get that this album probably has more cultural cache, but Midnight Marauders is a much better listen (5/5). Still Tribe is a Vibe, and the vibes are all gooooood.
Un sonido que no baja en ningún momento y con algunas variantes que le dan gran riqueza. Llevadero pero nutritivo, así de simple.
Pretty chill, not a bad song on there
Again another 3.5. I dig the classic hip hop but I doubt it will be in my regular rotation. A couple of songs were misses, but on average pretty decent.
I'm not one to judge hip hop, this was alright, but maybe not something I'd revisit. 3*
I liked this album. I've heard of a Tribe Called Quest but never sat down and listened to it. I'm not sure if I would listen to this again though, mostly because this sounds is so familiar that I feel like I've heard to this entire album before because the production and flows have been reused by the music downstream of this album that it has influenced.
Solid work, but most of it sounds much the same to me.
3/5 - Just does very little for me, but I know it did a lot for others.
This album has the ability to transport whoever’s listening to early ‘90’s Brooklyn (or wherever). Feels like a good representation of the genre
This works great as background music. i really liked the genre and might check out more from A Tribe Called Quest. But i found this to be too slow and unmemorable for me.
Eu até gostei mas to em dúvida com as letras, daria um 3.5
Great hip hop album. Scenario is an all time song.
Definitely respect the vibe. Early underground hip hop is a blind spot for me. That I would like to change someday.
Ok, way too repetitive. Bought back memories of De La Soul
The cloudy weather made this album walk genuinely cool and refreshing, so much so that I extended my walk to finish the entire album before heading back inside. I had a trio of odd factors to consider going into this album; my positive reception to their first album, the critical acclaim given to The Low End Theory as one of the great hip-hop albums, and knowledge of Georgie Porgie, the song cut from the album by the label on account of being too homophobic even for a 1991 hip-hop audience. Needless to say, this is a lot of pressure to place on a single album. I was immediately struck by the heavier, deeper jazz sound of this album, taking the general "peace and love" vibe of People's Instinctive Travels but giving it more depth and maturity. For the most part, The Low End Theory earns its reputation, and I can hear the album which has garnered so much acclaim and influence over the last few decades of the genre. However, there are quite a few moments which leave me feeling a little soured on the album. It's a little funny to have gotten this album directly after Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde, because they each feel like they're demonstrating misogynistic behaviors in opposite directions. Where Pharcyde featured "ironic" threats of violence against women and a general immaturity in its lyricism, Tribe leans in the opposite direction, making various claims about supporting women by slut-shaming and criticizing "artificial beauty" like weaves and dyed hair. And then there's Infamous Date Rape, a completely misguided and baffling song. I have seen this track praised for shedding light on the horrific problem of date rape, at a time when the subject was barely being discussed. However, this song does no such thing; what purports to be a song about date rape can, in actuality, be boiled down to "if a girl doesn't want to have sex with you, she's probably on her period", and "be careful having sex with a girl because she might accuse you of rape afterwards". Not only are these somewhat incomplete discussions of sex and consent in the first place, they completely dodge any discussion of the actual issue the song is named for in a way that feels a little gross. And even though it never made it on the album proper, I still can't help but think of the song Georgie Porgie, which would have been on this album if not for label interference. The artists' vision of this album would have taken a break from their generally progressive and peace-loving views to preach unabashed hatred and disgust at the concept of gay people, and that knowledge does undercut some of the seriousness in the rest of the album. Homophobia has long been an issue with hip-hop, and I'm not claiming A Tribe Called Quest are unique in their views on the subject, but it is uniquely disappointing in their case because they: 1. are otherwise very forward-thinking for the time, and 2. expressed that homophobia not merely in throwaway lines here or there like most other rappers at the time, but in an entire song dedicated solely to that hatred. This does not ruin A Tribe Called Quest for me; I still believe they were generally a source of good in the hip-hop scene, even if a little misguided at times. And maybe I'm just coming to it a little late, but when taken as a whole, The Low End Theory's up and downs leave it as an album I find to be good, not great. Highlights: Excursions, Buggin' Out, Rap Promoter, Verses from the Abstract, Show Business, Vibes and Stuff, Everything Is Fair, Jazz (We've Got), What?, Scenario (LP Mix)
Seth - Beats feel organic & lively albeit sometimes hard to distinguish between tracks. Early east coast vibes, yet this feels like a bridge from the hip-hop days of the early to late 80s to the next gen 90s boom bap east coast rap. I genuinely feel though this album was not made for white guys in their 30s. Logan - Whole lotta nothing, bopping my head just along to the beat. I could tell the music had a message, but the message seemed to be over my head ie infamous date rape track. It felt experimental, not in a bad way. S - 3.5/5 L - 3/5
Not a huge fan of old school rap, all songs generally sounded very similar to me: Top songs: Scenario
actually decent. normally 90s rap is cheesy, but this held up
smooth
A nice new percpective on rap. Most of the lyrics are high vibrational.
sick beats, but some lyrics were distracting. I enjoyed the second half better
some calm luh flows also nice jazz influences
Overall Rating - 3.07/5 (6.14/10). Pretty solid old-style hip-hop. Slick flow over a good beat.
Groovy, tekstas tho visą laiką apie moteris.
Hört sich irgendwie jedes Lied gleich an aber für zwischendurch nicht schlecht.
3.5
Some good rhythm and beats 🥁
Highly overrated.
Nao e a minha cena mas acredito que seja bom
My rating 3.2
I was pleasantly surprised at this album. I’m not usually someone to be keen on rap music, with jazz and hip hop in the mix it creates this unique sound that I thoroughly enjoyed. I also bopped my head to a lot of it. However, it became repetitive which means there was no specific song that stuck out to me. If I heard this music I would like it but I wouldn’t go immediately to add it to my playlist, which is why I would rate it a 3/5. I definitely need to make a hip hop playlist so that I can listen to the songs again
Does it get anymore classic 90s rap than this? Pure lyrical poetry. Some of these rhymes are a littttle goofy though—“What is a party if it doesn't really rock? What is a poet? All balls, no cock.” Not quite a 3, not quite a 4. Fav: Verses from the Abstract, Vibes and Stuff
This is a very 90s record, for better or worse. The production is excellent, the flow is right, but I had to stop paying attention to the lyrics a few tracks in. Still, worth a listen.
This is the Stringer Bell of rap: not smart enough to hang with the philosophers but not hard enough to run with the boys on the street. Tribe tries to show his bona fides by listing off names of rappers no one remembers 30 years later (and name dropping Arsenio Hall 3 times isn’t a flex). Then he conflates vocabulary for intellect. But his lyrics have no particular insight despite having more syllables. Kendrick Lamar is a much better option for that. Altogether the tracks move along pleasantly enough, which for rap might be more of a bug than feature. It should be more challenging. The album was heading straight in to a half-hearted 2 stars until Busta Rymes jumps in with 90 seconds left on the last track. He brings all the energy that was missing and lifts the whole album on his shoulders up to a 3.
Rap promoter to butter transition was smooth like butter Wow butter more like peak I’m half way through the album now though and it’s getting kinda old WOAHHH CHECK THE RHIME finally something different! We GOT the jazz!!
Not really my style, but it was pretty nice. Reminds me of songs I hear on a stop sign during a roadtrip.
Very fun album. Scenario is a a classic and a great way to end the project.
An album I’ve only listened to once.
6/10
3/5
Mire laidback rap compared to the monstrosities I've had recently. Listenable
not exactly a huge fan of hip hop especially in this era of my life however i think the beats and the flow is pretty great, would've been interested in this had i been listening a few years prior
I like the classic 90s vibe as a background vibe. Not mad in any way
Album n.5 I dont really listen to a lot of rap but this album had some good songs on it. The lyrics where harder to follow by meaning but I think I got the gist of it. Again not really my thing so half of the songs didnt really land for me. favorites where: buggin out, vibes and stuff and check the rhime. I rate it 3,3
Not a huge fan of rap, but this is kind of relaxing. I love the album colours and the psychedelic neon art. Certain songs are super cool lyrically. Wouldn’t listen to the whole album again I think just because I might just forget about it.
Typ najs hip-hop, men inte min smak
I enjoyed this more then de la soul or cypress hills.
Pretty good old school hiphop
I liked this overall, even if there weren’t standout tracks for me. All the songs kind of blend in to each other, but are all good
I still don’t know how to talk about hip hop, so here here are my general thoughts on the album. He has good flow! I think the instrumental was slightly lacking. It was very samey throughout. Scenario is obviously a great track! I didn’t realize it was on this album. 3/5 ⭐️, some enjoyment, but I didn’t really pick anything out I loved about it. 135/1089
3.5
I mean, the greats, but I can't pick out one tune I would listen to on its own. Still, I love how much of The Abstract's lyrics are "Yeah, I'll play your show if you pay us."
great album favs were Vibes n Stuff and Jazz
1. Excursions 3/5: beat is cool, bars are hard just not a fan of the delivery. I like the audio bites throughout the chorus. 2. Buggin' Out 3/5: beat is cool again, snare is hard. Still just don't like the delivery from this era. 3. Rap Promoter 2/5: i like this beat less than the others, same complaints as before, bars are hard just don't like the delivery. 4. Butter 4/5: beat is crazyyyy, and delivery is cool has more character, chorus is so sick. can't imagine relistening tho, only thing i find myself latching onto is the beat. 5. Verses from the Abstract 2/5: I can't tell if im listening to a clean version or they just stop talking when they cuss, it's aight, can't really complain about anything but also not finding anything i latch onto. 6. Show Business 4/5: Beat is hyppeee, can hear people like Terror Reid being inspired by this, whoever is rapping at 2:20 is tough, kinda get bored of everyone else after a few bars, i really really like this beat tho. 7. Vibes and Stuff 4/5: Best beat so far, can also hear a snare that i use that's probably ripped from this song lmao, chorus is cool too, get a lil bored but big vibe on this song. 8. Infamous Date Rape 4/5: ???, i like the beat again, same as before not too big on delivery but not finding myself getting as bored w this song 9. Check The Rhime 3/5: beat cool, it's so much better when they rhyme off each other. im bored again. 10. Everything Is Fair 3/5: amen break *.* same as every song, cool beat, not too big on delivery, gettin a lil bored as the song goes on. 11. Jazz (We've Got) 3/5: they've got jazz, chorus is tough, ye. 12. Skypager 3/5: s in skypage stands for sex, i like these shorter songs more, feels like more is happening in a shorter period of time, makes me appriciate it more. 13. What? 2/5: i can't stand this beat LOL, I like their delivery when the bpm is faster, silence bar is crazy haha. 14. Scenario 5/5: banger song, beat is so crazy, i think with more people on this makes it that much better, the delivery from back then they kinda just stick with it without switching flow, this song having different people kinda fills that gap you don't end up just wanting to hear the next guy get on. Busta Rhymes is so fucking good actually carries on this song. Overall: It's cool, i feel a little out of touch with it given my age, can appriciate what it probabaly did to hip-hop and the inspiration people have taken from this. Just maybe didn't age that well, just kept finding myself getting bored of the guy spitting waiting for something else to happen in the song. All the beats are sick just this era of delivery i really am not a massive fan of. 3.2/5
These guys are really good.
I can respect what they're doing, it's just not my bag. It's good "sitting on the deck with friends" social background groove but after two goes it didn't hook me to actually play it ever again
Mid
Continuation from the previous album, same same, not my cup of tea.
Very nice jazz elements to the beats and rapping is great
Extremely solid jazz rap stuff, roots of which you can hear even today
Too rap, not my genre
Not my jam, but not bad.
Not my type. A classic rap album
yo yo yo im here to say, that this album is just ok.
Funky - love the flow and the double bass
They changed hip hop for sure. Lofi jazz beats. Intelligent lyrics. The only thing is the very repetitive delivery on this album. Every song has the same cadence and Delicery style. It gets tiresome very quickly.
I’m not much of a hip hop fan, but I do enjoy the old school ‘90s rap like this. Still not something I listen to on the regular, but it’s decent.
i had a good time
old school rap was just better
i get this is the original jazz sample album which influenced hiphop forever but it doesnt do it for me......the samples and production gets really boring and generic after a while i do recommend We Got It From Here cos it blends samples with live instrumentation which is more my style....i really love that album but low end theory...not that much
Enjoyable
A good album, I liked Buggin' Out and Butter the most.
1st album
Excursions - 3.5/5 Buggin' Out - 3/5 Rap Promoter - 3/5 Butter - 3.5/5 Verses from the Abstract (feat. Vinia Mojica & Ron Carter) - 3.5/5 Show Business (feat. Diamond D, Lord Jamar & Sadat X) - 4/5 Vibes and Stuff - 3.5/5 Infamous Date Rape - 3/5 Check the Rhime - 3/5 Everything Is Fair - 3/5 Jazz (We've Got) - 3/5 Skypager - 3/5 What? - 3/5 Scenario (feat. Busta Rhymes, Dinco D & Charlie Brown) - 3/5
Not really my style, but they have a reaaly good vibe
nice thoo
Its a rap jaz album that good but i would came back to it often
Favorite Track: Jazz
Always innovative this early album from the tribe suffers from lack of focus. Songs like check the rhime and scenario are magnificent and swaggering but there is not enough. Not their best work but still there are bits and pieces to enjoy
Endlessly chill and groovy. I really like the live instrumentation on this and Q-Tip's is just so smooth and pleasant. Light and approachable, but still very artistically sound. Key tracks: Everything Is Fair Jazz (We've Got) Scenario
Solid album....would listen again
3.75
Très bon, mais un peu répétitif et daté
Nice, short funky rap album. Like the instruments with raping. Pretty same all the time. 3/5
Love the jazzy production but some of the tracks start bleeding together especially in the middle. The hand-offs and dialogue btwn the different Tribe members are as charming and funny as ever on this album though. „Scenario“ bangs like nobody‘s business and Busta Rhymes‘s feature in particular rules. „The Infamous Date Rape“ is an embarrassing track to look back on; Phife‘s verse in particular rehashes the same fears that op-eds of the time harped on. Loved „Excursions“ and „Skypager“ though.
me gusto, buen sonido
Le pongo 3 estrellas porque al de los Rolling Stones de Sticky Fingers le puse 4. Al principio, apenas puse la primera canción pensé: qué estoy escuchando? Porque es un género que no escucho nunca, y si no fuera por este proyecto nunca me hubiera enterado de la existencia de esta banda. Pero al final me terminó gustando. Son canciones con buen ritmo, para escuchar algo distinto. No guardé ninguna canción en mi biblioteca pero lo disfruté, y eso es lo que me gusta de haber empezado esto: de entrar en contacto con música nueva para mí, pero que fue importante en la historia de la música.
American rap!!! 2000s
Bastante diferente a lo que oigo normalmente, me gusto que toda la musica se siente muy colorida y es un respiro divertido a la ai moderna
Didn’t do much for me but in fairness I’m also not necessarily a hip hop/rap lover and I also didn’t actively dislike it too much. I liked the first track a lot and the lyrics seem cool.
Holly - I liked it. Would need a relisten because I wasn’t concentrating. Liked what I heard. 3/5 Sophie - would also need a relisten. I liked the vibes. Is it meant to be one big song? 3/5
This was fun! I liked this more than most of the other 90s rap on the list so far. And it seems like they're less interested in getting money and screwing bitches, so that was a nice change of pace too. 6/10
rapaz n é meu estilo n, mas é bem massa e bem produzido
i don't really listen to hip hop as much as i used to, but still appreciate it. i did like the album, especially the beats and flows, but it didn't blow my mind or anything. would give it like a 3.5 if i could.
Not fully my style but good vibes
7/10
3 fine
Nice, but not impressed.
Mostly pretty good, but losing a star for that date rape song.
Good
ta bueno, pero el boom bap despues de un rato cansa y se siente repetitivo. quizas con mas escuchas me acostumbre y me termine gustando mas
Very early 90’s hip hop. I’ve definitely heard of A Tribe Called Quest, but I don’t really know a lot of their songs. I had heard the last song on the album, Scenario, before. I liked it, but nothing really stood out. They had some interesting pop cultures in their songs. Their rapping is very clear and you can hear/understand all the lyrics.
me gusto la vibra pero siento que todas las canciones son iguales. al final me aburrio un poco por eso
Nice sax on Butter. The instrumentation is quite good on most songs. I guess the rap is decent. It fits.
Good some great tracks not rlly my thing
A smooth groove all the way through
This felt VERY progressive for 1991. The hip-hop showcased on this album sounded more like the hip-hop that would start to emerge around the middle of the decade...A Tribe Called Quest was absolutely ahead of the game. Early 90s hip hop can sometimes sound dated in some ways or another, but even by 90s standards, this holds up fairly well!
Very good start, I love Hip-hop, but this album was very same-ish with no standouts. Some of the lyrics were fun and fresh, I like the 90s vibes a lot, also. The overall idea of "progress" as the center theme of the album, as well as some progressive ideas, were up my alley. Very little sexism, but not nonexistent. I have to say that some rhymes were very simplistic but the beats were nice to listen. I'd rate it a 5.5/10.
buen hiphop, todas las canciones suenan igual
Two stand out tracks on an otherwise same-ish album that music has moved on from. Would've been a 5 at the time of release.
good
suffering from SSS (same sound syndrome) on this one for a handful of the songs. I've never really listened to hip hop music often, but the album opener really hooked me right into the album with the thought out bars and bass line. The songs that feature something different like a featured artist or instrument are great. Favs: What?, Scenario, Excursions, Abstract
Very cool vibe and groove throughout. Some funny lyrics, and a good album to mark or do work. Not sure there’s any big song that pops. Just solid.
90s hip hop taking in a wide array of inspirations and musical influences, interesting social commentary and clever wordplay that requires some further thought to scratch under the surface. The high energy beats contrast with the sometimes heavy lyrics, but then the interplay of rapper and MC is also there throughout. I appreciated it without hugely enjoying it.
I'm sorry to say that I traversed my journey with early hip-hop albums, of which this is a pretty good example. It's a cool and well produced album and I enjoyed every single track in isolation. It just gets a little too repetitive for me to fully engage with for the whole album. Mix a few of these tracks into a DJ set or at a swanky bar and I'm all for it. I won't be sitting down and listening to this album again though.
Good record, well done Tribe.
Great lyricism and flow. I enjoyed "Check the Rhime," "Jazz," and "Scenario" the best
what a great album!
Started off really promising and I thought I’d this going to be an hip hop album I can really like? Sadly it went down hill from there. Still, probably better than most in the genre and the opening track is truly excellent
I love tribe so much but I struggled to find this one as revolutionary as everyone else calls it. Fun listen still but wasn't home run
Some great beats. Lyrics range from amazing to downright bad. It feels dated but that only takes away from it a bit. It was enjoyable though finishing it felt like homework. I’m torn but I’ll give it 3 stars due to impact and the beats alone
Was alright, about what I'd expect of hip-hop in that era
Some of the lyrics and rhymes that crack me up. However, the beats feel repetitive throughout the entire album. A bit boring for me but oddly calming to listen to?
Funky and addictive!
good
Decent. After a few more listens I'd probably 'see the light'
It's good but it feels like I'm listening to homework. Lyrics can't just be a part of the flow of music, but something that needs to be actively listened to to understand what is going on. While that creates depth it's an exhausting listen. Also I know this sound is groundbreaking sooooo many people have copied this style since it now feels tired? The 90's was wild y'all.
Yeah, it was fun. Stand-outs - Check the Rhime - Jazz (We've Got)
I was reluctant to press play, TBH. I enjoyed it more than I expected. It was a lot funkier than I thought it would be. I totally understand why it's a classic and I'm glad that I listened to it especially since it's not an album that I would have chosen on my own. This is a very good early 90s hip-hop album. I understand why it's on this list. The lyricism was less "Rapper's Delight" than I expected -- and that was welcome. 🥁 I _noticed_ the tight drumming on this one and found myself wondering "....wait....is Questlove associated with 'A Tribe Called Quest'? Is that how he got the name?" It turns out his name is inspired by the group.
Great album. Definitley 90s hip hop. Love the bass. Beats got a little repetitive after halfway through. But again, that is the 90s. Great lyrics. 7.25/14, 71.96%
05-06/03/26
I liked this one. Refreshing to hear rapping that uses other words than slurs or something related to sex. The beats and music were also to my liking. Would I listen to this volunteraly again? Maybe not but definitely wouldn't mind listening to this if it comes up from playlist or something. Best track was Check the Rime.
Jazz con rap me gusta! Sonidos muy claros, pegadizos. Un 8 🙌🏼✨
Good hip-hop album with jazz influences. It's smooth and cool and doesn't sound dated. My previous album was MC Solaar which I liked even more so this gets a 3+.
Album No. 0171 on my list. I’m not rally all that much into hip hop (I think I’m really starting every review of a hip hop album like this now). Hence, I had never heard of either A Tribe Called Quest or their album “The Low End Theory”. If I’m not mistaken, this is the highest rated hip hop album on this site. Unfortunately, I’m not really sure that I get what the fuzz is all about. This is not really a bad album and I 100 % get why this is considered a hip hop classic. But I found it rather solid than really great, I think. There are some cool lyrics here, there is a solid flow; to my limited knowledge, this is really classic early 90s hip hop at its best. That being said, none of the songs really stood out to me, and I found that there is a little lack of dynamic on this. Anyway, I’ll add “Excursions”, “Jazz (We’ve Got)”, and “Scenario” to my playlist, the latter being a solid collaboration with Busta Rhymes. 3/5 stars.
нє, ну качає, прикол але я таке не слухаю 🥀 може, почну йоу
This was the first hip hop album that I've listened to and although it is not really my type of music, it was pleasant enough.
Quite cool and easy to listen to but, like a few other hip-hop albums on this list, it felt very samey. After the first few songs, I felt like I'd heard all the album had to offer.
interesting rap album. kinda had a jazzy vibe without any sampling.
данный альбом - сплошной рэп, но, несмотря на это, некоторые треки оказались довольно неплохими. хотя тексты мне вообще не понравились, в инструментале есть моменты, за которые зацепилось ухо. ну и +1 звезда чисто из-за Q-Tip'a
For me it's kinda basic but maybe legendary album. Liked some tracks, but overall it's a 3-star album. Enjoyed some jazz instruments.
I really enjoyed the drum and bass combo that drives the groove of the album. Very clean tones, very satisfying to bop to. The focal element of the album is the rapping and word play. I have a hard time focusing on lyrics in music, but the bits and pieces I picked up swayed back and forth between clever word play and discussion of sex, drugs, and money. I noticed I started to get bored the deeper into the album I got. I attribute that my personal difficulty focusing as time went on, and the drum and bass groove, while nice, eventually lost its novelty and got repetitive. All in all, solid album! I think I'd enjoy it more broken up and sprinkled throughout a playlist than listening to the album front to back.
few songs were good
Nice and good
Tiene muy buen ritmo,no soy fan del rap y no suelo escucharlo,pero acepto que son buenas canciones
Good older rap with a nice musical interludes.
pretty good
One of the quintessential hip hop albums. It combines jazzy elements, with great rapping to conform a really interesting listen. Would slightly prefer 'Midnight Marauders' but this vastly improves upon their debut. 8/10 [KEEP]
Good
Day 189 Wasn’t blown away but fine as background music. Highlights Check the Rhime Skypager
It’s pretty good (I’m assuming better for its time) but I am left confused by the intention of the song “infamous date rape” like is it supposed to be satire? If so it didn’t really land that way with me, so had to knock it down for that. I think overall it’s solid but I wouldn’t find myself listening to it again (and this is coming from a rap/hip hop enjoyer)
Great text but I never was a fan of this type of beat
It’s great album. I didn’t know the band so it’s new for me and i like to listen to new things. This album is not incredible but is worth listen.
7/10. Some really good beats and samples in here. Kinda relatable subject matter too
love the sound, flow sounds a little simple compared to modern rap I've heard but I wonder how much I'm missing in terms of linguistic nuance. Didn't like Butter too much due to the lyrics just boasting of disrespecting women. Liked 'Verses from the Abstract', a lot more. Like the flow on 'Show Business' it's a bit faster paced and fun. I wonder if the choice of order is relevant. Does this tell a character narrative? Infamous Date Rape?? Can't tell if it's ridiculing this instructional method for how to court a sexual partner and the 'risks' of being falsely accused. If it is I feel it may be too subtle for me to catch. Liking 'Everything is Fair'
This was perfectly fine and though not my preferred genre, easy to listen to.
Alternative hip hop at it's best.
I'm having a hard time with this one because it's very good, undeniably important, influential, etc, but it's pretty dated. Most of the old school rap that holds up is the stuff that doesn't take itself super seriously, and this one takes itself pretty seriously.
GOING IN: No strong feelings LISTENED WHILE: decorating FAMILIARITY: New to me SKIP RATE: Played it straight through REPLAY VALUE: Deffo play again DISCOVERY CURVE: Warmed up nicely ALBUM ARC: Pretty even, consistent VERDICT: Fair enough BODY'S VERDICT: Decent head wobble FAVOURITE TRACK: My Rating: 3
Rap-jazz fusion! Interesting, but all the songs blended into one another. I can see why this made the list, though.
There’s not enough variation here to keep it interesting. They are very laid back and not bombastic like The Beastie Boys (which I like more). Overall, it’s alright.
05/02/2026 I can appreciate it, but it's not really me scene. Spotify listeners: 4.8 million
calssic
hmm…new
A good 90s hip-hop rap listen.
𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘰𝘸 𝘌𝘯𝘥 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘰𝘳𝘺 is minimalist, smooth, and deeply rooted in jazz — a blueprint for laid-back, thoughtful hip-hop. The interplay between Q-Tip and Phife Dawg is sharp, and the production has that warm, upright-bass pulse that defines the album’s whole aesthetic. Still, as much as I admire its influence and clarity, it doesn’t fully grab me on a personal level. It’s a cool, intelligent record, just not one I’m eager to revisit often.
It’s hip-hop. I don’t really like hip-hop, but this is fine. I don’t remember a thing about it, I’m never going to listen again, but I didn’t hate it.
Not really my style but not offensive 3
The only track I knew was Scenario. I didn't know that track is credited with launching Busta Rhymes' career - neat! I like Tribe because the backing tracks are groovy/jazzy and they _don't_ do the gangsta rap thing. It's like easy listening rap, in a good way. I think if it had ~2 more hits, I would mark it an easy 4.
Ville give det 3.5 giver mig nostalgi følelse og romantiseret idé om at være ung i new york i 90'erne :))) ville jeg komme tilbage til det? not sure
Heart usually sinks when a rap album appears on here but actually this one was on the right side of rap I can listen to without losing the will to live
Core hip-hop album, absolutely influential, and in the lexicon of the genre it feels like it spends a significant portion of its run time on takeoff and never really catches its wind.
Hmm. It's not bad but it's not really good either. I mean sure why not it's nice at first but 40 minutes of the exact same drum pattern well... it's kinda long. I can see why it's liked but i personally didn't enjoy it after the first 3 songs.
Not something i thought i'd like as I'm not a huge fan of hip-hop, but it was pretty decent. I'd probably listen to it again but its not something i was obsessed with. The lyrics were nice and probably my favourite part of the whole album. My favourite songs were infamous date rape or verses from the abstract.
Pretty good. I liked the vibe
man this album is such a vibe, dropped while i was in college and really takes me back not something that i really feel like listening to anymore, for some reason q-tips flow just feels too specific to a moment and its weird listening now. still, the way it hit in its time was epic
I actually quite enjoyed this one; whether that's because I've had an aneurysm in my sleep, or if A Tribe Called Quest are genuinely a high quality example of hip hop, I should probably get myself checked out just in case. It felt far less one-note and monotonous than much of the hip hop that I've dunked on so far - it's far more "vibey" and moody owing to its atmospheric depth, more varied and palatable vocally with an accomplished flow to the lyrics being delivered, and it takes less of an "in your face" approach where you can almost tune out from the vocals if you so choose. When I did find myself focusing on the lyrics, there wasn't too much cause for concern in that department either, with some interesting, abstract concepts being explored. I'll be chucking this into my "hip hop that I don't mind" playlist, which doesn't get too many runouts, but serves as an occasional reminder that it's probably not the genre in and of itself that I take issue with - rather, the execution in many cases.
00:21am Slušala sam ga iz dva puta i iskreno kida hahaha Na prvo slušanje sam htjela površno preći preko cijelog albuma jer nikad nisam slušala ovaj žanr ranije, na drugo sam našla tekst uz pjesme i većinski nemam blage veze o čemu pjevaju al’ je bilo baš dobrih stihova i strofa pa sve u svemu svidio mi se album. Nemam pojma ko su Q-tip i tamo neki Muhamed i Fajf al imaju dobar bit i mnogo mi se sviða taj osjećaj kao da živim u Kvinsu, Nju Jorku, imam vrećaste farmerice do poda i najbolje drugarice su mi Tamika i Shaika iz bloka
Good for background noise
"GRAAH! RAH! LIKE A DUNGEON, DRAGON!"
Some of the songs sounded the same, but they were all good.
It was not bad, I liked some of the songs. I think for me if I like the album or not depends on the lyricism. Some of the songs had that some didn't. I wouldn't really give it a 3 because it is a bit better so probably a 3,5 in reality
Нигеры на плотной читке, но меня все равно не отпускает мысль что музло состарилось
Stripped down rap. Jazz samples. Clever, easy to understand lyrics. Not gangster rap. Not my usual genre but I liked it.
Infamous date rape and scenario are my favorites. Love the beats but the album is just a bit dated for my liking.
fav tracks: butter, vibes and stuff, everything is fair also not really my type of music, but I can appreciate it for its significance. it is really good, just not what I would ever reach for to listen to on my own. glad I heard it regardless because they're legends.
I enjoyed this album listen from A Tribe Called Quest! I feel like this is music that I can just vibe and chill to while listening. Overall, this was a solid hip hop and rap album that I would vibe to again in the future!
pretty solid but not my fav
sort of cool, appreciated how influential it's been
fun lil old hiphop album. way more listenable than i thought it would be. might even add into a playlist? songs seemed a bit too similar to eachother though, a definite favourite didn't really stand out
Not my personal style but groovy and enjoyable at times
Easy listening, the last half of the album shines with Check that Rhime and Everything is Fair. Very enjoyable and laid back however none of it particularly screams at me to listen to again and again.
Can see why it is considered a classic, but shows its age. Middle section got a bit repetitive, but ending picked back up. Great beats, enjoyed as a whole. Favorite song: Verses from the Abstract Ideal listening setting: mellow Sunday morning doing house chores Would I Relisten: no
not my vibe
it took me a couple songs to really get into it, not my usual, but pleasantly surprised. overall, it was a good listen. 3.5/5
A fine early 90s rap album.
I don't think I 've ever heard a hip hop album b4 but this is fire lol not my usual pick, I will prolly forget or listen when I am at the gym, drivin (dream) or when I want to feel like a gta character 7 out of 10
Heavy heavy beat, but a bit more repetitive than I recall the previous TCQ album (Peoples Instinctive Travels) and consequently I don't like it as much. But still better than the usual hip-hop offerings
Not my thing but listenable. Musicianship and a bit of jazz thrown in. A decent album.
7.2
I had listened to many of these tracks before. They have a unique and cohesive sound that was influential to the underground. But, it's not amazing to me. Its lyrically gimmicky at times and musically repetitive at others.
the instrumentation is good but the vocal delivery sounds like most other early 90s rap
not really my thing, super interesting beats and lyrics but I don't tend to like hip hop and rap so there's only so much I can like it
Very good, reminds me of 2pac
Digging the vibes, good workout music
Primeiro albúm que estou a ouvir como parte deste desafio, gostei. Devia ouvir mais de A Tribe Called Quest. Neste aqui tanto o tema de abertura como o final são bangers, a minha favorita é capaz de ter sido "What?".
Can I kick it? Not this one, but not bad. Good jazzy grooves and funky drum beat, but a bit uninspiring overall.
Kinda catchy even though I don't like rap
ok. Not really my thing.
I appreciate the vibe but this has never been my thing.
I find this so horribly monotonous. It gives me anxiety. But I'll give it a three because google says they pioneered jazz/rap...which would explain why I find it so irritating.
Even though I'm a big hip-hop fan and enjoy quite a few albums of the genre from that time, I haven't fully connected with this one. Mainly because I found it repetitive at times, however, I did quite like the production and the jazz influences in some tracks, as well as how well it's mixed and how clearly the individual vocals are distinguished. Fave tracks: Infamous Date Rape, Check the Rhime, Everything Is Fair, Scenario.
same as their other sounds
It's not really my genre but I kinda loved the song excursions I'll try listening to more songs by them
the stomach bug came back... anyway, i think the album is alright. a bit monotonous, but i don't listen to rap at all so maybe that's just how it is and i just don't like rap.
Someday I may appreciate rap music. I’m working on it. The rhymes are pretty good on this one but the beat is relentless. I added “Butter” to the Generator playlist.
Life is strange 2 reference, enjoyed it but overall not my thing
this is good, up until now the only thing i knew busta rhymes from was halloween resurrection