Reviews (page 10 of 13)
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
I like these they are old school with good rhymes etc
This feels like an album that I need to give repeated listens - the key to everything is the lyrics, and there are some that I just can't catch on the first pass. Love the classic jazz samples that provide the backbone, especially when the rappers call them out ("Ron Carter on the bass"). Lots of great historical music references packed into "What?" as well. And was that Busta Rhymes dropping a D&D reference ("Rawr! Rawr! Like a dungeon dragon")? This is one of those cases where as a first-time listener I think "This sounds like every other hip-hop album," but I'm told it was so groundbreaking that every other hip-hop album - or at least a lot of them - sounds like this. Fantastic wordplay and performances, just not the kind of thing I listen to often.
Ensimmäinen kuuntelemani hip hop-levy ja sellaiseksi aika hyvä. En vain ole tämän genren suurin ystävä, mutta biitit kuulostivat hyviltä ja joitain vaikutteita jazzista kuului myös.
have listened before objectively very good. i don’t see myself coming back to it often. could soooo see this changing tho fav: rap promoter
This wasn't necessarily my cup of tea when it comes to rap — I tend to prefer having a lot more to the backing track — but I can see why it's so influential.
I'm not a fan of a lot of hip-hop, but I quite liked this. I like the more minimal beats. Nothing really stand out though so I'm keeping it at a 3.
5/10
Not as good as their other album. Ends so strong though
Thoughtful rap lyrics
Nice album, easy to listen to.
Points for a Busta Rhymes feat
Considering I am not into Hip Hop/ Rap I quite enjoyed this much as I did their other album on this list.
Cool rhymes
ouais pas mal. y’en a des vraiment biens, y’en a des trop longues. gg
awesome lyrics
Erinnert mich an das erste Fanta4-Album
classic hip-hop
Solid rap album, but nothing more and nothing yes. Good flows and average beats. Other people saying this is somehow an ambitious "jazz hiphop" record? Either the occasional chord that is beyond a triad qualifies an entire album as "jazz hiphop" or I listened to a different album.
Clearly very talented artists and a well made album. Not my style of music though
This has to be a grower, I was disappointed with this one on a first listen but I should love it.
I knew A Tribe Called Quest for the hits and it turns out that those hits I knew aren't on this album. Still this is quite pleasant. The beats are what I would call 'old school' (my theory is that people's definition of 'old school' depends on when they started listening to hiphop, in my case that's the nineties). Boombap-ish drums. Jazzy samples. It's got the same looseness as the hits I was familiar with but musically it's a bit more understated. It's still quite playful but decidedly less flashy. I can see why it didn't really break through in my little corner of the world back then but happy to have a chance to spend some time with it now.
Good stuff! A lot of very similar stuff but I didn’t mind it. Lot of cool beats. On the upper tier of hip hop this list has given us. Would give a 3.5 if I could
These guys just exude cool. There wasn’t anything here I was super wowed by, but I really enjoy their rhymes and their beats.
Tykkään kuinka hyvin levy "swengaa" alusta loppuun ja tuntuu että ollaan siellä jossain nykyhipidihopin alkulähteillä taas pelailemassa korista ja skeittaamassa. Ei tää kyllä huono oo ja ansaitsee jopa myöhemmin uuden kuuntelukerran
Ihan jeppis levy. Hyviä biittejä ja selkeää räbäytystä. Vähän ehkä itseään toistava, mutta ei silti ehtinyt kyllästyä.
Fun album, some good tracks. Highlights: "Vibes and Stuff", "Jazz (We've Got)
Good tunes but not my style :).thx
Lyyrisesti ehkä parempi kuin nusab osalta, mutta hyvähkö levy. 3/5.
Its a fine rap album. But I'm not wowed.
24 hours after grinding through Dr Dre’s gangsta rap, A Tribe Called Quest offered a much more engaging experience. The musical atmosphere is much more refined and spacey; the lyrics are live-and-let-live in outlook. I liked the clarity of the diction too. If I had a disappointment it was that - with the odd exception - the lyrics weren’t super-clever or thought provoking. I’m glad to have heard it, though.
Bit repetitive but a few good tracks
Cool production, nice flow. A bit repetitive-sounding, though, but it's alright.
Rap écoutable pour une fois
Fun, good beats, takes me back.
Yep, this is hip hop. Nothing revolutionary, but I guess you had to be there for it to have an effect.
Better than most hip-hop albums. Notably lacking in violence and misogyny, very refreshing.
Just ok
Solid rap album. Might listen again? Tough to say.
Really interesting to hear Busta being showcased.
These guys helped start Busta Rhymes' career, but were also heavy influences on Kanye's career. So I'd call that a wash
Yes yes yes
Old School Rap. Not my thing.
Good, wouldn't listen to it again probably but it was a enjoyable listen.
I do still really like this but as a whole it doesn’t do a lot for me anymore. 🤷🏼♂️
Second TCQ album off this list. Sweet beats.
Good beats, monotone vocals, trippin.
#150/1001. My wife said that this is hip hop she understands, and that is a great compliment from her. For me it falls somewhere in the middle, not super innovative, not terrible. The flow and the beats are again good, and there is a bit less ghetto and anger, which for me is a plus. But still a 3.
Appreciated the old school beats and jazz influences but it did get a bit repetitive.
Old School corny rap Funky beats Decent flow Quite basic rhyming
keine ahnung, gehört, irgendwas empfunden aber dann wieder vergessen und irgendwann war das Album zu Ende. Hat keinen bleibenden Eindruck hinterlassen, wie ein nicht riechender Furz
Angenehmer 90er HipHop
Slightly too slow for me. 3.
Really good
Solid, cool album :)
Great sample and lyrical storytelling. Stand out track 'what?'
No es para mi
Great grooves. I wasn't listening to the words. Gets kinda repetitive.
Pretty familiar with this legendary hip hop album , the rhyming is a bit out dated and the instrumentals low on layering but there’s quite a few classic tracks
Somewhat well-aged.
So often i see it on some lists where people highlight the best albums and have tried multiple times to appreciate it ans Triba called quest, but it's just not for me. Also the jazziness is not really helping it. 🥲
Like, fun , funky even. Nice downtempo 110 something bpm.
A real bassist! Otherwise... more rap.
Everyone loves Paris because it is so beautiful. But it is just a nice building repeated thousands of times. This album is the Paris of hiphop albums, a good song repeated a bunch of times. I went in with high expectations and didn't enjoy it as much as I hoped I would.
It’s good but also the same sound on repeat
Je pense que c'est très bien mais je ne m'y connais pas assez en rap pour bien juger.
A decent album
Lots of bands sample, but these guys are masters of inclusion
I'm not super well versed in older hip hop/rap but liked this album much more than I expected I might. Smooth and flowy with jazz undertones.
Songs kind of all sounded the same but I was happy enough
Great listen to fu my old hip hop. Doug E Fresh
cool 90's rap, enjoyed the sound, didn't listen much to lyrics tho, so might have missed alot
Liked the funkiness but after a while it felt like all the songs sounded the same. The last song was ending on a high note for sure.
I'm not a fan of this music genre, so an album has to have something really special for me to appreciate it. While this album is obviously very well produced and executed, it didn't have anything that made me want to seek it out again.
I dug the groove and old school style, but it got pretty samey.
a "classic" hip hop sound, in the sense that when i think of hip hop, i think of verses and beats like this.
Enjoyable record with bouncing instrumentation (those basslines!), solid hooks, and good wordplay that work at both a lyrical and rhythmic level. Easy to see why this album would make it onto a list like this, given the style that oozed from every track and the timeless production. The dated cultural references, lack of cultural alignment to my experience, and thus my tastes mean this doesn't quite rate highly for me. However, I wouldn't turn my nose up at listening more, and I'm glad to have been exposed to the album. 3.5/5
solid consistent vibe, lots of lyrics for the mood I am in
In an era when there was all kinds of East-West coast conflict posturing and beefing between hip-hop artists, groups like Tribe distinguished themselves by name-checking other artists they admired and staying out (and above) the fray. These guys were in it for the love of the form. There was no childish diss track drama so prevalent in a lot of commercial hip-hop. Tribe opted instead to elevate their peers, highlight their friends, and build community as part of the Native Tongues collective. Although 2 Live Crew were considered hip-hop's premiere party record producers, every house party I went to where hip-hop was played in the 90s I heard A Tribe Called Quest. I owned every other Tribe record on vinyl besides this one. We open with "Excursions", featuring the organic sounds of an upright bass, no doubt a nod to their admiration for the work of jazz pioneer Charles Mingus. Tribe's aesthetics always leaned more towards jazz than the funk inspirations of many of their contemporaries, and if you ask me, it was definitely one of their strengths. Other highlights include: "Show Business", which gives a classic production style evoking Eric B and Rakim. Any track that talks shit about the music business and bites the hand that feeds is an automatic banger in my book. "Butter" drops a buzzy synth bassline and lyrics flipping the macho-bravado where the player gets played for a change. In "Vibes and Stuff", despite the beats being great, giving props to the Zulu Nation—and Afrika Bambaataa specifically—has unfortunately aged like milk, given what an unredeemable p.o.s we would later discover Bambaataa to be. Wah Wahhh. "Scenario", a hyped up fast-paced multi-lyricist word salad jam, has been rocking good-time house parties since forever and needs no further explanation. A total hammer drop to close us out. The influence of this record is undeniable, aside from it being included in the 1001 Albums book. The eponymous and legendary experimental hip-hop and electronic DJ night at the Airliner in LA in the mid aughts was named directly after this record. If you liked waiting in lines, you could hear The Gaslamp Killer, Tyer The Creator, Flying Lotus, and occasional drop-ins by Thom Yorke on the 1s and 2s at that spot. Nicki Minaj references "dungeon dragons" in "Roman's Revenge" with lines and delivery lifted directly from Busta Rhymes' verses in "Scenario." Being repeatedly verse-checked by a superstar rapper 35 years later holds some weight for sure, even if it is a Harajuku Barbie. Before we put these dudes on a pedestal as bastions of so-called "conscious" hip-hop, however, we would do well to look at the whole picture. These guys were not exactly heroes. The Low End Theory had the song "Georgie Porgie" cut from the album by Jive Records due to its unbelievably homophobic lyrics. And this was no garden variety narrow-minded heteronormative quip nor a random homophobic slur, either; I've read the lyrics and they are totally repugnant. I can separate the art from the artist, but not when the art itself is horrible. Here's hoping these fellas evolved, as the years wore on, because there was never any indication in later career work or interviews addressing the disgusting sentiments they expressed in this unreleased song. Two-thirds of the group's association with 5% and Nation of Islam organizations, however, give cold comfort that their attitudes in this regard changed. Deserving of a 4.5, but knocked down to 3 because this story of the hate track they tried to hide does tarnish the fuck out of an otherwise decent album. The cover art is fantastic, incorporating the band's fixation with the ladies with an Afrocentric color scheme that would make Marcus Garvey proud. The organic painterly textures suggest African body paint, but punctuated with a bright juicy blacklight effect that feels at once tribal and futuristic. The hand painted typography gives the whole thing an earthy feel that matches the music's aesthetics that favor live instrumentation over relying too heavy on samples and synthetic sounds.
Weird
Tämähän oli vaihteeksi ihan leppoisaa hipitihoppia. Hyviä biittejä ja melodioita.
Ihan kivaa maalailua!
This record makes you think that pagers and arsenio hall would have a longer impact than they did.
I liked this! ‘What?’ was an excellent, excellent song, big fan of a line about threesomes and a line about laws not being equal one after the other.
Rated each song on a scale of 1-3, meaning the highest score possible would be 42. Ended up with a score of 33 which is a ratio of 78.5%. So that’s a C, or a 3 star rating. It’s ironically apt that the album is called The Low End Theory because the latter half of the album is way more interesting than the songs higher up on the track list.
Fun, easy to listen to and quite toe-tapping, without leaving that much of a mark. I think the other ATCQ album that we had felt a bit more substantial than this to be honest.
very jazzy hap-hop and connected these genres, laid-back, culturally and historically significant "Show business"/"Everything is fair"
Old school rap, not my jam but good enough, i like the instrumentals more than the lyrics
the kind of album where i like get it but i dont get it enough to love it love it. I know fantano sucks this album off constantly and i know it's culturally significant and people love a tribe called quest but like it's just pretty good kinda political rap to me i think
6/10 The beats...they're fresh... 8-8-2025
Sympathique à découvrir, mais qui n'a plus l'impact que ça pouvait avoir. Pas mon style de musique.
Great old school hip hop album 3/5 for me but I'm aware it's highly rated by those more into their hip hop than I, personally I prefer later American hip hop like Blackalicious, mos def etc
I love rap - but for some reason I really struggle with A Tribe Called Quest. I can't explain it in any way!
Some nice chilled vibes
I definitely like the earlier and more laid back hip hop more and this album ticks those boxes. Didn’t really get into the album much, found it a bit dull.
Yeag
I enjoyed the jazzy funkiness of this record, but reading the lyrics did make me laugh a couple of times. Particularly "Go get yourself some toilet paper 'cause your lyrics is butt". Also a round of applause for getting "a smidgeon" in, and extra cheers for rhyming it with "the pigeon". This already felt like a good time and then Busta Rhymes turned up right at the end, like the cherry on the cake. 3/5
cool 90s rap, nice and jazzy. Album is a monolith piece, u gotta listen to it fully. Progressive, sounds fresh even today. I liked da bass :D
I wanted to like this album, but I just didn't. It's fine, but I much prefer something like De La Soul or Jurassic 5.
Expected to like it more. But it got a bit samey near the end. Wasn't really paying attention anymore. I like the production and flow and would happily listen to a song or two in a larger playlist, but a whole album is too much.
Not really my genre but not unenjoyable
It's good but not really to my taste. 3 stars.
A Tribe Called Quest, småtrevligt men inte jättespännande.
I've heard this referred to as jazz rap. Glad to listen to this.
I really liked how vibey the music was while the lyrics spoke on so many important and progressive issues. It's not my personal taste, but I'm glad that they're on the list.
[3.00/5] Final impression: Hip-hop with a lot of great tracks, and a jazz twist throughout. Wish there was a little more variety. Listened to on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/album/1p12OAWwudgMqfMzjMvl2a]. Excursions - Referencing a "pager" instantly dates this album. Good opening track though. Buggin' Out - Nike brand drop streak: 2. Really like the vocals on this one. Weaker instrumentals compared to the opening track. Rap Promoter - Weakest track so far. Just when I thought this album might be getting repetitive, this track changes things up a bit and redeems things. *Butter - Sick opening instrumentals. Really like the backing track here. Wish the vocals and lyrics were stronger because I'm vibing really strongly with that instrumental. Chorus is bringing it back. Verses from the Abstract (feat. Vinia Mojica & Ron Carter) - Lyrically the weakest track so far. Track is not great overall. Show Business (feat. Diamond D, Lord Jamar & Sadat X) - Just alright. Vibes and Stuff - Liked the opening instrumental. Infamous Date Rape - Kind of feel like I'm in health class being taught no means no. Check the Rhime - Tracks starting to get a bit too similar. Still solid, but they're losing me. Everything Is Fair - Slightly better than the previous track, more interesting. Jazz (We've Got) - Liking the backing track here again. Similar to Butter. Catchy, good beat. Skypager - Good. What? - Not really vibing with this one. Scenario (feat. Busta Rhymes, Dinco D & Charlie Brown) - LP Mix - Just fine. Overall notes: There's a lot of references to the 90s here and because of that it doesn't age great. But the tracks are solid so if you close your eyes and time travel back to the 90s then it's great, and timely. Clearly historically significant, and the lyrics hold up pretty well. Everything is good here, but only a few standouts.
Pas trop ma came mais c'est sympa !
album de hip hop bem diferenciado, misturando com elementos de jazz, achei uma delicinha. 3,5
Nice.
Fun rapping, can't say I was overly enamoured by it.
7.5/10. I like the rap style of the 90s and it feels like storytelling.
-good rhythm -identical bass parts in some songs does what it's supposed to, but feels very repetitive instrumentally
Good background for things like folding laundry, washing dishes, or pre-cooking food prep. Pretty consistent energy throughout. Can't imagine being mad it's playing at social gatherings, but I'd be unlikely to request it. Lots of lines that sound quotable, but again, unlikely that I'd ever do so....and probably <25% chance I accurately recall the source when someone else does.
Great listen. Super smooth. Some great bars.
nice sound
Decent. I don't know what kind of sub-genre of hip-hop this is, but it is not my favorite. I need something harder.
I listened to this album in the morning and didn’t love it. I’m going to listen again today. I’ll give it 3 stars just in case.
Nice beats. Also the basslines were very good almost on every track. Lyrics was kinda bland almost every song had the same. Except Infamous date rape. So i would say overall a good album with clear jazz influence with the old bass sound. But kinda repetitive, many of the tracks sounded the same. Favorite song on the album : Vibes and stuff, Scenario. Least favorite song on the album : Everything is fair, Skypager.
Definitely a solid album that I have good memories of.
Not bad at all, but I can't really notice much variation throughout the album. In stark contrast to the Outkast album I got yesterday. Almost twice as long, but still seemed about the same length
It's not bad, but the beats are very much samey.
It was ok. I doubt I’ll be replaying it any time soon.
Hip hop really isn't my thing but this was an enjoyable Sunday listen. 3/5
solid, no notes
This is one of those albums I vaguely remember from college house parties. Before listening to this, all I could tell you about Tribe was Q-Tip was in it, and they had a lot more mellow tunes than the tough-guy guns'n'bitches bullshit of early hip-hop. I dig the chill vibe and the stronger basis in jazz, but still think Q-Tip's voice is the main reason to come back. Like most hip-hop, not my thing, but it's chill.
Ok, aight. I like qtip solo, tribe is goof too.
This album buries the lede. Scenario is fantastic and brings me back to being 12 years old. The rest of the album is fine but a bit repetitive from my perspective.
Not bad
Old school hip hop. Some good rhymes, but vocals weren’t the strongest. Drum track sounded like the same one was used on about every song. Was ok to listen to in the background, but nothing that blew me away.
Great production but rap has just evolved so much since then. They were jamming but I didn't really connect with it.
Very smooth, but also rather dull and repetitive to me. It's totally inoffensive as background music, but doesn't grab the attention
3.5 really. I’m partial to a bit of Jurassic five and Wu-tang clan but hadn’t listened to this. Pretty good hip hop. Not my fave genre though hence 3.5
In one of the weird coincidences that this list throws up, this album was masterminded by Q-Tip who also appeared on the De La Soul record that I listened to the other day. It also makes for an interesting compare and contrast - this album pulls to a tighter beat with the vocals higher in the mix, but then layers a jazzy feel on top of the core sound. Again, this is the sort of hip hop that I can get on board with.
2nd A Tribe Called Quest album! My second fav album, their debut is still superior. Still so cool though, I love their lyrics so much. 3.5 bc less my vibe as of right now but not a hate on them
I enjoyed the trip down 90s rap memory lane. Great bass lines/beat. Downloaded 1 song. I’d give it a 2.5 if that was allowed, but will round up to a 3
I'm not a big fan of rap but I definitely do like the old school style more.
Couple of really good tracks, I like the jazz influence hip hop used to have. Kind of monotone rapping of the lyrics, not much energy. Good album, not great.
Funky maar alles hetzelfde
Different than what I usually listen to, but a good beat.
Hip hop/rap. Stripped back/jazzy instrumentals. Lots of real instrumentation. Bass on Buggin Out sounds likes double bass, in the jazz tradition, interesting. Political side about blackness and black origins and Africa Verses from the Abstract has instrumentation reminding me of Ice Cube It Was a Good Day Some parts remind me of Crooklyn Clan Best track - Verses from the Abstract/What? 3 stars
Liked it.
Pretty much an entire album of low-key hip hop, which made it distinct from the other albums I've gotten from the same genre and era. It flowed in a pleasant way, too; the vocals and music paired well together and carried the vibe. I think I enjoyed the instrument production the most. For a type of music entrenched in using samples and digitally (or physically) manipulating existing media to create the compositions, this effort felt like the vocalists were in the same room as the musicians they were rapping over. It was almost like you were listening to it in a jazz club instead of a recording session. There were still samples, but they felt more organic than you get on other albums. It was a nice mix running behind the vocals. As for the raps, they also felt low energy. Comparing it to the other hip hop/rap albums I've had so far, it is far more subdued than Public Enemy, and basically a lullaby compared to Eminem's angry energy. It comes up short of Lauryn Hill's as well, although she did vary in emotional range more. I didn't dislike ATCQ's delivery here, but I'll say I found PE's energy to be more appealing for the style, topics, and era. My biggest issue with the album stems from the energy mentioned above. It just is a little too subdued for me to really appreciate as a whole work. Each part is pretty solid, but everything together kinda blends into each other a bit too much. There aren't many tracks that feel like they stand out or add something new to the mix. The most upbeat track was the last one on the album, which felt way too late to get that energy (then end the album). I think each song on it's own would be a good listen, but having them all in a row got old without more diverse vibes. I'll give it solid, but not much higher for the reasons given above. I think I might appreciate it more on a relisten, though I don't feel a strong pull to listen again. Overall: 2.6/5
I didn't expect another album from A Tribe Called Quest. Again, this was cool, but it only makes me appreciate Biggie more. Ready To Die feels decades ahead from this album, lyrically, melodically, rhyme composition.. and it's only three years apart. Anyways, this is good, but not an album i would listen many times over.
hip-hop isn't for me...
Already heard this.
surprised how much i enjoyed this! soooo 90s coded with the groove and the questionable lyrics about women personal faves: - excursions - butter
5/10…90er hip hop
"Listen to the knowledge being dropped over beats". I enjoyed this one
Good music to vibe to. A few standout songs but nothing groundbreaking. Songs transitions are good to listen to
This fell into my pit of "I don't really hear lyrics, so I miss a lot of what it's about". Having said that, Tribe are a solid band and this is a good album.
It was good a little bit repetative, I really liked the begining of the album though.
No notes
Sophisticated rap, great writing, wonderful grooves and Ron Carter to boot. Great listening to start my day.
Seria um ótimo álbum de hip hop... se fosse o primeiro que tivesse ouvido, tem umas músicas interessantes mas ainda escolheria ouvir Modal Soul do que esse álbum.
None of the Quest songs I knew. But its fine
dobar rep zanimljiv beat al nije moja šalica čaja
Maybe one of the best albums early 90s crew Hip-Hop has to offer. Sadly, I'm not a big fan of the genre and found it hard to enjoy any of it. 3.5/5
twas nice.
Pretty solid. Definitely see the cultural relevance.
Halt sehr typisch Hip Hop. Esch no loschtig wie Hip Hop halt ned ganz so miis esch onds ergnendwie au langwiilig esch. Trotzdem heds au rächt geili ond dör s eigentleche Moschter onvorhärsehbari Änderige was es irgendwie no spannend macht zom zuelose. Vorallem wenn's ned eifach e standard Gugemusig stil musig im Hendergrond esch (was aber im Grossfall leider so esch) chönd drom t Lieder au no geil si. Vergleiche met desem bisherige Rap Albom fendi aber Power in Numbers geiler.
As a kid during this time period I much preferred the bombastic beats and more aggressive lyrics coming from the west coast artists as compared to the more relaxed, jazzy sound coming from the NY mainstays and 30 years later…that’s still the case lol
I liked it, but it’s definitely not something you can just have in the background. The words demand attention. More for a car ride than just hanging out around the house.
super snazzy !
Versus from the abstract or what? is the best on this album, gonna give it low 3/high 2
Jazzy rap, takes me back to the times playing GTA San Andreas. Not my type of music but still a very high quality album.
There's a reason why this has the title it does: dat bass. And lyrics about butts. Q-Tip's and Phife's flows are instruments in themselves that add to the jazzy sound. It can get samey, but it was definitely influential. Highlights: "Buggin' Out" and "Check the Rhime" (nice interplay between Tip and Phife), "Show Business" (a bit harder including a couple of f-bombs, more like the New York sound that was popular at the time, features Lord Jamar, Sadat X, and Diamond D), "Scenario" (a classic posse cut)
Solid album. I prefer their album "Midnight Marauders" over this one but I do enjoy this one.
Not bad for a rap album.
Wel leuk Maar niet heel bijzonder Heb niet echt de concentratie om de tekst helemaal te analyseren maar de flow gaat wel dik Niet echt hitjes maar het is gewoon wel prima
I really like A Tribe Called Quests style, but I find that this album is a bit monotonous at times. When I hear these songs individually on a playlist I dig them more. Still a good album, standouts for me are Scenerio, Show Business, Jazz and Check the Rhime. 7/10
eh, my memory of this album is better than the actual album
Good jams and rhymes. Not my cup of tea though.
I think it was a bit samey. I initially thought a four but got bored on the back end. I think the beats and musicians are really good tho
Pretty decent I suppose, but didn’t really grab me and makes want to listen again. Quite repetitive I guess. Not really one I’d keep going back to.
Nothing special
Groovy and I need to read the lyrics next time
Love the old skool flow
Seminal stuff. Although there’s a bit too much business rap on here, I suppose it was vital to speak up at the time this was made. The last two songs saved it for me, like they were building towards the best they offered on this album.
If I was into hip hop at all I'd be into that.
I’m just going to be brutally honest, this album really didn’t do much for me. Let me put this disclaimer: I don’t really care for hip-hop. I might have said that in other reviews, but I think it’s relevant here considering this album’s reputation as a landmark for the genre. For fans of hip-hop, I can understand what makes this a classic. And truthfully, it’s not bad. One of the best things about 90’s hip-hop is the jazzy vibe it can illicit and this album basically pioneered that, from what I understand. It really is an easy album to chill to, especially on a nice drive home from work (which is how I listen to these albums). But here’s my problem: most of this album sounds pretty much the same to me. Like it’s hard for me to tell the songs apart, which makes it difficult to pick which songs I liked. Also, hip-hop tends to be a very lyric heavy genre. You pretty much have to pay attention to the lyrics in order to get really anything out of the songs. As someone who usually listens to the music more so than the lyrics, it makes albums like this hard to enjoy. Maybe that’s a reflection of my taste in music and how maybe I rely on choruses and hooks too much, but that’s just me. I take responsibility for not really jiving with this album. I acknowledge that this is a masterpiece to some and that it’s not really my thing. It’s just a little disappointing to get a highly-regarded album and realized it does nothing for you. Favorite track: Scenario Other hits: What?, Check the Rhime, Jazz (We’ve Got)
Rap Oldies not really my type. Felt a bit boring at the start. Butter got me groovin tho. Fun from then on out.
I thought I hadn't had much Hip Hop in my ToPlay list, so I dived into this when it came up. Enjoying it and after liking some tracks on first play (Buggin out) the other tracks might become just as enjoyable. The drum beats and bass are hypnotic on some tracks. It probably won’t stay on my regular player for long but at the moment it’s passing the time acceptably.
I really dig the strong jazz influences here, and the beats and flow is really solid. Some tracks feel a bit too similar to one another, but this is enjoyable hip hop for sure.
Not my first choice when listening to hip hop, but I like the vibe.
Like super outdated, but its aight
It's a lot of hip-hop in one go, but all really great
90’s rap pretty good
I haven't listened to much hip-hop, but I'd say this was a solid introduction. Reminded me a bit of the "talking blues" stuff made by Woody Guthrie and the like. I appreciated having multiple different vocalists. Still felt a little "samey" to me, as someone who doesn't tend to focus on lyrics as much. Favorite Track: What?
never heard of but pretty good hip hop. sampled a bunch.
Decent for a hip-hop album. I quite enjoy these guys compared to the obnoxious vulgar shite we get subjected to across this project.
Very good. Never heard them before this listen. A lot of very good beats. Catchy. Highlight - Show business.
I liked this
It's all right, but I've heard better hip-hop albums from that era
I don’t know. I thought it was ok but not really my thing.
Nice hip-hop I might revisit. Its still not my style but it worth existing Thought Miles was in the room for the song Jazz ! 3.5
Found myself getting a bit bored/uninterested while listening Had to remind myself that this album is 30+ years old and has influenced so many artists since
If you are a hip hop aficionado, you might like, or even love this, but as someone who is not into much hip hop it was a meh that quickly faded into the background. This is better than my usual reaction to a hip hop album which begins as a slow burn of dislike that eventually becomes an outright dislike and culminates with loathing by the end of an album.
Some bangers. Not a genre that for me is rewarded on an initial listen. Deffo think worth returning to though.
When my taste and preferences were still forming towards this dark ocean that is music, I seemed to take a slight liking to hip hip hop/rap. Now having heard this, besides it being not my style anymore, I feel a little disappointed in my long former rap-fanatic self- for not hearing this sooner. Jazzy, smooth rap!
These guys are far less offensive than a lot of other rap artists at the time. Unfortunately, I found this album a bit boring with minimal background music and their strength lying in the lyrics/rapping quality but I'm speedrunning these albums so can't give any in depth analyses there, except noting they had quite a lot to say, yet it didn't really sink in for me. A Tribe Called Quest has commanded a lot of respect, so I want to like this album more than I did. Rating: 3
Definitely a genre I'd like to listen to more. A vibe for sure. I'd listen again
Classic
The impact this had on hip hop can’t be understated. The quality of this project though…
bop songs ends abruptly
Enjoyable without being overly exciting, pretty laid back. Favourite tracks: Check the Rhime, What? & Scenario Would listen again. 3/5
Possibly a grower.
Decent
Loved it! Great stories/cohesive tracks. Love Butter & Vibes and Stuff!
I’m not a big rap fan, but have always appreciated A Tribe Called Quest. Some of the lyrics sound a bit corny and outdated to modern ears, and I don’t see myself returning to this often. I especially like the songs that have a bit more jazzy instrumentation
The Low End Theory ist nicht nur ein Album, sondern ein Statement. Es zeigt, dass Hip-Hop nicht laut und aggressiv sein muss, um Wirkung zu entfalten. Vielmehr beweist es, dass musikalische Raffinesse und tiefgründige Inhalte eine kraftvolle Einheit bilden können. Es ist ein Album, das auch über 30 Jahre nach seiner Veröffentlichung nichts von seiner Magie verloren hat. Ein Tipp: Kopfhörer auf, zurücklehnen und die Reise genießen!
ok
Not a bad listen
Not my music
Fun but a lot of it sounds samey to me!
Quite repititive to me
J'écoute très souvent de la musique par albums depuis quelques temps. J'aime bien cet album, mais par morceaux individuels. Je ne sais pas si je pourrais vraiment l'écouter en entier, je fais quelques pauses car les morceaux se "ressemblent". Point trop n'en faut ! (J'en suis aux trois premiers) Sur Butter, le cuivre à la fin, dinguerie ! J'étais triste quand ça a changé de chanson :( Bilan: c'est sympa mais sans plus, je pense pas pouvoir l'écouter en entier d'une traite
Pretty accessible to me, not being a hip-hop fan. Overall pretty good, I like some of the jazz samples and beats. 3 stars
Not a massive Tribe fan. Good album though. 7/10
Liking the jazzy and funky flairs added to some of the songs. Not a big hip hop fan, but I can appreciate it. Need to read up on the meanings behind the songs, but rn it's a 7/10
Once again, an album that starts off very strong with two great tracks with amazing beats, but then slowly falls off into the abyss. By the last 10 minutes I was dozing off, with the beat and rap becoming quite stale and generic. It's interesting that the three singles from this album were actually below average compared to the rest of the songs, in my opinion. I have to say, I never seen something like this before.
Fantano avait vraiment hype l’album, faque j’étais très ouvert d’esprit devant cet album Hip-Hop au excellent cover, je tiens à le préciser. Malheureusement, à part être plus plaisant à l’oreille que la majorité du catalogue de rap, je me suis retrouvé à reproduire le GIF de John Travolta à la fin de l’album, ma manière de communiquer à Fathony Mentanos ma déception devant cet album ma fois correct. Décidément, ya quelques choses qui marche pas dans ma tête quand j’écoute du hip-hop/rap
You can't trust people that don't like tribe.
already listened to it, wasn't big on it
me gustó pero me aburrió un poco
My kind of hip hop
Good rhymes, good beats.
I like the bass, guitar, and horn parts. The rap is good but not my preference. The beats are a bit repetitive and not very dynamic. The drums are the least favorite part of this record.
Smooth jazzy hip hop with a repetitive rhythm I find more accessible than contemporary rap. Unlikely I would reach for this to play but I enjoyed the spin.
Classic East Coast hip-hop, not sure I have much to add.
Hmm, I guess I just don't know what to think of this. It was fine, but not really my thing.
I enjoyed this, although perhaps not as much as their first album. It did seem a little monotonic, but nonetheless an enjoyable mix of rap, hip-hop, and jazz.
Found a few of the songs interesting, but not that exciting overall.
Another silly early rap album. Kinda goofy.
Faded into the background a but a groovy fun time. Standout track: Show business
Wanted to like this, and I appreciate the impact it had on hip-hop, but I just don't get as much out of this as expected. Far from my favourite style of hip-hop. Oh well!
This is good!
3 - I liked to begin with but it just starts to feel samey
Good vibes; would need more time to listen on a daily but loved the lyrics and the way the songs and voices had a way of making it sound all the more deep and very powerful
Chill rap sorta thing. It's okay
Yeah I don't know this shit all sounds the same to me. Coz I'm see through I'm that white
It’s ok but a lot of the tracks sound the same. Makes good background music. 3
pretty good ATCQ album, more of the funky jazz influence at times on this album. lyrics from Q and Phife come through on this that makes 'smart rap' good and cool.
A solid hip hop album
That was smooth. But not sure I’d listen to anything again
Fick lite bad vibes av the infamous date rape.. jag fattar vad de försökte göra och eftersom de alla är män då blir det ganska fokuserat på mannens perspektiv istället för att nämna något om hur det påverkar kvinnan lixom. Idk.. Jag gillade jazz we've got. Inget jag hade gått omkring och lyssnat på.
It might be my failure, but I didn’t hear much of interest. I liked their first album better.
It's fine. Not my sort of music. All the songs sound pretty similar.
OK. Repetitive. Nice background beat.
- nichts, was total heraussticht, aber im Ganzen super wegzuhören
not really my type of music, enjoyed the lyrics tho
This was my album today, and my partner had Dr. Dre “The Chronic”. Listening to them back-to-back, I have to say I like Dre’s better because there’s a lot more variety of sound and style. Still, Q-Tip is awesome.
It’s alright.
I still don't quite "get" the music, but it started to grow on me a bit and wasn't unpleasant. It just doesn't grab my attention like I'm used to rap songs doing. Probably warrants a more active listening experience than I'm willing to give it right now.
Wanted to like it more especially cuz the first song was good, but couldnt get into it
Good, groove hip-hop. Straight to the point. Kind of music you imagine a thug tuning in his car while driving through the hood. I like it, good vibes.
Average
I prefer other albums from them. This is solid tho.
it was Ok.
3/5
Old school hip-hop, with intriguing beats full of low-end and jazzy samples. Nicely crafted with well-thought lyrics. Interesting
I liked it! It was fun and accessible!
Chill Hip Hop, but nothing that got me really hooked
Classic but outdated imo. Still can’t rate it below a 3.
Elvibe-olgattam rajta, de már úgy a harmadik számtól borzasztóan egysíkú (vannak egyáltalán különböző dalok?). Az utsó oké, de hát az koprodukció.
Quite interesting to listen to. Old School type of rap…
Nothing says "timeless classic" like name-checking Arsenio Hall a half dozen times, and an entire song dedicated to your beeper.
Steady listen.
Hip hop isn’t my thing - never was. This had a couple catchy songs and some fun lyrics- But overall it was really repetitive rhythmically.
Early 90s hip hop, yes
Hip-hop. Ni fu ni fa
Hip Hop.
Some solid hip hop here with a couple of great baselines. 3.5 stars.
I like the music behind it, but the flow of the rapping seemed oddly slow. The lyrics were fun, and very clever in bits. I would listen to it again, but wouldn't go out of my way to find it.