Reviews (page 11 of 15)
Had little time to absorb the album but what i heard i enjoyed.
zo jazzy, lovely
Not my thing, but very impressive all the same. Minimal beat, and impressive lyrical skills. worth a listen for some earlier rap.
All killer and no filler. Super easy listen with those jazzy beats, having an actual jazz bassist playing all over it definitely helps. The back and forth is so good on this album, one of the best things about Tribe. Love it.
Not my vibe, didn’t finish the album
So good. The whole album is a groove. The song transitions are 10/10. It’s all so smooth. None of the harsh record scratching and short stops of a lot of other 90’s rap and hip hop. The date rape song…don’t love it. Everything else is excellent. 4.5
Love the jazzy sound - so fresh and fun (even have Ron Carter on the album). The flow is what makes it sort of dated, but it's awesome. I knew "Scenario" but the rest is great. I liked this a lot more than I expected. 4.2
Better than I expected.
The entire genre of Lo-Fi and Jazz-Hop wouldn't be where it is today without Tribe. Even though I don't have every song from Low End theory in constant rotation, their impact is undeniable
not really my vibe, but also not bad
so semi-vibes & stuff
A true classic
An absolute masterclass in old school hip hop. I can see the influences this spurned in many modern hip hop artists evidenced by just this one album. The group is super tight and the production is both solid gold and offers a ton of variety. All in all a class act. Standout tracks: Buggin' Out, Check the Rime, Jazz (We've Got), Scenario
Hip Hop. 1/5
I've always found Hip Hop to be akin to background music, but that said, this is not a bad collection of HipHop tracks, and for a change I didn't hate it.
Best boom boom bap.
Fantastically written hip hop. I tend to prefer hip hop with more melody incorporated, vs. stripped down to the beat and vocals, but even though this one is more the latter, it still does it for me.
I love 'I Left My Wallet in El Segundo' that's not this albumn this one seems a little repetitive but still fun
Really liked this mixture of rap, jazz- haven’t heard it in years
A decent 90s hip hop album.
The tracks are all decent but it's kind of the same thing over and over again.
Not my cup of tea, but definitely a great rap album
90s eastcoast hip hop at its best.
The entrance of this album marks the golden age of hip hop. In this era, hip hop started to branch out in multiple areas of the country and continued to evolve at a high rate. The jazzy samples, heavy bass(the low end) and raps by Phife and Q-Tip made this infectious album. A true introduction to Busta Rhymes on Scenario is a classic moment in hip hop.
I don't have quite the ear to review the album proper but I did like it a lot. One thing I noticed was how modern it sounded. My idea of hip hop and rap at this time sounded different. It dates itself here and there with lyrics about pagers etc but it sounds ahead of its time and I like that a lot.
Excellent, comforting, vibrant. Amazing record.
This is a vital album that everyone should listen to. Very happy it was not another rock album. I have listened to this one before, but it was good to go back for another listen.
Starts off real strong. Back half is not near as good
Det här albumet var en positiv överraskning!! Tyckte väldigt mycket om blandningen av jazz och hiphop. Favoritlåtan från albumet var ”Infamous Date Rape”. Albumet får 4/5 stjärnor❤️
do i even have to explain?
rap deff nije za mene al ovo je bilo bolje deff
Ful mi se sviđa jazzy đir, al tekst mi je nekak dosadan.
"Hip hop is living, can't yank the plug / If you do the result, will end up kind of bugged" I'm a Big fan of ATCQ, and this is an album that I'm already very familiar with, and it's one of their stronger albums (though I prefer midnight marauders). The Low End Theory provides rhythmic, rhyming, stripped-down, jazzy, and catchy hip hop beats throughout the album, and has multiple stand-out singles with high replayability- such as: Excursions, Buggin' Out, Butter, Show Business, Check the Rhyme, Jazz (We've Got), and Scenario. Due to its funky rhythm and captivating lyrics, "Jazz (We've Got)" will be added to the playlist. With a 50% hit rate on this album, I can't justify any rating lower than 4-stars. But because the album feels very repetitive (due to the same stripped-down bass, drums, vocals only that give it charm), it won't be receiving a 5-star rating. 4/5
This is a fun and funky summery album
Sick
Fresh, dope, hip even
heard for the first time like 3 days ago, absolutely wonderful stuff. Heavily recommend breakbeat as a genre to indulge in to anyone who resonates with the instrumentals.
One of my favourites
4.5 stars. The jazz influence really makes this hip hop record a masterpiece. The underlying bass lines give it musical depth. Has a more mellow sound than macho hardcore gangster rap. Standouts are "Check the Rhime" and "Scenario".
I always liked 'Can you dig it', with its sample of 'Walk on the Wild Side' but, sadly, that's not on this album. Nevertheless, this is a great collection of old school rap with witty lyrics and judiciously chosen samples which fit in seamlessly. Great stuff!
A cornerstone album in the evolution of hip hop. Honestly this one speaks for itself. Let the beats get your head rocking and enjoy the smooth flow, clever wordplay and tight storytelling send you back to one of the most exciting times in music history. 9/10
Absolutely brilliant
This the second Tribe album I've had now, and wow they are one of my best discoveries from this project. I think I still preferred their debut, this is very different but also incredibly good. Will revisit it for sure.
hip hop?? and jazz?? love this album 9/10
I liked it. Specifically liked Jazz - 8/10
Definitely glad I listened to this multiple times so that I could pick up on the bars. The flow and beats went well together, made me want to bob my head along with the rhythm. Some mid songs like What? but overall a great listen.
I think this is good music n respect it as an album but didn’t enjoy very much… didn’t dislike it but wouldn’t listen again
Just straight rhyme and it’s good. And jazzy. This is consistent with my theory that I like minimalist production (if the vocals are good which they are.) 9/10
4/10 - This is not my type of music at all but "Roar roar like a dungeon dragon" is a hard lyric.
I enjoyed it quite a bit, very good walking around and vibing music 8.5/10
Classic 9.5/10
Exactly what you would expect from that genre.
Classic, pure, 90s
Really groovy and chill vibes. Not a huge fan of hip hop so, this got old after 4 minutes.
yooo
Great!
The Low End Theory is the second studio album by the influential hip-hop group A Tribe Called Quest, released in 1991. The album is widely regarded as one of the best and most innovative albums in the genre, as it showcases the group’s artistic maturity, lyrical prowess, and musical diversity. The album’s title refers to the low-frequency sounds of the bass and drums, which form the backbone of the production. The group’s main producer, Q-Tip, crafted a minimalist yet rich sound, sampling mainly from jazz records and adding subtle touches of rock, funk, and soul. The result is a smooth, organic, and cohesive sonic landscape that complements the group’s rapping style. The Low End Theory also marks the emergence of Phife Dawg as a co-lead rapper, alongside Q-Tip. Phife, who had a minor role on the group’s debut album, People’s Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm, developed his skills and confidence as a rapper, delivering witty, humorous, and clever rhymes that contrasted with Q-Tip’s more laid-back, abstract, and philosophical approach. The two MCs displayed a remarkable chemistry and balance, trading verses, finishing each other’s lines, and engaging in playful banter. The album’s lyrical themes range from social commentary, cultural criticism, personal reflection, and hip-hop history, to everyday topics such as women, money, sports, and music. The group also pays homage to their influences and peers, such as the Native Tongues collective, Zulu Nation, Kool DJ Red Alert, and jazz legends like Ron Carter, who plays bass on one of the tracks. The album features guest appearances from Busta Rhymes, Brand Nubian, Diamond D, and Lord Jamar, who add their own flavor and perspective to the songs. The Low End Theory is a masterpiece of hip-hop artistry, a landmark album that defined the sound and style of the '90s and beyond. It is an album that transcends its genre and time, and remains relevant and influential to this day. It is an album that every hip-hop fan and music lover should listen to and appreciate.
Guess it was okay?
This really grew on me as I listened to it and probably reflects my age and a nostalgic look back on 1990s rap which has a certain charm. I would have liked to have give it a few more spins.
This was a great album and a real surprise. I had never heard of A Tribe Called Quest before, but I listened to this album all weekend! I'll certainly be listening to them again. Jazzy Hip Hop, loved it!
This was awesome! I loved this style of hip hop and I’ll be listening to this album again. I hadn’t listened to A Tribe Called Quest before but can hear their influences on other hip hop artists I really like. It had some nice jazzy vibes and didn’t take its self to seriously which I appreciate in any musician.
Straight heat. Favorite track is Skypager.
Need to revisit at some point.
Old school hip-hop. Rhyming is life!
I really like the Native Tongues—their clever beats, their proud African-ness, and overall the joy present throughout their music. This album is so solid throughout, and the second half in particular is excellent. I like the jazz-hiphop fusion going on in this record and the Busta Rhymes feature is amazing. Though some of the song structure seems simplistic by modern standards, I have nothing to complain about. And having read about the influence this album had on countless artists later on, I feel inclined to bump it up from 4 stars to 5.
Great consistent sound but never really gets samey, lots of good songs and a few great ones. Love the stripped down sound. 4.5/5
It was OK ... 3 stars, I am not a rap fan!
This is definitely my favorite facet of hip hop, where it feels more like art than a persona. Folks havin fun but actually talking about something other than themselves. Or at least sometimes ;) Also nostalgia automatically adds a star.
Great samples. Great vibes. Groundbreaking in its time. RIP Phife. Starts and ends with a bang but the middle feels like one long track. F eels life coffee shop music in 2024
Real vibe. Nice old school rap and some of the flows are fr crazy.
Love me some old school hip hop. This album really did make a great impression on me so imma giv it 2 dem. The full score I mean.
Ekki merkilegur pappír í mínum eyrum en samt ekki versta rappið sem ég hef heyrt þannig að ég er minna neikvæður gagnvart þeim en öðrum sem ég hef hlustað á. Samt mun ég ekki hlusta aftur.
yeah good
Ive listen to it before and it's still phenomenal
I liked it but didn’t make it all the way through. You know stuff.
album grew on me, very smooth rap + a solid beat and the jazz is real nice. Sometimes felt a little too smooth?
Loved this! Obviously was somewhat aware of TCQ before this, listened to a bit of their stuff over the summer (inspired by the hip hop soundtrack to the new TMNT movie lol), but this was my first deep dive into one of their albums. This was just totally my wave length. Another review I read puts it very well - this album works in two ways: you can zone out and chill and it’s great vibe music, or you can listen intently and the depth of the lyrics and construction of the songs will reveal themselves. A new favorite for sure! And it ends with a wild Busta verse!
Cool jazzy Rap.
Amaze
This album feels like they sonically embodied new york. Starts off a bit slow for me but then the beats and lyrical flow find a perfect rhythm that i really love. Above all its fun as hell
Love this album
A classic for a reason, I'm a big fan of this style and era of rap.
Loved the hits off this for a long time, but it was good to hear it in its whole package. Even after all this time I can see how revolutionary this must have been when it came out. There is such a rhythm to this album and how Tip and Phife go back and forth, incredible. A classic to be sure, its just undeniable.
Gute grooves, aber dümpelt bisschen
Absolute classic
Masterpiece
Very reminiscent of De La Soul to me, even though they had pretty different sounds in some ways. I enjoyed this album, but was hoping for a bit more variety tune/rhythm-wise (it got a bit more varied in the later tracks, though). Once again, I kind of wonder if this is the best album to showcase Tribe.... (I never listened to them back in the days, aside from whatever might have been on the radio.) A solid 4, I'd say.
Loved this, especially all the samples or just references to other songs (i.e. the way that guy said "leavin'" a few times and you knew he was thinking of "Leaving on a Jet Plane", and am I right in that at some point they referenced Lou Brock?) Very cool. I really enjoyed this.
Nice. 3.5.
What’s the what’s the what’s the scenario?
What more is there to say about this album that already hasn't been said? Complete album from top to bottom, its influence is still being felt today in hip hop Never will get tired of this album
[I've heard of the group, but never heard them.] After a few pieces, I really like it, and, so far, anyway, no F-Bombs, rapes, or murders - sorry, that's my old white guy stereotyped impression of rap (and I just found out that this genre is Hip Hop - see? you learn something every day!). Is it wrong to say that this reminds me of Arrested Development? This is an easy album to listen to the whole thing and just let it flow, but the lyrics need your attention. You don't often see/hear references to Meshach, Shadrach, and Abednego. Or Afrika Bambaataa, for that matter. "...if you really liked yourself, then you would try and be you." True. "...the world is kinda cold and the rhythm is my blanket... Wrap yourself up in it, if you love it, then you'll thank it." Now that I'm 2/3 through, though, I'm not 100% on it. And will have to spend some time researching the people they reference. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ __________________________________ 🎧 LPs reviewed: 32 🎧 LPs left to review: 969 🎧 LPs I found great/relevant enough to be mandatory listens (5): 9 🎧 LPs I *might* include in my own list (4): 11 🎧 LPs I will certainly *not* include in mine (1-2): 8
Hummmmm. Rsrsrs
Almost didn’t make it to the end
Not a fan of rap
1. ezcurzionz - 1 2. bugging out - 1 3. rap promoter - 0 4. butter - 1.5 5. abztract - 1.5 6. zhouu buzinezz - 1.5 7. vibez and ztuff - 1.5 8. date rape - 1 9. check the rhyme - 2 10. everything iz fair - 0 11. jazz - 1.5 12. zkypager - 1 13. uuhat - 1 14. zcenario - 2
Not one for my tastes
Another really solid, fun album by A Tribe Called Quest. Even after it started to feel a bit repetitive, it’s hard not to move along.
Appropriately, groovy bass lines are prominent and the backing music is atmospheric. Flow is measured, but lyrics incisive. At times, feels like this bridges the gap between the 80s and 90s. Beat on Infamous Date Rape is particularly nasty and Jazz (We've Got It) is super smooth.
Excellent rap vibes! Probably would have rated higher if i payed attention to the lyrics, but i could not. Sorry.
it sounded very linear to me, not hills or slides, nor thrills or ridea
Such a great vibe
not for me
was alright
3/4
On a good day I prefer this album over Midnight Marauders. One of my unskippable albums and just amazing throughout. S tier shit.
Great album. ATCQ one of the pioneers that help transition hip hop into the new school era. 4.5⭐
Best album ender ever
Smooth and perfect for what I needed right now. Flow. But more or less the same sort of rhythm throughout the album. Could've changed it up a bit. More noticeable at the start. Middle changes up a bit but honestly just slows the pace down and that it. Still soft fire tho
i love a tribe called quest lol buggin out is still top track to me
Love it
“Low End Theory” makes “Empire State of Mind” sound like it’s about Schenectady. 6-3-4
Didn't know them. Great album. I really like this old school rap that isn't just about cars, drugs, hoes and Gucci.
Þessi er svakalega næs, minnir mig á Digable Planets, nema helst þegar að Busta Rhymes kemur inn í lokalaginu. Merkilegt hvað það er til mikið af góðu hip-hoppi frá þeim árum þegar ég var sannfærður um að hip-hop væri botninn.
My opinion really doesn't count here in regards to this being the greatest or one of the greatest hip-hop albums. I am not really into hip hop. Lots of talk out there about the jazz stylings in here. I call BS on that since while there are jazz instruments in there, it doesn't really have anything jazz about it except in the most simplistic ways. (and Jazz is not simplistic) This type music is all about the lyrics and what they say, and there is no draw for me to listen closely or read the lyrics - while I want great lyrics with my music, that is not all I want. Outside of that there is a steady (not jazzy) syncopated beat that shows no ingenuity (in the music, I'm sure the lyrics are great). Just not for me, so you see, that is the only reason, I dis it with a three
All-time classic and pinnacle of hip-hop.
Favorite Track: Check the Rhime Jazz (We’ve Got) Scenario
A perfectly fine rap album. 6/10 Top 3: 1. Butter 2. Verses from the Abstract 3. Jazz (We’ve Got)
Especially liked Check the rhime
It's been a while since I listened to this end to end. With the headphones on, it's easy to get into.
Generally like the hip hop of 90s better than today's rap but this didn't move me very much.
Hiphop - new to me
Iconic hip hop album. Love Q-Tip
Ho00y!
01) Excursions - 8,0 02) Buggin' Out - 8,0 03) Rap Promoter - 7,5 04) Butter - 7,5 05) Verses From The Abstract - 7,5 06) Show Business - 8,0 07) Vibes And Stuff - 8,0 08) Infamous Date Rape - 7,5 09) Check The Rhime - 8,0 10) Everything Is Fair - 7,5 11) Jazz (We've Got) - 8,5 12) Skypager - 8,0 13) What? - 7,5 14) Scenario - 8,0 TOTAL: 7,82 (78/100) Didn't like Dr.Dre's "The Chronic" (2 stars, it currently ranks #63 out of 69) so let's see how this one will score. Three songs in and it's much more enjoyable. Ok, two songs 'till the end and now I know why I like this one better (Butter?) - there's no excessive cursing... Lyrics are better, beats are minimal, only drum, bass and jazz samples. Much better, it goes in at number 35 out of 70.
not a fan of oldschool hiphop
this feels cool and im just not cool, not for me im afraid
they have their own sound. liked this.
Not my scene. Like a run on sentence, but I don't get it. So... I can't give a fair review.
Not something I would normally choose for myself, but I liked this one. Backing tracks were interesting and not over the top. Strangely, I found it on the mellow side. Maybe I need to turn it up! 4/5
Nostalgic. Nice to see a base for some of the groups today.
An interesting listen. I hear some elements that were borrowed later, so I see how this was influential. I'm not a fan of rap though so it is probably not something I would come back to very often.
Ahah je l'ai déjà évalué sur mon autre compte, j'adore les beats, ça a bien vieilli! Classic!
Le flow et le fond de batterie sont fortement similaires sur presque toutes les chansons, ce qui en devient trop répétitif.
I really liked this. I’m going to have to listen to it more
Classic
Not a fan of rap! But thanks
Није мој жанр али ок
Rating: 9/10 Amazing album. Fantastic production with great rapping. The jazz-influenced production and sampling are incredible throughout, very revolutionary for the time period and it still sounds great today, definitely timeless. Q-Tip and Pfife Dawg are just having fun for the entire album, not too much substance to what they are saying but there are plenty of clever lines and wordplay, a lot of the lyrics are very humorous. Wish there was a bit more variety on this album in terms of lyrical content and drum beats but there is a reason why this a considered a classic. Favorite songs: Excursions, Buggin' Out, Rap Promoter, Butter, Vibes and Stuff, Check the Rime, Jazz (We've Got), What?, Scenario. Least favorite song: Show Business.
A very very solid and influential record. Basically changed the sound of rap. Those boom-bap beats and creative samples set the precedent for rap groups to come.
Cool album. I love it when they put jazz samples in hip-hop.
Just ok. I know this is a classic album. I’m sure it takes a few listens to hit but it didn’t do anything for me first run through. Not bad.
Reminds me of Nirvana, in that both were probably much more impressive before everyone built off their base, but now look somewhat generic from a modern perspective.
Much better than today’s talentless “mumbo” rappers. Bring back that old-school hippity hip-hop! #thewesthasfallen
"Vibes and stuff?" Oh, you better believe it. To reference a song from a different album—I can kick it.
First 5 I’m giving,and it’s an album I’ve already heard before (lol).Yeah I’m already really familiar with tribe and a huge fan of their stuff however this album’s just as good on the second listen if not better.It’s not for nothing this is considered one of the greatest rap albums not just of its era but of all time.Bass has always been such an integral part of hip hop,even in the modern day we can still see it in the vibrating trap bass that makes your cars speakers shake.This album utilizes bass so efficiently and masterfully and it goes perfectly with Q-Tip’s and Phife’s raps.The lyricism is catchy and memorable,simple and appealing.Q-Tip’s flow and his chemistry with Phife combined with the album’s bass and percussion focused beats result in a very hypnotizing and appealing listen.It’s smooth (like butter).Legendary album. (R.I.P. Phife)
A pioneer of the hip-hop genre.
I mean… wow. Sonically, this album feels so full to the ear, from the heavy basslines, the sampled drums & other beats, and perfectly placed vocal flows that I find it impossible to not enjoy this album from that standpoint alone, but... Look, if Run-DMC made commercially viable mainstream hip-hop possible, and N.W.A. gave rap the blueprint to have the amount of edge you’d find in albums to come, this album is the perfect melding of both – the commercially acceptable sounds of jazz and great sampling that others would continue to try and refine throughout the decade, mixed with the type of vocal flow to appease the holdovers from the Sugarhill Gang-era who couldn’t quite get behind Dr. Dre & company, with a lot of bones thrown in for the N.W.A.-adjacent crowd. Don't even get me started on the ripple effects this album must have had on R&B for the decade and beyond too. For my money’s worth, this is the best album I've listened to so far. It is easily the most deserved 5 I've given, and if we were going by 10, I’d genuinely give it at least a 9.75/10, if not an outright 10. I think, for my sensibilities, it's basically a perfect album, and I am a complete moron for not listening to it beforehand.
I love all the bass at the beginning of the songs, like in Buggin' Out.
This is a nice album. It’s funny to hear, in a way, because it seems so anachronistic it’s almost sweet. It was a very different time in hip hop, the early 90s, and as the antithesis to “gangsta rap,” this is on the “conscious rap” Mount Rushmore. That said, nostalgia aside, I think the chances of me choosing to put this in my current listening rotation is slim to none. It’s a nice trip down memory lane, but I’ll take my feel good dopamine hit and move on to the next. 3.5 stars, if it were possible. *note: Busta Rhymes star-creating bars are always welcome in these ears!
Mellow, prescient, probably one of my favourite records in this genre
Really good album. No idea how good A Tribe Called Quest is! I listened to a bunch of their stuff after hearing this album. Noddin & bobbin my head through this entire album.
Didn't really enjoy it. Felt too nujabes for me
I was excited when this came up and I've enjoyed 90's hip hop. A couple of listen throughs later and I'm not blown away. It was good but not great, there wasnt much light and shade and it all blended into one.
Excellent record! this was truly something I needed to listen before I died. That production which gives the spotlight to the MC is something quite distinct.
It's OK for hip hop
The real and original hip hop
Knew this a little, was a bigger De La fan. But shit. This is magnificent.
1991 - probably my deepest exposure to hip-hop, thanks to living in downtown Oakland CA. At the same time, I was also listening to bunch of acid jazz, which shares a lot of source underpinnings with A Tribe Called Quest. It's really hard to just sit and listen to this without diving into sample sources! 1. "Excursions" 2. "Buggin' Out" 3. "Rap Promoter" 4. "Butter" Pretty sparse accompaniment on the verses, then the jazzy horns come in to dress up the repetitive chorus. Verses comparing hisHS love life with the now. 5. "Verses from the Abstract" (featuring Vinia Mojica and Ron Carter) 6. "Show Business" (featuring Diamond D, Lord Jamar and Sadat X) 7. "Vibes and Stuff" 8. "The Infamous Date Rape" 9. "Check the Rhime" 10. "Everything Is Fair" 11. "Jazz (We've Got)" 12. "Skypager" 13. "What?" 14. "Scenario" (featuring Busta Rhymes, Charlie Brown and Dinco D)
Supa smooth hip hop - a great alternative to the gangsta rap happening on the west coast. Laid back (not frenetic), jazzy grooves established with the bass lines, crisp and rock solid time with the beats and smart lyrics. I love Q-tip's delivery. This album reminds me of one of their compadres, De La Soul, and sets the stage for acts like Digable Planets. I really regret having missed this when it first came out. Check the Rhime has best groove, Excursions is a great intro to the album. Everything is Fair got my attention hearing the gunshots and the closest song to sounding tense. Buggin' Out and Jazz (We Got) are great tunes also. Scenario is a bombastic way to end the album. Fantastic.
Hadn't heard before, but really enjoyed. More "chilling on a beach in the sun" trip-hop than I'M VERY ANGRY AND GOING TO KILL EVERYONE MUTHAS
It's fine, but does become a little predictable after a while.
All that you really need to know is Busta Rhymes spits 'Rawr rawr, like the dungeon dragon' in the Scenario. A sublime example of 90s hip hop.
Another absolute banger of an album. Like the other Tribe album this is the exactly the type of shit I love.
OK - not my favorite, not much into Rap
A pretty classic 90s rap sound. I really liked the back beat of all of the songs. Some of the lyrics were silly. I’m excited to listen more and start to understand the lyrics.
I don't like rap music.
*top rocks
Good beats
+pretty minimalist -- sounds FANTASTIC +mesmerising flow, lyrics i smile at +beat in the background equally so +i can feel the bass +kind of reminds me of lofi music??? +sounds repetitive to me at times -- all the songs sound pretty similar +just not a genre i'm super into 7/10
Just not my thing, but I can appreciate it's well done.
Nice, a bit boring
It was the nineties- as the song says. Chill 90s rap, a bit hypnotic. Not my usual jam but a nice change of pace.
I liked this one! Reminded me of Adam and hannah
Really enjoyed this!
Just great.
enjoyed this for the most part but did find myself getting bored half way through. totally respect the craft and relevance. not everything has aged amazingly but still a good record ofc
Instrumental music and their signature vocal delivery has amazing energy and was definitely a ground breaking sound. That said, some of the moments and lyrics feel goofy and even off putting to me.
It's... so dense! The flow is good, but a little too much for regular listening.
Soo good! A true classic.
YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
Not my thing. Every song except one sounded the same to the point where I listened to the first half a second time and didn't realize it....
An old favorite of mine. Such great jazz samples and beats. Ali, Q and Phife are such a great team. This whole album is just perfect.
Have it on vinyl - banger album
Not a great lover of rap but this wasn't a bad listen overall.
In my review of Tribe’s first album I praised Q-Tip as the obvious star of the record, and while I stand by that assessment, what The Low End Theory does best is to reposition the group as, well, a group. Phife gets more time to show off his skills, and all of the features are fantastic, including the Jazz great Ron Carter. The reason why the repositioning of A Tribe Called Quest was important is because of the connection between their brand of Hip-Hop and Jazz. Jazz is a collaborative genre, and in the 90’s Rap was looking as if it were moving away from the group effort it had been since it’s inception towards one where individual were getting more attention. By intentionally seeking to explore Rap in a group context, The Low End Theory moved Hip Hop the closest it had ever been to Jazz not just sonically, but philosophically as well. But while the sonic side of Jazz Rap has remained consistently relevant since the album’s release, the group philosophy has sadly fallen to the wayside. We don’t have any Rap groups nowadays, which is a shame. I blame Jay-Z
Nope, cannot do non-stop rap, sorry. After 3 songs, went back to my Liked Songs list, first up was Margaritaville. Guess that means I'm just plain o.l.d.
Solid. Enjoyed that and dove into a little more TCQ over the weekend.
Such a chill jazz rap album. I always thought it was kind of linear except for a few really standout tracks, but it doesn't matter here because the vibe is so cool.
Love the opportunity to hear this classic for the first time. Great stuff!
This album hip-hop album has everything to be lovable : jazz, boom bap, conscious, east coast vibes... Not like many albums of the genre, this one is meant to be appreciated as an album, as there are no standout tracks vs fillers. It's just great music all the way through.
Hip Hop mit Jazzgrooves
Of the big rap groups from the golden era in the 90’s, I feel like A Tribe Called Quest have always been one of the most underrated ones. It’s not like they weren’t popular in their time, because they were, and Q-Tip especially was a big figure in 90’s hip-hop. They just aren’t talked about nearly as much nowadays as some groups are. But that doesn’t change the fact that when they were in their prime, they were simply putting all other artists focused on jazz rap to shame. Jazz rap is a pretty blanket term. There are a lot of different sounds that can be categorized as jazz rap. But this album is simply the most honest jazz rap I’ve ever heard. And one of the only ones that is attempting to actually mix jazz and rap. What makes this immediately obvious is the bass lines. The record is covered in super deep, low bass sounds that sound straight from a live double bass. One song even features Ron Carter, a famous jazz double bassist. The drum beats are also very loose and use a lot of splashy open hi-hats. These elements give the album a warm and smooth texture, just like jazz. Q-Tip is pretty much the leader of the group, and by far the one you will be hearing the most on the album. And he has always stuck out to me as having one of the best voices of any rapper. Everything about this album is just chill. It seems like I’m undermining any complexity this might have, but this has a particular vibe, like a coffee date on a cool autumn afternoon in the mid-2000’s. And it’s great. When you need something laid back and easily enjoyable, throw this on. Rating: 9/10
Great from start to finish Stand out tracks: Excursions, Verses from the abstract, What?
One of the best hip hop albums of all time
Excursions Buggin' Out Butter Check the Rhime Jazz Scenario
57/100 Based on this scale: 1 star - 0 to 19 2 stars - 20 to 39 3 stars - 40 to 59 4 stars - 60 to 79 5 stars - 80 to 100 Hip hop is mostly not my thing, but this isn't bad. The jazzy bits help, though there's no actual jazz in there.
Excursions // Butter //
Loved it. Knew only a couple songs before and ended up saving half the album. Favorites are show business and scenario (s/o busta)
some nice smooth background behind the rap, explicit language I do not like, overall meh for me
funky
not normally my genre but i really liked listening to it. will probs listen again
This was a good album, I enjoyed a lot Easy listening Very typical hiphop, vocals were cool, good flow, interesting rhythms 4/5 stars
It is interesting and quite jazzy, and not good background music more of something to sit down and listen to
Good stuff. High quality end to end.
Amazingly great, love the minimalist production, so good
Ich kannte A Tribe Called Quest nur als Name einer Band, aber bisher hatte ich nicht bewusst Musik von ihnen gehört, nicht einmal das Genre wusste ich. Überraschend jazziger Auftakt für ein Album der Neunziger - dachte ich erst. Nach dem Lesen des Wikipedia-Eintrags zur Band weiss man dann, weshalb jazzige Beats das Fundamet bilden. Mir gefällt diese Mischung aus Jazz und Hip-Hop! Eine richtige Entdeckung.
Gut für ein Workout. Etwas eintönig.
Überraschend erfrischender Rap mit schöner Baseline
frábær. 4,5
Really enjoy the vibe and going back to such an influential rap/hip-hop group. Had a lot of fun listening and it also made my algorithm way more fun yesterday!
My alltime favourite hip hop album
yeahh i don't think hip-hop is much for me. i don't care about lyrics at all, the most imporant thing in a song for me is it having a memorable melody on the vocals. this album felt really linear and it sounded pretty much the same throughout the whole thing. - 1 add
okii
My second album from this group. The groove was interesting for the first couple of songs but soon became boring. Not really my thing.
Not a rap fan, but good beats, lyrics ok. Average score.
I liked this a lot but it hasn't aged well. All the tracks bleed together and tracks about pagers and women just don't hold up in 2023. As a time capsule, this is great. And the flow is admittedly super smooth too. Oh and it's fairly positive! Which I like from a hip-hop album. But age has not been kind to this record.
Not my music
Just not my thing. Found the beats, lyrics, and music boring. 1
Halfway between Def Jam and De La Soul.
I liked Scenario. It was a good rap album for the era. 4/5
So good.
It’s another one where I get bored after a while of the repetitive instrumental/beat. Great flow and could be excellent with more varied backing. It’s not the album, it’s me.
It feels quite samey all the way through, but it's pretty listenable.
ok
Pääs kuuntelee kontrabassoo, sitä vois kyl olla lisää 🤌🏼 Joo kontrabasso oli mielenkiintonen, muuten genre ei vaan mulle iske, 2/5 Kontrabasso on aina mielenkiintonen. Muuten ei oikeestaan iskenyt itteen.
beats had similar drums lines and good jazzy elements. top 3: infamous date rape, show business, buggin out.
No. 67/1001 Excursions 3/5 Buggin' Out 3/5 Rap Promoter 3/5 Butter 3/5 Verses From The Abstract 4/5 Show Business 3/5 Vibes And Stuff 3/5 Infamous Date Rape 3/5 Check The Rhime 3/5 Everything Is Fair 3/5 Jazz 3/5 Skypager 2/5 What? 3/5 Scenario 3/5 Average: 3,0 This has all the ingredients for me to love it. Old scholl hip-hip, universally loved by critics and fans alike. But I just couldn't get that much into it. I felt musically it was lacking.
Had a great time with this, loved the music, the jazz funk combo is so good, only downside is I’m not very lyrically focused so I feel like I didn’t extract everything out of the album but when I could focus it was great! I’ll keep coming back and get more from it each time.
Wow - this is just a phenomenal album. Incredible rhythms, absolutely fire raps, and just incredible flows. This is the kind of album I wish I'd known about a long time ago, and feels so important to understanding the genre as a whole. What's shocked me is just the shear number of lines present in this that I've riffed on by the likes of Beastie Boys, House of Pain, and Eminem. I had no idea how influential A Tribe Called Quest was in the space until listening to this.
Their best known song Can I Kick It is familiar to me. Unfortunately, that’s not on this album. While I didn’t mind that this was a more chilled rap style, it was also just immensely boring. I’ll give it a kind 2
Played catch-up with this one, so heard Mr Rascal first. Made me think that the compiler is an American. As in this is how its supposed to be, and this is what the Brits do with it. Basically, this is how it is supposed to be. The words have meter, rhythm and rhyme. The music provides a pleasant melodic backdrop. As you can guess I don't find this objectionable, but I'm not a big fan either. Though there is one band that do do an exceptional job of this genre and I do hope we'll get to listen to some of the Underground in this list. To sum up, it's OK. Would I buy it......... Nah! Worth a 3 though.
It’s not terrible. I quite like the lazy soft jazzy business but there’s just not enough happening on here for me. It’s all so samey. I’m sure the same drum pattern is on nearly all of the songs - maybe with a slight variation on the tempo or adding a high cymbal here or there. The creativity is only in the lyrics which aren’t bad. I quite like the vocal delivery but where’s the catchy chorus or the instrumental solos? Maybe I just don’t understand this genre. It’s listenable as background fodder only. It’s better than everything I’ve rated as a 1 so it gets a generous 2!
Although its not my thing, it makes a change to listen to an old school Rap album without excessive swearing, talk of drugs, guns, murder, rape, niggas, etc. A time before the days of mandems and all the bollocks they murmur about nowadays. Quite refreshing! They all sounded like they had a nice time on the record, I did too, for a short while, then the first song finished. Musically better than most, so I'll give it a low 2.
Okay
I really liked the songs on the album. I wasnt expecting old hiphop based off the name. I had no idea who they were but I recognized a few of the songs and even added them to my playlist
one of my favorite hip hop/rap albums I've ever listened to
Smooth jazzy, hip hop which I didn't mind and it's simplicity and not-too complicated sound was definitely a plus. Not something I would normally listen to, but it an easy, chill listen that I played in the background without hurting my brain!
Good album, but not my style.
Phat beats, sick rimes, overall a very solid album. What didn’t age well was referencing Arsenio Hall in literally every single fking song?!?
El Rap de los 90 es como el Reguetón ahora, una MIERDA!
Such a great album. A few bumps, 3.75/5
I am trying to focus on the lyrics, its a rap album, so by default the instrumentals are boring and repetitive. But the bars are just so whack? I guess 30 years ago they were decent but now, oofie. Just dont really wanna listen to this anymore. Significant 24/63 Liked 10/63 Added 3/63 YNN
rap group from the 90s, had some funky beats. Great album, good vibes but not my style. Did not listen to full thing.
I LOVE IT
Classic hip hop. Full of humour, social commentary and incite.
Hip Hop
Awesome album, stone-cold hip hop classic
Interesting genre that I am not overly familiar with. Good beats and telling lyrics
absolutely fantastic grooves
I wanted to like this. I thought I would like this. I was disappointed. Samey and boring and could have all been variations on the one theme
LP
3/5 I didn’t like it as much as I thought I would, but I really liked some of these beats. Interested to hear some other albums.
Great beats
koko päivä ootelti tulee hetki kuunnella.. Albumi kuunneltu.. silloin jo pettymys… 2 star..
I liked this. Melodic.
This is a good album, I like a lot of these songs I'm just not in love with them. Good rythms, flows, decent lyrics, its just not missing something maybe tempo or variety. This could be a 5 but it's a 4 to me. Repeats: excursions,buggin' out,show business Skips: butter
Hell yeah. Sit outside, relax, and turn this bad boy on
Groovy
This was my favorite era of rap. These guys and De La Soul have the best vibes. The production is phenomenal, the lyrics are possibly the best thing about the album. They’re intriguing, unique, introspective, and only ever add to the whole of the project. Never take away. Equally as good as the lyrics are the beats. The mix of genres is seamless and beautiful. Everything comes together perfectly. I have no complaints and never had. 5/5
Hip hop is not my thing and this album did nothing to change that. I don't understand the reference stating that this album bridges the gap between jazz and hip-hop. I'm a jazz fan and wasn't feeling jazz at all while listening. I thought it may have been due to the use of a stand up bass for a few numbers which did make those specific numbers somewhat more interesting but not particularly jazzy. It just sounds like hype in an attempt to make something we've already heard sound like something new, different and ground-breaking. I couldn't believe it when I read, "The album is widely regarded as one of the greatest albums of all time..." in the Wikipedia reference. One of the greatest albums of ALL TIME?! No way! It sounds like another product of the hype machine. Maybe it's one of the greatest in the RAP world but across all genres it isn't even remotely so. For me, rap/hip-hop is something to be tolerated in very small doses but a whole album very quickly becomes so boring, repetitive and sounding the same. I'm not in the target audience for this album so my expectations were pretty low and my expectations met my enjoyment level - pretty low.
Happy that listening to this brought A Tribe Called Quest into my top five most listened to artists this year. Learning who Q Tip and Ali Shaheed Muhammad sampled and which artists sampled Tribe songs is always a good time. I actually have listened to 'We Got It from Here... Thank You 4 Your Service' more than this one, but throughout their catalogue they have an untouchable niche with a highly influential and respected formula. I wonder all the amazing rap not included on this list just to be replaced with another dad rock record. 8.5/10
Didn't made it through. Good flows tho
This is actually a really good rap album. I enjoyed the vocals (the rappers voices) and it was pretty pleasing to my ears. Unfortunately I know I likely won't listen to a rap album on my own, but I'll still give it a 3 for being so good to me, someone who doesn't listen to rap.
a classic
Moins bien que la tribu de Dana
I love getting bangers on Fridays. Hip hop isn’t my usual genre but this has had so much influence in the 30 years since it was released. I also love the jazzy twist mixed in.
Classic Tribe - not a lot to say except it's butter.
Not really my genre, but gotta admit this is very well produced and, for a hip-hop rap album, I wasn´t expecting the jazz influences. Q-Tip was great in this album and there are some gems, like "What?" and "Check the Rhime" (especially the last one). However, this is not really for me because, even with the production, I found the rapping a little bit monotonous and didn´t really stick with me, but I can definitely say this is a great album.
I think I’ve come across A Tribe Called Quest somewhere before, although I’m unsure where. Apple Music says it is hiphop, which makes me doubt myself as to whether I’ve heard them at all. For some reason, I was expected classic rock. Anyway, let’s listen! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Check The Rhime I didn’t love this album, but I didn’t hate it either. Whereas some hiphop is actively in your face (NWA, Wu Tang, etc.), this seemed much more chilled. The music is quite jazzy, and it felt more like a pleasant album to have on in the background while doing something else, rather than something that demanded all of my focus. Overall, I felt this was fine.
cheese and crackers
Old-school Rap, immer der gleiche Flow, Laid-Back easy listening. Plus "Here we go yo, whats the scenario?"
Can’t say I knew any of their songs by name before this, but really liked this album, but don't know that anything stuck to the point of needing to listen to any of the songs again.
3/3
Solid lyrics. Kind of repetitive. Not terrible.
Great album. Excellent blend of hip hop and jazz.
Excursions - 2.9/5 Buggin Out - 2.8/5 Rap Promoter - 2.4/5 Butter - 3.6/5 Verses from the Abstract - 3.6/5 Show Business - 2.7/5 Vibes and Stuff - 2/5 Infamous Date Rape - 1.9/5 actively didn't like lyrics or beat Check the Rhymes - 3.2/5 Everything is Fair - 2.5/5 cool beat gets weird tho Jazz - 2.7/5 Skypager - 3/5 What? - 3.2/5 all balls, no cock Scenario - 2.7/5 here we go yo Bro is ignoring the beat and extremely free rhymes. Clever lyricism and he keeps the flow but its "too chill" of rap. I really want to give this a 4/5 even though not a single song i rated above it just because together its actually pretty chill/nice as a whole, but ill stick with a 3/5
Wow! Kände inte för hip hop idag, men vilka beats! Ron Carter på en låt!!! Jazz och rap i en skön mix.
Rap
This is definitely a grower. Not hugely engaging to begin with, the flows and the hooks give you a bit of background noise before you realise that actually, you're quite digging it.
Pretty good Hip Hop album. Not the biggest fan of hip hop but I could get into it. Favorite song was Check the Rhime
Didn't expect much but very good, will be listening to more
Good! Listen again
Just an awesome blend of Hip Hop and Jazz. Smoooooth...
Different from the other albums so far, I like it. "Check the Rhime" is the most famous song but not nearly my favourite from the album.
Classic
This isn’t a genre I know much about but I really quite liked the other tribe album on this list. This was ok but seemed less inventive than the other album
One of my favorite of all time. No question
A pretty solid album, very "early rap" vibes. Lots of good beats on these tracks. I kind of want to give it a 5 but I think this album just falls slightly short of that so I'm giving it a 4.
I really like this album, but there is really not much variation between a lot of the tracks in terms of production.
Giga liefde voor tribe. Begint toch een beetje traag, maar dat is niet per se stom te noemen. Het album is door de jaren heen enorm op me gegroeid, en was 1 van de eerste vinyl platen die ik had, zo’n 10 jaar geleden. Banger
Scenario was the jam. “Base in your face means peace see ya later” was my go to insult in the 7th grade. Check the Rhime slaps too. Realizing having an older brother into rap may have had an impact on my musical taste
sooo goood.
not my favorite genre, but good album
Amazing. Solid album beginning to end. Objectively good, in my opinion.
3.5: I generally like a few songs by A tribe called quest but not today I guess
If I was into 90s rap this would be a 5.
Rad beats and rhymes but definitely a lil dated feeling.
Not the best hip hop
Great aesthetic, rapping, rhythm. Catchy licks. Lyrics seem a bit typical of the era /repetitive