The Low End Theory

Un classique découvert tard pour moi. C'est intelligent, Jazzy et ça groove. J'ai écouté en boucle et j'y reviens souvent. Mon meilleur du groupe.

THE GOAT. Electric. Groundbreaking.

Not bad but not my thing and nothing stood out on this

I like the vibes and the flows.

Started off incredibly strong. Does not sound dated whatsoever. The jazz/hip-hop combo is awesome, my issue is the lack of variety as the album goes on.

n tem o q fazer

Man, I was loving The Low End Theory until Infamous Date Rape. The jazz influence :chefs_kiss:. The old school rhymes :dollar_sign:. This album is soooo damn good with a huge piece of shit sitting in the middle... The song is supposed to be anti-rape but fuck if it isn't exactly the opposite. Toxic masculinity at its finest--thinking they're an ally when it is just fuel for even more of the same shit.

Not a big fan of hip hop, but this was pretty good. 3 stars.

This album is so ridiculously good. The writing is witty, the production is innovative, just fantastic

"The Low End Theory" is the second album from the hip-hop group A Tribe Called Quest released in 1991. The music is alternative hip-hop or jazz rap, where it contains minimalist sound to bring attention to the word play of the lyrics. This album has been credited as one of the greatest alternative hip-hop albums ever and has been certified platinum in the US. The album did a great job of fusing jazz / bepop and hip-hop, while allowing the groups' dynamics to shine through the humorous, word play commentary in the rap lyrics. I loved how the album's music was stripped down to essentially just vocals, drums, and bass. It gave the music and rapping more impact for me to hang onto. The laid back sound was something new for me to hear from the early golden years of hip-hop, and I found myself really enjoying its flow. I do agree with reviews that this may be the greatest hip-hop album ever. I cannot praise this album anymore then what has already been said by critics, but this is the first time I heard of this album or the group and I think it was amazing! I'll have to give it another listen again soon.

I may not be too well-versed in hip-hop but I know that this album rules.

YES YES YES YES YES!!! Perfect album

Enjoyed but wouldn’t listen again

Good

Never had a cavity? Wow inspirational lyrics. Excited to hear about choice of batteries. Very repetitive. Lyrics are inane or unintelligible. Beats are ok but just slow. Sick of it now

Solid effort from one the best rap groups of the early 90s.

this album is very groovy, but i don’t like too much because it is not my kind of music. but if you are a rap enjoyer then i think it is a very great album ! 4/10

Generic 90's hip hop

"We've got the jazz. We've got the jazz. We've got the jazz..." They proudly chanted this in the intro of "Jazz (We've Got)", one of the album's highlights and a personal favorite. And they didn't yelled it like an extroverted MC in a night club, like most rappers do, but they almost whispered it. That's what this album is. With such a laidback sound and a minimal/more subtle use of vulgar words/topics, this is a easy listen. Very easy for a hiphop album. They used the jazz elements professionally, creating a light and easy atmosphere. The rapping is fine, and the lyrics admired for it's "social awareness", whatever that means. It is no surprise that this is one of the most respected albums in hiphop. It can draw anyone, whether they like jazz or rap or something not as harsh as gangsta rap. A classic. . . . So why does it sound monotonous at some point? Well, perhaps because it appears that the tracks are centered around a variation of a single drum machine beat.

Best rap album ever. Easily just listen to Buggin' Out.

Even though this does not have the wow factor that most of my 5 star albums have, the album as a whole has such a nice flow to it. It has a very clear jazz influence, sounds funky with very cool bass lines, and the delivery of the lyrics is flawless.

I was little surprised that this album was from '91 because the sound of the album is distinguishable from other hip-hop at that time. It sounds like older hip-hop as the beats are not as complex and the lyrics slower too. It was a good album. Not sure I would listen to the whole thing again. It is not a 4 but it is better than a 3. I will round up.

Maravilloso

I'm definitely a late 80s/early 90s rap & hip hop fan rather than anything after

Enjoyable album, good

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

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

Amazing album.. Hip hop at it's finest.

I enjoyed this and would like to return to it!

Very fun to listen to!

Pretty good, every song carries weight

Love me some Tribe Called Quest. MmmmmMmmm

This is the second recommendation I've received from this list from A Tribe Called Quest. Listening to this album felt a lot like the previous album. There are interesting and enjoyable tracks, but I'm not sure if I'll remember this album enough to want to come back for a second listen. "Show Business" was a familiar track, and had a good sound. "Scenario" with Busta Rhymes was entertaining too. Unfortunately, there are lyrics and on these and other tracks that would make me skip the tracks on a second listen. For one listen, the album gets a 3. If I had to play the album again - 2 stars.

Already listened to it

Another Tribe album! 2 in 3 days. Another phenomenal album. Love this jazzy hip hop. Not quite as much as their first album but still great stuff.

Well this is nothing I'm going to go out of my way and search for. If it shows up at a flea market for a buck I might buy it then.

Mostly jazz-sample backed rap. Lots of good tracks, it a bit repetitive after a bit. Still, taking rap in an interesting direction.

Nope

a vibe

4/5 8/03/2022 Such a good hip-hop album that doesn't follow the ghetto rap group stereotype. I really really enjoyed it and just love 90s hip hop music, and its the perfect example for it.

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

East Coast hip hop. Jazz rap. "Minimalist" sound - drums, bass, jazz samples, and lyrics. Great lyrical chemistry.

Sounds like it was made today. Not gonna make it fully into my rotation but close.

this is definitely one I will listen to again. i felt cool having this on my spotify

The beats, the lyrics, the feel, just a great album. Hip hop’s seminal albums

Smooth, listenable and chilled hip hop. Works for me as BG music but I can't remember any tracks after a couple of listens

An attempt at a jazz-hop-fusion album. Quite okay. (6/10) FT: Buggin' Out, Check the Rhime

Not a hip hop fan at all - but didn't hate this. Lots of musicality underneath, but a bit repetitive for me.

CLASSIC

Not really my cup of tea, 2?

The ingenuity it took to make beats and adding samples in early hip hop is a great example of my favorite kind of art. I don't know if there is a word for it or not, but the type of art made by people who just want to make art no matter what. They may not be classically trained in music or painting, so they create their own style, they use whatever they have around them or can figure out. Almost like the spirit of the piece is so powerful it will find its way out even if the artist doesn't have a traditional set of skills.

Listened twice through on a flight to Sydney - perfectly suited to the occasion.

Foi uma audição mais tranquila para um álbum de rap.

I could see myself listening to this, on the right day, while I'm in the right mood. Not bad

Wasn't feeling it.

good enough

So I really don't care for rap and hardly know anything about the genre either. Like the other Tribe Called Quest album this more intelligent, less annoying and all around better than most rap I've heard. It seems like quirky than their debut album though and frankly, to me as a genre outsider every track sounds exactly the same as a result. So while I recognize some quality here, it still results in an album I only listened to half of and really don't care about.

lo AMÉ literalmente uno de los mejores álbumes que me ha salido acá en un tiempo. me tuvo todo el tiempo que duró cantando y vibrando aunque no conocía ni un tema, 10/10

A great rap album. 9/10.

Cool jazzy rap with the standard and likeable 80s drum beats (even though it was 1991). Enjoyable and not nasty aggressive hip hop.

Listened

Hip hop gold - simple but very effective

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

A veryold favourite

Smooth hip hop that still stands up decades later. Timeless

Sowieso lage dunk van alles wat hiphop of rap ademt, maar van dit clubje stakkers had ik dan nog wel enige verwachting. Tevergeefs helaas.

Beetje gedateerd inmiddels en ik had er wel iets meer van verwacht.

Ik vond er een paar dagen geleden al niet veel aan (Q-Tip solo), en nu nog steeds niet (Q-Tip met hele band).

Mwa. Kwestie van uitzitten.

Coming from one of the most influential hip hop groups of all time, this album is at the very least a top ten hip hop album of all time. Along with De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest invented the acid jazz sound.

The music actually wasn't bad for rap. Having a live drummer is infinitely better than a electronic beat.

In terms of rap music, as a whole, I genuinely don't think it gets much better than this. A step up from their debut, the beats are just as fresh as the day this came out. The rhymes are great, lyrics great. Thirty years later, and it's still amazing. "Check the Rhime" is still one of the best rap songs ever released. Favorite tracks: "Check the Rhime", "Buggin' Out", "Jazz (We've Got)"

I just might have found my favorite hip hop album. And no it's not only because it's 48 minutes long with short, succinct songs ... I love the vibe they create with their jazzy samples. And the rapping is intelligent and creative and I don't think I heard the word nigga or bitch ot even once. Great creative al bum that I loved from beginning to end 5 🌟

Smooth beats and great flows. Stellar showing from Special Ed and Q-Tip on this timeless release.

אלבום ממש טוב מאוד נהנתי

This album bumps

3.5

Maybe the best album by a band with mostly great albums

Eh, just not for me. The first four tracks (that's all I got through) were too similar

Boring. Beat with rap over it. No melodies, it's just all the same.The best thing I can say is that it doesn't have quite as much swearing as most rap. Also it's intelligible - so all in all, it's the best rap album we've had so far.

Got boring and was looking forward to it.

Old school. A bit boring. Does not pass the test of time. For hip hop historians.

Not my sort of thing

Really enjoyed the album. solid 4.3

The album is a lyrical masterpiece. Each song has different story-telling, poetry, and the free-styling element of rap music. Despite its poetry and smart rhymes I don’t find myself listening to this later. It’s more of an album to appreciate as a gold piece of art in a museum. Unless you memorize lyrics and hooks easily, you will need to take extra time to understand each song’s content, meaning, and true value. Many people have mentioned the jazz infusion in some of the songs. I personally don’t think the jazz elements did much to influence the album except for a few songs. But that does not take away from its quality.

Not bad for hip-hop, but still kind of boring. Same beat over and over. 2

not my style but mmh!

pretty decent hip hop

Cool old school hip hop

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

Takes half an album to get going, but very good when it does.

slouches along amiably enough for the first half, kicks it up a notch for the second. low end indeed

Smoothest beats of all time. A timeless classic.

Þétt old school rap. Ekki alveg minn tebolli en hélt mér samt við efnið

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

Любопытно.

Funky groove but pretty basic lyrics. Overall Album sounds the same from start to finish.

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

Tribe Called Quest is great. Hip hop hall of famers. And "Low End Theory" is a seminal work in hip hop history. But it's strengths are also it's weaknesses. It's so chill and smooth and laid back, but sort of to its detriment. Much of this album sounds the same, without much to differentiate one song from another. Until you reach the last two tracks. "What?" feels very fresh, packed with tons of references and the wittiest lyrics on the album. The album then ends with "Scenario," one of Tribe's biggest hits. It should have opened the album instead of concluding it, but either way it's inclusion hurts everything else by comparison. Nothing else had the energy that "Scenario" had. When it comes to alternative, more mindful hip-hop, Tribe Called Quest might be legendary, but the other album we've rated from this subgenre - Jurassic 5's "Power in Numbers" - is much better in my view. I'm giving this a 3.75, and rounding up because 3 stars doesn't capture the skill and artistry at play here, even if it doesn't reach its potential.

Great vibe but suffers from being too one note. Scenario is the only song that stands out as being different on this album.

This album feels like I’m hanging out in Central Park listening to Q-Tip, Phife Dawg and their crew wax lyrical about life’s issues. Some dude could be playing the plastic bucket drums and someone else beat boxing and all would be right. Who knew a great hip hop album could be made without curse words? Rhetorical question…a lot of people, but it’s refreshing. I remember back to the Pretentious-Ass’s comment that Dr. Dre killed hip hop. And this is the type of album I assume P-A thought was killed. I could use more musically to pique my interest. I know they stripped it down to focus on the lyrical message, which I get. However, I would personally be more into the lyrical message with some more layers to the music. It would be nice if there were more hip hop around like this today. Maybe there is and I just need to search harder.

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

Always fun to get an album on here that you're familiar with. I love this album and their sound/style. Favourite songs: Excursions, Verses from the Abstract, Show Business, Check the Rhime

Overall, the bass lines and jazzy rap hit right. Lost me on a couple songs. Really serves as a time capsule to 1991 in so many ways. The Busta feature on Scenario is a standout favourite for me.

classic

I get it that this is classic jazz hip hop but I didn't connect on first listen. Catch me on a different day and maybe I'll be ready.

🎤 check 1 2 what is this!

This album renewed my faith in rap music and made me start exploring true artists instead of pop rap.

Perfect rap album. Phife’s voice is incredible. Rhymes come at you fast. Have to work hard to catch all their lines. Super analog sound. When I think hip hop/rap, this is the sound I think of in my head.

Brilliance. 90s rap at it's purest! You can find the abstract listenin to hip hop. 5 stars listen to this one a lot!

Excellent classic 90s hiphop/rap. Qtip rules.

Joah…nee.

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

It's a vibe, songs kinda mesh together. First one and last two are the best songs.

They keep sending me stuff I don't like

Always a classic

Overall pretty enjoyable, never really listened to old-school legends of rap and hip-hop like this. First song was kind of weak but it picked up with the second. Standout song was definitely Butter. I thought the jazz samples were awesome. Lyrically interesting but the constant AABBCC rhyme scheme was grating at times. I know this was kind of earlier work but I hoped for more variation. Overall glad I listened.

Still a great album

An absolute classic. I listened to this album years ago, but I don't know if I ever heard it front to back. I don't know what I was thinking, because every track is fire.

8th November 2021 Listened on the living room speaker while working, chilled one. Love it, as ever, 80s/90s rap is the best.

It was ok. Interesting to hear them reference fake news

Erstes Drittel edieses ikonischen Hiphop Albums wirkt wie die vielfache Variation des Gleichen. Brat-, Pell-, Stampfkartoffeln, Reibekuchen, Kroketten und Klöße stammen auch vom Erdapfel, bieten jedoch mehr Variation als die ersten 4 Tracks. Erst nach Beigabe von „Butter“ wird’s leckerer…sonst fehlt es oft an würzigen Samples wie dort und hier („Verses…“ & „Vibes…“). Fade 2.8

Vermeintlich freundlich-funky-er early Nineties HipHop aus der Golden Era. Natürlich nicht nur freundlich, sondern auch super edgy und conscious. Das alles weiß ich natürlich noch von früher, aus den Neunzigern. Hat sich nichts dran geändert nach erneutem Hören nach langer Zeit. Produktion absolut on Top, klingt leider trotzdem dated, weil: naja, HipHop heute, ihr wisst schon. Ich begehe den Fehler und achte schon wieder kaum auf Lyrics, geht also die ganze Consciousness verloren und übrig bleiben Q-Tip und Phife und die warmen, lässigen jazzigen Soundscapes. Gefällt mir 3,49.

Jazzy, swinging - a fair amount of double bass providing the low end. lovely flow to the raps

Been a long time since I listened to this. Love the double bass - such a distinctive sound it gives to the album. There's more misogyny than I remembered. 🤨 I guess there's less than a lot of acts were putting out at around that time, but still... Fave track - "Buggin' Out" for that double bass goodness. "Scenario" was great too...

Really cool, but another album where no one track jumped out at me. I could see me going back for multiple listens and becoming more familiar with each track though

Background rap

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

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

Rap relativamente sosegado con ritmos propios del estilo y sin destacar especialmente. Muy del estilo definido

Conocía su super éxito que está en otro disco, pero este me ha parecido muy divertido. Puro Rap y Hip-hop de los 90. Hay canciones muy buenas: "Verses from the Abstract", "Show Busisness", "Jazz (We've got)", "Skypager" o "What?". Un disco de 4 estrellas al que volveré.

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

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

Si hi ha un génere sobredimensionat a la llista és el hip hop. Aquest cas és un altres dels molts discos suposadament imprescindibles, canònics, obres mestres de les primeres generacions. No sé. És mitjanament disfrutable el to jazzístic amb el flow dels dos MCs i les lletres compromeses que s'allunyen de l'habitual agressivitat de l'época, però no és res de l'altre món, lluny està de ser-ho

A classic. A legend. I'm not cool enough for this album.

Solid album

This album is crisp as hell - minimalist beats and bass lines that take no prisoners coupled with dense bars that range from abstract to narrative gems. Deserves more than a few replays for sure

No notes needed

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

Probably one of the greatest hip hop albums of all time.

Badass

Class, know this one well. Already had an older Tribe album. This is sick though, a classic. Not even started listening and know it's gonna be a 5. Yeh, 5, easy.

4/10

classic!

Old schull good shit

Old school rap

Bass and drum heavy. I like this but it seems not that big of a deal. But, it was the first of its kind so that’s what makes it groundbreaking

Pretty good. Not my style so prob won’t listen to again

Flat-out classic album. Six stars.

Chance el mejor disco de rap de la historia.

Que gran sonido de esta banda. Había escuchado muy poco de ellos. Me gustó la ondita hipnótica y repetitiva del disco en general. Fav: jazz (we got it)

Buenazo. Me entretuvo y me gustaron los beats, la mezcla a veces con otros sonidos, otros tonos. Fluye bastante bien, a gusto. Entre mis favs: "Buggin' Out", "Show Business" y "Scenario". 8.5/10

My introduction to the seed that will seemingly eventually grow into rap, and you know, actually very good.

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

// Favs: – Score: Light 3

Not my genre, nice beats. Some of the lyrics really hit me, I needed to save some songs. Great piece of history.

The jazz influence on this album really amazed me the first time I heard it. Some excellent lyrics as well, and I really love the delivery. Unrelated to the music, but I also love the album cover.

I've heard this before but one of the easiest 5s on the list. Such a good and important rap album

Nothing needs to be said

Excellent album, really liked it.

Always thought this was the ATCQ number one record…. Just not as good as peoples instinctive travels. Not bad though!

“Bust a nut inside your eye to show you where I come from” …cmon now

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

I'm embarrassed to say I never actively listened to A Tribe Called Quest until 2016 when We Got It From Here... Thank You 4 Your Service came out. I think I like We Got It From Here, better than this album. But I also think it's an album that would grow on me more and more each listen.

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

There are some great bass lines, and hooks, in a few of the songs. (Excursions, Butter, Everything Is Fair). I can get into tracks like these in small doses.

a classic

I listened to it five times in two days. What a revelation! Undeniably booty-shaking.

pretty good. not really any standout tracks that you'd put on as for a quick hit. if you want to listen to this then you basically need to put the whole album on.

A packed lunch of shit sandwiches and jizz. A banana too for nutrition.

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

Enjoyed this one as a hip hop album which isn't normally my favourite genre, some good beats and lyrics. Could definitely see this paving the way for 90s hip hop.

Noteworthy. He led the way in early 90s hip hop. Another one I like

Jazz hip hop very cool

Awesome 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Guilty for not giving TCQ more of a chance earlier in life but blessed for being able to experience this classic with fresh ears. Starts strong, Ends strong. Middle is a little weaker.

It's obvious that if there's a "hole in my game", it's with hip-hop. It's probably my least listened to genre. But doing this list every day has at least allowed me to experience a lot of it. It may never be my jam, but I can at least appreciate the albums I've listened to on this list. My hunch is I'll listen to certain songs on playlists and not the albums again. This is different hip-hop from what I've had so far on the list. Not a lot of danceable songs here, and tends to sound more like relatable background music. Also: no swear words! Not that they're necessary, just worth mentioning as something that is different from others in the same genre. It's decent enough. But I spent some time listening with the dreaded "meh" word coming to mind. Definitely belongs on the list, but I put it behind entries I've heard by Public Enemy, Missy Elliot and (my favorite, although some wouldn't call her hip hop) Nenah Cherry.

old school hip hop honestly all bangers

good stuff

One of the best rap albums of all time, and one of the best albums regardless of genre. Just so good.

Album art:3

Good stuff

Bra album. Bra beats och lyrics. Kanske några låtar för många på albumet. Bästa låtar: Check the Rhime Butter Show Business

Guy named his account spaghetti. Fun guy I bet anyways good album

Old school 90s rap viiiiiiibes! Wholesome <3

Dope

Smooth flow. Game changing beats. Very relaxed and an incredible play off each others' strengths. All 3 voices flow so smoothly. As they say: "We got the vibe"

Not into hip-hop at all and this album didn't make me change my mind. I like the lyrics more than expected, and I like the jazz influences, though

2/5

interesting style of music, but really meant for new yorkers, and i don't understand hip-hop

Great classic hip-hop. A little jazzy. Great lyrics, good beats. Solid all around!

Not my style

The Low End Theory is regarded as one of the most influential albums in hip hop history. Even though its been called the "Sgt. Pepper's of hip-hop" and helped meld the lines between jazz and hip-hop in the early 90s, this is not really an album for me. Best: Scenario Worst: Butter

This album just blew me away. The production is phenomenal and is the perfect complement to the incredible, complex rapping. I think this is probably the best thing I've heard while doing this so far.

enjoyed it and will be back

Digg it

Just classic

I worried they’d all sound the same after the 3rd song. But to be fair there’s a few good songs after the first half.

It’s something I would probably never listen to, but I really enjoyed it. It’s got some fun songs here and there. You can definitely see how they influenced some of the newer hip hop and rap.

Strong beats, flow and samples but wasn’t as convinced by all of the lyrics. Fun album but prefer a little more message or theme from the early nineties. Enjoyed scenario and check the rhime.

Hard to imagine that hip hop didn’t sound like this before A Tribe.

Verses from the Abstract was the track that pulled me into the album. Show Business pulled me back out. I think if I had heard this in 91 or even the 90s it would hit certain nostalgic tones. But hearing it for the first time 20 years later I'm finding the rhyming and beats dated.

This is a group I’ve always wanted to get into so I was excited to dive into this one today. This album is so awesome from beginning to end! Love the combination of jazz and hip-hop with intelligent lyrics. Wish I’d discovered this sooner.

I have their greatest hits. And I think that's better than their individual albums. Some nice tracks but then a lot of forgettable ones. Plus it seems like they made no effort to make a cohesive album. Just random songs strung together.

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

very old school rap when the horns come in ... the delivery is great funky beat in deed very cohesive (so danger : repetitive) 3

Another one that I listened to and wrote something about, but I don't remember what. I know I liked the album enough to give it a 4, mostly for the sound.

hip hop it do make serotonin 4/5

Cet album etant ni plus ni moins qu'un copié collé niveau qualité et intérêt de ma part de Fishscale de Ghostface Killah, je vais me contenter de copier coller ma review: c'etait pas nul, c'etait pas particulièrement bien non plus. Un album à très vite oublier, il faut se reconcentrer sur le prochain match

I'm just not into hip-hop..

A pesar de que no me gusta el rap, me gustó el disco. Tiene buenos temas, aunque se me hace algo "pesado" a la larga. Nota: 3.5

One of the most chill and relaxed hip hop albums I've heard so far. Very fun and vibey. Ultimately a little dated sounding, but not in a bad way; just missing some of the high-density rhymes and flows of later rappers that really attracts me. Biting and funny lyrics though!

No me gusta mucho el hip hip, pero el álbum es bueno

false

The beats were my favourite thing in this record. The lyrics are fun and clever most of the time. But I'm not a fan of some the rapping in here; in my opinion it's what makes this album feel kind of flat. Still, I think that this is a great album to get introduced to hip.hop. I read somewhere that this is an album even your mom would like, and that's probably right at least for a couple of tracks.

Ik heb het beluisterd volgens mijn listening history op spotify, maar ik kan me geen enkel nummer herinneren. Heeft duidelijk geen indruk gemaakt.

Niet mijn ding om aan 1 stuk uit te luisteren. Een nummer of 2 wel oké

Meh. I can see the appeal (and why it's called The Low End Theory!), but not for me.

Best tracks: Check The Rhime, Buggin’ Out, Verses From The Abstract, What?

- great fro background listening, sounds like one long song

The best

Always good.

All the windows down for this album.

Great time

Tribe called quest is legend.

Good one

.

Classic rap with jazz influences

Not typically my cup of tea but enjoyed it more than I thought I would

I like this out of the gate. Good old school rap. Good beats. Good vocal. And then it feels a bit like Groundhog Day - didn’t they already play this song? And then it feels a bit like Groundhog Day - didn’t they already play this song? I’m not a lyrics focused person, so even after two listening, I didn’t catch much of the content, so I’m guessing there is good substance there that I missed. More blood. More chocolate. The Elton Costello 90s rap album.

FT: Scenario

sounds dated. but in a good way.

Very 90's rap. Boring and irritating.

This is great. Considered a 4 star as I didn't think there were any standout tracks but that's only because they are all great

So gooood. Groovy rhythms.

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

5.5

Excellent hip hop, fun rhyme schemes and superb flow

Highlight: Butter Big bumpin' ensemble hip-hop rap that sounds unmistakably 90's, but still echos in modern hip-hop. It's interesting to hear the roots of so many sounds.

funky which I liked

Hip Hop

Disco de RAP

Hip-hop. Ni fu ni fa

What a surprise! I loved it!

I liked it.

Wow! First time I have heard this and thought it was just fantastic!

Probably one of my favorite hip-hop albums

It's fine. It's not the best rap album but there's nothing too bad about it other than being slower, more rhythmic rap you see in the earlier years. It's dated for sure too.

Sehr geil

Nothing special, just generic rap

No estoy acostumbrado a este tipo de música. No puedo valorar

I'm kinda a fan of older rap like this.

Dificil de poner nota, Hip Hop no es un estilo que me haya llamado la atencion.

Very good jazz hip funk shit

This sounds so much like the 90s, I can see how this is the roots of rap and how at the time had a very street sound and lyrics. Has some interesting bars.

Listened to it 10 times loved it

Was pretty cool, but it isn’t my type of music, however was a very nice experience:)

One of the greatest, RIP Phife Dawg

not bad, even if the style is not my jam

Very nice finding! I loved it!

Hey, a rap album I actually liked! I thought this album was actually really solid, and I think a big part of that is as a musician I would enjoy playing along to this. Some really fun beats and baselines that are, like, actually real and not just electronic

One of my favorite rap albums ever, and my favorite by ATCQ. About as close to a perfect rap album as you can get. I love ATCQ.

I really enjoy jazz rap, and my earlier adventures into a tribe called quest hadn’t stuck, but I have a feeling that this one will

Better than the other rap albums we've gotten so far, still not my thing though.

Early on I was interested in this album, but as it went on it started to feel a little more like a stereotype of '90's hip hop. My guess is that's probably because of how quintessential this is, but I can't be sure. Thought it was interesting there were so many songs disrespecting women, but also an entire song condemning date rape culture (which also inlcuded casual sex jokes?) quite a mix! I think there are clearly songs I'd like to listen to again, but not an album I'd want to spin all the way through.

Oooootro de hiphop... No no puedo

Nah.

Thanks Tribe, very cool

Not a big rap fan, this has a solid feel and well crafted lyrics.

Can't do it. I recognize the lyrical effort but i cannot stand the underlying soft jazz beat music and the completely disconnected rap... there's no energy. Scenario is the only song that carries it.

All day Phife and Tip. 5 foot Cypher and the Abstract. Love love love the Young Zulu Nation.

Rhythm and jazz and hip-hop with such distinct world-view and atmosphere--really, really, really good.

Starting with a strong one

Near perfect.

I love the references to pagers and watching Arsenio Hall on channel 9

Full of bangerz

Está de 3.999999

This was epic!! I LOVED it!! Great great hip hop album!! Will most definitely listen to this again and again!!

basta!

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.

Despite being the least favourite of the Native Tongues, still a classic in rotation.

The same beat for the entire album gets old fast

Pretty good hip-hop album

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

Finally some hip hop

Honestly? It is GREAT. High relistenability.

Good stuff.

Both the flow and the music are great, lyrics are also quite good. I love the jazz samples used in it.

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

This hip hop album was not very interesting to me. It's to much rap in there I had to follow while working.

Solid rap, but some of the usual macho and vaguely sexist overtones :/

One of the best rap albums of all time.

Fav song: Check the Rhime Cool album Obviously a classic

Dug it

Definitely an acquired taste. Need to explore it more, expect I will enjoy it.

Just a powerhouse album, beats too good and rhymes masterful

Hip hop ok!

What I heard I enjoyed. Chilled hip hop.

Classic 90s rap album.