Reviews (page 2 of 15)
Definitivno ću morati opet poslušati njihov debi jer je ovo odlično i ne sjećam se što sam dala dvicu. Da li je toliko lošije? Ili tad nisam kontala. Ovo je trenutno konkurent za najbolji hip-hop album meni ikad.
No private session used for Spotify. I have listened to this album many times before. Its smooth, funky, a bit jazzy, it's fun, not angry, I wish all hip hop could have stayed this course.
Great album
pretty good album, i used to listen to this in middle school! so im reminded at how edgey i was at thirteen years old, will always be grateful for the kid in french class who recommend me this group. thanks paulo.
Veel repetitief gerap. Verveelt snel imo.
Loved it
perfect album
Terrific! One of my favourite hip hop records. Just solid from start to finish
Super smooth drum beats met miraculeus swaggy lyrics.
great hip hop album, loved reading the history in apple music about A Tribe Called Quest. No songs made it to the playlist but overall was a good upbeat morning album.
8/10 A Tribe Called Quest are one of those hip hop groups that falls right into the sweet spot for me. They clearly have a solid knowledge of funk and soul music, bringing together great samples and grooves from various sources, and on this record they throw a double bassist into the mix to give the record an extra bit of organic flavour and a unique groove. They also don’t ever go too hard, rapping with a pretty nuanced take on the art form, with musical vocal delivery and a nice edge of wit, combined with a laid back and fun attitude. The production on this album is pretty minimal, with quite a few tracks stripped back to not much more than drums, bass and vocals, although the aforementioned musicality of the vocal delivery does provide a bit of mid-range melody to the mix too. Despite that stripped back approach, they do typically provide enough range in most of the tracks, be that through loop length, production work or rhythmical variety in the vocal, to keep things rolling along and not getting stale. The blend of soul, jazz and funk in the samples is excellent and creates a very coherent sound and I spent pretty much the whole record bobbing along, which is normally a pretty good sign.The one thing I do wish is that this album as a whole had a bit more range. Stylistically, it is excellent and generates a great vibe, but it does start to feel a little samey after a while. When listening to it as background music that works exceptionally well, but when I gave it more prominent focus, I did start to find that it dragged a touch towards the end. Personally, I think I’d typically float more towards the groups debut over this one and, while I do dig it, it doesn’t quite do enough to give it top marks. It’s still quality though. Excursions - Sometimes it’s great when you get a moment that’s so specific to a certain time in lyrics, like the reference to “having status” being associated with having a pager. Brilliant. The flow of the rapping is so smooth and musical, and the sample use is excellent. It’s a really strong blend of jazz and soul and, while there’s not a vast amount of musical range, the sequence length and groove, combined with the range within the vocal delivery make it maintain interest throughout. Buggin' Out - Musically, this flows straight on from the opener, with a primary focus on drums and bass, letting the vocals have all of the space in the middle of the mix. The bounce of the vocal between the different rappers adds an extra flavour, but the general groove and vibe is so strong that it’s basically impossible not to bop along to it. Some rappers stick to a very rigid cadence and rhythm to their delivery, but you couldn’t accuse Tribe of doing that. More solid stuff. Rap Promoter - We get a bit of scratch and guitar work now, which extends the textural content of the album really nicely. The rhythmic breaks are cool, and the quality of the rapping continues to be strong. I’m starting to yearn for a bit more harmonic content at this point, but it’s a short track and skips through well. Butter - As if to answer my call, there’s a bit of extra instrumental interest thrown in, adding a bit of extra funk and jazz vibe to things, and creating a slightly more psychedelic sound that sits nicely against the more forward delivery of the vocals. This continues the theme of building solid atmospheres, with great, punchy beats and then leaving plenty of space for the rapping to take centre stage. Verses From The Abstract - They play a bit more with those rhythmic stops for emphasis here, and the addition of the sung vocals thickens up the musical content and leans this more towards a soulful sound. Again, I think the musical yet conversational delivery of the rapping helps the tonal blend to work effectively. This is a fine example of well balanced minimalism in production that produces a high quality vibe and leaves plenty of room for the lyrical and rhythmical presentation of the vocal to lend range and nuance to the track. Lovely stuff. Show Business - This takes a step forward with a bit more pace and drive, while thickening up the production and adding extra layers of sampling to the mix. The sample use is still sparing enough to allow space for the vocals, and again, we get a nice bit of tonal range from the passing around of the vocal between different vocalists, and a bit of call and response here and there. Vibes And Stuff - Back to something a bit slower now. The beat has a really nice edge of lo-fi crunch to it. The length of the musical sequence makes this a bit more repetitive, which is a bit of a shame, but there’s still some pieces of nice production work and vibe building in there. The groove is still incredibly bouncy and infectious, so my repetition complaints are fairly minor. There’s just such a sense of laid back fun to it all that it’s hard to not just get carried away by the tunes. The Infamous Date Rape - This is a bit of a weird one. It takes a somewhat light approach to a heavy topic and seems to be fairly dismissive idea of changing consent, which is… not great. They do seem to go back and forward on it a little bit, but in general, this has not aged well. Musically, it’s another decent one, although perhaps not the strongest on the album. Check The Rhime - A nice bit of Average White Band to open us up now. There’s a musical approach to the lyrical delivery again and while there’s not too much musical range, there’s enough there to keep this interesting. The bass line is great and the stylistic bouncing around of vocal styles gives it a range of textures. The beat and production are great and it’s another really strong effort. Everything Is Fair - The vibe and groove here are great, but it’s one of those tracks that falls back on fairly short loops, which is always a bit of a struggle for me. The vocal work is great fun though and the melodic work is very good. It does bop along well, I’m just typically looking for a touch more musical range. Jazz (We've Got) - A nice change up of vibe into something with an edge of jazz, and a bit of atmospheric pad work. The tone of the beat here has a slightly weird pop on the snare that I really like. Again, it’s a laid back and fun slice of hip-hop with some excellent musical rapping. I’m enjoying it, but I think there could be a bit more variety on the record. Skypager - Another great beat and we get something a bit different with the sample use here. It leans less on the rapping, but there is a bit more range to the sound design, which is cool. A pretty short one, but still good. What? - The Paul Humphrey sample they use throughout here is fantastic. So much funk to it, and works incredibly well with the light sidestick snap of the snare. This is a bit more forward in terms of drive, and it’s got great wit and charm to it. It’s a bit on the repetitive side, but gets away with is by being pretty short. Scenario - A cool one with a bit more of a gang vocal vibe. And Busta Rhymes even pops in for a bit. The groove has great bounce and, while the musical side of things do get a bit repetitive, there’s quite a lot of variety and range in the lyrical delivery, which also adds its own musical edge to it. It’s not my favourite track on the record but it finishes up the record well.
The Rhythmus pleased me very much… the lyrics I have not read them until now … that why I can only vote the music style… 4 *
Favourite Songs: - Excursions - Rap promoter - …Show Business
Boring and forgettable. Cover is cool. 2/5
Album incrível de jazz rap
Into the sound, the lyrics, the attitude, but still feels like there is something about these guys that doesn’t quite connect with me. Worth a relisten to figure it out.
Never heard of tribe called quest but i emjoyed that
Claaaaassic
I think Tribe are so much fun. A great album that I will listen to again. I imagine if I knew more about sampling it would be even better.
Again really cool and interesting hip-hop but need time to listen to the lyrics to really appreciate it.
Amazing bass. Really nice relaxed rapping and jazzy beats. Loved this album.
Enjoyed alot. Maybe because the Sun is shining and the laid back jazzy grooves are working their magic. Lovely smooth delivery and lyrics that would mostly not upset your nan.
Good vibes.
Classic old school rap
Cool, probably top cool for me
Good, but a bit samey. I wonder if I would have liked it more is it hadn't been immediately preceded by Raekwon.
Just felt like mall music to me. Very background noise core.
I love travels I own travels travels is great. The low end theory despite the greatness my want for the debit of anyone to be the best this reminds me that growth is possible even from an initial greatness
It's a good theory
Day984 - didn’t get much cooler than a tribe called quest and all the native tongues crew
Know this album VERY well. Love it, love Tribe. Still think I like Midnight Marauders just a hair more (one of my first ever vinyl purchases for a reason) but this is an all-time classic.
Not a huge lover of Hip hop, but I really love this. Great 90's nostalgic music. Would listen to it again!
Es como escuchar a Eminem pero sin Eminem
might be the best rap album i have heard to this moment. 4.5/5.
Si?
Easy 5. One of the greatest rap albums of all time by (imo) the greatest group of all time. The date rape song has admittedly aged poorly, but the rest of it makes up for it
Dope album. Love this shit
Masterpiece
Not bad, not bad at all
Amazing, truly one of the best rap albums of all time, and one of the best albums period.
I have heard the name of this group. However, I have not heard any of their music. Well, here goes. This is not bad for a rap album. There is a lot of rapping backed by drum machines. There is little or no funk and soul influence in their songs. I don’t hear much of a jazz influence either.There doesn’t appear to be any misogyny or glorification of violence in their music. My biggest complaint is the music is monotonous. It all sounds the same. Show business wasn’t a bad song and the infamous date rape was interesting. Overall, this is an average album. Three stars.
This album was really good, I love classic hip hop and the bass on this album is just really good work, I like the flows and the production just wished the structure of some of the songs were more complex ykwim
One to skip
Take your roly-poly fat promoter to chemical bank and get my cash
No notes. Great album.
No fav song
A classic for a reason, even if there are a few moments (not uncommon in 80's/90's rap) where the rhymes/subjects sound dated. An excellent fusion of jazz and hip hop that still sounds fresh and timeless all at once.
Classic beats, 90% great lyricism and flow but suffers from the weird horny/misogynistic obsession that a lot of rap has. We get it you have sex
This is exactly my type of hip-hop. Catchy as hell, gas beats and instrumentals, and it captures that style of rap that feels so hard to find in 2026. 9/10
os álbuns de hiphop recomendados são insanamente bons, não teve nenhum minimamente ruim até agora vai ver o rap só é incrível mesmo álbum do caralho
I mean, so fire. Their best...I have to give it to Midnight Marauders, but also....maybe it is.
It is a fun album for sure.. didn't win me with something to make it one of my favourites 3/5
he rhymed booty and duty
Laid back funky groove but got a bit repetitive
Fun, but not what I am gonna return to
thoughts: - good, not my vibe but I enjoyed some of the lyrics I really picked up on and was nodding along the whole time. - ra ra like a dungeon dragon???? It's so cool discovering that lyrics I know in other songs are actually references to something I've never heard before standouts: - it all kinda blended together unitl the DR song came on. that had me restarting the song and reading the lyrics
It’s becoming more apparent I really only enjoy tribes hits.
Good, but not exceptional flow, and good, but not great, instrumentals.
Better than most modern hip-hop but that's a very low bar to clear.
Meh
A Tribe Called Quest's second album is considered a benchmark blend of rap and jazz, two genres with which I have a very complex relationship. So, I was initially wary of this record. However, it turned out well — the album is interesting because it's not just jazz rap, it's, let's say, acoustic jazz rap. It stands on three pillars: vocals, drums, and double bass; practically every song uses only these instruments. Sometimes it's just the beats, sometimes the band invited real musicians, but the fact is, they've created a well-rounded release that's enjoyable to listen to in the background and to delve into. And the lyrics aren't bad either. It's not about money, chicks, and guns; here, the bros tackle social issues, both humorously and seriously (which was actually quite fashionable in hip-hop at one point). De La Soul, but less fun, overall.
That was a hard listen. I didn't like the same beat in every song, I didn't like the try hard rhyming. It's had to believe this came after Straight Outta Compton, it sounds like the bad NWA songs. 1.5/5
El mejor álbum del rap de los 90.
Progressive rap but not my thing
All timer
Love these guys
have listened to before
No surprise to anyone that I loved this album. Impossible for me to be in a bad mood when listening to A Tribe Called Quest. I just love how chill the overall sound is and also how silly the lyrics can get. It’s just a vibe I wish to inhabit.
this had a grear vibe! love to hear early busta rhymes
OG some of the best Intelligent hip hop.
I’d forgotten how good this is, ending with the blast of Scenario
Boring. Monotonous. Not for these aging ears.
Quality.
Solid
This is becoming a comfort album for me
One of the greatest hip hop albums of all time. Considering where the genre was in 1991, a lot of albums from this period can sound super dated but anything from Tribe just sounds timeless. 5 stars
Pretty good, catchy and whatnot.
One of my favorite albums of all time.
Classic hip hop, smooth and cool vibes.
There were a couple songs I liked off of this but it's just another example of this being a sound that I really like certain parts of, and I really appreciate it existing solely because it inspired some of my favorite modern hip hop artists, but by itself it just doesn't click that much. 2.5/5
There have been a few gem hip hop albums on list that I have not heard of, this is one of them. It has chill and pleasant beats, along with some of the smoothest flows I have heard on a hip hop album.
A great classic hip hop album, I kinda fuck with this. Catchy yet coherent and well structured while avoiding the cheesier feel of other older hip-hop, this album exudes a strong chill vibe that makes it a very enjoyable listen.
I'm no fan of hip-hop, but it was difficult to dislike anything about this album. It was funky, smooth, jazzy, and fresh, with delicious samples and many instruments creating a colorful chorus of music. The lyrical stylings were creative and entertaining, capturing attention and playing off the numerous vocalists. This album is a gem.
For a rap album, which admittedly is not my favorite genre, this was surprisingly fun. I really liked the jazzy flow and some of the lyricisms were quite clever. It got a bit samey with the beats after awhile, but I still quite enjoyed it. 4/5
Really enjoyed the lyrics, the flow, music.
Up there with one of the best hip hop albums I've ever listened to. Here we go yo
un rapsito piola. nada wow 5.5/10
An absolute classic one of the best hip=hop albums and bands ever
They got the jazz, They got the jazz, They got the jazz, They got the jazz, They got the jazz, They got the jazz, They got the jazz, They got the jazz, They got the jazz, They got the jazz, They got the jazz, They got the jazz, They got the jazz, They got the jazz, They got the jazz, They got the jazz, They got the jazz, They got the jazz, They got the jazz, They got the jazz, They got the jazz, They got the jazz, They got the jazz, They got the jazz, They got the jazz.
This is the hip-hop I can stand by and enjoy thoroughly because it's fun, it's different, and it's extremely smart and fun. Where Wu-Tang were just absurd, and De La Soul were like a kindergarten version of the genre, A Tribe Called Quest are well aware of their prowess both in terms of producing jazz-influenced beats that rip and flow together flawlessly well. They don't shy from jokes, wordplays or social commentary, which is great. Still, this being a hip-hop album, it is not something I connect with easily, but it is a bop and I can imagine myself playing it multiple times.
Surprised me a bit as not really a rap fan but I did enjoy the lyrics. Clever without being crude. Can talk about relationships without being misogynistic. Definitely enjoyed the listen. Where did rap go?
There’s a saying that the best ATCQ album is the first one you listened to. For me, that was Midnight Marauders, which should’ve absolutely been included in the book. But the two albums here are also amazing. They are a group that (at least half of the time) raps about things other than drugs and violence or objectifying women. The jazzy beats are more interesting than 75% of actual jazz. I found myself several times focusing on the beats. On top of all of that, it really helps that Q-Tip has a really entrancing voice. Overall, one of the best albums I’ve gotten so far. RIP Phife Dawg
Chill as fuck, an absolute groove.
13 keepers in 14 (93%). 1 banger (7%). This album is good top to bottom (high to low end?). The only miss isn't really a miss. I want to listen to it again right now. 5 stars.
Not the worst but far from the best
Again? Good lyrics and a distinctive sound but nothing stand out
The lyrics are genius and way ahead of their time. But the drums are far too forward in the mix and the fabulous backing tracks get drowned out. A sabotaged-by-production 3*
Boring
Not a fan of hip hop rap and shit especially from the 70s and 80s i mean the beat is nice, the ad libs the female vocals sometimes but I ain't from the hood so I have a hard time i interpreting what these lyrics mean otherwise it's a vibe no I'll shit about this album. It's meh.
As Anthony Fantano would say, classic/10
Perfect example of 80s/90s flow. The more contemporary tracks I’ve heard that reference this sound are a reminder why Tribe will always be classic.
An all time classic. Busta Rhymes with one of the best features ever in Scenario!
Cool. Gets repetitive toweds the end.
Big 3
(4/5) Tribe's sophomore effort took the success of their first and just expanded the palette. There aren't as many pause/drops as the first (see my other review), the sampling is denser and well layered, and the songwriting is better. I guess it just doesn't entirely rise from good to great, though, for me. It *stays* good -- no quality loss from the first album, just not enough to haul it up the '5' slope for me. The album is pretty long, a few of the middle tracks just seem to sag and blend into one another, and they didn't grow many more tricks. I still like them (a lot) and some of the tracks, including their biggest, "Check the Rime", were great but it just wasn't a total package.
Tribe largely missed me when they came out and were popular, but was incredibly impressed and entertained by People's Insitinctive Travels when we had it previously. This one held serve well, with the same groovy, playful tone as the first, one that flew in the face of the emerging gangster rap genre with a predominantly wholesome and educational message. However, it did turn a bit long-winded, which in turn didn't quite carry the same punch and fun as the previous effort, so I'm less inclined to round my 4.5/5 up this time.
180. The Low End Theory - A Tribe Called Quest (1991) 8.21.26 Variety: 4 Adequacy: 5 Listenability: 5 Uniqueness: 5 Emotionality: 3 = 4.4 rounded down to a 4 "I never half-step 'cause I'm not a half-stepper/ Drink a lot of soda so they call me Dr. Pepper" It seems a rare occasion when we have gotten albums by an act in chronological order, but here were are. Almost exactly 4 months ago we listened to People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm, the group's only other album on the list and I came away from that one having had an overall pleasant and nostalgia-filled trip. For whatever reason, this is one that did not see as much play in my friend group as the previous one back in middle school, so I'm less familiar. There are a couple of tracks I remember, and some of the singles will occasionally pop up on satellite radio, but other than that I honestly can't say I've ever heard this the whole way through, so other than it's reputation, of which I know a little bit about, I'm not sure what to expect. THE TRACKS "Excursions" - Let the headnodding commence! This was instantly groovy with Q-Tip opening things up for us with a jazz-infused base provided the platform for his INSANELY influential organic and smooth flow. He makes it feel effortless and casual. This track feels like it might be more than an intro, and is doing some table setting. We got name checks to jazz, afro-centrism, positivity, and a call to uniqueness and not following the pack. Sampled: - "A Chant for Bu" by Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1j6du02Qx8 - "The Soil I Tilled" for You by Shades of Brown: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-z3wuyQNeY - "Time Is Running Out" by The Last Poets: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTQlhXij66g "Buggin' Out" - One of the ones I remember hearing as it had a memorable music video that would pop up on MTV all the time that was mixed with another track. Pfife Dawg takes the mic to start off this one and we get a preview of his harder, more energetic and animated flow that contrasts so well with Q-Tip. If you don't find yourself at the very least tapping a finger to the giant bass line with the hi-hat accents, you should go see a doctor. In addition to some slf-hype, we also get lots of social paranoia all over this one. Sampled: - Spinning Wheel by Lonnie Smith: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oca2-uumYyI - Minya's the Mooch by Jack Dejohnette's Directions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9XiP29PQAY "Rap Promoter" - A breakdown of what sounds like some awful live performance experiences, and a takedown of shady rap promoters, underhanded practices and the like. I'm sure not much has changed in this regard, and is probably a pretty evergreen message. And all withc a funky as hell scratch guitar line underneath. My favorite part is the verse where Q-Tip breaks down his rider demands. Sampled: - Keep on Doin' It by The New Birth: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owTH56PL5rI - Leaving on a Jet Plane by Peter, Paul & Mary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2m--R3J6f4 - 8th Wonder by Sugarhill Gang: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h2gv5_aC5gQ "Butter" - Another one I remember, I think from the very memorable and ear-wormy chorus. We get a tale of a player who gets played, and who maybe is a bit more hurt than he let's on, falling into some displaced anger. Overall, I'm getting the vibe that in the yin-yang of the group Q-Tip is the Ego and Pfife Dawg the Id. Sampled: - Gentle Smiles (Saxy) by Gary Bartz: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHpIMDYFyUg - Young and Fine by Weather Report: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXgkDw0ieJ8 - I Like Everything About You by Chuck Jackson: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8fDBdXdess "Verses from the Abstract" - My favorite track so far, and possibly my favorite track from the group overall. Q-Tip absolutely KILLS it with some very smooth and unconventional ( for the time) lyrical acrobatics, and supported by legendary jazz bassist Ron Carter, who gets a call out along with a murderer's row of other names. Vinia Mojica also gets a shout out for her great vocal feature. The delivery on "and you're coming to The house of the jazz, of the funk, of the rhythm" is SO GOOD. Sampled: - The Star of a Story by Heatwave: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yypRefD6PFg - Upon This Rock by Joe Farrell: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0oq763amX0 "Show Business" - Diamond D, Sadat X, and Lord Jamar guest on another warning to the curious about the ins and outs of the record business. If any of the stories are accurate, I'm sure this is probably one of the most autobiographical of the tracks on here. Guest tracks on a lot of hip-hop albums tend to lose the thread and end up leaning too far out of the vibe of the hosting group, but everyone here is very on point and this still feels exactly like a Tribe track. Sampled: - Midnight Cowboy by Ferrante & Teicher: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LI0PPWc_a9Q - Wicki Wacky by The Fatback Band: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgN2ekXfuBM - Mandamentos Black by Gerson King Combo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGknEh80NZc "Vibes and Stuff" - We're back in it with just Q-Tip and Pfife Dawg, who give us a more laid back slice of life sort of track, that doubles as an ode to their stomping grounds, their influences, and the ladies. One of the best rhythms so far. Sampled: - Down Here on the Ground by Grant Green: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVvYwx2DbyQ "The Infamous Date Rape" - And we had to come to it eventually. Easily the most controversial track on the album, and for good reason as it's chick full of mixed messages, and clumsiness that does not hold up well at all today. Q-Tip's verse seems to be some generally good intentioned, if graceless advice on respecting a flat out "no", but it all still seems very self-interested. Pfife Dawg's verse is much more uh... problematic, playing out the worst case scenario, and by the end both dudes come across with a bit of a misogynistic stain upon their legacy. While still of a very high musical quality, it doesn't work as a screed against casual sex in any way, and maybe it was meant as more to scare people off, but it's a pretty unartful and uncharacteristically skeezy track from the guys. It's also still not as bad as something like you might get off a 2 Live Crew album, so...? Sampled: - The Steam Drill by Cannonball Adderley: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=am40orqx1H8 - Is It Him or Me by Jackie Jackson: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3U7i9W5HqeU - 10% Dis by MC Lyte feat. Audio Two: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HcHtHzFPGjI "Check the Rhime" - Now we can get back to the good stuff. Another memorable track with a memorable music video, and we get some nostalgic vibes as Q-Tip and Pfife Dawg takes us back with a little bit of their origin story. This might be the best representative of these two guys as a team. switching back and forth and dipping in and out of each other's verses, and meeting in the chorus. All over a thunderous beat. Sampled: - Baby, This Love I Have by Minnie Riperton: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vuYaozki_Q - Love Your Life by Average White Band: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-yhagoYugw - Hydra- Grover Washington, Jr.: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jdoxlgcu4fs "Everything Is Fair" - A P-Funk vocal sample starts us off for this one, and we get some social commentary in a story about crime and consequences, with a side of infidelity. Decent enough, if a little outside of the scope of the stuff I've really liked elsewhere. Sampled: - Let's Take It to the People by Funkadelic: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=159V7ssrjYA - Don't Knock My Love by Willis Jackson: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Yxlb7_o2Wk - Ain't No Sunshine by Willis Jackson: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Stn8HOlY39Q "Jazz (We've Got)" - The gas tank is not empty yet though, as we get the, appropriately, smoothest and jazziest track yet. The topics are all over the place here, but overall things are laid back, and music itself seems to be the bit that ties it altogether. This one is hovering just below "Verses from the Abstract" as far as favorite tracks go. Sampled: - Green Dolphin Street by Jimmy McGriff: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-z4mGzjOqw - Don't Change Your Love by Five Stairsteps: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpzWk2qt2KU - Light My Fire by The Doors: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qoX6AKuYWL8 "Skypager" - This was fun, and despite the outdated topic, it funky as shit and added a bit of levity to the whole affair. Sampled: - Advice by Sly & the Family Stone: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5sFOSiSr9l8 - 17 West by Eric Dolphy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94c99kgdb5o "What" - A short one this time, very uptempo and built over a great sample ( see below) that adds a buoyancy to what, on the surface, seems to be a very flippant song. But there the mentions range from silly to profund, even if they are mentioned quickly and tossed away for the next one. The sort of fortune cookie philosophy on display here was playful and fun. Sampled: - Uncle Willie's Dream by Paul Humphrey: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tOcfFcgrI2A "Scenario" - A posse cut classic, with some great guest verses, most notably from a pre-superstar Busta Ryhmes, and featuring a TON of cameos in the music video including Spike Lee, Redman, Fab Five Freddy. Busta BY FAR steals the show here though, and it seems set in stone that he would become hot shit in a few years. Great as it is, as a Tribe track though it feels a out of place. I can see why they placed it at the end though. And by this time it wasn't as common for singles to not be on albums, so if they had to put it anywhere... Sampled: - Little Miss Lover by Jimi Hendrix: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=faty99ema9w - Oblighetto by Brother Jack McDuff HIGHLIGHTS - "Excursions" - "Buggin' Out" - "Rap Promoter" - "Butter" - "Verses from the Abstract" - "Vibes and Stuff" - "Check the Rhime" - "Jazz (We've Got)" - "Skypager" - "What" - "Scenario" MIDLIGHTS - "Show Business" - "The Infamous Date Rape" - "Everything Is Fair" LOWLIGHTS - FINAL THOUGHTS This held up INCREDIBLY well. This came out right smack in the ascendence of Gangsta Rap and seems almost diametrically opposed to those vibes. And while it seemed to ebb in influence initially, by the end of the decade and especially into the 2000s I think the eventual takeover of alternative hip-hop styles that were infused into the mainstream by acts like the Roots, Fugees, and even OutKast owe a huge debt to these guys. To me, they were the second art of the twin-headed monster of what would come to be called "conscious rap", with De La Soul seeing like the more hippy dippy psychedelic guys, and Tribe more cool jazz. De La Soul only gets one entry on the list, which maybe speaks to the other's more lasting mainstream appeal and influence. Overall, this thing was top notch, from the beats, to the performances, samples, and even the production. This is A-Level stuff, and I enjoy it SO much more now than I do the stuff from Snoop, Dre, and those guys who I think have aged very poorly, if not music-wise, then most certainly lyrics-wise. The lyrics on this cover a broad range of subject matter, but over all I got a message of positivity, community, individuality, and the importance of artistic integrity. I think this is one of the few hip-hop albums from the era that you could hand off to young person, and not get too many raised eyebrows ( aside from that one GLARING track). Musically it's very fresh as well. Of it's time, sure - but untethered from the most easily mockable aspects of that time and still relevant I think. A classic for a good reason, and it's postives FAR outweigh the negatives. PLAYLIST ALTERATIONS - "The Infamous Date Rape" might get dropped if I were to send a custom playslit to someone FURTHER LISTENING - Organized Konfusion by Organized Konfusion - Reachin' (A New Refutation of Time and Space) by Digable Planets - Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde by The Pharcyde - Buhloone Mindstate by De La Soul - Do You Want More?!!!??! by the Roots - Call Me If You Get Lost by Tyler, The Creator - To Pimp a Butterfly by Kendrick Lamar
"What's is a Quest if the players ain't willing?" Oh man, this was the potion to heal you on a Friday. We had the first A Tribe Called Quest album earlier and it was a wonderful accompaniment to a lazy Sunday morning. Props to the generator when it spits out an album at the perfect time. "People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm" was the perfect balance between the masterful flow of great rap with the radio friendly absence of all the vulgar characteristics that would come to be associated with the genre over the next five years and beyond. In 1990/91 N.W.A was already on the scene but to the wider general public rap was still a novel way to sing rhyming poetry. "What is hip-hop if it doesn't have violence? So here on "The Low End Theory" A Tribe... add a bit more bite to their lyrics. The samples are still on point, catchy and craft the perfect flowing vibe with minimal interference or distraction. The smooth flow of the rhymes are the star; let an MC catch a beat, get out of the way. Q-Tip shows how great of a MC he can be among a crowd, a proper "Rap Promoter." Social consciousness, smooth as butter romances, the ugly side of show business, and having a good weekend. We've got questions and answers. What's the scenario? Seriously, I remember this album never failing to be a fun spin. This time was the same as the previous ones. 5/5 "What is life if you don't have fun?"
Classic !
My expectations were low and listening to it didn't change anything I mean I was excited for the jazzy vibe that Wikipedia said but it didn't feel jazz at all it was just jazz elements, ugh listening to a whole hip hop album is such a torture, no offence. repetitive beat just makes me bored I want jazz to remain melodic. Someone said they liked that the transactions were smooth? No shit the beat repeats so transactions are not much of a GREATEST ALBUM OF ALL TIME move. However I gave it a chance and found some tracks catchy but I was like uhm some of these lyrics are bullshit and kinda problematic then I remembered that's a pass in hiphop industry so I didn't even conclude it in my scoring and I said no more paying attention to the lyrics but somehow it also ended up getting low despite me being the most optimistic user in here
The album was recorded on the same Neve 8068 mixing console previously used by John Lennon, which the engineer later called the Sgt. Pepper's of hip hop. Two Beatles references in one sentence about a Queens rap group is either cosmic coincidence or proof that great equipment recognizes great work regardless of genre. Q-Tip and Phife Dawg recorded the whole thing between 1990 and 1991, with Q-Tip's self proclaimed perfectionism stretching sessions across six to eight months. Jarobi White, the fourth member, left the group between albums to study culinary arts, which is either the most practical career pivot in hip hop history or proof that some people simply know themselves better than others. Ron Carter, who played bass with Miles Davis, recorded his parts alongside the samples and loops, giving the album a low frequency physical presence that most hip hop of the era was simply not attempting. Kanye West, Pharrell Williams, The Roots, and OutKast have all been named as direct creative children of this album, which makes The Low End Theory one of the more quietly significant records in this entire project. Without it the OutKast album I gave a 4 probably sounds different, which means Tribe deserves partial credit for Stankonia and will never receive it. Phife Dawg passed away in 2016 from diabetes complications. Q-Tip delivered his eulogy. The final Tribe album, released the same year, was completed without him and remains one of the more genuinely moving documents in hip hop history. The Low End Theory is where their chemistry was at its most effortless, two people in conversation, warm and funny and completely in sync, which is the rarest thing in any genre and the thing that makes a high 3 round up to a 4 without any argument. 4 out of 5. One star for Check the Rhime, which is as clean and confident as hip hop gets. One for Scenario, which closes the album with Busta Rhymes arriving like a freight train nobody ordered. One for Ron Carter, who played with Miles Davis and then showed up to a Queens rap session and made it better. One for Phife Dawg, who deserved more time and left anyway.
quite good
Ain't speaking to me on any level.
I really wanted this to be higher rated for me. I tend to love early hip hop. This band is part of it's early Canon, but it just didn't land like I expected it to. I'll probably try it again in the future because I feel I should like it more.
It was nice. Would listen again. 6/10.
Not my thing but not unenjoyable. This one is a winter evening when it's almost storming and you feel about to blow up. 3.3/5
I do actually like these but over the years I’ve got less keen on them. I should give them more of a listen. I seem to compare these quite a lot
fav songs: excursions check the rhyme jazz (we've got) cool, smooth, dusty 70/100
Gammal Hiphop som inte är min smak, men det finns betydligt värre.
One note and boring. Same beat through out and doesn't go anywhere. 1/5
I love this one
Been listening to Midnight Marauders recently so this came at a good time. Delivered how quest always does. Hard not to enjoy. Favorite flow of any rapper/rap group ever. Faves: Show Business, Vibes and Stuff, Check the Rhime, Jazz Rating: 9.1/10
Pretty good!
This is just always so very very enjoyable. I love every revisit to this album and will keep coming back at it. 9.5/10
Ok songs. Nice crisp production. Clean and raw
Incredible jazzy and minimal beats! I enjoy that the rhymes are usually (though not always) less stereotypical. The old-school nature makes them sometimes feel a bit simple.
Fun but kind of repetitive
Love the groove 3.5
Mesma questão do álbum do Wu Tang Clan, bom disco, inegável o contexto histórico e a inovação da época, mas musicalmente falando, deixa a desejar. Não consigo mais apreciar esses boombaps secos dessa época, sem nenhuma virada, algo harmônico diferenciado, somente rimas em cima da batida. Enfim, legal, porém nada mais que isso.
Smooth and flows (like butter), a classic through and through. Hard to pick standouts cause the flow between each track is seamless
Very good album. Notes deleted dont remember enough to write more. Just enjoyable to listen to. Favourite: Butter Least favourite: Scenario
Stand-out tracks: Excursions, Butter, Show Business, Check the Rhime, Jazz, Skypager, What?, Scenario
Sounds good.
4.5
Not bad, but certainly not my style. ★★★
Great basswork. Pretty sure it's a standing double bass, and dang it, it completely overshadows all the other sonic elements here. Not that that's a bad thing. Not a huge fan of Q-Tip(?)'s vocal. For its time, it isn't terribly notable, but that's just it: half of the post-1990 male rappers sound exactly like this guy. This benefits ATCQ in that the music sounds more modern and less dated, but it also plays to its detriment – without any sort of melody and generally missing hooks or riffs, I feel like I've heard these songs hundreds or thousands of times before. Each song is individually decent – or most of them are, anyway – but as a collective? I see this as a set of good songs, *not* a good album. We start with the supremely groovy Excursions, a masterclass in "less is more" production and instrumentation. There isn't that much going on, particularly during the verses (vocals, bass, drums), but those are arguably the most compelling parts of the song. Obviously it could do with a melody, but such is the tragedy of rap. At least the brass breakdowns in the middle/end present a nice contrast. Buggin' Out is extremely similar – good, but not great – and I sincerely hope the band switches it up to give audiences some more variety. (Spoiler: they don't switch it up.) Nice transition from Rap Promoter to Butter, which has the best lyric thus far: "It's like butter, like the butter, baby / Not no Parkay, not no margarine / Strictly butter". Unfortunately, the remaining lyrics boast about sleeping with every girl in your senior year. I hope people don't listen to this due to finding the poetry relatable. Suffice to say, the novelty wears off quickly. "Once had a fetish, fetish for some booty / Now I'm getting funky in my rap and that's my duty" "Chickity Choco, the chocolate chicken" After Butter, the next time we hear anything notable is in the extremely questionable track Infamous Date Rape. The narrator complains about his one-night stand changing her mind about consent after the fact. I mean, sure. I don't know why I would ever actively seek out this song again, though. And isn't that the point of music? To make memories, to relate to art, to experience emotions? Right now the only emotion I'm feeling is supreme frustration. At least we get the tiniest bit of retribution in Check the Rhime, where Tribe fans cling to any semblance of musicianship with that funky bassline. And props to Everything Is Fair for having a completely novel funk/hip-hop sound, particularly in the vocal hook, than any of the other tracks. The synth keyboard in the penultimate track, What?, kicks ass. Yet another case of i-IV chords being absolutely unbeatable for jamming purposes. I can almost forgive Tribe for their past crimes. Worth mentioning, though, that apart from that one track, there is nothing jazzy about The Low End Theory. Uniform 4/4 beats and one-bar basslines repeated to death do not count as jazz. 3/5 Key tracks: Check the Rhime, Everything Is Fair, What?
Great album. Jazzy rap/hip-hop with great bars.
LOVED this album. 9/10 near perfect.
Very cool! I like all the jazz samples even if the rapping gets a bit monotonous toward the end for me. But then I’m not really a rap guy.
Classic!
A appreciate this music and didn't dislike listening to it, it's just not my thing. On the same level as the other 90s rap/R&B I've had. It's fine! Top Songs: Butter, Jazz (We've Got), What?
Really close to a 5 star but it doesn't quite do it. This was hip hop that I really enjoyed though.
I understand that it’s seminal to the genre, but I haven’t been into rap lately and the album sounds dated to me
Jag gillar den asså bra vibe och så
Absolutely loved this. Another perfect timing album, driving from the city to Long Island, days before I leave for a month in Washington. Giggling listening to an Amityville shoutout amidst absolute poetry and comedy and banter and such a perfect celebration of New York and extremely specific takes on 1991. Nope. Not coping. Q-Tip and Phife Dawg met when they were TWO?😭 Fuck it! Five mfin stars
The album that established the career of Q-Tip and Busta Rhymes and brought more jazz samples into hip hop. They called it ‘Boom Bap’ apparently! It’s a more relaxing listen than some rap albums and the double bass (Ron Carter in places which is highly credible) is a distinctive feature. It didn’t soundtrack 1991 for me but it definitely was for cooler people and movie soundtracks. I think the presence of Mr Carter adds a star to the review! Not a million miles from the vibes of De La Soul.
Old school. Don't know it, but nostalgic for the style.
The beats on here are undeniable, and Q-Tip and Phife are obviously in the upper echelons of rap wordsmiths. That said, if pressed to indulge in 90s hip-hop I will always have more time for the harder edged, grimier sounds of Wu-Tang and Nas. That's just me!
I mean….. it’s a tribe called quest lol
I have a theory: this album definitely belongs at the low end
This is a classic. So smart, smooth, great samples. It's the whole package. I listened to it when it came out and appreciated it (and the band as a whole) even more after reading Go Ahead in the Rain: Notes to A Tribe Called Quest, by Hanif Abdurraqib. A great pairing like fine wine and cheese, or beer and queso. :)
I liked it. The lyrics are extremely clever. It’s not my style, it terms of a regular listen.
Hardcore, classic old school rap. I'm sure this is required listening in some circles... not mine. Pass.
So so so good. Album that got me into hip-hop.
good. liked it. instrumentals were really good
This was fun, definitely a must listen. But I’ll be doing more of a deep dive to navigate that song title…
I like the jazzy vibe of it, this is pretty cool. I like this tyoe of hip hop that is a bit different. And it works pretty well. It got me a bit bored though.
i like the Excursions song and I think I'll listen to them again.
a 3-star for me, but the kind that is intriguing enough and unfamiliar enough to myself that upon second listen it could just as easily drop to a 1-star as it could rise to a 5-star.
Rap och inte särskilt kul. En etta.
Классический умный и расслабленный хип-хоп с динамичным флоу, который приятно слушать в качестве фона или создания правильного ритма для рутинной работы. Для меня единственный минус - что при более детальном рассмотрение тяжело выдержать все 48 минут, но альбом все равно приятный
7.3/10 The album cover is really cool and so are a few of the songs, excursions and buggin out were my favourite songs. I think the main issue I had with the album is that hip hop music usually just has the same sounding beat carrying the song along, so sometimes it’s not easy to tell if the song is a new one or just the old one continuing on .
8/10 = have listened to a lot of these before but not the whole album all the way through, quite nice to have on in the background and i like the style of hiphop but i wish it had more sampling in the backing to actually differentiate and make them a bit more interesting
- Much like the Q-Tip album I previously reviewed, I respect the craft but Qwest does little for me. Something about the delivery just feels insanely repetitive and I find myself becoming less and less connected as these tracks play. - Some interesting lyrics, but the rhymes do not feel particularly creative. The spare backing is interesting, but I begin to once again lose interest after over a dozen songs. - "Scenario" is the best track and Busta Rhymes immediately stands out.
absolute unexpected peakness i was dancing in my room to this whole album i loved it
So good. Gets better with every listen somehow.
Fav songs: Check the Rhime, Jazz (we’ve got), Scenario
2.5
It wasn't really my thing. It's not my favorite music genre.
insanely consistent album everything on this is amazing
Kind of fun, but since they mostly just want to talk about themselves it didn't do much for me.
(5/7) I thought this was pretty good for hip hop
237. nice, should listen again
Not the sort of music I like at all I’m afraid
- 3/5 - nyc rap ? Era era - - “I dont get the message so you gots to run the pigeon” - It’s not bad, I prefer my rap to be a bit more melodic/ with background samples like MF DOOM - Jazz (we’ve got) is getting there? Bits of it!!
Jazz rap at its finest, benchmark album
This album is fantastic. So smart, and kind of progressive actually. And the grooves are killer.
Second album of A Tribe Called Quest. I liked their debut People's Instinct more than this solid effort. This one is a little bit less playfull, but a nice listen it was
a little too funky but id reach out for this on the right kinda day
Heerlijke plaat
Bardzo, bardzo fajne. Lekko jazzowy klimat miejscami, klimatyczne bity. Jeden z klasyków. Takie na 4 mocne.
Well I guess I liked this more than the last A Tribe Called Quest album I got, but that's not saying much. I haven't been able to get into any of the 90s Hip Hop albums on here. Favorite Track - Excursions Least Favorite Track - Rap Promoter ⭐️⭐️
Fun but not for me
So boring. Stuck it out for 4 tracks (or maybe it was just track 1 stuck on repeat - I really couldn’t tell). One star for the backing beats and occasional jazzy samples, but otherwise lost patience with it quickly. Hope we’ve seen the last of rap albums in this list…
Yep, looks like East coast jazz rap is my flavour.
very samey but it's a pillar of hip hop
I liked it, surprised i liked it that much
What a vibe this album is. Such a groovy listen throughout, and the way Q-Tip and Phife Dawg interact with one another on the record is so satisfying. The lyrics are absolute fire and the jazzy production is so cool. Easily a 10/10 album.
Phenomenal album, no such thing as a sophomore slump for ATCQ. Takes all the best parts of their debut and just builds on it. Phife really comes into his own as an MC
A bit boring to be honest
4 Not as amazing for me as I know a lot of other people find it but still a really good album
3.5
4.5
Idk, I really enjoyed *Instinctive Travels* a good bit more than this one. I honestly probably should revisit both and see where I land. This felt a bit more homogenous now, but that's look past all that this influenced on 90s hip hop. But I seem to remember enjoying the more feel good vibe of the predecessor much better. (6.8) ★★★
One of the coolest hiphop albums ever. 5 staes
4.5/5
This album is certainly deserving of all the hype it's gotten over the years. I think Q-Tip and Phife really changed the hip-hop game with this album -- transforming something that was seen as party music in the black community to high art. It bucks a lot of the trends happening in hip-hop at the time. You get introspective lyrics, cool production full of jazz deep cuts, and it still manages to be one of the coolest albums of all time. I think this influences every big hip-hop album from the east coast and midwest to come after it. Highlights for me are "Excursions", "Buggin' Out", "Check the Rhime", "Jazz (We've Got)", and the best posse cut of all time, "Scenario". 5 stars.
2 ATCQ albums in the book seems a bit overkill and Q-Tip’s best moment was on Groove Is In The Heart anyway. Not bad but kinda same boring beats and flow throughout. Definitely not needed.
ok
Pode não ser o tipo de sonoridade que eu mais escuto, mas eu reconheço um álbum incrível quando ouço um. A junção do rap com jazz perfeitamente balanceada e harmônica; Cada rima, desde às admiração e respeito por quem estava com "nós" quando vimos de baixo, quanto à crítica ao racismo e o resgate da própria identidade cultural é simplesmente incrível. Por mais rappers e MC's com identidade própria.
My history shows a lot of 1 or 2 stars for hip hop albums. This is the exception. Very groovy, it's impossible for me to hate it.
This was fantastic and deserves another listen.
Not for me.
Stone cold classic. I forgot how many great songs are on this.
I can't put my finger on why I like ATCQ so much: is it the smart lyrics, the jazzy beats, the hooks...probably all of the above, but I love this album. Solid 4 for me.
Even better than the first album. I can feel the jazz influence
Good rapping vocals are on point and it has a decent beat. Nice lyrics however it just feels dated and very samey the samples dont change much so was a little disappointed.
Standard criticisms apply… but this is a touch groovier than its contemporaries.
Definitely a cut above the majority of other 90s hip hop albums we've been gifted.
I get that this album probably has more cultural cache, but Midnight Marauders is a much better listen (5/5). Still Tribe is a Vibe, and the vibes are all gooooood.
Bop bop boppin
Love the story telling and the consistent groove
Very fun and bouncy. A perfect cure for Monday angst
Feels like clean sheets, shaved legs, and a water bottle with ice water.
Love the beats, the stripped back jazzy music and the smooth vocals.
I did not think I'd enjoy it as much as I did. Some of the best hip hop beats I've ever heard. I liked the Maryland call out in Vibes and Stuff and North Cakalacky in Scenario.
From the Vault #26 (17 January, 2026) Another review from my rapidly-growing library of pre-assembled musings about music, and a ceremonious one at that. This is, presently, the highest-rated hip-hop album on the site, and one that I'd never heard of prior to my encounter with the first album from A Tribe Called Quest. I've come across it quite a few times since while I've been perusing the Internet. I am ostensibly not a fan of hip-hop, though I think I can be forgiven for raising my expectations just a smidge for this album. Guess I'll just hop into it. It started out promising, but lost my attention somewhere around the middle. I don't exactly have the most atuned ears when it comes to hip-hop, but these instrumentals are generally above-standard. There's a solid, bassy sound that fills many of the gaps which are traditionally present on these hip-hop albums. There's also some decent samples in here, too. I enjoyed the jazz samples in here quite a bit. The vocals are more or less the same when compared to ATCQ's previous outing. They're decent, but sound quite restrained when compared with what I'm used to from hip-hop. The lyrical content is occasionally fun and I appreciate the concise runtime, though I found this album to be quite disengaging on the whole. Like I said, I know this album is a big deal, so I shant consult the book for why it's in here. I cosign this inclusion and would honestly take another Tribe Called Quest album in lieu of the many landfill albums which populate this genre.
langweilig
Un sonido que no baja en ningún momento y con algunas variantes que le dan gran riqueza. Llevadero pero nutritivo, así de simple.
Pretty chill, not a bad song on there
dont like rap
Again another 3.5. I dig the classic hip hop but I doubt it will be in my regular rotation. A couple of songs were misses, but on average pretty decent.
One of my all time favorite hip hop records with one of the only raps I sorta know some of, Scenario. Was a time in my life when this album was emblematic of road trips to see bands, snowboarding trips, beach trips, pretty much any road trip or party. It’s the perfect positive uptempo pleaser that everyone can get behind. Surprisingly clean lyrics that are fun and memorable.
Exceptionally good, and I’m not into rap.
I'm not one to judge hip hop, this was alright, but maybe not something I'd revisit. 3*
I liked this album. I've heard of a Tribe Called Quest but never sat down and listened to it. I'm not sure if I would listen to this again though, mostly because this sounds is so familiar that I feel like I've heard to this entire album before because the production and flows have been reused by the music downstream of this album that it has influenced.
I actually can't believe I hadn't listened to this album in full before. I loved it, its exactly the kind of music I could listen to whenever, and it reminded me of Xavier which was sweet!
Solid work, but most of it sounds much the same to me.
Dope.
This is my favorite Tribe album. I could listen to Q-Tip and Phife read the phone book on top of some jazz samples, and this is way more interesting than that. In fact, outside of the Beasties, this is probably my most favorite hip-hop album. Not much bad here, and lots of good. Giving this a well-deserved 5.
Tribe tickles a lot of my spots. A fair amount of the flow has not aged super well, but the production has held up for sure. A bunch of good tracks on this one including Check the Rhime, Vibes and Stuff, and Scenario.
3/5 - Just does very little for me, but I know it did a lot for others.
HOLY HIPHOP INTRO. strong starts and amazing flow keeps getting better somehow Bumpable album
Not that interesting
This album has the ability to transport whoever’s listening to early ‘90’s Brooklyn (or wherever). Feels like a good representation of the genre
This has the rapping style of the 80s but lost the cheesiness. I think the cheese was key
This works great as background music. i really liked the genre and might check out more from A Tribe Called Quest. But i found this to be too slow and unmemorable for me.
sick
Primera vez que escucho Hip Hop, y muy bueno! Fresco
An amazing album with great flow and incredible funk. I really enjoyed What? and Show Business
Eu até gostei mas to em dúvida com as letras, daria um 3.5
Great hip hop album. Scenario is an all time song.
I can imagine that this is a quite highly regarded album in it category at its time, it just fall firmly into the area of "I dont like that style of music" The lyrics are not particularly clever, dont move me in anyway and are often a little juvenile. Why yes I do hate fun.
Actually listened to this one a few months ago, which is rare for me. It seems these hip hop albums follow a pattern of sounding great, but a lot of the songs just sound too similar to each other and they're not something I'd come back to.
Definitely respect the vibe. Early underground hip hop is a blind spot for me. That I would like to change someday.
There's something kinda quaint about how these early entries in rap and hip-hop compare to today's vulgar and heavily auto-tuned music from the same genre. Ground-breaking, smart, catchy as all hell. This whisked me right back to my teenage years.
It was ok
Ok, way too repetitive. Bought back memories of De La Soul
Honestly I was gonna skip this album because my abusive ex’s favorite artists was a Tribe Called Quest but fuck that guy, this music is amazing idc. Very buttery album I love it.
It's jazzy, it's fresh, it's solid.
Just a classic old school hip hop album. One of the best, and a cornerstone to the hip hop I love. The sound is smooth, cool, and infectious, the lyrics are thoughtful and full of soul. I have and will continue to listen to this album over and over again.
One of the best rap albums of the early 90s. Kind of the missing link between old school and modern hip hop, it aged amazingly well in my opinion. What Q-tip and Phife Dawg lack in range and power, they more than make up for in technicity and smoothness. It all flows as naturally as a casual conversation, full of wit and funny jabs. The jazzy production is just perfect. Hugely influential, sometimes too clever for its own good, it's a seminal album that quickly makes you overlook its occasional flaws. Loved it even more than the first time I heard it. 9/10
One of those albums that sounds effortlessly cool. The jazzy beats, smooth flow and laid-back vibe just work from start to finish. A timeless hip-hop classic.
you’ll always find me giving every black artist a high rate bc why are they so good at everything
not my style but chill
I found the flow poor for my tastes, the beats not very interesting, and the rhymes not that clever Standouts - 2/5
I like this one better than the debit. It's classic for a reason
Me aburrió.
#376 I’ve always liked Q-Tip but that’s usually come via well known Tribe songs and Chemical Brothers collaborations, and of course, there is one song very much in vogue right now. Of course, he’s not the only rapper but he’s always been the most notable to me. It has been good to dive a little deeper into their albums, both of which I have got on well with but a quick check and realise I only gave their debut 3 stars and wonder if I’ve been a tad harsh. Anyway, this must have landed better but I’ll revisit both. Heard before? ❌ Would I revisit? ✅ Listen before you die? ✅ Fave track(s): Vibes and Stuff; Scenario Rating: 8/10 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The cloudy weather made this album walk genuinely cool and refreshing, so much so that I extended my walk to finish the entire album before heading back inside. I had a trio of odd factors to consider going into this album; my positive reception to their first album, the critical acclaim given to The Low End Theory as one of the great hip-hop albums, and knowledge of Georgie Porgie, the song cut from the album by the label on account of being too homophobic even for a 1991 hip-hop audience. Needless to say, this is a lot of pressure to place on a single album. I was immediately struck by the heavier, deeper jazz sound of this album, taking the general "peace and love" vibe of People's Instinctive Travels but giving it more depth and maturity. For the most part, The Low End Theory earns its reputation, and I can hear the album which has garnered so much acclaim and influence over the last few decades of the genre. However, there are quite a few moments which leave me feeling a little soured on the album. It's a little funny to have gotten this album directly after Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde, because they each feel like they're demonstrating misogynistic behaviors in opposite directions. Where Pharcyde featured "ironic" threats of violence against women and a general immaturity in its lyricism, Tribe leans in the opposite direction, making various claims about supporting women by slut-shaming and criticizing "artificial beauty" like weaves and dyed hair. And then there's Infamous Date Rape, a completely misguided and baffling song. I have seen this track praised for shedding light on the horrific problem of date rape, at a time when the subject was barely being discussed. However, this song does no such thing; what purports to be a song about date rape can, in actuality, be boiled down to "if a girl doesn't want to have sex with you, she's probably on her period", and "be careful having sex with a girl because she might accuse you of rape afterwards". Not only are these somewhat incomplete discussions of sex and consent in the first place, they completely dodge any discussion of the actual issue the song is named for in a way that feels a little gross. And even though it never made it on the album proper, I still can't help but think of the song Georgie Porgie, which would have been on this album if not for label interference. The artists' vision of this album would have taken a break from their generally progressive and peace-loving views to preach unabashed hatred and disgust at the concept of gay people, and that knowledge does undercut some of the seriousness in the rest of the album. Homophobia has long been an issue with hip-hop, and I'm not claiming A Tribe Called Quest are unique in their views on the subject, but it is uniquely disappointing in their case because they: 1. are otherwise very forward-thinking for the time, and 2. expressed that homophobia not merely in throwaway lines here or there like most other rappers at the time, but in an entire song dedicated solely to that hatred. This does not ruin A Tribe Called Quest for me; I still believe they were generally a source of good in the hip-hop scene, even if a little misguided at times. And maybe I'm just coming to it a little late, but when taken as a whole, The Low End Theory's up and downs leave it as an album I find to be good, not great. Highlights: Excursions, Buggin' Out, Rap Promoter, Verses from the Abstract, Show Business, Vibes and Stuff, Everything Is Fair, Jazz (We've Got), What?, Scenario (LP Mix)
Shout out to Scott Skiles for being immortalized in hip hop history. This is one of those records where I wish this site gave half stars. A very strong 4.
Seth - Beats feel organic & lively albeit sometimes hard to distinguish between tracks. Early east coast vibes, yet this feels like a bridge from the hip-hop days of the early to late 80s to the next gen 90s boom bap east coast rap. I genuinely feel though this album was not made for white guys in their 30s. Logan - Whole lotta nothing, bopping my head just along to the beat. I could tell the music had a message, but the message seemed to be over my head ie infamous date rape track. It felt experimental, not in a bad way. S - 3.5/5 L - 3/5
I really loved this. I’ve heard about Quest for a long time and this was my first experience listening to an album in full. It was exhausting trying to follow the lyrics but worth it.
Bought this recent enough, very cool album. Solid, great beats and rhymes, might be too laidback sometime, but overall a classic. 4 Heard before? Yes Owned: Yes, 92/345 (26%) Will I get: Already have
Great album
It's a really really good hip-hop album but there is not much variety. I gave all the songs a 4.
*guy who's only listened to MF Doom* Getting real MF Doom vibes from this
Amazing rap album, A Tribe Called Quest never misses. I’ve listen to songs on the album but the is the first full listen. Scenario is the highlight of the album for me!
As much as I praise this album for being so lowkey and laid back without coming off lazy, I don't think people should ignore the problematic track 8. I feel like this song doesn't lay down it's motivates well enough thus making it seem very predatory and insensitive. In case you didn't know there is also original lines for Show Business which were also very controversial and homophobic but thankfully the label rejected that song and made them rewrite their lines. You can still find the demo online and I highly suggest you check it out to educate yourself on the controversial recording of this project. While yes I very much love this album it does really hurt to say that Track 8 really holds this down from being something I consider excellent.
Just superb. Everything is 10/10 - production, rhymes, energy, cool. And could ‘Scenario’ be the single best rap track of all time?
I really like this group, excited to listen to this album.
It was fine for a few songs but after a while, it all started to sound the same to me. I found it quite boring.
“go get some toilet paper cause your lyrics is butt” LMAO Such a fun album, feels like summer to me.
it's tribe. it's fucking tribe. 4.8-5. (related but unrelated) actually insane the grammy went to arrested development. nothing against arrested development. just kidding. tennessee's a classic though. i blame the original version of show business (iykyk). and the date rape one. (tweaker thought) it's genuinely baffling how much will.i.am sounds like neolib q tip.
Gran hip-hop y jazz álbum de Quest, sobretodo las letras y storytelling es sumamente enriquecedor de escuchar atentamente, hay cosas que no entiendo, sea por contexto, historia, etc. Fuera de eso, es un álbum bastante disfrutable e histórico. Escurridizo, misterioso, discreto y directo.
Not a huge fan of old school rap, all songs generally sounded very similar to me: Top songs: Scenario
Simple beats yet effective classic songs and a good time
Groovy.
This isn't music. Why is this on a list like this? Listened just to prove it dont like it.
So so good
Haven't listened to this since middle school. Lots of bangers
Man this was such a great 90s hip hop album. So many good beats and tracks, and the flows were great too.
Great vibes throughout. Some songs I'd never heard before.
Already had listened to but not in a while so fun listen
One of my favorites
Back in the early 90s when MCs liked rhyming plastic, spastic and drastic. This was great!
actually decent. normally 90s rap is cheesy, but this held up
smooth
One of the best Openers of all time, with one of the best closers of all time, sandwiching an all-timer album. Nothing but greatness
Nothing I can say will give appropriate credit to how fucking awesome this album is
Zi.on
Great hip hop album! I can't believe I haven't heard this before, but it's right up my alley. Has a very Jurassic 5, early Black Eyed Peas feel to it; it's great!
When people say they miss 90s hip hop, they mean this album
This one of the best hip hop albums of all time Yo, microphone check one, two, what is this? The five foot assassin with the roughneck business I float like gravity, never had a cavity Got more rhymes than the Winans got family No need to sweat Arsenio to gain some type of fame No shame in my game cause I'll always be the same Styles upon styles upon styles is what I have You wanna diss the Phifer but you still don't know the half I sport New Balance sneakers to avoid a narrow path Mess around with this you catch a size eight up your ass I never half step cause I'm not a half stepper Drink a lot of soda so they call me Dr. Pepper Refuse to compete with BS competition Your name ain't Special Ed So won't you seckle with the mission I never walk the street thinking it's all about me Even though deep in my heart, it really could be I just try my best to like go all out Some might even say yo shorty black you're buggin' out
Classic
За какие грехи мне это..
Eh… rap…
No. Just no. There is no appeal in this repetitive nonsense.
A nice new percpective on rap. Most of the lyrics are high vibrational.
WOW