Reviews (page 2 of 13)
I enjoyed the 2nd album by ATCQ What! & Excursions were stand outs for me.
This is the scenario.
Now this is an album im very familiar with starting with beats,lyrics every is amazing 10/10 its rap,jazz amd touch of rnb everything in one
This isn’t my favorite Tribe album, but a less-than-perfect Tribe album still blows most of their peers out of the water. As with all of their albums, the production and engineering on this album are incredible—intricate, layered, thoughtful, incredibly clean, and immediately recognizable. The influence their production style has had on the trajectory of hip hop as one of the first groups to integrate jazz, and to do it so well, is in some ways hard to totally fathom 35 years later. Phife and Tip’s chemistry in their rapping on this album has been perfectly calibrated and represents the biggest step forward from ‘People’s Instinctive Travels’, although I do listen to the former more often. Still, ‘The Low End Theory’ is firmly in the pantheon of the greatest and most iconic albums of all time, hip-hop or otherwise.
Nice
One of my favourite albums of all time, would happily listen to it again!
Rip Phife
The album is incredible. A tribe called quest is one of the best rap group that ever existed. The mix with jazz is amazing, and having Ron Carter on the record is essential.
One of the best.
Incredible album beats so clean flow is unmatched
Sick ass album. Noone does it like quest
A perfect rap album. Everything is perfect. The drums, the samples, the rhymes, the flow, the storytelling, the vibes. I could listen to this on loop for the rest of my life.
REALLY good
Like amazing
Adore. Timeless and classic
Fave Tribe??? Can't ever decide, but by-golly if it ain't one of the greatest albums of all time, Hop Hop or otherwise.
Lowkey acoustic.
A wonderful fusion of jazz and hip hop; A Tribe Called Quest delivers on every front. Definitely a repeat album for me.
Every day I send the album I get to my best friend, and every day she’s baffled by the fact that I’ve never listened to one of the albums. My taste is all over the place and it’s not developed coherently. Anyways, wtf this album was great, from start to finish. I can’t say much about hip-hop because it’s not a genre i gravitate towards, but this for sure it’s gonna get a few re-listens and I def have to look more into it.
Listened to before? Yes Context? Considered a seminal hip-hop record, and one of the best rap records of all time. That transition into Butter was smooth…like…like butter… Sorry. Anyways. I’ve listened to this once before and I didn’t really like it. But that was before I’d really gotten into rap, or even music in general. Because of that, I sort of sighed when I got this. Five seconds in, I immediately changed my mind. The production is absolutely insane. Just super jazzy and some awesome bass. And some super fun funk elements. Man…my one problem is some of the lyrics. Which yeah, I know: 90s rap album isn’t PC. Fork found in kitchen or whatever the kids these days say. Which is why I’m just…keeping myself blissfully unaware. Just letting the ✨vibes✨ and production do the talking. They really do have the “Vibes and Stuff”. But, in the words of Mr. Quest himself: “your lyrics is BUTT.” (ALSO complete jumpscare by the Donald Trump mention. Skypager is a great song with some of the best production of the whole thing but WOW that was that scary.) Actually, the lyrics aren’t bad for all of it, though. The lyricism is good when women aren’t involved. Show Business has some awesome lyrics, as a good example. It’s just that the, uh, eighth track does not. Bro really wrote the lyrics “sweetheart we ain’t goin out like that” and thought that was something good to put out into the world. Sadly, it is then followed up by the utterly fantastic percussion on Check the Rhime. So here I am, praising misogynistic men because they made good art. Again. But yes, back to that art aspect! I can definitely see how influential the production was. It reminds me a lot of the jazzy-ness of To Pimp a Butterfly, and the general build/dynamics of the instrumental definitely seems like it could’ve been a blueprint for OutKast. Jazzy hip-hop will always be one of my favorite subgenres of hip-hop. Just the ultimate blend for smoothness. Smooth…like butter… My favorite song has to be “What?” Just a perfect mix of political and funny. Scenario and Excursions are also fantastic.
A perfect 90s hip hop album. Stripped down, smooth, jazzy, with an incredible flow. And no skits!!
One of the best hip hop albums ever made. Innovative and funky with lyrics for days full of intelligent, deep, humorous rhymes. 1991 New York City personified. The Low End Theory makes my personal top 10 albums of all time.
Amazing album. Never before have I listened to a rap album start to finish and not once wanted to skip a song or rolled my eyes at something. Smooth jazz beats and rhythms rule the day. Music draws you in straight away. Qtip's voice distinctive and bends perfectly with the music. Amazing rhymes , often playful, very immpressive and entertaining. Absolutely nothing wrong with this album. I honestly listened to it 4 times yesterday. Blown away.
impeccable…. might even go so far as to say.. flawless?? highlights: vibes and stuff, check the rhime, jazz (we’ve got) (feb 19 2026)
Amazing album with iconic MCs and superb beats. This is definitely the golden age of Hip Hop.
Nostalgic for me, as I loved Tribe and in particular this album in high school. Not as good as before, but the songs are so fun and creative. It is hard to not smile to these fun laid-back yet sophisticated songs. 4.5 to 5
100% agree. Any "must-listen" list must include this album. It's impact is greater than the sum of its parts.
Ohhhh thank you. I needed the answer to Ice Cube’s Predator. Yeah, this is a 5 for me. Maybe not the best composed album, though it does have its amazing moments, actually, but it is honestly a bit uneven. But I love it. I really do. I loved it as a teenager. So it’s a 4 star album that gets a bump for nostalgia. And for honestly aging well. It’s like 70’s classic rock, of a moment but for all time. Boolean rating: yes! So glad I get to hear tribe before I die.
great the whole way through
One of the best of all time!!!!
One of my favourites so far.
Best album of all time?
It's actually insane to me how well this album has aged, in the overall timeline of the entire of hip hop, A Tribe Called Quest are pretty much right at the start. And yet, over 30 years later this still holds up as one of the best jazz rap albums ever made. It's not hugely flashy or in your face, it's just some super simple but fantastic songs, made by some amazing rappers. The album's whole sound is so smooth and almost calming, and yet the rapping style on so many tracks still gets me really hyped up. And then the very prominent jazz influence is one of the best parts, and it really shows how ATCQ were absolute pioneers of the genre, with this still sounding like it could have come out yesterday.
This album is super fun, and I adore the cover art.
top 10 rap albums for me.
What this list is teaching me is that I like hip hop
Good
lyrical and WOKE
I think this might be my favorite hip-hop album of all time - the apotheosis of the form, with jazzy samples, perfect beats, some of the best lines ever put to record ("I got more game than Parker Brothers" from Phife on "Butter" will always be my favorite), and, in "Scenario," a posse track for the ages. No wonder the whole Native Tongues thing struggled after this - what the hell are you supposed to for a follow-up? This album gives you the feeling of hanging out with your two smartest, coolest friends and a bunch of their equally smart and cool friends. If you haven't heard this you really owe it to yourself.
apenas o the low end theory né eu sou completamente suspeito nesse aqui pq gosto pra caralho de quase tudo que o a tribe called quest fez kkkk esse aqui inclusive foi meu mais ouvido de 2023 de longe absurdamente bom, revolucionário em diversos aspectos pedrada pro max
FUN FACT nunca tinha escutado esse xD forte DEMAIS. climinha gostoso demais, atmosfera mei soturna, jazzística (?). samples absurdos, só flow bacana, bão demais. estarei escutando mais vezes (e os outros albuns tbm) eh um absurdo e dá pra fragar 1000 rappers que se inspiraram nesse album aqui, btw. de fato, revolucionário. pedradíssima papai
One of the greatest hip-hop album, also one of my favourite
This was one of the doorsteps for me into my love of hip hop. It’s urgent, hits hard, it’s inclusive, and still feels like you need the secret password. It’s deceptively simple, and provides subject matter insight much like a great hour of standup comedy.
Best Song: Buggin' Out. That bassline is incredible, and the complementary rap styles of Q-Tip and Phife are so perfectly on display. Worst Song: Infamous Date Rape. Even though this song handles such a dark topic with a degree of seriousness, I have to wonder if it was even worth tying to make a song like this. The word "rape" doesn't sit well in a chorus. Overall: Deeply jazzy hip-hop. Q-Tip and Phife Dawg are on their absolute peak. Lyrics alternate between irreverent and silly to pointed and socially relevant, all delivered through this buttery flow. The rhymes roll so smoothly one after another with this feeling of intoxicating inevitability, like every rhyme and beat was predetermined by the Groove. The beat hits your brain and you can't help but nod your head. All is good.
an album I'd give to someone who says they aren't a fan of hip-hop, in the best possible way. this works both as excellent background/work music, as active lyrical listening or anything in-between. feels like an autumn album perfect for walking in a big city. 09/04/26
INCREÍBLEEEE AMO EL HIP HOP. primer álbum q puntúo con 5 estrellas
I think it's slightly odd but I've never listened to this before, not sure why. It's absolutely top-of-the-league, knock it out the park quality.
The Low End Theory is an unqualified success, the perfect marriage of intelligent, flowing raps to nuanced, groove-centered productions.
This was a really good hip hop album. The flow was excellent, not overly decadent.
50 million stars!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
A jazz-rap masterpiece.
shoutout tribe called quest heel leuk super
hiphop aber sehr deep und politisch und geil
What a delightful listen. Vibes and stuff you know how it goes. Incredibly groovy and it's impossible to not bump your head when you're listening to this. YUHDONTSTOP
Classic. I dunno if it reaches the heights of People's Instinctive Travels... but that's nitpicking because they're both incredible albums. What a great group. Must-listen #321.
"Once I had a fetish, fetish for some booty" It's got to be a 5
So glad this was included
One of my favorite albums of all time
What an iconic album to kick this off. I love the beats and samples.
This is an album that I would probably give to someone who wants to get into hip hop. It’s got a great funk undertone and great lyrics. However, when trying to address the seriousness of date r-pe/sexual assault- maybe they should have had a few more women involved in production. A good concept but the execution is dated- and feels like it’s been handled with the same grace as juggling a giant bag of flaming dog poo.
4.6
Q-tip really shines on this album for me , incredible lyricism and great bass and drum beats
Phew, no brainer. One of the best hip-hop albums ever.
Excellent
AMAAAAAZING
No notes. Perfect album
yeah so this was perfect.
Bass goes crazy. I really love the instrumentals on this album more than anything else but the rhymes are clever and the flows are great, it’s just an all around positive. This album is widely cited as one of the best hip hop albums ever and it really does live up to that. I love the jazz fused hip hop that comes after this and it seems like this can be pointed at directly as an influence for so much of that sound going forward.
Vero femboy hiphop
So good
4.5 - Great
Iconic. Deserves the praise it gets. We should bring back pagers.
Classic from top to bottom. Easy 5/5
The balls it took to make this brilliant work. Just astounding
the Joni Mitchell’s Blue of rap that’s not pop (if you call it that, then stop)
Alright, never really been a Rap/hip hop fan. It's never connected to me. This though has. The voices fit in perfectly with the music perfectly. The lyrics are smart, topical and not just about guns, hos and hommies.
First time listening, knew that it will be amazing from the beginning. Straight up genius, no words.
Fantastic Jazz rap fusion. With the Jazz rap resurgence this still sounds fresh and the production is masterful. Q-tip is great, rhymes are great vocals are great. One of my favorite rap projects of all time.
It’s nice to get some of these albums I haven’t listened to in decades, and maybe not ever all the way through. This is just about the top of the old school rap game, right before gangster rap made its proper debut and got super popular and we before the more modern style landed around 1994. The rhymes are fluid and solidly less cheesy than the 80s, the beats are half sample and half produced; moving toward an almost fully produced level like they would be later. The features are excellent, and what a surprise to hear bass and jazz legend Ron Carter being given a shout out for playing on a track. I did not pick that up 30 years ago or whatever it’s been, and it’s so cool. There’s some great jazz playing and samples in here without being overly obsessive about it and of course the rapping is top tier for the era. Really enjoyable almost all the way through.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This seems like the rap charlie brown and the peanuts would listen to
Just a joy of an album from front to back I don’t really have any more words. My fave.
A great fucking start to the start of this journey,
этот альбом прям по мне, тут сошлось всё: басовая линия, чёткий нигга рэп, плюс иногда мелодичность и ничего лишнего. я сто процентов буду слушать его на повседневной основе, прям супер
This album>🐐
10/10 Favorites: Excursions Check the Rhime Jazz (We’ve Got)
Such good vibes.
ooh fun, i actually just listened to this last sunday. definitely a good pick for the highest rated hip hop album on this site. the beats are iconic and still just crisp as they were in '91. and this album gets the boost of making me feel cool while listening :p. rapping is excellent, and all the jazz makes this a very easy pill to swallow for anyone unfamiliar with golden age hip hop. thank god for the label meddling though, because Oh Jesus the lyrics to Georgie Porgie. fortunately they've come out against that sort of thing, directly acknowledging it on their comeback record from 2016. could be one of the easiest albums for me to thrown in my cd player, but unfortunately i picked up a clean version by accident. lame! deserves to be one of the 1001? abso lutely
Uniquely dope.
I grew up with this so nothing but good memories
The GOAT NY Hip Hop album
410/1089 - One of my favorite hip-hop albums. NO SKITS! Really cool and dark jazz sound to it with fun wordplay and rhythms.
This is not my favorite ATCQ album, but it is still a solid 5. This album saw Q-Tip become one of the best producers in rap.music and more so than in their debut announced Phife as one of the best rappers at the time. I am a big fan of theirs and still have the cassette maxi single that has 5 different remixes of "Scenario." One of the best albums from a great year in hip hop music
So incredible! Pure hip hop from Queens, New York! For those who like Mobb Depp, which was also from Queens this is gold too.
Like butter is very apt for this one. Smooth as shit. IMO, a candidate for GOAT rap album.
Just a standout example of the genre, one of the best of it's era and holds up today as an all-timer. A stripped down, jazzy sound that effortlessly flows from track to track. No skits and minimal featured guests, save for one of the best hip-hop tracks ever put to tape, the album closer "Scenario". You can put this on as background while you're working or blast it from your Honda or your Beemer or your Legend or your Benz. A work of art.
all time banger. Native Tongues forever. top track: all of em, but for the sake of argument, let’s say Scenario.
"You on point Tip? All the time, Phife." Not sure what more can be said about one of the greatest albums ever released. Probably my favorite album from the monster month of September 1991. Two MCs, jazz influenced beats, fun songs. And then the album ends with possibly the greatest crew ensemble rap of all time. I'd give this infinity stars if I could.
the type of album I was needing
Low End Theory is such an easy 5. Some of the best East Coast rap to come out of the era, if not the apex of it. The jazzy inspirations and smooth line delivery make this one of the coolest albums to ever exist. Also contains my favourite line in hip-hop history: "Never half-step 'cause I'm not a half-stepper/drink a lot of soda so they call me Dr Pepper". fav tracks: Buggin' Out, Jazz (We've Got), Show Business, Check The Rhime, Scenario
Så otroligt bra! Att denna kom redan 1991, otroligt! Älskar allt! Sådant flow! Bra rap dessutom. Kan lyssna på igen och igen!
Some bias going in, as I'm a fan of a tribe called quest and really enjoy their first and most recent albums. However, this album blew me away - amazing lyrics, perfectly mixed sound, left me wishing there was more
Love me some ATCQ and this album has it all. Still a little surprised that Midnight Marauders didn't make the cut. This album has no misses and zero filler. Effortlessly cool from start to finish with jazz inspired beats and smooth flows that that have never aged. Excursions is such a wonderful groove to open the album. Just a fat ass bassline and some sparse horns in the bridge with Q-Tip fluidly sliding. Love every track in its own right, but favorites are Buggin' Out, Jazz (We've Got), Check the Rhime, Butter, Show Business, and Scenario. Easy 5 for me.
Pretty much exactly what I want in a hip hop album. Effortlessly cool and smooth. Really enjoyed the last Tribe album and this one is just straight up better. Beats are relatively simple, but the star of the show is the flow that each member brings to the table. Really different from most hip hop in the early 90s, definitely feels more like modern hip hop opposed to the gangster rap which was so popular in the early 90s. Love that this was album 1089, really put a nice bow on the whole thing.
Pretty much sounds like the gold standard of what I want out of my 90s hip-hop. No crazy sound effects or anything, just smooth flow from the two of them that works so well.
Last review on the list :( been quite a ride but I'm down to end it with some Tribe. Buggin' Out rules. The bass on this album is great. Makes me want to smoke a blunt. Like buttah baby. KevCon is in the house. Love that chill guitar riff in the background. "Go get yourself some toilet paper cuz ya lyrics is butt" Vibes and Stuff, Infamous Date Rape, Check The Rhime, and Jazz (We Got), Scenario are all absolute classics. Tribe has the best flow of any act out there. Ending on a high note here cuz I'm sad. Feels like putting your childhood pet down. ALL HAIL 1001ALBUMGENERATOR
Repeat listen
Here we go, yo.
I've listened to this once before, where I really expected to like it, but it didn't really click. On the second time around though, it definitely did. This was a really good one to relax to, something which I don't think I did last time. Both the rapping and the beats are phenomenal. Loving these samples too, proper deep cuts. I'm glad it clicked for me this time.
Liked this.
Not my taste in music. However the artists are incredibly talented.
Hiphop classic
Nice
Evident how influential it has been to the genre
Today’s album was The Low End Theory by A Tribe Called Quest, and I have to say, it was an absolute blast. I had so much fun listening to it. There’s something incredibly cool about this record, something effortless in the way it blends hip hop with jazz. The basslines are smooth and hypnotic, the rhythms feel alive, and the whole album carries this laid-back confidence that pulls you in without trying too hard. It’s playful, but it’s also precise. You can tell there’s real artistry behind it. What I loved most was the jazz influence. It gives the album warmth and sophistication, but never at the expense of groove. It still hits, it still moves, it still feels fresh. My favorite tracks were Rap Promoter, Show Business, Check the Rhime, and What?, but honestly, I ended up saving every single song. There isn’t a weak moment here. The only downside was circumstantial. I wasn’t able to listen to it in one uninterrupted sitting because I’ve been busy these past few days. And I can tell this is the kind of album that benefits from being experienced as a full journey, front to back, in one continuous flow. I have a strong feeling that when I do that, I’ll appreciate it even more. Still, even with that fragmented listening experience, it’s an easy five stars. It’s the kind of album that reminds you how fun music can be.
I've never been the biggest fan of hip-hop, so I went into this album with very low expectations. But I'm glad to report that these have been blown out of the water, as I absolutely digged this album. Again, I've never been a big fan of hip-hop, but this made me love the genre more than I did an hour ago. This is the kind of stuff what I want out of this list, and I'm very glad this was recommended to me. 9 / 10
Excellent. Spectacular. I love Tribe so I'm very biased. I just love the incorporation of Jazz and none of it ever gets stale. I have to point out 'Excursions', what an incredible way to start your album. Just turn it up and let that shit hit
Classic
🙌
This might be the best hip hop album ever.
This is what gave me the love for hip hop. Amazing lyricists and amazing album!
One of the greatest rap albums of all time and definitely in my top 10, the interplay between all the members of tribe was top notch, the choice of jazz instrumentals was perfect for the songs and makes for such a easy and fun listen, this is an album that I listen to already on a very regular basis and has some of favourite songs. Definitely made my Monday ride home a fun one This doesn’t knock the album rating down but read into the lore behind the recording of show business because it unfortunately is a big blight on the legacy of tribe called quest
The first time I heard Buggin' Out I was playing Dave Mirra BMX at my friends house and I became obsessed with it. I went and got a hits remixes and rarities compilation from the library, it had some of the Low End Theory classics on it like We've Got The Jazz. I will always hold Tribe in high regard. Their lyrics didn't always dwell on the same 4 subjects, the beats were interesting. I was going to go 4 stars but now I'm sentimental and I'm going 5
Obv
Maybe the best from a band that has multiple bests.
I mean if you don't think this album is perfect you should just keep your trap shut and keep listening to kid rock or whatever. Dummy.
An album I didn't even need to listen to for the rating. Absolute classic hip hop album and maybe one of my favorite albums of all time, full stop. Formative and original in its day, and holds up better than 99% of all the rap and hip hop albums on this list. FIve stars just for Scenario! 10⭐️
Love a Tribe Called Quest. Just got a new book the other day about them. Gonna have to read it now!
So cool, timeless, perfect album
Jazzy, smart, and smooth as butter. This album just flowed from track to track. Admittedly, despite being a fan of hip hop, I was only familiar with a few of their songs, but listening to this album in full introduced me to some gems that I will be playing over and over moving forward. What a cool experience!
Butter, Jazz we’ve got
Its fuckin peak god
A lot of the albums on this list enjoy a lot of critical praise. This one deserves it.
Top ten best hip hop album of all time
Wow. What a time to be alive. 1991. The tribe. An unapologetic trip back to the early 90’s life for the millennials amongst us … and it’s goooooooood. What an album. Front to back, all killer, no filler. Definitely keeping this one in my iTunes library for re-visitation. Hip hip hiiiiiiip hippety hip hop at its finest !
i feel bored i dont know if its because i got adhd brain after years of hard hitting 808s bouncey almost futuristic melodies but i can comprehend that this song isnt bad the beat is groovy in a way i can see this being something decent back in the day ill keep in mind the scene of music was completely by the time this was released is crazy to see how far rap has come all the way to 2026 track 1: 3 stars out of 5 track 2: 3.5 stars track 3: 2.5 track 4: 4 stars i dont have too much to say on the other tracks but the track butter really caught my attention the melody on the track is amazing and the flow of the rapper is something interesting the beat change is amazing too
An absolute classic album! I love the way this album feels- it has good energy but also a relaxed feel. It just made me feel good to listen to, this is going in my rotation!
Great album. Such awesome sampling, jazzy beats and iconic tunes. I always enjoy listening to this one.
One of the greatest hip hop albums of all time. I revisit this album when I need a boost, it’s an instant mood improver and so fun to listen to.
I have a low end theory of my own: Part of what makes this album so great is the low end. The sparse but bass-heavy accompaniment is the perfect backdrop for the lyrical delivery that sits over the top. Hip-Hop is definitely not my genre, but Tribe are Tribe and this album is unbelievably good. Even though one of my more frequent complaints about albums on here is them getting stale and repetitive when they sound the same from top to tail (and this could certainly be considered as falling within that category), I can't help but engage with this in a way that just feels right. I did hear this album once before some years ago, and I remember being similarly impressed at the time.
classic then -- classic now.
GOATed
Holy Two Tribe albums in a week is a blessing. Fave track: Buggin Out
Some 12 years ago, for reasons I cant quite remember, I decided I wanted to listen to the best rap albums of all time. After entering that prompt into Google, this album was the first result. I downloaded it before a trip to Europe, and ended up listening to it front to back at least 20 times. So it’s not just one of the greatest jazz rap albums of all time - to me, it’s the album that made me completely reevaluate how I listen to music. 5/5
Bops per squared inch very high
Avg score is too low for this album. And it’s coming from me, who doesn’t vibe much with hip-hop and rap (tho I’ve got some great albums on vinyl, including this one).
Blauwdruk van wat goede hiphop is. Het klinkt moeiteloos, maar de beats en teksten zijn eindeloos creatief en hebben elk nummer wel een nieuwe knipoog waardoor het album fris blijft. 10/10
Qtip man…
Favorite hip hop record ever. Easy 5. 5/5
Second time it’s come up as the day’s album but that is fine by me.
rip phife <333 iconic album. no notes.
this is it
You on point tip? All the time phife! After just getting People’s Instinctive Travels a few days ago I was hoping to get this album next; I just didn’t expect to get it this soon! This has been my favorite ATCQ album since I first got into them in high school. The jazz influences on the beats are incredible. Q-Tip and Phife Dawg ride those beats with masterful and playful rhymes. I love this album.
One of my favorites.
I have this album on my wall at home. This is nothing shy of a masterpiece, and a work of art. I love the vibes and stuff. (Pun intended). Q-Tip is an absolute perfectionist and needs mentioned in the best producers of all time a whole lot more, Tribes music has always sounded so smooth yet intricate. Tip is a sampling genius and workaholic really shows all he has to offer in this record. A Tribe Called Quest are definitely pioneers of the jazz rap genre. I absolutely love Busta Rhymes on this record his collaboration on the song ‘Scenario’ is flawless. What a verse, what a music video. Just a segment of what is an incredible record. RIP Phife Dawg. An infectious flow and a proper mc. Favourite tracks are: ‘Excursions’, ‘Buggin’ Out’, ‘Rap Promoter’, ‘Verses From The Abstract’, ‘Show Business’, ‘Vibes and Stuff’, ‘Infamous Date Rape’, ‘Check The Rhime’, ‘Everything is Fair’, ‘Jazz (We’ve Got)’, ‘ What?’, and ‘Scenario’.
fucking awesome
Gorg
This made me remember I need to listen to more rap
A great album. Great artists all collaborating around great beats with great rhymes.
Listened to this in full recently (ish) once before owing to 'Excursions' featuring in the most memorable scene in the TV adaptation of Station 11 (great book and series, go read and watch!) Listened while doing some schoolwork today and really enjoyed most of beats feeling pretty lo-fi. Lyrics are playful in spots and make me stop to listen in others (hello Mr. Busta Rhymes) because of the energy pumping into my ears. Really enjoy that all the contributors have very distinct voices. Love the hooks and samples. Love the jazz that's mixed in in spots. Great album!
1. Excursions 5/5 2. Buggin Out 5/5 3. Rap Promoter 5/5 4. Butter 4/5 5. Verses From The Abstract 5/5 6. Show Business 4/5 7. Vibes and Stuff 5/5 8. Infamous Date Rape 4/5 9. Check the Rhime 4/5 10. Everything Is Fair 4/5 11. Jazz (We Got It) 4/5 12. Skypager 5/5 13. What? 5/5 14. Scenario 5/5 5 stars. Peak
Smooth Rap with Jazz Instrumentals. Might relisten again to found gems
une classique!
Tribe. US3. De La Soul. Digable Planets. I loved this subgenre, even though it wasn't what I normally listened to back then, nor what my friends were all into. This album was a breakthrough, and for good reason -- it slaps.
Dank & chill early 90s hip hop
So good on my new headphones.
(100/100)
Love!
Loved it!
Pretty smooth
alr vibing w the first song didn't expect to like hip hop at all ok this is so fun might actually get into 90s hip hop will def listen to other albums by this band
God-tier
Classic
Loved this album when it was first released. I understand the criticisms, it's basically the same song repeated with minor variations.
Just a brilliant piece of work. Phife Dawg is still the most underrated mc.
I love how jazzy this entire album is. I think the opening track is the best opening track ever. Not in terms of quality because that'd be Fiona Apple, but in terms of how good it is as a opening track.
So good
wow i forgot how peak this was
amityville
A TRUE CLASSIC ALBUM
This was an awesome blend of some of my most-listened to genres of music, and I will definitely be replaying this! I can’t believe I went so long without ever listening.
really wanting to get more into hip hop rap and I think this album was a great introduction to that. faves from the album: vibes and stuff, everything is fair, and what
Favourite Tracks: Excursions, Buggin’ Out, Verses from the Abstract, Show Business, Check the Rhime, Jazz (We’ve Got), What?, Scenario
Great album. Suitable for vibing.
A primeira faixa já inicia o disco te dando um soco na boca. Flow imparável e impecável, samples fantasticamente selecionados e empenhados, uma vibe totalmente descontraída e deslocada. O melhor álbum de Rap que gerei na lista até então, e dúvido que tenha algo aqui que irá tirar o seu título. O baixo! Meu Deus. Eu amo tocar baixo enquanto ouço esse disco. Toda linha é perfeita, perfeita, perfeita. Flows viciantes, barras fantásticas, nunca me canso. Um absurdo que o que dominou os anos 90 foi Gangsta Rap e não Jazz Rap! Preciso ir viver no universo alternativo onde o contrário aconteceu! Produção analógica e instrumentalização orgânica, isso que faz falta em outros discos de Rap. Isso aqui é fantástico, eu ouço esse álbum lendo as letras como um livro, e é impossível ficar parado. Impossível. A cabeça se mexe e o pé bate igual uma possessão fantasmagórica. Bem, é tudo que você pode querer de um disco de Rap, de fato, é o endgame do gênero. Não há mais nada a dizer, álbum perfeito. 5/5
awesome stuff going on here but I don't feel smart enough to remark on any of it. wondering why the only version I could find was "explicit" but every curse word was censored
All the music I like points me to Tribe, yet I haven't listened to a full Tribe album until now. Surprise, surprise, I enjoyed the album a lot. This is an easy 5 for me.
I’m not a rap expert but I get the sense that this is a very important album for the genre. Lyrics were a lot of fun.
“Scenario” stands as one of the most important posse cuts of all time. Incredible production across the album, but some noteworthy credits: “Butter” samples Weather Report, “Show Business” samples James Brown AND Aretha Franklin, “Check the Rhime” samples Minnie Riperton.
My favorite hip hop album of all time right here! It’s the contrasting stuff that make it so damn good. The warmth of the jazz samples complemented by the crisp percussion of the beats. Fun and braggadocious, but conscious and progressive. It’s breezy, nostalgic, and energy-boosting every time. Could listen to this daily — though I might occasionally skip track #8.
Bangers on bangers. I love love love this album. the whole vibe is amazing
REEEEEEEEEEEEEP 10/10 jedna od zelja ovoga mi je bila da prodjem kroz rep klasike 90ih, od kojih je ovo jedan naravno malo mi je rasisticki uvek pricati ovako kao da razumem njihov zivot, ali nekako mi deluje kao da album savrseno prikazuje crnacki zivot u to vreme (sistemske, finansijske poteskoce, ali pored toga optimizam, ritam, funk, osecaj community-a, naravno i dosta kurcenja, pricanja o ribama i sve to) ima mongo vise fokusa na bassu umesto na bubnjevima klasicnim, sto je bas kul i neocekivano za rep album 1991 rep je nekako malo prostiji nego danas ali mi se nekako svidja sto je tako blunt jedva cekam da slusam jos repa obozavam ovo poz
Listened to this one a lot in HS. Reconnecting now, I’m further impressed by the minimalism in the beats: live bass and jazzy drums (are they sample or studio? That question makes it cool) do so much heavy lifting. Also the low-in-the-mix percussive scratching is noteworthy.
This is only my third album of the year. It's also my third album by an African American artist/group and second 1990s hip-hop album. It's also my 150th album of the project. Now, for the actual review: the album is excellent. It has some of the best beats and flows of any hip hop I've heard, and is lyrically excellent. The rapping is top-notch, and refreshingly free of violent content. The songs lack most of the profanity common in rap songs, as well as the misogyny. It has everything rap does well in spades without the genre's usual pitfalls.
I love this album
Peak hip hop. The old heads had some classics.
It was really good
really liked this! it was great to listen to.
10 That’s a 10!!! First hip hop that ever made sense to me and opened me up to so much music that I love now that I would have hated before what a consequential day that I first listened to this. Will always be one of my faves
I don’t listen to much hip hop, but I really enjoy this album.
Very fun and funky Need to give other albums a listen
The fire on the tracks kept me warm on this winter day.
4.5 but im rounding up this time. so good. why isnt midnight marauders on this list though? that one's also great. go listen to it.
Overall rating by me: 9/10 Songs added to the playlist: ,,Excursions", ,,Show Business", ,,Vibes and Stuff", ,,Infamous Date Rape", ,,Check The Rhime", ,,Everything Is Fair", ,,Skypager" Notes: Genuinely the best album that has been introduced to me by this site. Well written verses, funky beats and the meaning behind the words. Definitely a top 5 mention.
Trykte på play på vei hjem fra Tonys nyttårsfest og Raekwon’s Incarcerated Scarfaces begynte å spille på vei mot Olaf Ryes i et snøbelagt Oslo. Følte meg så jævli G. Sangen var over. Begynte å høre på Liquid Swords — starte året med litt boom bap fra øverste hylle. Så innså jeg at jeg Low End Theory venta på meg. For et album å starte året med. Jeg har hørt altfor lite på A Tribe Called Quest. Alle vet at Can I Kick It? er legendarisk — et exempel på hvordan et sample har blitt bedre enn låta den sampler. Men Low End Theory er så sykt vibe. Smooth af boom bap med conscious raps. Det eneste jeg ikke liker med skiva, er at den er sensurert som canon. Den har rare pauser hvor de åpenbart sier ‘fuck’, men det er visst et bevisst valg. Og det er greit å ikke “banne,” men da bør de drite i å skrive lyrics med “banneord.” Men det er ingen som rapper med like bra flow som Q Tip (bortsett fra MF DOOM), og ingen som produserer like smooth som Q Tip. (Det må nevnes at Phife Dawg også spiller perfekt på Q Tip’s beats & rhymes — dette er et joint project!) Så da er en enkelt femmer. Det her er musikk som får meg til å romantisere å være svart i New York City på 90-tallet, i kjølvannet av Spike Lee’s Do the Right Thing. Hip Hop har aldri vært bedre enn dette. På et vis er dette den ekte afrofuturismen.
Classic
There's no way... Again, a playlist that I've recently listened to...
Good vibes
The Low End Theory is a timeless record that still sounds fresh decades later. The beats are warm and stripped-down, the bass does the heavy lifting, and every track feels effortless without being lazy. Q-Tip and Phife Dawg trade verses with humor, confidence, and heart, making the album feel both smart and fun. It’s hip-hop that doesn’t shout to prove itself—and that’s exactly why it lasts.
Heard Before: No Fav tracks: Buggin' Out, Check the Rhime, Jazz Listen Again: Definitetly. Bop after bop. Vibes all the way through. Rating 5.
one of the best hip hop records of all time imo
Actually love underground hip hop like this, excited to add them to my rotation
On the same day, Sept 24 1991 Nirvana’s Nevermind and Tribe Called Quests Low End Theory were both released. September 24th should be made a National holiday called Twin Apex Predator Album Birthday.
I like their music.
Genuinely one of my favorite albums, this site didn’t change anything here
oh i’m familiar… all time favorite
So good - love their beats!
34 years later, this remains the benchmark for alternative hip-hop. Endlessly listenable and lovable. “You on point, Phife” … “All the time, Tip” … indeed.
Rap classic
Absolutely incredible album. Lyrically witty, intelligent and perfectly delivered. Beats that intrigue and hit. Two of the best crew tracks with Scenario and Show Business. Just completely brilliant.
A Tribe Called Quest was the group that got me in to rap music. When I was younger I had a pretty strong aversion to rap. Most of what I knew were the huge top 40 songs and party music: Eminem, 40 Cent, Soulja Boy ect. I found most of it predictable and commercialized, and generalized almost all of it as "bad" music. When I heard Tribe Called Quest, "Can I Kick It" which featured the Lou Reed bass riff and a rock inspired drum beat I was pretty instantly hooked. I quickly devoured Midnight Marauders, and became a fan of the tribe. That album introduced me to this album and Low End Theory became one of the seminal albums of my 19th - 20th year. I haven't listened to it in a while and I am happy to say it completely holds up. What these guys do is still so incredibly unique in my mind, they rap about themes outside of the traditional rap cliches and sample creative beats that incorporate jazz, funk, rock and RnB. They push and blend the genre but in a way that comes off as completely authentic despite having huge mainstream success. Low End Theory is an early HipHop masterpiece and deserve it's place on the rap music Mount Rushmore.
One thing I've noticed going through this list is that I either absolutely love or completely hate the hip hop albums on this list. There's very little middle ground for me and, unfortunately, the hip hop albums I've disliked seem far more common than the ones I've liked. The Low End Theory won me over from the first few notes. Not only is it falling into the hip hop I love category, but I think this is my favourite hip hop album from the generator so far. I absolutely love the jazz vibe and the rapping is incredibly smooth. I could, and probably will, listen to this all day. I wish I had checked A Tribe Called Quest out much earlier!
134/1089 There were so many references/realisations in this project… It’s still bizarre to hear Donald Trump references pre-2016, especially when they also reference “Fake News”. It’s also nice that this project has worked out the way it has so that i understand the context of the Afrika Bombaataa, Duke Ellington, and The Message name drops. Also had no idea that “Rah Rah Dungeon Dragon” wasn’t a Nicki Minaj original… all that out the way, this was a really fun and enjoyable project. The flows were smooth and meshed together but also felt distinct. The production was great as well as the lyricism just overall it all worked so well for me. i think it’s 5 star-cusper, which could solidify more with further listens faves: Excursions, Buggin’ Out, What?, Scenario, Skypager, Jazz (We Got) 82/100
Amazing hip hop album, lo-fi and clear inspiration for Nujabes.
Yes...to me this is great rap and hip hop. They focus on being good, making their feelings and points known and good beats. Its not all about f@cking or cuss words. Its talent pure and simple!
Yeah, it’s a classic
5/5
This is a great album full of all the beats that became classics. I wish I could go back and be more of A Tribe Called Quest fan when I was also at the height of being a Beastie Boys fan. Actually, I'd like to be in a room with both groups making music together.
This album has to be up there for best first syllable of all time. Before QTip gets toe the "k" of "back" you already know the album's going to be a banger. Flawless production (which I just found out was mostly by QTip!) based around jazz samples, and two MCs with beautiful complementary voices. That's before you even get to the lyrics which are imaginative and playful. I particularly love the themes of growing up and the music industry. This is the kind of hip hop that wouldn't sound weird at a dinner party and if you sit and listen closely the carefully crafted lyrics only reveal more and more. As soon as I saw the album cover come up I thought it would be 5 stars and I never doubted it at any point while listening.
Taas päästiin näihin salaisiin suosikkeihini. Tai siis mitä sitä salailemaan, kylhän tätä on tullut kuunneltuu sen näiden ekan älbymin lisäks. Tsillii menoo ja tunnelma on mitä parahin. Fiilis kantaa kokonaisuuden läpi ja säröjä ei ilmesty tuulilasiin. Melkeen tää menee mihin tahansa tunnetilaan tai sit vaikka siihen kun pää on tyhjä tai täys. Yleensä se on kivaa jos on paljon kaikkia sampleja sun muita, mutta hyvin tää menee näinkin, että ote on enempi minimalistista. Siihen kylkeen viel tommosta jatsifatsistailia, niin omaperänen lähestymistapa on saatu luotua. Tää levy on taas näitä "ajattomii" eli vaikka meno on vidu ysäri niin silti kestää tarkasteluu tuotannollisilta ansioltaan kaikkeen myöhempäänkin. JOTEN klasu antaa kymppi pistettä ja hyvä tämä levyraati on hyvä.
Very much not the style of rap I typically gravitate to, but the beats, grooves, and lyrics are so creative and clever - just can deny this classic.
This album has it all. Jazz, great beats, flow, and fun lyrics. Really a perfect album.
One of the best hip hop albums of all time. Peak beats and lyrics. Best of the 90s hip hop era.
Love this album.
yeessssssss!!! love it
10/10 incredible production and rhymes.
Obviously a classic
This is 90s hip hop at its apex. Tribe Called Quest? More like a group with great songs. This is an anytime album with lots of energy and good vibes. Top tracks: “Show Business,” “Scenario,” “Excursions,” “Check the Rhime,” “Buggin’ Out”
10/10
A masterpiece from start to finish. It's one of the quintessential examples of old-school hip-hop and it stands up well even now. It's the kind of album that you'll always find yourself coming back to. The kind of album which makes the perfect backdrop for a chill session with some good headphones, or a barbecue with drinks flowing. Timeless.
It’s in The Pantheon
An all time great hip hop record
Excellent
Best Rap Album ever
This one is pretty awesome, good jams Will I listen to again: 100%
Lovely album.
VERY cool hip hop record, LOVE the jazz instrumentals
This is a ridiculous album… don’t know what else to say
has been heavy in the car rotation lately... i think this record is often overlooked in the greatest hip hop album ever conversation because the lyrics are a bit more goofy than something like illmatic or the infamous but honest to god I think this is best hip hop album ever because of how varied the lyrics are and how much ground the production covers here... anyways its basically the most perfect albums by one of the most perfect groups so yeah... you know what it is
Busta Rhymes coming outta left field to just torch the end of the album
This is my kind of hip-hop. Cool samples, head-nodding beats, great bars.
amazing
Listens: 3 or 4 Standout Tracks: Buggin' Out, Check the Rhime A Tribe Called Quest is hardly foreign to me. I've got about 260 scrobbles across 10 years to draw upon when writing this review. Most of my listening has gone into "People's Instinctive Travels and Paths of Rhythm", but I have at least a few prior listens to The Low End Theory. This is hip hop music for people who are either not interested in, offended by or tired of "gangsta rap" that was so prevalent in the late 80s and early 90s: NWA, Notorious BIG, Snoop Dogg, Tupac, Nas, etc. A Tribe Called Quest presents an amazing alternative to gangsta rap. Minimal swearing, limited use of racial slurs and cursing in general, almost no objectification of women or "gay bashing". Virtually no celebration or idolizing of murder, toting guns and other weapons, dealing drugs. Instead, we're presented with themes of social commentary, dealing with the business side of music making, materialism, and relationships. Quite frankly, this album is amazing. A Tribe Called Quest is the pinnacle of alternative rap and hip-hop during the early and mid 90s.
I wasn't into ATCQ at the time, preferring the harder edge of rap but I did soften later in the decade when I got into the likes of J5 and Dilated Peoples so I've subsequently listened to this several times over the years and whilst I thought it was good, it never really landed... until yesterday. I don't often listen to these albums more than once and I haven't listened to any more than twice, until this one. Funky beats overlaid with jazzy instrumentation and tight flows from Q-tip and Phife. I honestly don't know why this hasn't hit me before but rest assured, I'm all on board now! So many good tracks it's hard to choose, Excursions, Rap Promoter, Check the Rhime, Scenario but I think I have to give it to my fave track... Buggin' Out
Top 10 on this list for me.
5 out of 5. No notes. Put it on Friday and it played on loops thru the weekend.
5/10
Can I kick it?
Butter is my favorite track.
really cool oldschool rap album. really enjoyed it
There are a few songs after Excursions that are kinda boring until Show Business, but it's still a great album - 4.5
A blast to the past. Super fun vibes!
Oh my, what a bounce back! I was able to listen to Tribe’s debut earlier this year as part of this challenge and I was surprised to find that it was very different from the Tribe I was used to. There’s the singles for sure, but I didn’t get why a lot of the record was Q Tip and Jairobi. Where was Phife? I love Phife! Enter: The Low End Theory, a record which establishes the core of what Tribe does best. Using jazz as a primary basis underneath boom-bap beats and hot rhymes emphasizing unity, friendship, the ladies, da bizness! Q Tip is still manning the ship, but Phife comes in as the co-captain and absolutely heats up the mic. We can’t forget Ali on the deck too. The number of classics, rhymes, beats and just the overall thesis of what The Low End Theory is about makes this one more and more special. To cap it off is Scenario, a song that I have mostly memorized out of hearing it hundreds of times as a 9 year old playing 2K15. Everyone talks about Busta’s verse, but I feel like everyone killed it on that joint. There’s one-liner after one-liner on that song and it still blows me away about 10 years later. Moral of the story: the quest has been founded and the tribe is as booming than ever. Observe the vibe (10/10, 5/5 on this scale)
Listened twice through. Really liked the laid back style. Reminded me a lot of Digable Planets who I love.
Absolutely 100% yes, blast from the past and pure dopamine. 5.
Ik krijg een dagje vrij blijkbaar. Ik mag gewoon genieten van een heerlijk ontspannen rapplaatje. Ik heb hier eigenlijk niks van in een playlist staan, maar ik vind dit wel een lekker album. De drums en de bas klinken ongelofelijk lekker, wat lekkere laidback samples, er wordt lekker gerapt over onderwerpen waar we verder toch niet zo heel veel van mee krijgen. Lekker dus. Moet je twee Tribe albums hebben geluisterd voor je je laatste adem uitblaast? Dat denk ik niet. Ik kan er wel van genieten en ik geef een 4,5 naar 5 sterren.
it’s just so GOOD!!!! i love the cadence of this kind of rap, it’s just so satisfying to listen to. it’s very much of its era but simultaneously manages to sound completely fresh and cool every time. fav tracks: scenario; buggin’ out; what?; everything is fair; check the rhime; excursions; show business
My favorite era or rap…just so effortless and relaxed and cool but still energetic and sooo catchy. The bass throughout this (literally, a jazz upright bass in many cases) made it feel so robust even when there weren’t a lot of different kinds of sounds happening at once. Apparently on this album, Q-Tip layered multiple drum sounds on top of each other to create a single sound; this reminds me a lot of Spector’s Wall of Sound method, and likely also accounts for the album’s fullness. And also Busta Rhymes’ verses at the end of “Scenario” are just an amazing way to end the album. *Fav tracks: Verses from the Abstract, Scenario, What?, Buggin’ Out*
Fucking banger album
One of those rare undeniable albums that live up to the hype
completely new to me -- I LOVE this
This IS Hip Hop at its finest! Tribe and the Native Tongue crew are the soundtrack of my upbringing living in NYC! Absolute CLASSIC!
Probably in my top 3 hip hop albums. This album also helped as my gateway from rap to jazz and other types of music. I love it!
Me senti na NY de 1989, ou na São Bento do mesmo ano.
A quintessential hip-hop album!
In this first year of the project I've learned one thing for sure that I didn't know about myself. And that's my love of late 80s/early 90s NYC hip hop. Tribe Called Quest, Pharcyde, Wu Tang, Public Enemy. They've all been among my highest rated albums. This album in particular was a delightfully awesome groove from beginning to end. Way too short. Stand outs for me were: "Butter," "Vibes and Stuff," "Jazz (We've Got)," and "What?"
Masterpiece, start to finish
♥️
J'ai commencé à apprécier le rap dans les années 2000 en écoutant A Tribe Called Quest. Mes préférés.
5 étoiles pour le drum and bass. Le pont entre le jazz et le hip hop que le jazz (ou le hip hop) méritait. D'ailleurs très clair dans les textes où le background jazz est omniprésent (my man Ron Carter!). J'aime beaucoup les thèmes aussi, j'ai pas tout compris/tout lu mais ça me semble très engagé socialement, un gangsta rap pro-femme, pro-émancipation, go!
Classique du jazz rap! Peut s’écouter en boucle sans problème. Tellement une belle décennie les 90s
Favorite
One of the most captivating Jazz Rap albums I’ve ever heard. Favourite Songs: Excursions, Buggin' Out, Show Business, Check the Rhime, Scenario. Least Favourite Songs: Infamous Date Rape.
Classic
Cool hip hop!
Wow
200925 20:13 4.5
One of the best albums to ever grace this earth 10/10
Classic hip-hop with great beats and excellent lyrics. I love this.
I'm mad at myself for never listening to Tribe in the past. One of my new favs
The lyrics are fantastic. A political commentary and funny word play. I love the usage of jazz licks and samples in combination with the drum and bass, as well as how it stays funky af though being minimalist in style. An amazing example of less is more in music.
🐐🐐🐐🐐
phenomenal album flawless
Incredible record, though not flawless. Q-Tip’s voice is probably the best example in history of “you’ve either got it or you don’t”. Excursions is an incredible opener and sets the tone perfectly, while Check the Rhime and Jazz are exhibitions of Tip and Phife’s ability to spit as if their voices are an extension of the lush but pretty simple instrumentals. Alternative hip hop, a genre where you can spit without talking about who you’re going to hang off the side of Queens Bridge next was more or less born from this record, and it will be cool, forever. 9.5/10 (due to the song we don’t mention). Favourite: Check the Rhime Lease Favourite: I will pretend this song isn’t on the record.
I knew before even listening to this thing front to back that it was such an easy 5. Hard to fault anything A Tribe Called Quest has produced. All their voices scratches an itch in my brain. This really is probably their magnum opus. I still reckon Beats, Rhymes & Life is slept on and their best work. Though honestly, you can pick pretty much any of their albums - they're all classic (except Scenario & The Love Movement). The production on this album is just phenomenal. Every beat is as smooth as cream. This thing is just so nice on the ears you can listen to this in any scenario and you just feel cool and at peace. Incredible album. Every song here fucks. Top track: Butter, Check the Rhime, Jazz (We've Got)
Another banger artist jammed into my adolescent skull by Dave Mirra BMX 2 for the ps2. Thank you Z-Axis studios and to the fella hitting sick mickey flips in bmx valhalla (can only get in if your death was a CTE related suicide)
Oh this is goooood
This is on steady replay for me. 6/5
This is the first artist/group i've come across that I already listen to their music but didn't realize. I LOVE 'Bonita Applebum' but haven't really listened to other songs by A Tribe Called Quest. While none of these songs quite reached the mark of that song for me, they were all great! Fav- Buggin' Out
Absolutely other worldly vibes. I love the atmosphere. Cool jazzy beats. Q-Tip with one of the best voices in hip hop. Great fuckin album
Beautiful hip-hop/jazz hybrid album.