The Low End Theory

INCREÍBLEEEE AMO EL HIP HOP. primer álbum q puntúo con 5 estrellas

Didn’t do much for me but in fairness I’m also not necessarily a hip hop/rap lover and I also didn’t actively dislike it too much. I liked the first track a lot and the lyrics seem cool.

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.

Starts off a bit slow but really started popping off by the end. Some of the lyrics can be hit-or-miss for me, but the production is amazing enough to carry those weaker verses, real big fan of the jazz-heavy selection of samples used. I'm very, very glad that a song titled "The Infamous Date Rape" did not turn out to be as bad as I would've expected by the name alone. 8.5/10.

Smooth af, lyrics don't really say as much as I'd like but they sure can rhyme. Favourite track: Jazz (We've Got)

8/10 While I'm not the biggest fan of hip-hop, I can still recognize how great this album is. It's full of bangers, and the production is pretty smooth.

"Go get yourself some toilet paper, cause your lyrics are butt" HAHAHA I really enjoyed this album.

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.

Holly - I liked it. Would need a relisten because I wasn’t concentrating. Liked what I heard. 3/5 Sophie - would also need a relisten. I liked the vibes. Is it meant to be one big song? 3/5

bangerssss

50 million stars!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This was fun! I liked this more than most of the other 90s rap on the list so far. And it seems like they're less interested in getting money and screwing bitches, so that was a nice change of pace too. 6/10

rapaz n é meu estilo n, mas é bem massa e bem produzido

Rap, no escuchamos seguido y sin embargo nos gustó, especialmente el bajo. Bueno para el home office, cerca del final puede sonar repetitivo. Te lleva a los 90 definitivamente, buen comienzo.

misogyny makes this imperfect

A jazz-rap masterpiece.

Again, and again, I feel I get the same kind of records. Nice, but nothing memorable.

i don't really listen to hip hop as much as i used to, but still appreciate it. i did like the album, especially the beats and flows, but it didn't blow my mind or anything. would give it like a 3.5 if i could.

Ya conocia temas del disco y siempre me sirvio la sonoridad de esta banda. Definitivamente jazz rap tiene la escencia

Damn, this album hits every time. Been far too long. Sofa king good.

Fantastic album! Jazz inspired beats coupled with clean, insightful lyrics. Top notch!

shoutout tribe called quest heel leuk super

hiphop aber sehr deep und politisch und geil

interesting

Not fully my style but good vibes

7/10

Yeah sure, fine for what it was, and I guess I should be thankful it wasn’t a whole album of hypocrisy just about a half an album of asterisked words. Minua one for BS rules.

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

Very solid record. 4/5

Listened in the car. Really liked it, though the jazz beats were a little bit too stripped down for me. No dumb interludes or skits is a big plus!

This was very blah to me.

It’s one of those records where the reputation isn’t inflated. You can hear within moments why people bang on about it. The groove is the thing - deep, springy, ridiculously assured - but what really makes it land is how relaxed it is. Nothing is over-forced. It knows exactly what it is and doesn’t need to sell itself with noise. What tends to get called “jazzy” about it is really more useful than that. It isn’t just nicking a few classy textures to seem sophisticated. The whole thing moves with a kind of pocket and conversational ease that makes loads of other hip-hop records sound either stiff or overeager by comparison. The two voices help as well - one cooler and more fluid, one a bit more blunt-force and needling - so it never settles into a single tone for too long. Also, for all the reverence around it, it doesn’t feel museum-piece important. It still feels playful, physical and weirdly fresh. A lot of later records clearly learned from it, but this still sounds like the real article rather than an early prototype of something better.

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

Full of good songs, very consistent throughout, great songs at the end

What an iconic album to kick this off. I love the beats and samples.

Good if dated old school rap. High 3 maybe 4. The Busta feature at the end is fantastic.

Was torn between a 3 and a 4, but I really vibed with this today. Cool, classic, something to set your day off on the right foot. Looking forward to revisiting.

Listened to this in the gym and loved it!! Didnt expect to enjoy it much cos it's so unlike my usual taste but it's really interesting, well-composed and cool. Great lyrics and lots of jazzy vibes (probs explains why I love it tbh)

3 fine

Far and away the greatest of the true old-school hip hop releases, Low End Theory is considered to be Tribe's crowning achievement. While I personally prefer Midnight Marauders over this one, mostly for its more direct beats and better production, this album is certainly a strong contender as well. There's a lot on this album that hadn't been done before (invoking a live performance-based sound, for instance) and several songs just haven't been equalled quite yet, even 35 years after the album's original release ("Excursions, "Check the Rime.") Definitely the best entry point into the discography of A Tribe Called Quest, one of the only rap groups to have the elite honour of no misses in their entire catalogue, and one of the only groups whose individual rappers are immediately distinguishable. An absolute high point of old-school hip hop, and one of the sparing few documents of a truly united rap scene. This album and its followup capture the end of a unified hip hop sound as regional divisions split it just a few more years into the new decade. In short, The Low End Theory captures hip hop between generations - moving away from the early beginnings and the oldest old schools into the new, more refined and adventurous rap to come. Key Tracks: Excursions, Show Business, Everything is Fair, Jazz (We've Got,) Scenario

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

Went in with low expectations and found myself rather nicely surprised. Funny! Nicely paced lyrics so you could anticipate the rhyme, and was caught off guard by some genuinely fabulous lines. Fun!!

Nice, but not impressed.

Mostly pretty good, but losing a star for that date rape song.

Surprisingly... it isn't that bad. Actually, it isn't bad. I've enjoyed some parts of this album. And that's really something considering I haven't enjoyed any hip-hop album I've ever listened to (at least that I remember). I don't think this album is good either, there are many lows for me, and it even becomes too repetitive for my liking. But the funky and jazzy parts add this record some interesting moments.

Good

No soy tan fan del hip hop de los 90’ sin embargo, algo que me gustó es que cada integrante le da su toque a cada canción, y las canciones no se sienten igual.

ta bueno, pero el boom bap despues de un rato cansa y se siente repetitivo. quizas con mas escuchas me acostumbre y me termine gustando mas

good flow good lyrics has busta rhymes not super extraordinary

Very early 90’s hip hop. I’ve definitely heard of A Tribe Called Quest, but I don’t really know a lot of their songs. I had heard the last song on the album, Scenario, before. I liked it, but nothing really stood out. They had some interesting pop cultures in their songs. Their rapping is very clear and you can hear/understand all the lyrics.

Tribe is great! Some of the lyrics are cringy/outdated but these guys are poets and Scenario is a masterpiece.

Enjoyed this one quite a bit 4 stars

Phew, no brainer. One of the best hip-hop albums ever.

Excellent

AMAAAAAZING

nah

me gusto la vibra pero siento que todas las canciones son iguales. al final me aburrio un poco por eso

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.

Just not working for me

I prefer the high end theory.

51# Yesyeysyeys very good

muy buen album

Any song on this album could be someone's favorite. That's a tough bar to hit, but I think it's absolutely true here. Probably the premier hip-hop album of the early 90's, everything that Tribe did here sent ripples through the genre for decades to come. It's full of cool, with stand-up baselines, easy flow, and layered lyrics. It's hip-hop for everyone. As good as all the songs are though, I think the one thing I'm looking for with this is more variance, or changes of pace. But if you're wanting to just sit back and groove for about 45 minutes, then look no further than The Low End Theory. Highlights: Excursions Check the Rhime What? Scenario

Nice sax on Butter. The instrumentation is quite good on most songs. I guess the rap is decent. It fits.

Good some great tracks not rlly my thing

Took a few songs to grow on me but by halfway through the album I was really enjoying it. Clever lyricism, catchy beats, nice bass and clean simple rapping

A smooth groove all the way through

A strong showing of ATCQ! The Low End Theory sounded ahead of its time for 1991 because of its accessibility and incorporation of jazz with hip hop. This is still primarily a hip hop album, but the jazz makes it sound so fresh and exciting. Their social commentary, especially in “Infamous Date Rape,” is ahead of its time, considering the misogynistic hip hop culture of the time, though the broader culture wasn’t much better. I can’t say I’m a big fan of hip hop or that I am aware of the genre’s intricacies, but this album truly sounds like something special. For how easy it was to listen to twice, it’s easily a 4. Also, I counted four (4) references to Arsenio Hall.

This felt VERY progressive for 1991. The hip-hop showcased on this album sounded more like the hip-hop that would start to emerge around the middle of the decade...A Tribe Called Quest was absolutely ahead of the game. Early 90s hip hop can sometimes sound dated in some ways or another, but even by 90s standards, this holds up fairly well!

4 out of 5. Ok, ok, pretty rare for this genre but this album got me.

incredible album, one of the foundational hip hop albums that every hip hop fan should own or atleast appreciate.

intresting, fun tunes.

Very good start, I love Hip-hop, but this album was very same-ish with no standouts. Some of the lyrics were fun and fresh, I like the 90s vibes a lot, also. The overall idea of "progress" as the center theme of the album, as well as some progressive ideas, were up my alley. Very little sexism, but not nonexistent. I have to say that some rhymes were very simplistic but the beats were nice to listen. I'd rate it a 5.5/10.

buen hiphop, todas las canciones suenan igual

Badass album, awesomen rapping, beautiful beats.

ráp nigaa

I love these guys when I was young and now I like them even more I think.

Two stand out tracks on an otherwise same-ish album that music has moved on from. Would've been a 5 at the time of release.

Vero femboy hiphop

good

One of my favorite hip hop groups. I love that smooth jazz vibe. I also don't think these guys ever go the credit they deserved in the '90's for some reason or another. Too artsy for the rap community? Dunno, but I love it. Influence 4. Hits 3. Quality 4. Intangibles 4. Stay smooth, fellas 3.

Como he dicho ya muchas veces por aquí, ni el rap ni el hip hop o similares son mi onda. Me cuestan mucho trabajo. Así que el que a los Tribe Called Quest les ponga 4 estrellas, quiere decir que estan tremendamente bien. De los contados del género que escucho con gusto.

Can't go wrong with ATCQ. Thank you, MLB the Show 2008, for putting Scenario on your tracklist and opening my mind a little.

Not a bad album in the bunch and Low End is generally considered their highest high though over time, my favorites have shuffled around & Low End has been bumped from the top spot. Undeniably great, just one of the best sounding albums of the era. Favorite Tracks: Buggin' Out, Butter, Vibes & Stuff, Skypager, Scenario

So good

suffering from SSS (same sound syndrome) on this one for a handful of the songs. I've never really listened to hip hop music often, but the album opener really hooked me right into the album with the thought out bars and bass line. The songs that feature something different like a featured artist or instrument are great. Favs: What?, Scenario, Excursions, Abstract

4.5 - Great

Very cool vibe and groove throughout. Some funny lyrics, and a good album to mark or do work. Not sure there’s any big song that pops. Just solid.

Iconic. Deserves the praise it gets. We should bring back pagers.

Classic from top to bottom. Easy 5/5

A massive step-up from "People's Instincts...". The group was really coming into their form here, culminating in what I think is their magnum opus (Midnight Marauders). ATCQ's impact on rap cannot be overstated, especially at a time like 1991 where the sound was changing at a rapid pace.

The beats were a vibe. The lyrics human. Just too explicit for my liking, and didn't like how the album objectified women and sex. Had to skip the date rape song. Good workout album, though! Hahaha

90s hip hop taking in a wide array of inspirations and musical influences, interesting social commentary and clever wordplay that requires some further thought to scratch under the surface. The high energy beats contrast with the sometimes heavy lyrics, but then the interplay of rapper and MC is also there throughout. I appreciated it without hugely enjoying it.

Its as mono as Berts eyebrow. Sucked me dry by the end it was relentless with nothing redeeming to mention. I just dont particularly like rolling backdrops that go with rap like this. It makes it very dull to listen to. This sound just doesnt seem innovative at all and just old school rap.

I'm sorry to say that I traversed my journey with early hip-hop albums, of which this is a pretty good example. It's a cool and well produced album and I enjoyed every single track in isolation. It just gets a little too repetitive for me to fully engage with for the whole album. Mix a few of these tracks into a DJ set or at a swanky bar and I'm all for it. I won't be sitting down and listening to this album again though.

Good record, well done Tribe.

This is a tough one solely because the one dude who keeps dropping misogynist rants into his already weak bars is very difficult to listen to. I'll still give it a 4.

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)

Great lyricism and flow. I enjoyed "Check the Rhime," "Jazz," and "Scenario" the best

Unbelievably cool. Lives up to the hype.

what a great album!

First half was rough but it picked itself up. 4/10

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.

Started off really promising and I thought I’d this going to be an hip hop album I can really like? Sadly it went down hill from there. Still, probably better than most in the genre and the opening track is truly excellent

The backing tracks are interesting and cool and the guys are obviously good at rapping. This is a really good old school hip hop album. For me, it can't get a higher rating because there's no singing on the album. I can appreciate it, but the lack of singing makes it harder for me personally to enjoy or want to revisit.

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 was actually good, I'm not a big fan of rap but this was highly enjoyable

Pretty cool slice of hip hop, enriched by some really nice production work that makes it feel like the tribe are rapping over live jazz, giving it plenty of great bass beats and plenty of variety.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This seems like the rap charlie brown and the peanuts would listen to

I love tribe so much but I struggled to find this one as revolutionary as everyone else calls it. Fun listen still but wasn't home run

Some good rap, but the same problem as I have with other early hip hop. It's basic talking on a simple beat with little to no variation. You could put any of the vocals on any of the beats, or even just run all the vocals one after the other on the same beat, and there would be no real difference. What? was interesting at least. Best song: What?

Some great beats. Lyrics range from amazing to downright bad. It feels dated but that only takes away from it a bit. It was enjoyable though finishing it felt like homework. I’m torn but I’ll give it 3 stars due to impact and the beats alone

Was alright, about what I'd expect of hip-hop in that era

Just a joy of an album from front to back I don’t really have any more words. My fave.

Gulderan, östkusten 89-93. Det här är boom bap-perfektion. Trots samma beat lyckas man få det varierat och förstås makalöst svängigt Flowet är första klass, alla MC's våta dröm. Här finns kanske ingen "Can I kick it?" eller "I left my wallet..." som på debuten men å andra sidan är den oerhört jämnbra, kanske ett par spår för lång. Men jag har egentligen bara lovord. Så här ska hiphop låta! Väldigt nära en femma

Ganska skön jazzig hip hop i och för sig, men över en hel skiva blir det enformigt. Ungefär samma tempo, rytmik och temperament i låt efter låt. Scenario sticker ut som klart bästa låt.

Hip hop av riktigt hög klass. Ali Shaheed Mohammad levererar bakom skivtallrikarna hur sköna beats som helst med jazzigt anslag, medan Q-Tip och Phife Dwag spottar med självklar övertygelse ur sig rimes efter rimes. Inget flörtande med hitlistor och skvalradiostationer här. Bara ett genuint välgjort hip hop-album.

A Tribe Called Quest har med två album i boken. Båda låter rätt snarlika och båda har jag fått slumpade till mig tidigare. Det är ingen större variotion på beatsen på The Low End Theory. Alla låtar har den samplade jazzbasen och stort sett samma dåsiga trumkomp. Det blir lite väl enahanda. Q-Tips solodebut är betydligt roligare.

Some of the lyrics and rhymes that crack me up. However, the beats feel repetitive throughout the entire album. A bit boring for me but oddly calming to listen to?

Funky and addictive!

Alternative hip hop, Busta rhymes, Phife dawg

nö

Love everything about Q-Tip. Flow, Style, lyrics and attitude. The Beats jazzy and funky, really nice.

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

good

El ritmo y las letras me hicieron sentir joven de nuevo

I discovered A Tribe Called Quest a few months ago, and I’m curious how I would perceive the album if I didn’t already know it. It’s a bit too monotonous, but it grooves a lot. 7/10

Decent. After a few more listens I'd probably 'see the light'

The album isn’t bad. And for the time it’s very high quality. The lyricism is solid. But musically it’s pretty uninteresting of a full listen through, then finishes on a great track “scenario” that feels really refreshing when you finally get to it. This album shows more about how far hip hop has come than the heights of what it was.

This album>🐐

The rhyming impresses me, but I'm just not a fan of rap music. I don't hate it, it's just not my jam. Great storytelling, though.

It's good but it feels like I'm listening to homework. Lyrics can't just be a part of the flow of music, but something that needs to be actively listened to to understand what is going on. While that creates depth it's an exhausting listen. Also I know this sound is groundbreaking sooooo many people have copied this style since it now feels tired? The 90's was wild y'all.

Some of the reviews on this album sound just borderline racist lmao, this is great

Yeah, it was fun. Stand-outs - Check the Rhime - Jazz (We've Got)

10/10 Favorites: Excursions Check the Rhime Jazz (We’ve Got)

A chill time, enjoyed the beats.

Solid headnod.

I was reluctant to press play, TBH. I enjoyed it more than I expected. It was a lot funkier than I thought it would be. I totally understand why it's a classic and I'm glad that I listened to it especially since it's not an album that I would have chosen on my own. This is a very good early 90s hip-hop album. I understand why it's on this list. The lyricism was less "Rapper's Delight" than I expected -- and that was welcome. 🥁 I _noticed_ the tight drumming on this one and found myself wondering "....wait....is Questlove associated with 'A Tribe Called Quest'? Is that how he got the name?" It turns out his name is inspired by the group.

Ok.

i've loved this album for a long time. it think they perfected things on their next release, "midnight marauders," but this is still a fantastic, classic boom bap album. production is stellar, rapping is really good. what else can you ask for in the early 90s. this is also clearly a super influential record. we wouldn't have hip hop or rap the way it exists now if it hadn't been for these guys.

It was a bit odd. Even though the music would change, something about the vocals made it seem the songs flowed into the next. The last one with Busta Rhymes was the outlier. I still enjoyed it.

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

Great album. Definitley 90s hip hop. Love the bass. Beats got a little repetitive after halfway through. But again, that is the 90s. Great lyrics. 7.25/14, 71.96%

Uniquely dope.

Classic, good rhymes over live beats. Most importantly without this album we wouldn’t have Dave Blunts or Yuno Miles.

I’m not a big hip-hop/rap fan, but I must say that this is one of the more enjoyable albums from that genre that I’ve heard.

05-06/03/26

I grew up with this so nothing but good memories

The GOAT NY Hip Hop album

0/14 bekannt 4/10 Beste Songs: what?, everything is fair, scenario

410/1089 - One of my favorite hip-hop albums. NO SKITS! Really cool and dark jazz sound to it with fun wordplay and rhythms.

Started off interesting, but then became monotone and boring.

It’s shit, but gets an extra star for Busta

I liked this one. Refreshing to hear rapping that uses other words than slurs or something related to sex. The beats and music were also to my liking. Would I listen to this volunteraly again? Maybe not but definitely wouldn't mind listening to this if it comes up from playlist or something. Best track was Check the Rime.

also a classic banger ass album this was bible when i was a potiessa teenager cutting class and being sooo stoned dude

Jazz con rap me gusta! Sonidos muy claros, pegadizos. Un 8 🙌🏼✨

Good stuff. Chill, groove-centric hip-hop you can relax to. Not my favorite album of theirs - I prefer Midnight Marauders.

Good hip-hop album with jazz influences. It's smooth and cool and doesn't sound dated. My previous album was MC Solaar which I liked even more so this gets a 3+.

Good hip hop

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

Album No. 0171 on my list. I’m not rally all that much into hip hop (I think I’m really starting every review of a hip hop album like this now). Hence, I had never heard of either A Tribe Called Quest or their album “The Low End Theory”. If I’m not mistaken, this is the highest rated hip hop album on this site. Unfortunately, I’m not really sure that I get what the fuzz is all about. This is not really a bad album and I 100 % get why this is considered a hip hop classic. But I found it rather solid than really great, I think. There are some cool lyrics here, there is a solid flow; to my limited knowledge, this is really classic early 90s hip hop at its best. That being said, none of the songs really stood out to me, and I found that there is a little lack of dynamic on this. Anyway, I’ll add “Excursions”, “Jazz (We’ve Got)”, and “Scenario” to my playlist, the latter being a solid collaboration with Busta Rhymes. 3/5 stars.

So incredible! Pure hip hop from Queens, New York! For those who like Mobb Depp, which was also from Queens this is gold too.

нє, ну качає, прикол але я таке не слухаю 🥀 може, почну йоу

I enjoyed it a lot more that I thought I would. I really enjoyed the simple beats compare to more modern hip hop

This was the first hip hop album that I've listened to and although it is not really my type of music, it was pleasant enough.

RIP Phife Dog. I know that they're in the Hall of Fame, but ATCQ is still massively underrated. The number of MCs and groups inspired by them is mind boggling This album also features my absolute favorite track of theirs. Favorite song will always and forever be Scenario.

Ah, ça fait plaisir ! Il y a un moment que j'avais envie de me pencher sur A Tribe Called Quest. Celui-ci est vraiment un super album, avec des samples très simples, mais hyper efficaces. Le groupe a une grosse personnalité et j'aime beaucoup ce que j'ai entendu. Il faut vraiment que je me penche plus sérieusement sur eux.

Quite cool and easy to listen to but, like a few other hip-hop albums on this list, it felt very samey. After the first few songs, I felt like I'd heard all the album had to offer.

interesting rap album. kinda had a jazzy vibe without any sampling.

Each song sounded like it had the exact same beat, just different lyrics. Very good at rhyming and lyrics, but not much else to write home about.

Did not enjoy. Felt like a was listening to a continous loop of the Fresh Prince TV theme. But wasn't offensive so that is a plus

All songs sounded the same to me, but I have listened to worst rap albums before

данный альбом - сплошной рэп, но, несмотря на это, некоторые треки оказались довольно неплохими. хотя тексты мне вообще не понравились, в инструментале есть моменты, за которые зацепилось ухо. ну и +1 звезда чисто из-за Q-Tip'a

For me it's kinda basic but maybe legendary album. Liked some tracks, but overall it's a 3-star album. Enjoyed some jazz instruments.

Like butter is very apt for this one. Smooth as shit. IMO, a candidate for GOAT rap album.

Maybe 4.5+, depending on mood -- fun, enjoyed and would do more by them

Honestly kinda loved it. The lyrics were fun and cool and interesting and pretty distinct, hearable words. This is what I imagine rap to be, which makes sense since this is from the 90s. I listened to it on headphones while walking home and felt very cool. There is one very questionable song about date rape that I think I’d just have to choose to ignore, but otherwise the songs are bangers. I’d listen to more

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.

It’s good stuff. Not in my wheelhouse but it is very good.

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

favs: jazz (we’ve got) skypager scenario rating 1/5

I really enjoyed the drum and bass combo that drives the groove of the album. Very clean tones, very satisfying to bop to. The focal element of the album is the rapping and word play. I have a hard time focusing on lyrics in music, but the bits and pieces I picked up swayed back and forth between clever word play and discussion of sex, drugs, and money. I noticed I started to get bored the deeper into the album I got. I attribute that my personal difficulty focusing as time went on, and the drum and bass groove, while nice, eventually lost its novelty and got repetitive. All in all, solid album! I think I'd enjoy it more broken up and sprinkled throughout a playlist than listening to the album front to back.

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

classique 3.5+/5

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.

It definitely was my first true hip-hop style album, I think? +3 STARS I really enjoyed every single song on the record, although I do must admit that the songs sorta blended together -1 STAR All in all, this is definitely an album I WILL be coming back to in the future. +1 STAR

few songs were good

Not for me

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.

I wasn’t that familiar with Tribe, but last year I read the excellent Go Ahead in the Rain by Hanif Abduraqib, and that got me into their music. Great album! Favourite track: Butter

Liked this.

This is the second Tribe album in the last couple of months. While I enjoyed the first album, I found this one a bit boring

Not my taste in music. However the artists are incredibly talented.

meh

I’m inexperienced with hip-hop, but that wasn’t a big problem for me here because this was captivating music from the beginning. The basslines on the first two tracks especially drew me into the flow and the lyrics kept me interested. Mixing the vocal and jazz samples keeps each track sounding fresh. There’s clearly been a lot of thought put into the track order, as each one almost-seamlessly transitions into the next. I didn’t vibe with everything on the record and the first half was definitely better than the 2nd. However, I feel like this might be a great starting point to explore the genre.

Hiphop classic

Nice and good

This is a great album. Cool and smooth, it has a jazzy vibe to it that is just so damn listenable.

Porządny rap z przytupem. Dobre flow, zróżnicowane tempo, ciekawe teksty. 7/10.

Classic rap album from a classic rap group!

Tiene muy buen ritmo,no soy fan del rap y no suelo escucharlo,pero acepto que son buenas canciones

Nice

Wasn’t familiar with a A Tribe Called Quest past Can I Kick It. Great 90’s album, listened all the way through no skips

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.

Clearly a building block to R&B and rap of today. Love the beats. Smooth.

Good older rap with a nice musical interludes.

pretty good

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

One of the quintessential hip hop albums. It combines jazzy elements, with great rapping to conform a really interesting listen. Would slightly prefer 'Midnight Marauders' but this vastly improves upon their debut. 8/10 [KEEP]

Classic

🙌

Good

This might be the best hip hop album ever.

Day 189 Wasn’t blown away but fine as background music. Highlights Check the Rhime Skypager

Personally this style of rap from this time period specifically isn't for me but I gotta admit this shit slaps

Meh, a ton of people that I like and respect like it a lot, but I just can’t get into it

I appreciate what they're doing more than I enjoy it. It's impressive. Thoughtful and catchy at the same time. So many things coming together in this -- I hear electronic and jazz with the hip hop. And it's smart. I'm not a huge fan of spoken word over music in any format, but this is good, if not to my taste.

4.5/5 https://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/a-tribe-called-quest/the-low-end-theory/ Hiphop classic for a good reason. So many bangers, perfect rap flow, smooth beats.

This is what gave me the love for hip hop. Amazing lyricists and amazing album!

Vet album! Lekker oldschool maar lekkere flow

It’s pretty good (I’m assuming better for its time) but I am left confused by the intention of the song “infamous date rape” like is it supposed to be satire? If so it didn’t really land that way with me, so had to knock it down for that. I think overall it’s solid but I wouldn’t find myself listening to it again (and this is coming from a rap/hip hop enjoyer)

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

I liked it! the songs that came after were also good. This was a nice groovy jazz album

fun

Not a fan of rap, mostly because of the sexism... but I just don't enjoy the style in general.

Obv

Rap just ain't for me like at all. I get that it has a message, but I just find it boring. Especially the earlier rap. It just blends together. I finish an album and it's just like I've listened to an hour long song. It's a genre I won't ever be able to get into. If u enjoy it congrats, have a good time listening to this cause I won't do it again any time soon.

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.

Incredible vibes. My aim is to become cool enough to listen to this without people laughing at me

This has the feel of a verbal slow burn. There's weight in the lyrics, and there's probably equal and more immediate impact in the quality of production. That jazzy hip-hop energy has always been pleasing to me, I like the heavy organic bass lines and the fleeting moments turned into loops, it's the type of idea that sparked my appreciation of samples and their origins in my teens. This sound is the perfected evolution of jazz with boom-bap. A few listens in and the sound is sticky, catchy, there's beats and lyrics that stick to the back of your mind when a silence fills the air. I think ATCQ mark a transition in rhyme style where the cadence feels more natural, but it still feels a little blocky which, on a personal level, takes it down a couple of notches. A lot of the songs are a fun listen regardless, I'm a pretty big fan of "What?" because of how the rhyme scheme forces you to think about what's being said, it turns the experience into something more dynamic. I'd listen again. I'd buy a copy at a decent price. I'd recommend it to anybody looking for a classic oldschool rap album, or jazz lovers looking to get into hip-hop. 4.3/5

Great text but I never was a fan of this type of beat

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⭐️

It’s great album. I didn’t know the band so it’s new for me and i like to listen to new things. This album is not incredible but is worth listen.

Awesome album. Tone is set the moment the bass hits as the first track opens. Funky throughout with brilliant verses, smart lyrics and smatters of humour. The back and forth between Q Tip and Phife Dawg is exceptional as ever, and the Jazz influences were I think unique for hip-hop at the time. There's no songs quite on the level of Can I Kick it, although Check the Rhime is exceptionally funky 8/10

Just great vibes

7/10. Some really good beats and samples in here. Kinda relatable subject matter too

неплохой рэп с интересными инструменталами, чилл, под расслабленное настроение, вайбы филлерных серий 8/10

love the sound, flow sounds a little simple compared to modern rap I've heard but I wonder how much I'm missing in terms of linguistic nuance. Didn't like Butter too much due to the lyrics just boasting of disrespecting women. Liked 'Verses from the Abstract', a lot more. Like the flow on 'Show Business' it's a bit faster paced and fun. I wonder if the choice of order is relevant. Does this tell a character narrative? Infamous Date Rape?? Can't tell if it's ridiculing this instructional method for how to court a sexual partner and the 'risks' of being falsely accused. If it is I feel it may be too subtle for me to catch. Liking 'Everything is Fair'

Loved it. So many good beats

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

kind of boring imo

This was perfectly fine and though not my preferred genre, easy to listen to.

Love this one

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!

Alternative hip hop at it's best.

Butter, Jazz we’ve got

Its fuckin peak god

You on point, Phife? All the time, Tip.

A lot of the albums on this list enjoy a lot of critical praise. This one deserves it.

I'm having a hard time with this one because it's very good, undeniably important, influential, etc, but it's pretty dated. Most of the old school rap that holds up is the stuff that doesn't take itself super seriously, and this one takes itself pretty seriously.

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

4/5. Classic album with great beats, but the rapping style does get old after a while. Not much variation of flow or rhyme scheme.

Haven't listened in ages! Brings back memories

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.

i had listened to this one before! not usually a rap person, but i really like them!

GOING IN: No strong feelings LISTENED WHILE: decorating FAMILIARITY: New to me SKIP RATE: Played it straight through REPLAY VALUE: Deffo play again DISCOVERY CURVE: Warmed up nicely ALBUM ARC: Pretty even, consistent VERDICT: Fair enough BODY'S VERDICT: Decent head wobble FAVOURITE TRACK: My Rating: 3

Love ‘Buggin Out’. It started to lose me by theme end but the vibe was great. Some interesting lyrics, some terrible.

So boring even instagram reels are PEAK entertainment while this plays.

classic then -- classic now.

Rap-jazz fusion! Interesting, but all the songs blended into one another. I can see why this made the list, though.

Fav: everything is fair 2.5/5

There’s not enough variation here to keep it interesting. They are very laid back and not bombastic like The Beastie Boys (which I like more). Overall, it’s alright.

05/02/2026 I can appreciate it, but it's not really me scene. Spotify listeners: 4.8 million

This is #day546 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… here's to my first-ever time listening to A Tribe Called Quest. Now, give me that '90s hip-hop any time. This record is like the Kind of Blue of rap. Vibes and stuff all over. This is a 4 out of 5. Looking forward to #day547.

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

Solid album