Reviews (page 6 of 15)
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!
Easy 5. One of my favorite albums. Highly influential in Rap and Hip Hop, Tribe has aged like the finest wine. The beats are slick and the rapping is always on point. There is always that element of jazz lurking throughout. This is a Summer album for me. I see the Sun beaming down on a hot but not overwhelming June evening, people outside just vibing in the streets. Windows down, driving nowhere in particular, sweat glistening on my skin. When I close my eyes, it’s all right there in that bass and life is perfect.
These guys just exude cool. There wasn’t anything here I was super wowed by, but I really enjoy their rhymes and their beats.
Yeah, it’s a classic
Some more classic 90s hip hop. Classic beats and rhymes by Q-Tip and Phife. It's got some great lyrics that mix profound social commentary with clever humor and wordplay. Definitely a must-hear for old school hip hop fans.
I keep trying, I try to keep an open mind. Calling this music is an insult to anyone who has played an instrument. Maybe the vocals make up for it? Nope. I rarely find an album to be unlistenable, but this just fucking sucks. I almost always listen to every album at least twice, but there isn't anything else to notice here. I could have happily died having never heard this album
So cool. Time to watch Rye Lane.
5/5
Coincidence that they waited to put Busta as the album's final verse? I THINK NOT! Nobody wants to follow that. (Rawr! Rawr! Like a dungeon dragon.)
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.
Tykkään kuinka hyvin levy "swengaa" alusta loppuun ja tuntuu että ollaan siellä jossain nykyhipidihopin alkulähteillä taas pelailemassa korista ja skeittaamassa. Ei tää kyllä huono oo ja ansaitsee jopa myöhemmin uuden kuuntelukerran
Mukavan orgaaniset taustabiitit, lepposaa duunitaustamusaa. Lykätään mielikuvituksen puutteessa nelseä kehiin
Ei löydy tarpeeks löysiä pöksyjä tämän kuunteluun.
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.
Ihan ok hiphoppia, mut en niin välitä genrenä.
Ihan jeppis levy. Hyviä biittejä ja selkeää räbäytystä. Vähän ehkä itseään toistava, mutta ei silti ehtinyt kyllästyä.
Enjoyed this. Early 90s hip hop.
Fun album, some good tracks. Highlights: "Vibes and Stuff", "Jazz (We've Got)
I knew almost nothing about this group before this. This album is great, each track flowing into the next smoothly. It’s nearly a 5, but kinda blends together over time. Still really enjoyed it though. 4/5
Good tunes but not my style :).thx
Such a good album vibes beats and soul. I can only mark it down because it’s kinda samey, but that may just be my opinion on rap
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.
Lyyrisesti ehkä parempi kuin nusab osalta, mutta hyvähkö levy. 3/5.
This album has it all. Jazz, great beats, flow, and fun lyrics. Really a perfect album.
Excellent hip hop with sampling that sounds way ahead of its time. Very enjoyable and first thing I have heard from them. Solid 4
One of the best hip hop albums of all time. Peak beats and lyrics. Best of the 90s hip hop era.
A Tribe Called Quest's masterpiece, it has the characteristics that the Tribe are know for, such as intelligent lyrics, positiveness, wittiness, jazziness. The Low End Theory is definitely one of most important albums ever made, regardless what ever genre preference you might have - even if you primarily listen to something completely different like metal or electronic - you should still give it a listen, it's just one of those seminal albums every one should listen to. Below are some lines that really resonated with me, either because of the tone or delivery or the meaning of it: "Float like gravity, never had a cavity" (from Buggin' Out) "Progressions can't be made if we're separate forever" and "My people have been oppressed too long, no more will we be down" (from Verses from the Abstract "Ain't no one your equal, especially on the industry side" (from Show Business) "We know the job is done, when we hear a lot of cheers" (from Vibes and Stuff) "Now here's a funky introduction of nice I am, tell your mother, tell your father, send a telegram" and "Industry rule #4080, record company people are shadyyy" (from Check the Rhime) "Always sweet-scented, if it's business, she meant it" (Everything Is Far) "I'm all that and then some; short, dark, and handsome,"Don't ever try and test the waters little kid, yo mister Busta Rhymes tell 'em what I did" (from Scenario) This album is a example in favour of the proverb "less is more." It really is an extremely great example.
Album Nr. 88 Nichts für meinen Geschmack. Wer die Kombination aus Jazz und Hip-Hop mag oder interessant findet, kann das Album jedoch bestimmt anhören.
Its a fine rap album. But I'm not wowed.
24 hours after grinding through Dr Dre’s gangsta rap, A Tribe Called Quest offered a much more engaging experience. The musical atmosphere is much more refined and spacey; the lyrics are live-and-let-live in outlook. I liked the clarity of the diction too. If I had a disappointment it was that - with the odd exception - the lyrics weren’t super-clever or thought provoking. I’m glad to have heard it, though.
I've never really listened to hip hop before 1001 albums. The bits I'd heard by chance weren't appealing so I'd not sought more to listen to. Listening to two hip hop albums in two days has confirmed that I've not been missing anything. Musically simple, I guess because it's more about the lyrics than the tune. My problem is that I come from the wrong time and place to interpret the lyrics in a meaningful way. Too many unknown words, possibly street slang, and the rest of the words spoken at pace in an accent that I don't find easy to understand. That makes it hard work to listen and get some sense from it. To me music shouldn't be hard work! So I'm sure it means something to some people, just not me.
A really solid album, I don’t love it quite as much as People’s Instinctive Travels though.
Bit repetitive but a few good tracks
a few good songs
An awesome album, but I'm only giving it 4 stars just in case their two albums I like better are on the list. RIP Phife Dawg.
Love this album.
yeessssssss!!! love it
Cool production, nice flow. A bit repetitive-sounding, though, but it's alright.
Rap écoutable pour une fois
10/10 incredible production and rhymes.
This album sounds incredible. Super fun. Amazing production. Busta Rhymes rips on the last song. I am not a hip-hop fan, so the songs started to blend together and it got a little long. But this album gets 4/5 for how great it sounds.
Fun, good beats, takes me back.
A bit too heavy on the drums
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”
This shit is great. Alt-hip hop is a really underserved genre now, and the early 90s had some good good. This is one of them. The writing and bars are all so fucking smooth. You can hear this style on a lot of artists afterward, and its evolution into the late 90s. For all the hard rap and aggressive sampling that went en vogue in the decade that followed, this is still the shit that hits harder with it's lack of hard hitting. Great shit.
--Excursions...love Q-Tip's flow --Buggin' Out...that bass --Rap Promoter...drum beat mixed with palm muted guitar. sick --Butter...feels like a lesser and longer version of the previous track --Verses from the Abstract...very smooth --Show Business...things were starting to get samey, so they smartly increase the tempo for this one --Vibes and Stuff...very cool production. I like the bell(?) sound --Infamous Date Rape...feels similar to earlier tracks --Check the Rhime...the samey vibe continues but I'm more forgiving of this one. the horns and the light keyboards add a lot --Everything is Fair...fun sample --Jazz (We've Got)...great groove but the similarities between are making this long album feel even longer --Skypager...here we go, this is weird --What?...not sure what that robot guitar sound is in the background but it's fun --Scenario...Busta!
04/11/2025 Check the Rhime bel pezzo
Not my preferred flavor of music, but some great lyrical work here
Yep, this is hip hop. Nothing revolutionary, but I guess you had to be there for it to have an effect.
not my type of music but chill om eens daarnaar te luisteren
Better than most hip-hop albums. Notably lacking in violence and misogyny, very refreshing.
No. 5 The first hip-hop album from the generator. I'm no hip-hop expert by any means; really, I just know the basic artists of the genre, so I was really excited to get to know more musicians. Now about the music, I really love the jazzy vibes and the way they implement the lyrics with the sounds. For example, in "What," "Chill for a minute, Doug E. Fresh said silence (*four second pause)"; that was great to listen to the first time.
I really liked this! Had a very fun Brooklyn walk with this on. Weirdly, I went to a “sip and paint” thing like 10 years ago and we painted this album cover. I can’t really paint, so mine really looked like a crouched, battered woman made of bacon strips. I had that painting hanging in my house(s) until I moved to New York and people would ask… what is that? And I would say “my battered bacon woman”. Looking at the actual cover, this is some really cool art and a really cool album and that’s weird I tried to paint it?
I know Check the Rhime of course, but had never listened to this whole album. Rap is not really a go to for me because I can't work or read to it, but listening to this intentionally was great, and is a different kind of listening experience for me. It didn't move me, but it still felt gooooooood in a smooth way.
Always down for Tribe Called Quest!
Did not enjoy.
Just ok
I can kick it.
Funky
I liked this a lot. The beats were really cool, good lyrics. Jazzy samples.
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
Don’t remember this album coming out at all. Enjoyed it. Diamond D that’s a name from the past. Wow. I’m old. Ha ha
This is good, but my lord does Midnight Marauders do it for me like the other ATCQs don't.
Solid rap album. Might listen again? Tough to say.
Kjedelig 90-talls hiphop. Ble dessverre en inspirasjonskilde for mange... Det er jo faen meg samme jævla rytmen hele føkkings albumet!!
First 60% of the album is incredibly good. The last 40% is alright. Overall 8/10 because the whole album is a 90s vibe.
Excellent
Best Rap Album ever
This one is pretty awesome, good jams Will I listen to again: 100%
Really interesting to hear Busta being showcased.
These guys helped start Busta Rhymes' career, but were also heavy influences on Kanye's career. So I'd call that a wash
Lovely album.
4.5 Man the memories - I had this CD over 20 years ago, it’s still here somewhere. I played the hell out of it and am so happy to see it’s on this list, especially after two days in a row of 1 rating albums. The Low End Theory is so smooth and funky, I love the jazz samples and drums throughout that Q-Tip and Phife Dawg flow over with laid back ease using conscious lyrics regarding the entertainment industry, relationships, partying, society, etc. Their contrasting styles on the mic complement each other very well (the Abstract and the Concrete). Also shoutout to them for producing and writing most of the album themselves. And these beats are a little darker and harder than you’d expect, making them even more magnetic. This whole album of prime 90s east coast boom bap flows perfectly with not one skippable song. You can leave this on in the background all day and never get sick of it. Another perk of this project: it brings old classics and favorites back into your rotation. I guess the only thing keeping this from a pure 5/5 is the low fi, dated, muffled quality of sound.
VERY cool hip hop record, LOVE the jazz instrumentals
Funky, jazzy, smooth. Some of the best of hip hop.
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
There’s a whole song on here devoted to a pager!
very good jazz-rap 8/10
This is like a 4.5. 🧈
"Keep my bases loaded like the New York Mets" !!!! 1991 was the Mets' first losing season since 1983—so, sick burn, fellas! #gojays Update: Hey, what—Dungeon Dragon is Busta Rhymes?? Nicki, cite your sources!
Yes yes yes
They rhymed a lot of things with Arsenio but that’s not the only reason this was great.
Busta Rhymes coming outta left field to just torch the end of the album
Old School Rap. Not my thing.
I agree that DateRape song is weird, but the rest of the album really feels like the 90s in a wholesome way. They still excel with the sampling and the lyricism in this album. 3.5 rounded up
The flow and boom bap is top notch. The album could use a little more variety in sound and style, but since they're doing what they're doing so well, it's still a 4
I'm not sure it's quite a perfect, no-notes, 5-star album. But this was still quite good. The flow was good and the guest stars know what they're up to. My only quibble is that the songs do start to sound a bit same-y from song to song. But at least when they sound this good you don't mind the same-ness too much (That and the date rape song. That's a mild yikes from me bro.)
Not a fan
Good, wouldn't listen to it again probably but it was a enjoyable listen.
Minimalistic, repetitive sounds underlining trivial rhymes. Talking about the daily live and struggles of the 90s in the US and gangster glamour. Not annoying. But not interesting neither.
I used to like this a lot, but it’s been a while and I haven’t been much into rap lately. But I’m glad to say it holds up.
This is my kind of hip-hop. Cool samples, head-nodding beats, great bars.
I do still really like this but as a whole it doesn’t do a lot for me anymore. 🤷🏼♂️
Not my favourite quest album but very good fun funky
amazing
Second TCQ album off this list. Sweet beats.
The only thing holding back this album, in my opinion, is the lack of more stand alone hits. But the album flows so damn well and it's got a great sound.
Good beats, monotone vocals, trippin.
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.
2.2 Just classic shite 90s hiphop on this list. Lyrics written by a teenager, very basis beats, wtf is this lists obsession with incredibly mediocre 90s hip-hop end me.
5/10
#150/1001. My wife said that this is hip hop she understands, and that is a great compliment from her. For me it falls somewhere in the middle, not super innovative, not terrible. The flow and the beats are again good, and there is a bit less ghetto and anger, which for me is a plus. But still a 3.
Appreciated the old school beats and jazz influences but it did get a bit repetitive.
I enjoyed this. It was interesting as a bridge between Public Enemy and a more modern hip-hop sound. I liked the choice of samples and the different styles of the vocalists.
I like the laid back vibe, strong jazz influences (particularly like the double bass I think was used for a lot of the beats), and relatively minimalist approach to the style. Lyrics were well delivered, the cadence and flow fit the music and both lyricists play off each other well.
Old School corny rap Funky beats Decent flow Quite basic rhyming
Can I kick it?
As far as hip-hop goes, this is awesome. I'm just not a /massive/ hip-hop fan. I really like the jazzy beats on this album, the lyrical delivery is awesome too. I just don't reach for albums like this very often, so it's a 4-almost-5.
Butter is my favorite track.
o.o
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
keine ahnung, gehört, irgendwas empfunden aber dann wieder vergessen und irgendwann war das Album zu Ende. Hat keinen bleibenden Eindruck hinterlassen, wie ein nicht riechender Furz
Angenehmer 90er HipHop
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.
Wasn’t really in the mood to finish, so didn’t listen to the whole thing.
[Gordon Ramsay voice] Finally, some good fucking music. Smart lyrics with clean beats infused with jazz, this is great hip hop. Only minor critique I have is that a few of the sounds and references are a bit dated, which is to be expected from a hip hop album recorded in 1990, but Phife & Tip are so charming and smooth that you won’t care about any minor flaws. Super socially conscious material, humor, and the infectious grooves all combine to make this a great listen. A solid 4/5
Absolutely 100% yes, blast from the past and pure dopamine. 5.
liked the first few songs but it was always the same
Fire album Almost every song hit Didn’t blend together
At first it seemed a bit monotonous and definitely over long. However the second half was much better and overall I really enjoyed this album. Intelligent lyrics and interesting production. Will come back to this. 5 stars from Check The Rhime onwards but let down a little for me by the first side.
Third album I've already listened to in a row, I've listened to around 200 total how does this happen, but still great hip hop
Great classic Rap Album. Liked it!
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.
Microphone check one two what is this? The five foot assassin with the roughneck business I float like gravity, Never had a cavity Real classics on this one. Young Busta to close it out. Some of my all-time favorites in "Excursions", "Buggin' Out" and "Scenario". Some of the middle tracks feel dated, but overall a great one.
Most of the songs kind of sound the same but the lyrics are EXPLOSIVE
Slightly too slow for me. 3.
Okay
I’m a big fan of this sound. It melds jazz instrumentation with hip hop beats and funky bass lines. I can’t be certain, but it sounds like there isn’t anything artificial (or should I say electronic) here. It sounds like real instruments. I would like to do some research to see if it’s being sampled, or if these tracks were composed. I also really dig the lyrics and flow. Revolutionary for 1991, as other styles of rap were still sounding very old school, and even a little corny. But this is fire.
Very good.
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*
Catchy. interesting lyrics
Fucking banger album
Tribe's best album and one of the best hip-hop albums of all time. Jazz samples, funky drums, (as expected) great flow and intelligent rhymes - also, the tracks get better the further you get into the album. Best Tracks: Excursions; Check the Rhime; Everything is Fair
One of those rare undeniable albums that live up to the hype
completely new to me -- I LOVE this
Funky from beginning to end. Check the Rhime is easily the best song here but not a bad moment
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!
Really good
Me senti na NY de 1989, ou na São Bento do mesmo ano.
Good conscious Hip-Hop with some powerful messages. Loved how smooth it all flows together.
Excellent lyrics and harmonious rapping. Only gets a point docked for getting samey by the end. A couple more varied instrumentations or rythms could have helped to freshen things up
1991. Cohesive and consistent. This is Tribe's best album and stands up as a display of lyrical jazzy bassy talent. Easy to enjoy.
8/10
Good album laid ground work for modern hip hop. Nothing hard to listen to. But nothing ide come back to 4.1
A classic!
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
Nope
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.
bars. can see why it's a classic favourite track: Jazz (We've Got)
Solid, cool album :)
Great sample and lyrical storytelling. Stand out track 'what?'
Jazzy hip hop, lovely vibe. Lyrical content is fairly clean too which makes a change from a lot of hip hop and means I don't get told off for playing it around the house.. Will probably take a delve into the rest of their catalogue.
I thought it was cool
No es para mi
Classic
that was a fun listen!
Otroliga vibes och samples
Jazz och Hiphop är bra combo!
Rätt intressant ändå!
Brukar gilla denna typ av hiphop men här känns inte produktionen lika on point så som det brukar vara. Men det är ju också ett tidigt album.
A bangin' album, and I'm not even into rap.
I'm not a hip hop guy and even I liked this
Love the grooves, some really great wordplay here. Date Rape song seems a little bit ehhh.
Great grooves. I wasn't listening to the words. Gets kinda repetitive.
Cool hip hop!
4.4 one of my fave hip hop albums from the 90s faves: jazz, buggin' out, excursions
Not me
I was excited when I saw the band, a few had my head bumping that were funky but honestly was disappointed. Overall 1.8/5
Wow
200925 20:13 4.5
Pretty familiar with this legendary hip hop album , the rhyming is a bit out dated and the instrumentals low on layering but there’s quite a few classic tracks
Good vibes, good flow, good beats, and the sun is shining in London.
Somewhat well-aged.
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
Every track is a bop. It’s impossible to listen to this and not nod your head
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.
🐐🐐🐐🐐
So often i see it on some lists where people highlight the best albums and have tried multiple times to appreciate it ans Triba called quest, but it's just not for me. Also the jazziness is not really helping it. 🥲
phenomenal album flawless
Not a fan of the same beat over and over and over and over and over.
Like, fun , funky even. Nice downtempo 110 something bpm.
Great
Yep, there was a reason tribe called quest got so much hype in the early 90’s. The flow , beat were ahead of their time when comparing it to other hip hop. Less angry that PE, Ice Cube, or the first 2pac. Im on the line between a 3 and a 4. Let’s call it a low 4 star.
I kinda just wish the double bass thing had been carried through a little harder? Bars go crazy though. 4*
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)
Generational work, both in the sense of its influence and in the fact that if just a few things went wrong or with the wrong timing I could see this being seen as woefully uncool. Who gives a shit about all that when you cap things off with Scenario
I really enjoyed the beats on this, the drums and bass were putting in work. The lyrics fluctuated in quality throughout. Tribe has always been a vibe for me, this album is no exception. A few songs on this could have been trimmed out onto a B-side or something to refine this. Highlights; Butter, Excursions, Buggin Out, 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)
Undeniable masterpiece that loses out on the 10 on it simply not being my thing alone. 8/10
Shoutout to the jazz bass player on this, really the star of the show. It's clear from listening to this that Check the Rhime is the standout track and did well as a single. The album has good moments, but most of the time I found myself zoning out. I don't have a valid criticism for this other than to say that despite listening to this three times I really wasn't able to interface with this for no reason other than the simple fact I found it boring. It was a novel listen at first, but this isn't the sort of album I would go out of my way to listen to. I can see this playing in a cafe or at some 'vinyl bar' where they pretend to play an actual LP but it's just spotify on an expensive PA system where a shitty excuse for a cocktail is 28 dollars and its really just a gin and tonic with food colouring. Highlights: Check the Rhime
Oh this is goooood
A real bassist! Otherwise... more rap.
This is on steady replay for me. 6/5
This was quite good. I’m not generally a hip hop fellow but I enjoyed this quite a bit. The lyrics are solid and the performances are pretty good as well. This is a good album
The musicality is really wonderful, the spitting feels purposeful to the point of clumsy.
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
Wow
Great old school hip-hop album that I've listened to often. I really enjoy the fusion of jazz into the mix.
Beautiful hip-hop/jazz hybrid album.
Great album indeed. Not their best though. Still solid 5 either way.
Love the jazz vibes in this hip hop album. Tribe is great all around.
Beats are amazing. Lyrics are effective, thoughtful but sometimes come off corny by todays standards. At the same time, TCQ does a great job of creating a cohesive identity and sound during their music. It's such a calming type of hip hop which is lovely in the midst of a popularity of screaming and hype music. As we seem to be continuously chasing new highs in our music, it's refreshing to hear something so music which is calming but with powerful social commentary.
Was not prepared to love this so much
Amazing. You already know. Tracks 1,13,14 are my fave
Just from the opening instrumental notes, you can feel the jazz. A flag bearer for Now York hip hop, and for a reason. Super tight, cohesive set list, and a head bopper from beginning to end. Recomended listen for everyone, and a very good gateway album into 90's hip hop. Very smooth and silky, you jst feel cool listening to it.
Un album de hip-hop plutôt réussi, qui s’écoute facilement malgré mon manque d’appétence pour ce genre musical!
Rap in its purest, most distilled form. Impeccable bars, and a stripped back production that is so clean you could eat off of it.
Classic
Everyone loves Paris because it is so beautiful. But it is just a nice building repeated thousands of times. This album is the Paris of hiphop albums, a good song repeated a bunch of times. I went in with high expectations and didn't enjoy it as much as I hoped I would.
It’s good but also the same sound on repeat
Not for me. 1.5/5
Instant 5 stars. One of my all time favourites.
Very cool listen. Maybe a but samey but fife dog and q tip sound so good over the jazz in the background. Album gets maybe a whole extra star for the Busta rhymes verse in scenario.
Banger after banger
A really solid 90s rap album, probably one of the best. Every track is so good, melodic and solid, surprising for rap form what I’ve heard. I’m conflicted on being 5 stars, but it might be a really strong 4. Id say it’s essential listening
I always liked Q-Tip's flow from hearing him guest on tracks--particularly The Beastie's "Get It Together." Though, when "The Low End Theory" came out, I was not a fan of old school hip hop. I’m still not a fan of old school hip hop, but I wasn’t then either. So I overlooked the early evolution fostered by bands like A Tribe Called Quest. I wish I had listened to the album when it came out. Super solid and groovy.
i was waiting for the other shoe to drop as i was listening to this: when was there going to be song that's a stinker? imo, there aren't any. what a treat to listen to a 1001 album and experience a growing sense of disbelief that EVERY song is an instant save. highlights - excursions, buggin' out, verses from the abstract, show business, vibes and stuff, check the rhime, everything is fair, jazz (we got), skypager
Goated
not my favorite from the native tongues era but still a damn good album
Jazz & hip hop what a glorious mix
Favorite: Everything is Fair This album is fine. "Infamous Date Rape" is throwing me for a bit of a loop, like the start of the song makes sense but then it keeps going and I start to be like WTF. What are their actual thoughts it's not clear, i shouldn't leave a song about that topic going 'wait what'. Also, this is a consistent thing about older rap albums but the way they talk about women just doesn't vibe with me, it doesn't make women sound like people to me. Otherwise, this is a good rap album, it's not my favorite genre but it's got some nice beats and the lyrics are fun to listen to and clever.
Je pense que c'est très bien mais je ne m'y connais pas assez en rap pour bien juger.
A decent album
A true no skips classic. 4.5/5
I'm not a rap fan, yet I feel like I've been spoiled by my limited exposure to Kendrick Lamar. This just feels artless to me. References feel dated. Many instances of cringe. Not my culture though, so my opinion is probably pretty irrelevant here.
My favourite of ATCQ. Highlight: Jazz (We've Got)
A masterpiece. The heavy bass driven beats meats timeless and engaging lyrics. The dynamic between Q-Tip and Phife peaks here, and they seem so damn confident. It's a project with no real skips, and it has aged so well. Best song: Excursions Worst song: What? Cover check: Minimalistic and iconic
90's hip-hop built on top of jazz samples. Ever found hip-hop beats boring and repetitive? Try this. It's the foundation of alt-hip-hop for a decade. 'Buggin' Out' and 'Check The Rhime' are excellent.
Everything is Fair stood out. Great album!
Lots of bands sample, but these guys are masters of inclusion
*AIRHORN NOISES* You KNOW as a white 20 something I am fucking JAZZED to see this one. WOOOOOOO. Heavy bass samples await me. Some slightly dumb rhymes, sure but did I mention double bass jazz samples??? I feel like I could review this one from this side of this listen. Sometimes my opinion gets changed, but seeing the amount of green checkmarks (Sp**ify reference) on this bad boy, I’m in for a hell of a day. Excursions - THE PROPHECY HAS BEEN FULFILLED. This sample rips, Q-Tip is so incredibly cool and proves it with this smooth delivery out of the start. The saxophone jumping in as well? This is so far ahead of its time. I forgot that we saved “Phife Dawg” for the next track. Well, consider me as they say “addicted to the beat.” Buggin’ Out - UGHHH it’s the best. This is one of the top 5 hip-hop beats ever. So simple, so incredibly hard. Phife Dawg’s delivery is so electric. Always attacking the beat full-on as a stark contrast to the more cool & collected flow of Q-Tip. Man there are so many quotables. Has to be one of my favourite rap songs ever. Rap Promoter - Why can’t people do this anymore? Despite my noticeably white skin, I feel like I listen to a decent amount of hip-hop and this beat doesn’t come around every day. Like what is going on with this? Full chills. So unbelievably heavy. Butter - The review writes itself. That transition was smooth like uhh it’s on the tip of my tongue. I’ve lost it. Anyway, we’re listening to a story about how the rapper is a player. Not sure about saying “I used to abuse em’” but I suppose we love an honest rapper. Verses From the Abstract - Busta Rhymes is here. Supposedly. His name was mentioned, but I think it’s awhile before we get the infamous “chickity choco the chocolate chicken” bar. Ron Carter was here. This is the obligatory shoutout track. Show Business - Probably too many features here as the other rappers couldn’t really clean the microphone of the main two guys here, but this is a fun multi-rapper track. Love Phife Dawg’s verse here. So devastatingly funky. I mean the toilet paper line is a little cringeworthy, but the ferocity is so good. Vibes and Stuff - A quieter track. Almost feels like a break of sorts as we prepare for the avalanche of classics coming near the end. Nothing here is even close to bad. Still an enjoyable track. Infamous Date Rape - Uh oh. I’m hoping we will be on the right side of history here. Ehhh. It’s a little woman-blamey at parts. Just a weird departure. Waste of a fantastic beat. Check the Rhime - You on point fly MC who is very brave? Why, yes, yes he is. This is so quotable. The whole thing. The “on point” exchange with the conversational pauses and inflections is so god damn fun and will be stuck in my head for weeks. It always gets that way. Everything is Fair - What about living in a tenement structure in society Georgia? Is everything fair there? The answer may shock you. I have no idea. I would be more intrigued if the US state of Georgia seceded into a communist state. I would win a LOT of money. Jazz (We’ve Got) - The epitome of a jazz rap song. Raise up squire is the type of dumb word combo that I live for. There are just so many fun quotes I recall from this record. They roll off the tongue. I even like the shoutouts. I usually find them to be funny, but they have such a wholesome, cool quality here. Skypager - I still have no idea what a skypager is. Do you just use it when you want sexual relations? That seems overly simple. Loving the Duracell product placement on this one. What? - Some of the questions of our time. Scenario - The classic party track. Home to one of the best atmospheres ever to grace a rap LP and to be fully honest, some of the worst rhymes ever put to tape. Can you imagine writing the words is a “wow now how now brown cow” or “scooby doo ba doo boo” or whatveer and not only keeping it, but recording it in a studio. If I wrote that earnestly, I would be so embarrassed, that I would burn the notebook and never write again. The song still goes hard though. Obligatory praise for Busta Rhymes absolutely destroying at the end there, even though he brings his fair share of dumbass bars, he murders it. Q-Tip and noted short king, Phife Dawg are just so great. Are there hip hop records I enjoy more than this? Yes. Is this still a seminal hip-hop/jazz rap/East Coast/Boom Bap etc. record. Oh hell yes. The lyrics are hit or miss, but the beats are incredible and the delivery is electric. This thing is a monster. A million years ahead of its time while still being firmly rooted in the old school. Damn near perfect and a complete revolution for this type of music. 4.5 HIGHLIGHTS: Excursions, Buggin’ Out, Rap Promoter, Check the Rhime, Jazz (We’ve Got), Scenario
It's a good album with some dated lyrics
Hip hop with classic jazz sampling and smooth lyrics? Sign me up. I was really hoping this album and their debut album are on this list and I'm not disappointed. This album is mandatory listening for anyone who claims they love hip hop/rap. 5/5 stars.
There are ways this album hasn't aged well, but those things are mostly minor and it's still pretty brilliant. One of the classics of it's era.
Wow this is another one which I've heard so many times that its hard to take a step back and hear it from scratch, but I tried. This album feels a lot different to any other rap albums both at the time and since. I think the choice of samples and the way they are integrated quite minimally feels quite unique, more as if there is a band playing, because it doesn't feel too crowded. The drum breaks are excellent, the often dusty, slightly low-fi vinyl sampled quality makes them a bit saturated, and the sampling in general is quite warm feeling. I think that if you had no idea what sampling was, you could definitely think that there was a single band playing, because of how well pieced together the samples are. I've always been interested by the way that they approach the choruses of the songs, as they tend to just repeat a certain phrase, like on the first 2 songs in particularly, I think that's great, as sometimes rap songs get aimlessly stuck in verses with no real structure. I also really like the choruses which revolve around a sample, like everything is fair. The rapping and wordplay is incredible, a lot of social commentary, but also mostly story-based. It definitely gives a look into their personal lives. I think I slightly prefer Q-tip over Phife, but that could be because Q-tip appears much more, and I quite recently learned that he was the primary producer, I thought it was the Shaheed Muhammad guy, but seemingly he only did a little bit of the production on here. What I think is a totally unique feature to tribe is how well each of the rappers compliment each other, especially in songs like check the rhyme where they are quite literally going bar for bar and both of their verses mirror each other. Not even to mention the features, which I think make Q-tip and Phife have a slightly different approach, something like a friendly competition. The guys on show business are great, and Scenario introduced me to the Leaders of the New school, who I also love, and they also have totally different approaches to wordplay like Charlie Brown's jokes and cartoon references. It just makes for a totally full-feeling, very diverse in terms of rapping themes and references, but still very consistent pallet in terms of the funk and jazz-based samples. Favourite songs: All - but I think the date rape one is more ok than the others (mostly instrumentally). Overall around 10/10
An effortlessly cool classic. Like most of Tribe's output, this is just operating on a different level to anything else in the genre, starting with its emotional register: it's positive & upbeat and even though it's a serious record with serious things to say, it never loses sight of that optimistic core. And everything else Tribe does well is at its best here. The flow, writing and production are sublime, with Phife Dawg and the basswork being particular standouts. Not only that, there's a confident restrain to this which is why the decades have been so kind to this: it is timeless.
One word repeatedly came to mind listening to this: tight. On each track the vocal performances have this beautiful flow-like cadence that syncs up so nicely with the beats. Alongside the occasional jazz elements it all just clicks, track after track. Another hip hop gem I’d revisit thanks to this list. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Kick ass
I'm not super well versed in older hip hop/rap but liked this album much more than I expected I might. Smooth and flowy with jazz undertones.
Songs kind of all sounded the same but I was happy enough
I liked this a lot it was catchy and very fun to listen to
An interesting, relaxed rap album. The piece entitled Jazz was particularly memorable
Some of the songs reminded me of Doechii's music. I wonder if this group is one of her influences. Fun rhymes and cool instrumentals, sampling from diverse genres. Didn't like "Infamous Date Rape" or "Butter."
Gut um im Hintergrund zu hören aber nichts was ich aktiv hören würde. Hat einen entspannten Vibe aber holt mich einfach nicht ganz ab. Topsong: What?
This was the start of modern rap and hip hop. Cornerstone piece of art right here.
10/10
First song is pretty good, afterwards it's becomes fine as the album moves along.
Timeless. This is true hip hop.
Tribal power
Great listen to fu my old hip hop. Doug E Fresh
cool 90's rap, enjoyed the sound, didn't listen much to lyrics tho, so might have missed alot
This was really good, I felt like I got more into the album as it went on too.
Solid album top to bottom. Never realized they made Scenario. Really liked first few tracks too.
Good stuff
A true classic. Brilliant from beginning to end. One of the favorites in my collection and always fun to give it another listen.
Liked the funkiness but after a while it felt like all the songs sounded the same. The last song was ending on a high note for sure.
Love this style of rap
Timeless classic!
I'm not a fan of this music genre, so an album has to have something really special for me to appreciate it. While this album is obviously very well produced and executed, it didn't have anything that made me want to seek it out again.
Just an all around amazing album. World class production, jazzy beats, great story telling and all without taking itself too seriously.
Завжди складно визначитись який альбом у них найкращий, але цей дуже сильний претендент на це. Тут ще більше розкручується джазовий семплніг, динаміка між Кью та Файвом на вищому рівні. Хороші тексти, особливо на фоні тем, які вже були в мейнстрімі. Куплет Басти Раймза в Scenario - краще фінішер складно уявити
As good as rap ever gets.
Even better than the last Tribe Called Quest album but still not a 5 cos it’s a little repetitive
This one is like the pinnacle of 90s Jazz Rap
I dug the groove and old school style, but it got pretty samey.
Hip Hop masterpiece. One of my favorite albums ever!
Super smooth, super funky, one of the best hip hop albums of all time.
Love these guys and the work they did. So much music during this period was HARD, or wanted to be. Tribe could be on point without being gangster and I really appreciate it. Amazing beats, amazing lyrics, great hooks.
Good vibes, slick rhymes. It's good, that's for sure.
a "classic" hip hop sound, in the sense that when i think of hip hop, i think of verses and beats like this.
There are only a handful of hip artists that I come back to regularly. ATCQ is definitely one of them. People's Instinctive Travels is my favorite album of theirs, but this one is solid too. Buggin Out is my favorite here. 4/5 #158
This is not really my genre, but I absolutely loved this. Very cool, very slick and just a fun listen. I was surprised to see that it's from 1991 because it sounds like something from the late 90s -- I assume because Quest was just ahead of their time. The musicianship on the backing tracks was really on point and the rapping was just very good (in my mostly-uninformed opinion). I listened to it twice -- five stars.
One of the best
Nice sound but a bit boring