Reviews (page 6 of 14)
There's something kinda quaint about how these early entries in rap and hip-hop compare to today's vulgar and heavily auto-tuned music from the same genre. Ground-breaking, smart, catchy as all hell. This whisked me right back to my teenage years.
Honestly I was gonna skip this album because my abusive ex’s favorite artists was a Tribe Called Quest but fuck that guy, this music is amazing idc. Very buttery album I love it.
It's jazzy, it's fresh, it's solid.
Just a classic old school hip hop album. One of the best, and a cornerstone to the hip hop I love. The sound is smooth, cool, and infectious, the lyrics are thoughtful and full of soul. I have and will continue to listen to this album over and over again.
One of those albums that sounds effortlessly cool. The jazzy beats, smooth flow and laid-back vibe just work from start to finish. A timeless hip-hop classic.
you’ll always find me giving every black artist a high rate bc why are they so good at everything
I like this one better than the debit. It's classic for a reason
#376 I’ve always liked Q-Tip but that’s usually come via well known Tribe songs and Chemical Brothers collaborations, and of course, there is one song very much in vogue right now. Of course, he’s not the only rapper but he’s always been the most notable to me. It has been good to dive a little deeper into their albums, both of which I have got on well with but a quick check and realise I only gave their debut 3 stars and wonder if I’ve been a tad harsh. Anyway, this must have landed better but I’ll revisit both. Heard before? ❌ Would I revisit? ✅ Listen before you die? ✅ Fave track(s): Vibes and Stuff; Scenario Rating: 8/10 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Shout out to Scott Skiles for being immortalized in hip hop history. This is one of those records where I wish this site gave half stars. A very strong 4.
I really loved this. I’ve heard about Quest for a long time and this was my first experience listening to an album in full. It was exhausting trying to follow the lyrics but worth it.
Bought this recent enough, very cool album. Solid, great beats and rhymes, might be too laidback sometime, but overall a classic. 4 Heard before? Yes Owned: Yes, 92/345 (26%) Will I get: Already have
Great album
It's a really really good hip-hop album but there is not much variety. I gave all the songs a 4.
*guy who's only listened to MF Doom* Getting real MF Doom vibes from this
Amazing rap album, A Tribe Called Quest never misses. I’ve listen to songs on the album but the is the first full listen. Scenario is the highlight of the album for me!
As much as I praise this album for being so lowkey and laid back without coming off lazy, I don't think people should ignore the problematic track 8. I feel like this song doesn't lay down it's motivates well enough thus making it seem very predatory and insensitive. In case you didn't know there is also original lines for Show Business which were also very controversial and homophobic but thankfully the label rejected that song and made them rewrite their lines. You can still find the demo online and I highly suggest you check it out to educate yourself on the controversial recording of this project. While yes I very much love this album it does really hurt to say that Track 8 really holds this down from being something I consider excellent.
Gran hip-hop y jazz álbum de Quest, sobretodo las letras y storytelling es sumamente enriquecedor de escuchar atentamente, hay cosas que no entiendo, sea por contexto, historia, etc. Fuera de eso, es un álbum bastante disfrutable e histórico. Escurridizo, misterioso, discreto y directo.
Simple beats yet effective classic songs and a good time
Groovy.
Haven't listened to this since middle school. Lots of bangers
Man this was such a great 90s hip hop album. So many good beats and tracks, and the flows were great too.
Already had listened to but not in a while so fun listen
Back in the early 90s when MCs liked rhyming plastic, spastic and drastic. This was great!
Great hip hop album! I can't believe I haven't heard this before, but it's right up my alley. Has a very Jurassic 5, early Black Eyed Peas feel to it; it's great!
WOW
was my one and a halfth time around with this one. absolute banger. perfect go-to album in time of emergency. captivates you from the beginning to the very end. very good very cool. at least 8.5/10
Prime rib of OG rap
It’s like butta baby. Good beats, very chill. Same vibe as Q-Tip that I listened to yesterday, but 90’s style. (4)
Very good. I like this type of boom bap and jazz influenced rap. Only marking down a star as it was a tad samey but still great
Okay, I love Tribe very much, and while I adore the sound and composition in this all-time record, I can't give it a perfect score. Usually, Tribe is super respectful and progressive, but this one ain't great to women. Tracks like butter, infamous date rape and what? feature some low-key misogynistic lyrics. I want to give this 5 stars, but I just can't. 8/10
Goat unc rap
A beautiful period in music history. Crackling jazzy samples and people pushing into new territory. Scratches an itch the brain.
for me its kinda boring. just boom bap, just rap, nothing else. prolly ts album is important for hiphop history but its gave me nothing new. And lyrics not resonate with me either
High 4, such an easy listen.
I liked the vibe of old school hip Hop and mix of Genres with jazz and funk
classic. funky beats
great instrumentals
Beats too good it made my fall in love with the abstract. Much bigger fan of this compared to where rap is at today
Great album, my kind of hip hop
goated
Пьяное ожидание жирного бургера. С первого вступления и басового проигрыша, ты понимаешь тебя ждёт что-то цепляющие. Я никогда не слышал настолько четкого и структурированного фристайла - вообще ни в одном треке не чувствуется выжимка или натянутость. Все согласовано все легко и свободно. Не покидает ощущение какого-то опьянения или сонливости, но при этом наполненность энергией до краев. В конце прослушивания я ушел в свои не очень позитивные мысли и на удивление альбом показал себя утвердительным, утешительным и что самое интересное - благосклонным к будущему. Обязательно нужно отдельно выделить подход к выступлениям - они настолько продуманы что кажутся идеальными, а в треках вас ждёт множество умопомрачительных пауз, которые придают всему альбому нужный антураж и движение. Этому альбому ставлю 7,5/10, неожиданная даже для меня оценка, с учётом описания, мне показалось что как альбом его нужно было сделать немного короче на пару песен, потому что как бы хорош не был подход - к концу альбома притирается.
Fun album- old school radio rules!
Não conhecia, mas gostei. Bem jazzy
Interessante
A trule great old school hop hip album, innovative, Q-Tip flow is smooth.
Got to be a little samey, but a good listen
unbelievable album, love the vibe and the low bass
8/10
They weren’t lying about the low end
Undeniably a rap classic, and the album that put jazz rap on the map. The beats and the flows on this album are, in general, insane. I say in general because I think the first half is a bit weaker than the second one. Still very good, and has "Excursions", which is one of my favourite tracks, but I believe that the latter half is way more packed. The album itself I would say it is very straight forward, but also incredibly well done. The beats are not very busy yet incredibly infectious and super smooth, specially the ones where the double bass is more predominant. The vocal delivery is also on point, mixing very well with the beats. As one of the songs says, they flow is basically like butter. In addition, there are also some bars that go incredibly hard, and some really interesting lyrics and storytelling, like in the already mentioned "Excursions", "Butter" and "Check the Rhime". Another thing I want to point out is, despite of the sound being very chill, there are some tense moments as well. While not incredibly intense, still noticeable compared to the smoothest parts. So in the end, a great album. I wish some of the songs in the first half hit as hard as everything from "Check the Rhime" to "Scenario", but it is a great and fun experience nonetheless.
Iconic bassline starts. Q-Tip seems to have hyperrhythm somehow when he raps, like more rhythm than rhythm. And I like their little stories and nonsensical observations, and surprise references to things like chemical compounds and Ralph Kramden. And Busta is here! Overall, this is fun :)
😎🆒👟🎧🔮
I like Tribe. I like their flow and lyrics. The mixed vocals helps add variety.
pretty peak
isk vatra, za sad samo dve pesme al je opusteno i zanimljivo u isto vreme rap i jazz? u isto vreme
My fourth or fifth time trying to listen to this and it finally clicked! It bounced all over my cab and I fell in love with it! What I don’t understand is the hip hop and rap types aiming most of their music about sex, but this worked and I was bobbing along. The production was on point, I can only imagine how many layers there is to putting this album together. One thing that gave it a bonus over other albums like this on the list is the ability to showcase their talents without having to do those stupid intros every few songs so that was nice. Best track- I absolutely loved the blatant not caring what anybody thought about what they were writing and rapping about in ‘infamous date rape’ Worst track- ‘skypager’ I didn’t need to hear a pager noise in a track 😂 Surprised myself here but 9/10
I know this is an iconic album, but it’s just not quite five stars for me, more out of personal taste than anything. Clearly great rappers, can’t fault them there even if the lyrics don’t always connect with me, and I did enjoy it. Most of my gripes with this are down to genre preference, and my ratings are based on my feelings not technical analysis.
historically never cared much for tribe called quest. but it’s working for me today. didn’t feel nearly as corny this time.
#144/1001 🇬🇧 This is an album that i regularly see propped up on display on the shelves of record collectors. Its genuinely my first listen and first impressions are stripped back beats, jazzy samples and great lyrics. Best tracks: Jazz (We've Got), Excursions, Bugging Out.
Overall: 8/10 There was a lot of jazzy stuff going on with the first Quest album, but this one goes all in on the jazz rap concept and they absolutely kill it. The flow is always on point and while the lyrical content isn't perfect, it's always interesting. I think I like this one slightly more than the first album. Fav Song: Jazz (We've Got)
bamger
groovy
Intelligent and interesting. I need to slow down and listen.
*Solid hip hop album but like the genre for me, it can get similar sounding at times.
1001 albums, ya don't stop
A real triumph and cornerstone of hip-hop. The seamless combination of jazz samples, dope baselines and great lyrics make this a fantastic album. In comparison to Run-DMC’s Raising Hell party sound, this is the kind of hip-hop you want to sit and listen to. 4/5
Favorite track: Scenario
the epitome of 90s hip hop. I liked it!
Diferente de todo rap que ja escutei. Foi uma boa surpresa. 4/5
I really enjoyed this one.
Enjoyable, chill
Excellent
Какой-то реп и баста раймс
Very nice groove. This is the sound that brings me back to my decade
The early '90's might just be the best era of hip hop. Tribe really sets the bar for that. As a middle aged white guy, I definitely don't relate to the content, but I sure as hell love the grooves.
Fun and nostalgic
Good time fun listen through out but not my usual choice for hip hop, good to lay back to though I'll definitely chuck a few songs on a playlist for relaxed listening.
4/5
The last time we reviewed A Tribe Called Quest it was their debut record, now a few hundred albums later we’re reviewing their second record. I enjoyed the instrumental side of the first record, the beats and production are all excellent. That continues to be true on this second album. My main complaint on the first record was the large amount of, in my eyes, shallow and predictable lyrics. I have to say I’m pleasantly surprised by this record in comparison. The lyricism feels sharper, less predictable, and the flow is, to my ear, significantly smoother. I enjoyed this record quite a bit, still nowhere near my favourite hip-hop record, but I wouldn’t mind if someone put this on in the car. 3.5*
As someone who doesn’t listen to hiphop music often this album is still great and amazing just to have in the background to relax and do whatever you need too
Not my thing
До кінця альбому стало наче трохи гірше, ніж на початку, але все ще дуже добре
classic 90’s
Groovy, but not jazzy
Lepší straana rapu, ne pro me, ale dobry viby.
Maybe I actually like rap?
yessssss!! Briks favorite album of allll time
Back when this came out I was mostly just exposed to 'gangsta rap' and I figured I just didn't really care too much for rap. I wonder if I had heard this back then if it would have given me a greater appreciation for the genre and set my life in a different course. At either rate, I didn't find this until a few years ago, and I really dig it. I also like to set off a 'radio station' based on this album. Good stuff.
The album where Tribe came into their own. The big change from their debut is the even split of verses between Q Tip and Phife Dawg, and the two MCs are perfect compliments to each other, both vocally and lyrically. Phife's fun and brash persona is the perfect counterpart for Tip's measured approach. There are tons of quotables on this, especially on "Buggin' Out," and "Scenario" is one of the best posse cuts ever. The beats are chill and perfect for a summer day. If I have one complaint with the album it's that the beats get a bit too similar after a while. They're pretty far from what I think of as jazz rap now, being very bass heavy. When horns show up, like on "Butter" and "Check the Rhime," they massively elevate things.
Such a vibe. Ideal album to hear while driving.
Very good 👌
Awesome.
Pretty good
Good album. I’m becoming a fan for sure. Good file, nice use of jazz samples.
Have I listened to this album before? No How familiar am I with this album? I know scenario How do I feel about this artist? I don’t listen to a lot of hip-hop but I find Tribe very fun. This is one of the groups that I’ve been looking forward exploring with this generator. First impressions: I think this will be a fun album. I like Tribe’s overall style in the songs that I know. The album art is fun. Favorite track(s): Scenario, Show Business Overall Thoughts: A fun Monday with A Tribe Called Quest. I never connect much to the lyrics and hip-hop, but that doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy the beats. I like the way they blend elements of jazz. Super fun album that I can tell influenced a lot to follow.
old school funk hip hop, buen ritmo, buenas rimas, unos avanzados. tiene buen mood en general, no es superb, pero se deja escuchar muy bien, 4/5 porque son legacy
Would be perfect but Infamous Date Rape is on here, I know Tribe aren't advocating for date rape, but the sex jokes in a song with that theme flies in the face of otherwise conscious credentials
Well known album but did you know this album released the same day as Nirvana's Nevermind and RHCP Blood Sugar Sex Magik?
Reminds me so much of Hamilton the musical? Its all i could think of while listening 😭 but love it so far, did some digging and found the cultural significance, its an easz listen, would love to give it more time and attention to read up on lyrics etc
Rap and nice beats. I enjoyed listening to the whole thing
I’ve listened to this album 1,000 times and it hits every. single. time. The beats are absolutely amazing and Q-Tip and Phife Dawg are ridiculous lyricists. They never get overly excited when on the mic and deliver hard hitting rhymes like they work at Fed Ex. Their song topics are contemporary and they shout out a million different artists from the industry from song to song. This is as close to a “5” without being a “5” as it gets.
Such a good rap album omg Lives the crew and what everyone bring to the songs
Vibey
Listened to this twice. A great hip-hop album with elements of jazz. I thoroughly enjoyed it with a few notable songs. would absolutely listen to this again and would like to discover more. Check the Rhime or butter was maybe my standout. 4 stars
JAZZ 90S HIPHOP
It can get a little monotonous at times. But overall a very jazzy, smooth, and cool listen. Likes: Excursions; Buggin Out; Butter; Verses From The Abstract; Check The Rhime; Everything Is Fair; Jazz (We’ve Got)
Smooth like butter 91 was a great year in hip hop - everything from Ice T at his most O.G to Mantronix. “The low end theory” might have gone unnoticed with its blend of jazz and hip and slower pace eschewing money and hoes for musically and lyrically interesting songs.
I’ve tried Tribe before, but found them a bit samey. On listening, the lyrics are really good. With a good variety of social themes
Listened on 1st February 2025. Favourite song is Jazz (We've Got).
Really strong album, probably deserves a more critical listen but if nothing else is great to just vibe to. Might be worth a 5 tbh.
This is the real deal! Innovative and original music aligned with poetry!
I think I'm on an island here, but man i love Tribe CQ. My first car was a gold 93 Volvo a 5 cd changer in the trunk... This was in there from time to time and I could not get enough of the snare slamming on the 2 on Buggin Out. Or the horns at the VERY end of Excursions. Little moments. Q Tip cool as hell. Mostly though it's the beats. Really one of a kind sound and generally sick. Since our last review it is harder for me to ignore some of the corny raps, but I don't really care. Midnight Marauders is where they really reached their potential, hope we get there.
Ja heel goed, maar na een tijdje klinkt het wel heeel erg hetzelfde. Kan altijd maar een half album luisteren van tribe called quest
A Tribe Called Quest made some of the grooviest East Coast hiphop ever. I love jazz rap!
god zo'n heerlijk album
хороший реп мб надо послушать нормально я ща не хочу
nice hiphop . I like the lyrics . cool
Pretty basic but good overall
I love ATCQ, I think I spent more time listening to Midnight Marauders but some of their best are on this album. Phife and Q-Tip will always have a place in my playlists. Favorite track: Scenario (or Buggin Out? (or Check the Rhime?))
Rate: 9.5/10. I'M BIASED pero es que me gusta demasiado el rap y A Tribe Called Quest tienen un sonido muy particular, destilan puro maldito flow.
It's worth the listen to get to The Scenario It's worth listening to The Scenario for Busta Rhymes's verse It's worth listening to Busta Rhymes's verse for his delivery of the line "rawr rawr, like a dungeon dragon."
This album was a great listening experience. This is one of those albums that resonates well with you. Great lyrical verses, flow, and the overall vibe of the album was mellow and smooth. 8.5/10. Favorite Song: Butter
Smart and contemplative. Love the hooks and jazz vibe. Excellent production. Tribe lives up to their legend.
It reminded me of the time when I was in junior high school and listening to Schadaraparr a lot.
My first old school rap, hip hop album and it exceeded my expectations, frankly I loved it. Favourite Songs: What?, Jazz (We've Got), Verses from the Abstract, Butter, Excursions
This had me from the first bass notes on the first track. And why not, when Ron Carter is playing? This is cool, bebop influenced, laid back, minimal rap. The rhymes are witty. The beats are sublime. Jazz (We've Got) is an absolute banger, but the rest of the tracks aren't far behind. Enjoyed this a lot.
Old school of hip hop with a singular mixtapes, it's good but not spectacular
Smooth like butter
we got the jazz
Hell yeah
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.
bangerssss
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
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!
interesting
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!
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.
Full of good songs, very consistent throughout, great songs at the end
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)
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
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!!
good flow good lyrics has busta rhymes not super extraordinary
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
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
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 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.
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.
Badass album, awesomen rapping, beautiful beats.
I love these guys when I was young and now I like them even more I think.
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
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
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.
Unbelievably cool. Lives up to the hype.
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.
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.
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
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.
Alternative hip hop, Busta rhymes, Phife dawg
Love everything about Q-Tip. Flow, Style, lyrics and attitude. The Beats jazzy and funky, really nice.
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
Some of the reviews on this album sound just borderline racist lmao, this is great
A chill time, enjoyed the beats.
Solid headnod.
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.
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.
also a classic banger ass album this was bible when i was a potiessa teenager cutting class and being sooo stoned dude
Good stuff. Chill, groove-centric hip-hop you can relax to. Not my favorite album of theirs - I prefer Midnight Marauders.
Good hip hop
I enjoyed it a lot more that I thought I would. I really enjoyed the simple beats compare to more modern hip hop
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.
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
It’s good stuff. Not in my wheelhouse but it is very good.
classique 3.5+/5
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
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
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.
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!
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
Clearly a building block to R&B and rap of today. Love the beats. Smooth.
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.
Vet album! Lekker oldschool maar lekkere flow
I liked it! the songs that came after were also good. This was a nice groovy jazz album
fun
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
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
неплохой рэп с интересными инструменталами, чилл, под расслабленное настроение, вайбы филлерных серий 8/10
Loved it. So many good beats
Love this one
You on point, Phife? All the time, Tip.
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
i had listened to this one before! not usually a rap person, but i really like them!
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.
Solid album
listening to this for the first time i can hear the inspiration a lot of modern current day artists get from this album. the lyricism from the album unfortunately relates to events happening today. effortlessly cool while spreading the word
I love the rhyming in this style that Tribe has
I liked this - I definitely enjoy the rhythms and humour in New York hip-hop like this and De La Soul.
All the time Tip
Another one of those albums that I can't quite beleive I've never actually listened to before. I've always loved the Tribe vibe, and listened to a lot of their stuff one way, or another. But apparently not the full album. It's a solid 4 off a single listen, it would defintely go up with more time.
this was a fun album obsessed with the cover favorite song: what?
Unexpectedly nice album. Add the song Check the Rhime to the playlist. Love the winds and jazz vibes.
Q- Tips flow is so addictive. 7/10
7.5/10
I was so surprised listening omg the first song is so groovy
Holy shit what an album! Every song hits hard. Brilliant production on some of the best sounding double-bass I've ever heard and class samples. Lyrics are, obviously, class and the vocal interplay between the Tribe artists and the cameo artists is next level. The album seems to gradually swell and expand with each song.
yer
No skips seminal rap album with incredible beats.
Cool and jazzy. My kinda hip hop
Excellent, early 90s hip hop.
pretty good
Cracking album.
Nice throw back to when hip hop could be both intelligent and fun.
As I said with their previous album on this list .... classic!
"Raow roaw like a dungeon dragon" Strong 4.
The jazz inflection to Tribe's sound always gives it such a timeless feel to me. I've always loved Midnight Marauders but appreciate the classic tracks off this album (Check the Rhime, Scenario) and fell in love with a few more tracks on this listen (Verses from the Abstract, Show Business.) A bit sad that however timeless they're sound, misogyny is also timeless given the terrible takes in 'Infamous Date Rape.' You know, these crazy skeezes on the rag and all.
Very nice, flowed real smoothly and gave me quite a few chuckles
Ret fedt, meget 90'er
Buggin out. Lots of 90s love
Very listenable. Some nice brassy sounds and jazzy beats. 'Check the Rhime' has an old soul sample, but can't think what. Can see why this would have been seen as a great album at the time - seems ahead of its time. Busta Rhymes feature good way to wrap the album up.
My second from ATCQ. It took me a track or two to properly get into it but once I did I really enjoyed it. Definitely need to check out more of their stuff. Top Track - Jazz (We’ve Got)
I like this alot. Old school hiphop is something I enjoy listen to, although im not super into the history. The minimalistic approach i liked, leaving more heads pace to listen to the lyrics and it's flow.
Great album!!
Potentially the greatest hip-hop record that had been released up to this moment in time. 4/5
- onneks tällasta musaa on joskus tehty, koska enää tämmöstä ei tehhä, hemo cool levy
Does sound a little bit dated. That makes sense since there are essentially no hip hop albums that sound modern 35 years later. That being said, there aren't a lot of hip hop albums approaching middle age that still stand up as a great project.
Not my go to style of music but recognise it's brilliance, lyrically and the dynamic. It certainly made me conscious how I've stopped listening to entire albums and the concentration it needs to remain focused.
Excited for this. I already know Excursions and Check the Rhime. I liked!
4.5, so good.
8/10
Solid
It's just so dang much fun. "What's America without green and glamor?"
Geluisterd tijdens het schoonmaken. Relaxt, goed te luisteren. Zeker nog een keer afspelen. 9/10.
Production is excellent, love the jazz type beats throughout. Easy to tell how this album became so influential. Some of the lyrics sound dated and the album seems a bit long but the highlights are very strong. Many of these songs will always sound fresh. Overall a very solid album that stands to remain influential for a long time.
(Rating: 7.5) Really good, love how clear their words and the story they tell. I liked Butter a lot, him talking about meeting his match and his point of view on how he treats women. The instruments and noise in the background and are a lot more jazzy and taking up space than most rap songs. Not a big rap person but I would listen to this again.
I really liked this one. Maybe too little melody for my taste but it was the best one so far.
such a fun album, very good memories.
Love the simple beats and the flow. Enjoyed listening to this despite not hearing many of the tracks before at all.
If there is one thing this album really excels at it's THE BASSLINES man. They're so incredible straight from the opening seconds. With their bounciness they create a hypnotizing laid back atmosphere that plays throughout the entire album. There is not a single beat that doesn't bang on this. The drums are also tight as hell and super hard and make the production here outstanding. While I like the rappers in ATCQ, I can't exactly say they kill it on every single song. They don't go below a certain level but aren't always in top form. This doesn't stop this album from being super iconic and defining for jazz rap.
Good
Q-Tip's flow and voice are unreal and instrumental in creating an incredible project. The second half of this album is truly something special. Personally, this is not my favorite A Tribe Called Quest album, but it's definitely a clear 2nd to their 2016 LP. 4/5
the people yearn for the return of hiphop that fucks (this is hiphop that fucks)
Sorry to be the guy that drops this from #1 in the group. This album is strong lyrically. The production style contains innovative samples and highlights those strong lyrics and vocals. It gets repetitive on those tracks that are just basslines and beats though. It’s clearly an intentional choice - I just like beats to have more substance.
An album that I once loved but am now unable to enjoy because of my own inability to let go of a grudge. You see, on a spring evening in early 2017, I was discussing this album while walking downtown. As a non-chalant goofy aside, I said “and Q-Tip is such a great rap name.” Suddenly, this woman emerged from the shadows, a smirk on her face as she relished in saying, “Hate to break it to you, but that’s already a rapper’s name” and then she breathed cigarette smoke in my face I’m not joking this is a real thing that happened. I said “that’s literally what I just said” in a tone that was pretty overtly hostile than was warranted in that situation, but I was pretty pissed off and just kept rattling off Tribe references I’m not joking this is a real thing that happened. Indeed, I am still exactly as pissed off as I was in that moment. Now, 9 years later, I fear that my enjoyment of this album has been permanently sullied by this fucking moron who went out of her way to interrupt the conversation of a complete stranger in order to be condescending. She’s forgotten me and yet I bring her up quite often. I hope she’s having a bad day. Anyway, I am incapable of listening to Tribe without getting irritated and flashing back to that interaction. I’m giving it 5 stars because I used to love this album a lot but now it has bad associations.
track 1: i like the beatt, resalto el bajo y el sample de la trompeta ?, las voces y el discurso en el coro slay, track 2: buggin out buggin out, la tercera entrada me gusto mas q las del resto, le da un cambio al track, mmm please uwu track 3: no mucho q decir q no haya dicho anteriormente track 4: el intro esta increible ?? mm they know who they aree, a qn le escribieron esa cancion jejej, ITS LIKE BUTTER BABYY tmb le da un cambio al track, track 5: rompe con lo demas de los 5 tracks ya q es mas tranquilo y me gustan los acordes de guitarra del fondo :3 muchisimo mas chill, me recuerda a las canciones de 2020 ??? progessions can be made if we separated forever, track 6: rompe con la vibe del track 5, la entrada del 1:30, i was not that cutie JAJAJ, track 7: i think i gotta screeeammm, un poco mas grunge ? im not sure, increible sample track 8: GREAT INTROOO, el final del primer verso >>>, EL SAMPLE DE CYPRESS HILL, u aint going out like thaatt, sigo insistiendo con el bass, crazyylyyy, EL CORTEEE, best traaackk track 9: EL CAMBIO DE BEAT ????, no se pq me recuerda a tyler the creator ??, ik u know who i am, el coro es otra cosaaaaaa, 2:00, back in the dayysss, el finalll lo mejorrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr track 10: EVERYTHING IS BETTER WHEN YOU'RE LIVING IN THE CITYY, el piano en el fondo le suma demasiadoo, society torture track 11: LA TRANSICIONNN, we've the jazzz, competition must go from a fair way, EL JAZZ EN EL BRIDGE DAAALE, yeah dont stop, really cool cutting ending track 12: EL BEAT, SAMPLEO UN TELEFONO ??????????????, ns q suena en el 1:20 pero me gusta mucho, thanks for calling track 13: lame as a brain, tututu, again with the bass, what are laws if they're even EQUAL, pense q se habia dañado por el corte jejakje, resalto las lyrics a lottt, take it easy baby WHATT track 14: q manera de cerrar un album, scoobydoo, busta rhymes cuanto lleva rapeando ?? DUN DUN LIKE A DUNGEON DRAGONNN, me gusta la portada resalto en general el bass en cada track jazz vibes i like it me gusta demasiado el buen manejo de los samples
Damn. So good.
very easy to listen to! definitely see the timeless influence from this album
My loves! Not may fave ATCQ album, but Qtip&Phife D are master lyricists and Check the Rime & scenario are BRILLIANT tracks - can still remember dancing to Scenario when it came out and all the guys were shouting out the lyrics - nice memory.
The low, slow rhythm reminds me of double-dutch. Waiting for the perfect moment to jump into the center of the two opposing ropes as they tap the ground in a hypnotic cadence. Tap, tap, tap, tap... Towards the backend, the beat changes, and it's more frenetic and intense, like when a kid would add their own jump rope to the mix while still keeping up with the original two in motion.
Just like Ringling Brothers daze and astound captivate the masses cause the prose is profound...and so is the beats...it's a new year!
Lief gut durch endlich mal wieder HipHop. c
I used to love this band, or wanted to at least. It is such cool music, but it verges on the preachy. I love the edge it brings though. I’ll listen again.
Liked didn’t love
Not too shabby
4/5
Love this one, just good vibes and some really hard hitting lyricism. “Infamous date rape” is a very heavy hitting song. Love the boom bap drums and use of a double bass, it’s impossible not to bob your head to this one. I don’t really have anything bad to say, other than I definitely prefer midnight marauders, but that’s just a personal taste thing.
Great OG hip-hop. Really clean, laid back early 90s vibe. Loved it.
great group. did not hit me quite like the first album does. would probably be a 5 star if I was following generated album order & listened to Guns N' Roses before. but instead I listened to Sam Cooke. music: appreciated. (⌐■_■)
It’s really good, all their stuff seems to be really good.
Not my fav Tribe album but solid with classic highlights.
Dette er bra, men syns det blir lavmælt litt for lenge. Det er kanskje grunnen til at jeg aldri har kommet helt inn i gruppa.
I've already listened to his album (42).
quite nice if you’re tryna get into rap, an easy listen and gives nyc
Super cool. Love the jazzy additions, and very impressive lyricism in the raps
I reviewed TCQ’s first album a couple of months ago, and I really enjoyed it. I also enjoyed Q-Tip’s The Renaissance when I reviewed it last week. I know I listened to an album by TCQ before I started this project, but I’ll be damned if I can’t remember which one it was (and that’s why I log everything I listen to now), and I have determined it wasn’t Instinctive Travels, so now I’m going to find out if it was this one! This will be my last album from 1991 to review, and I’m feel certain that this album will be a great way to send 1991 off into the sunset. I didn’t enjoy The Low End Theory as much as I enjoyed Instinctive Travels, but it was still a really solid album with some outstanding rapping. Before listening to this album, I read that it was a bit different than its predecessor, in terms of the beats that were used, and unfortunately, I think this album suffered a bit from that change in direction. It took me until “Show Business” to really get into this. The rapping was really great throughout the album, but musically, I felt that the first five tracks really lacked a lot of punch. The lead-off track, “Excursions,” had some great rapping, but I could tell right off the bat that this album would have a different sound to it. However, there was still that fuzziness to the production that I really enjoyed. But once this album got to “Show Business,” I felt like this album really took off. The beats and samples were much better from that point forward, and I really enjoyed the last 2/3 of the album. Lyrically, “Show Business” was one of the best songs on the album too, and the line ‘go get yourself some toilet paper ‘cause your lyrics is butt’ was insanely clever and funny. From that point, “Check the Rhime,” “Everything is Fair,” and “Scenario” were all fantastic. “Scenario” in particular was the best song on the album in my opinion. The Busta Rhymes guest verse was incredible, and the line ‘bust a nut inside your eye, to show you were I come from’ had me cracking up. I really enjoyed the sound of this song, and it was an excellent way to conclude this album. Even though I wasn’t as big a fan of this album as I was its predecessor, I still thought it was a really good album, with some excellent rapping from Q-Tip and Phife Dawg.
A laid back, minimal rap album which brilliantly fuses jazz and hip hop. Grew on me after a few listens.
The album generator has blessed me recently. Controversially not my favourite of theirs, some amazing songs no doubt but they're mixed amongst more songs that just struggle to stand out. Nothing bad, lyrics are tight, just not as hitting.
The instrumental behind the vocals is consistently entrancing in a way not many albums manage to pull off. It's been a goal for years to actually sit down and listen to A Tribe Called Quest and this is probably the best way to launch into it.
Excellent ! Je n’avais pas écouter d’album hip hop comme celui-ci depuis longtemps. Assez chill, les morceaux se suivent bien. Gros coup de coeur pour show business. Je dois réecouter le premier album pour comparer. Un classic du hip hop jazz !
Good vibes good beats good lyrics. It’s good.
bardzo przyjemnie mi sie go sluchalo, ale mimo wszystko nie byl to album, z ktorego kazda piosenka niesamowicie by mi sie podobala. mega mi siadl ten jazzowy klimat, pare piosenek wlecialo na playliste!!