Reviews (page 8 of 13)
Smooth, sharp, tight, beats and rhymes with a soupcon of jazz thrown in to top it off. Very nice.
If it just had Scenario it would have five stars, everything else is good too.
Really good but maybe slightly overrated
“ANOTHER TRIBE ALBUM?!?!” This is what I said, with excitement, when I saw this pop up last night. I’ve listened to their third and first albums (in that order) and was thrilled to be handed their second. Tribe is just…incredible. The whole package. Masters of flow and vibes. Clear messages, often with social issues in mind. Smart lyrics with clever rhymes. Their demeanor or attitude just creates this feeling like you know them, like their songs feel familiar even if you’ve never heard them before. I adore Tribe. And I adored this album. I didn’t like it quite as much as their first, and so I’ll give it 4 stars. But that’s not to say it isn’t incredible in its own right because it really is. Standout tracks: Excursions, Buggin’ Out, Butter, Show Business, Vibes and Stuff, Check the Rhime, Jazz (We’ve Got), What?
Bra innføring i en sjanger jeg aldri hører på frivillig.
Definitely not their best album but still a solid 4
Excellent old school hip hop. Great beats, great flow and a lovely little taste of the ODB on the last track.
Sounds so modern. Bass lines are groovy. Great flows and can understand.
Great album, but can get a bit repetitive. Easy album to throw on and get lost in, but not great for background noise as the sound lends itself to blending together.
pke erste song schomol huuuuere hard. beboptönt echt wie hip hop?? buggin out weniger cool. aber immerno cool. nocher machter dengdidengdigigigi!! butter maaad geile beat bruuudi. aber de q-tip isch schochli de besser rapper als de ander guy. uuuuuh s sax im refraaaaain. verses from thea stract mega happy gfallt mer. q tip huuuere coolesiech. uuuuh ron carter on the bass??? show business au saugeil. vibes and stuff isch meh so chli afoch en vibe halt? beat geil jnd so aber nöd viel meh. infamous date rape uui ok würi hüt nöd nomel so mache. aber gege sexuelli gwalt schono harde shit. check the rhyme rieese samples riese beat. industry rule #4080 industry people are shadyyy. nocher en mc hammer diss lesgoooo jazz time.
okay scho vill vo ihne ghört ich lieb de bass, so hot "once had a fetish, fetish for some booty" DANKE also ich find es groovt ultraaaa. nöd mega catchy oder so aber z vill catchy würd au d atmosphäre störe? vibes and stuff isch halt fr fr vibe and stuff check the rhime insane mengisch hend sie so abrupti wechsel, was für mich nöd megaaa sinn macht, bi somene album wärs doch nice wenns chli würd inenand flowe statt so herti wechsel aber naja schlimm ischs nöd KLARS 4
Me sorprendi fuerte con este rap de la vieja escuela a puro sample
Todella kokonainen levy! Rennolla tavalla varmaa suorittamista. 4/5
Not my thing, but very impressive all the same. Minimal beat, and impressive lyrical skills. worth a listen for some earlier rap.
So good. The whole album is a groove. The song transitions are 10/10. It’s all so smooth. None of the harsh record scratching and short stops of a lot of other 90’s rap and hip hop. The date rape song…don’t love it. Everything else is excellent. 4.5
Love the jazzy sound - so fresh and fun (even have Ron Carter on the album). The flow is what makes it sort of dated, but it's awesome. I knew "Scenario" but the rest is great. I liked this a lot more than I expected. 4.2
Better than I expected.
Fantastically written hip hop. I tend to prefer hip hop with more melody incorporated, vs. stripped down to the beat and vocals, but even though this one is more the latter, it still does it for me.
Not my cup of tea, but definitely a great rap album
90s eastcoast hip hop at its best.
I don't have quite the ear to review the album proper but I did like it a lot. One thing I noticed was how modern it sounded. My idea of hip hop and rap at this time sounded different. It dates itself here and there with lyrics about pagers etc but it sounds ahead of its time and I like that a lot.
Starts off real strong. Back half is not near as good
Det här albumet var en positiv överraskning!! Tyckte väldigt mycket om blandningen av jazz och hiphop. Favoritlåtan från albumet var ”Infamous Date Rape”. Albumet får 4/5 stjärnor❤️
This is a fun and funky summery album
Sick
Fresh, dope, hip even
heard for the first time like 3 days ago, absolutely wonderful stuff. Heavily recommend breakbeat as a genre to indulge in to anyone who resonates with the instrumentals.
4.5 stars. The jazz influence really makes this hip hop record a masterpiece. The underlying bass lines give it musical depth. Has a more mellow sound than macho hardcore gangster rap. Standouts are "Check the Rhime" and "Scenario".
I always liked 'Can you dig it', with its sample of 'Walk on the Wild Side' but, sadly, that's not on this album. Nevertheless, this is a great collection of old school rap with witty lyrics and judiciously chosen samples which fit in seamlessly. Great stuff!
Absolutely brilliant
I liked it. Specifically liked Jazz - 8/10
I enjoyed it quite a bit, very good walking around and vibing music 8.5/10
Classic 9.5/10
Exactly what you would expect from that genre.
Great!
This really grew on me as I listened to it and probably reflects my age and a nostalgic look back on 1990s rap which has a certain charm. I would have liked to have give it a few more spins.
This was a great album and a real surprise. I had never heard of A Tribe Called Quest before, but I listened to this album all weekend! I'll certainly be listening to them again. Jazzy Hip Hop, loved it!
Straight heat. Favorite track is Skypager.
Old school hip-hop. Rhyming is life!
This is definitely my favorite facet of hip hop, where it feels more like art than a persona. Folks havin fun but actually talking about something other than themselves. Or at least sometimes ;) Also nostalgia automatically adds a star.
Real vibe. Nice old school rap and some of the flows are fr crazy.
yeah good
I liked it but didn’t make it all the way through. You know stuff.
album grew on me, very smooth rap + a solid beat and the jazz is real nice. Sometimes felt a little too smooth?
Amaze
This album feels like they sonically embodied new york. Starts off a bit slow for me but then the beats and lyrical flow find a perfect rhythm that i really love. Above all its fun as hell
Very reminiscent of De La Soul to me, even though they had pretty different sounds in some ways. I enjoyed this album, but was hoping for a bit more variety tune/rhythm-wise (it got a bit more varied in the later tracks, though). Once again, I kind of wonder if this is the best album to showcase Tribe.... (I never listened to them back in the days, aside from whatever might have been on the radio.) A solid 4, I'd say.
Loved this, especially all the samples or just references to other songs (i.e. the way that guy said "leavin'" a few times and you knew he was thinking of "Leaving on a Jet Plane", and am I right in that at some point they referenced Lou Brock?) Very cool. I really enjoyed this.
[I've heard of the group, but never heard them.] After a few pieces, I really like it, and, so far, anyway, no F-Bombs, rapes, or murders - sorry, that's my old white guy stereotyped impression of rap (and I just found out that this genre is Hip Hop - see? you learn something every day!). Is it wrong to say that this reminds me of Arrested Development? This is an easy album to listen to the whole thing and just let it flow, but the lyrics need your attention. You don't often see/hear references to Meshach, Shadrach, and Abednego. Or Afrika Bambaataa, for that matter. "...if you really liked yourself, then you would try and be you." True. "...the world is kinda cold and the rhythm is my blanket... Wrap yourself up in it, if you love it, then you'll thank it." Now that I'm 2/3 through, though, I'm not 100% on it. And will have to spend some time researching the people they reference. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ __________________________________ 🎧 LPs reviewed: 32 🎧 LPs left to review: 969 🎧 LPs I found great/relevant enough to be mandatory listens (5): 9 🎧 LPs I *might* include in my own list (4): 11 🎧 LPs I will certainly *not* include in mine (1-2): 8
Another really solid, fun album by A Tribe Called Quest. Even after it started to feel a bit repetitive, it’s hard not to move along.
Appropriately, groovy bass lines are prominent and the backing music is atmospheric. Flow is measured, but lyrics incisive. At times, feels like this bridges the gap between the 80s and 90s. Beat on Infamous Date Rape is particularly nasty and Jazz (We've Got It) is super smooth.
Great album. ATCQ one of the pioneers that help transition hip hop into the new school era. 4.5⭐
Didn't know them. Great album. I really like this old school rap that isn't just about cars, drugs, hoes and Gucci.
Þessi er svakalega næs, minnir mig á Digable Planets, nema helst þegar að Busta Rhymes kemur inn í lokalaginu. Merkilegt hvað það er til mikið af góðu hip-hoppi frá þeim árum þegar ég var sannfærður um að hip-hop væri botninn.
Especially liked Check the rhime
Iconic hip hop album. Love Q-Tip
01) Excursions - 8,0 02) Buggin' Out - 8,0 03) Rap Promoter - 7,5 04) Butter - 7,5 05) Verses From The Abstract - 7,5 06) Show Business - 8,0 07) Vibes And Stuff - 8,0 08) Infamous Date Rape - 7,5 09) Check The Rhime - 8,0 10) Everything Is Fair - 7,5 11) Jazz (We've Got) - 8,5 12) Skypager - 8,0 13) What? - 7,5 14) Scenario - 8,0 TOTAL: 7,82 (78/100) Didn't like Dr.Dre's "The Chronic" (2 stars, it currently ranks #63 out of 69) so let's see how this one will score. Three songs in and it's much more enjoyable. Ok, two songs 'till the end and now I know why I like this one better (Butter?) - there's no excessive cursing... Lyrics are better, beats are minimal, only drum, bass and jazz samples. Much better, it goes in at number 35 out of 70.
Not something I would normally choose for myself, but I liked this one. Backing tracks were interesting and not over the top. Strangely, I found it on the mellow side. Maybe I need to turn it up! 4/5
Ahah je l'ai déjà évalué sur mon autre compte, j'adore les beats, ça a bien vieilli! Classic!
I really liked this. I’m going to have to listen to it more
Rating: 9/10 Amazing album. Fantastic production with great rapping. The jazz-influenced production and sampling are incredible throughout, very revolutionary for the time period and it still sounds great today, definitely timeless. Q-Tip and Pfife Dawg are just having fun for the entire album, not too much substance to what they are saying but there are plenty of clever lines and wordplay, a lot of the lyrics are very humorous. Wish there was a bit more variety on this album in terms of lyrical content and drum beats but there is a reason why this a considered a classic. Favorite songs: Excursions, Buggin' Out, Rap Promoter, Butter, Vibes and Stuff, Check the Rime, Jazz (We've Got), What?, Scenario. Least favorite song: Show Business.
Much better than today’s talentless “mumbo” rappers. Bring back that old-school hippity hip-hop! #thewesthasfallen
"Vibes and stuff?" Oh, you better believe it. To reference a song from a different album—I can kick it.
A pioneer of the hip-hop genre.
This is a nice album. It’s funny to hear, in a way, because it seems so anachronistic it’s almost sweet. It was a very different time in hip hop, the early 90s, and as the antithesis to “gangsta rap,” this is on the “conscious rap” Mount Rushmore. That said, nostalgia aside, I think the chances of me choosing to put this in my current listening rotation is slim to none. It’s a nice trip down memory lane, but I’ll take my feel good dopamine hit and move on to the next. 3.5 stars, if it were possible. *note: Busta Rhymes star-creating bars are always welcome in these ears!
Really good album. No idea how good A Tribe Called Quest is! I listened to a bunch of their stuff after hearing this album. Noddin & bobbin my head through this entire album.
Excellent record! this was truly something I needed to listen before I died. That production which gives the spotlight to the MC is something quite distinct.
1991 - probably my deepest exposure to hip-hop, thanks to living in downtown Oakland CA. At the same time, I was also listening to bunch of acid jazz, which shares a lot of source underpinnings with A Tribe Called Quest. It's really hard to just sit and listen to this without diving into sample sources! 1. "Excursions" 2. "Buggin' Out" 3. "Rap Promoter" 4. "Butter" Pretty sparse accompaniment on the verses, then the jazzy horns come in to dress up the repetitive chorus. Verses comparing hisHS love life with the now. 5. "Verses from the Abstract" (featuring Vinia Mojica and Ron Carter) 6. "Show Business" (featuring Diamond D, Lord Jamar and Sadat X) 7. "Vibes and Stuff" 8. "The Infamous Date Rape" 9. "Check the Rhime" 10. "Everything Is Fair" 11. "Jazz (We've Got)" 12. "Skypager" 13. "What?" 14. "Scenario" (featuring Busta Rhymes, Charlie Brown and Dinco D)
Hadn't heard before, but really enjoyed. More "chilling on a beach in the sun" trip-hop than I'M VERY ANGRY AND GOING TO KILL EVERYONE MUTHAS
*top rocks
+pretty minimalist -- sounds FANTASTIC +mesmerising flow, lyrics i smile at +beat in the background equally so +i can feel the bass +kind of reminds me of lofi music??? +sounds repetitive to me at times -- all the songs sound pretty similar +just not a genre i'm super into 7/10
It was the nineties- as the song says. Chill 90s rap, a bit hypnotic. Not my usual jam but a nice change of pace.
Really enjoyed this!
Have it on vinyl - banger album
Such a chill jazz rap album. I always thought it was kind of linear except for a few really standout tracks, but it doesn't matter here because the vibe is so cool.
Love the opportunity to hear this classic for the first time. Great stuff!
This album hip-hop album has everything to be lovable : jazz, boom bap, conscious, east coast vibes... Not like many albums of the genre, this one is meant to be appreciated as an album, as there are no standout tracks vs fillers. It's just great music all the way through.
One of the best hip hop albums of all time
funky
not normally my genre but i really liked listening to it. will probs listen again
This was a good album, I enjoyed a lot Easy listening Very typical hiphop, vocals were cool, good flow, interesting rhythms 4/5 stars
It is interesting and quite jazzy, and not good background music more of something to sit down and listen to
Good stuff. High quality end to end.
Überraschend erfrischender Rap mit schöner Baseline
frábær. 4,5
Halfway between Def Jam and De La Soul.
I liked Scenario. It was a good rap album for the era. 4/5
So good.
beats had similar drums lines and good jazzy elements. top 3: infamous date rape, show business, buggin out.
Had a great time with this, loved the music, the jazz funk combo is so good, only downside is I’m not very lyrically focused so I feel like I didn’t extract everything out of the album but when I could focus it was great! I’ll keep coming back and get more from it each time.
I really liked the songs on the album. I wasnt expecting old hiphop based off the name. I had no idea who they were but I recognized a few of the songs and even added them to my playlist
one of my favorite hip hop/rap albums I've ever listened to
Phat beats, sick rimes, overall a very solid album. What didn’t age well was referencing Arsenio Hall in literally every single fking song?!?
Such a great album. A few bumps, 3.75/5
rap group from the 90s, had some funky beats. Great album, good vibes but not my style. Did not listen to full thing.
Classic hip hop. Full of humour, social commentary and incite.
Great beats
I liked this. Melodic.
This is a good album, I like a lot of these songs I'm just not in love with them. Good rythms, flows, decent lyrics, its just not missing something maybe tempo or variety. This could be a 5 but it's a 4 to me. Repeats: excursions,buggin' out,show business Skips: butter
Groovy
Happy that listening to this brought A Tribe Called Quest into my top five most listened to artists this year. Learning who Q Tip and Ali Shaheed Muhammad sampled and which artists sampled Tribe songs is always a good time. I actually have listened to 'We Got It from Here... Thank You 4 Your Service' more than this one, but throughout their catalogue they have an untouchable niche with a highly influential and respected formula. I wonder all the amazing rap not included on this list just to be replaced with another dad rock record. 8.5/10
Not really my genre, but gotta admit this is very well produced and, for a hip-hop rap album, I wasn´t expecting the jazz influences. Q-Tip was great in this album and there are some gems, like "What?" and "Check the Rhime" (especially the last one). However, this is not really for me because, even with the production, I found the rapping a little bit monotonous and didn´t really stick with me, but I can definitely say this is a great album.
Wow! Kände inte för hip hop idag, men vilka beats! Ron Carter på en låt!!! Jazz och rap i en skön mix.
This is definitely a grower. Not hugely engaging to begin with, the flows and the hooks give you a bit of background noise before you realise that actually, you're quite digging it.
Pretty good Hip Hop album. Not the biggest fan of hip hop but I could get into it. Favorite song was Check the Rhime
Didn't expect much but very good, will be listening to more
Different from the other albums so far, I like it. "Check the Rhime" is the most famous song but not nearly my favourite from the album.
A pretty solid album, very "early rap" vibes. Lots of good beats on these tracks. I kind of want to give it a 5 but I think this album just falls slightly short of that so I'm giving it a 4.
I really like this album, but there is really not much variation between a lot of the tracks in terms of production.
Scenario was the jam. “Base in your face means peace see ya later” was my go to insult in the 7th grade. Check the Rhime slaps too. Realizing having an older brother into rap may have had an impact on my musical taste
sooo goood.
Nice old school rap, pretty repetitive bit nice
Vet
Extremely smooth, definition of easy listening.
This is good stuff. That is all.
I really enjoy this record and understand how important it is to hip-hop. However, it has never been a go to rap record.
Nice beats, clear rap, easy to understand lyrics. Sadly beats get repetitive real quick, so one song yes, a whole album no. It's too boring.
"The Low End Theory" by A Tribe Called Quest is, without a doubt, an incredible album. The infusion of jazz, particularly the mesmerizing basslines, is nothing short of genius, it offers a dynamic and groovy backdrop to the thought-provoking lyrics and skillful delivery of Q-Tip and Phife Dawg. However, I can't help but agree with another user who pointed out that the album predominantly uses a 4/4 time signature. While this doesn't take away from the album's overall brilliance, it can become a bit monotonous when listening to the entire album in one go. Some variety in the time signatures could have added another layer of depth and complexity. Regardless, it remains a classic and essential in any hip-hop collection.
4'3, bastante bien, Hip hop com temazos
not my usual genre of music but this made my work day more fun. Was a good vibe
an sich ganz geil, aber es wird nach einer weile echt repetitive wenn man sich das ganze album gibt.
4.
Classic album for a reason. Low end theory is an old school jazz inspired rap record. Reminiscent of a time when lyrics took the forefront in rap records. The beats are great, but often simplistic. It accentuates the diction and the creativity in the lyrics. The opening track is the best example of this. The flow isn't some fast paced almost undecipherable flurry of words. ATCQ wants you to hear and marvelous at what they're saying. A couple of dudes from queens talking about thier lives. It is obvious why they are such an influential group to so many.
Really funky and very cool. The rhymes are dope. The flow is excellent. I'm taking away a star for Infamous Date Rape which is an unfortunate inclusion. Otherwise this is a solid hip-hop album.
Very catchy. decent instrumentals. First album I actually liked haha
Fun. Beastie Boys connection.
This album's groove is undeniable. The added jazz definitely is audible in songs like Buggin' Out, Vibes and Stuff, and obviously Jazz (We've Got). A really nice introduction to the genre of hip-hop after the slightly aggressive and oh-so-strong delivery from TPAB. Personal highlights include Buggin' Out (fun bassline), Butter (nice backing track... guitar sound?), Check the Rhime (incredibly satisfying call-and-response structure), and Scenario (the epic finale that I didn't quite expect from an album with such an atmosphere). Side note: finding out that these guys made a flat-out homophobic song (which they, thankfully, decided not to put on this record) derailed this album's impression on me significantly. Still a great album though.
Definitely a cool sound to this album and I know its importance but it can all start sounding same-y over time. Not enough variety of sound for my taste in hip hop. Great lyricism though and strong ending.
Fun and never knew the last song was from this album (here we go yo)
I will admit I don't know anything about ATCQ. I know I've heard their voices before in other media, but I've never jumped in... Man, I think I need to. I love hip hop in the 90s. This album so pure and accessible. These guys sound like they are New Yorkers -- a quick wikipedia tells me I'm correct.. Great mix between fantastic word play, bass lines and jazz riff. It's mellow, but at the same time you can lose yourself in the messaging. Busta Rhymes on the last track was unexpected and probably catapulting. I bet they helped define that East Coast hip hop sound and I'm sure this album is more culturally significant than I'm even aware. Favorite Track: Buggin Out
This album was a real joy. One of those rap albums from the 90s I really enjoyed. 4.5/5
Definitely my preferred type of rap. I enjoyed the sparse, twangy baselines of most tracks.
I enjoy the jazz hip-hop elements of the 90s and this album definitely hit that space with really fresh beats and rhymes. I was always entertained throughout.
Tony Hawkes pro skater vibes
There's nothing I could say about this album that hasn't been said before. Incredible wordplay and production. Really solid album. I would absolutely buy this to keep for my own collection. Favorite track: Show Business
It occasionally shows it's age, but still a great album to listen and vibe to. The album definitely gets better the more I listen to it.
Awesome!
I love A Tribe Called Quest, and this album is fantastic. Totally understand why it's on this list. Lyrically, musically, and stylistically it's top tier. Plus "Scenario" is an all time classic.
Could listen to this album all day long. Have loved it for years. Can’t believe this is from 91.
Fantastic.
Really good rap album. I am not the biggest rap fan, though. Wouldn't mind hearing in a coffee shop. Probably would never play it on my own.
docked a star for the date rape song but otherwise perfect
This is one of the first albums I heard that made me reconsider my relationship with rap. I've always appreciated it, but felt it pretty inaccessible, I was so aware I was not the target audience and lyrics are a thing I don't pay attention to for several listens unless I'm trying really hard. But this was so easy to understand, the jazz samples were choice, and while I'm still not the target audience it didn't feel nearly as unrelatable to my viewpoint. So I'm grateful to ATCQ for starting me on that journey. That being said, listening again over a decade later its age is beginning to show a bit. The 90s in particular it seems were an impossible time for someone to produce a timeless feeling record. So much has followed and our collective understanding of what's edgy and still worthwhile vs just not ok has changed - looking at you, Infamous Date Rape... Still great, just not quite making it to 5 for me.
I’ve got a lot of respect for this album, but musically it’s never stuck with me as One of the Greats. Maybe it’s just because of how hip hop has evolved over time, maybe it’s because of the song Infamous Date Rape (which, why?), but it doesn’t get me going enough to be a 5. That said, it’s still an excellent, wildly influential album. Excursions is a phenomenal opener and the record doesn’t feel too long which I feel was a big issue in the 90s. I might like Midnight Marauders better.
I like getting this after Bowie because I feel similarly about a Tribe Called Quest. People absolutely love them and while I think this was well made music it just did not personally excite me that much. The best part for me is Busta’s verse on “Scenario”. Good rappers, jazzy beats but not thrilling for me.
Maybe my favorite artists from hip hop's golden era, I still love most of the tracks on this album. Something about the production and the samples used on these early Tribe albums just makes them timeless classics to me. There's unfortunately several songs with some peak-90's "nice guy" misogyny which I hadn't really clocked until this listen. Those songs aside, I'll never get tired of Low End Theory.
Listened to this for another list recently. Really good. 4/5
Very nice sound, the production is impeccable. The hooks aren't really there, but I don't think that's the point. This is a perfect album to work to or put on at a gathering.
Great! I really enjoyed the instrumentals and lyricism.
From the great Ron Carter’s eerie double-bass opening & Q-Tip’s amazing opening rap on Excursions, this album proves to be like no other hip-hop album I’ve ever heard. And, indeed, I’d never heard this album before, even though I realise that it’s been one of the most influential albums on my son’s career, and on the development of the genre in the last 30 years. Carter’s bass is prominent on many tracks, notably Buggin Out & the knockout Scenario, which also includes very early Busta Rhymes. The sampling is extremely tasteful - Average White Band’s Love Your Life used in Check The Rhime, the first single off the album, is a good example. And the lyrical content is always interesting - I loved Verses From The Abstract, Rap Promoter - in fact the album contains some of the most intelligent lyrics of any hip-hop album I’ve ever heard. This was a delight to listen to.
There have been so many gangsta rap albums on this list, that I was almost starting to think I didn't like hip hop. The misogyny and violence of gangsta rap just makes me more and more uncomfortable. It wasn't Ok at the time, and it just gets worse with time. Thank goodness for A Tribe Called Quest. I like this record sooooo much more than many of the hip hop records I have been forced to listen to. It is cool and laid back, smart and funny, sensitive and insightful. I love the chilled production and Q-Tip and Phife's flow is so great. Chris Jones for the BBC wrote that Tribe "almost single-handedly defined the alternative rap scene, where intelligence and musical nouse replaced guns, hos and bragging. ... Low End [Theory] pushed the jazz connection even further with a sparse but not quite minimal selection of grooves built around some exquisitely chosen upright bass samples ... Remember that this was in direct contrast to the West Coast G Funk about to explode onto the scene. Like its predecessor, it combined humour with insight to show the world that ‘rap’ needn’t be equated with the worst aspects of the American dream." Amen. A great, great record that reminds us all of what is great about hip hop. It sounds better with age.
I really enjoyed this album. As a first-time listener, there were no stand out tracks as such, but I loved the overall sound of the album - so cool and so, well, of its time and place! Some of the lyrics perhaps haven't aged well, but the beats and use of sampling were great. Will definitely listen again and explore some more of their music.
Feckin love tribe
I remember when I first listened to this album a few years ago being confused at people calling it a bridge between jazz and hip hop, and on today's relisten I still am to a degree. It certainly does infuse jazz elements - especially in the basslines, but it doesn't incorporate jazz further than what serves the hip hop beat. There are no solos or soaring instrumentation or strange time signatures. But while this is a hip hop record through and through - it's a bloody good one through and through
Great albun
i didn’t have high expectations for this website i thought i was just gonna get shit like lana del rey or taylor swift but omgggg this started off with a BANG. this album was fucking incredible i loved it. im so glad that i found this website.
I've been interested in this one, considering it's believed to be up there as one of the hip-hop greats, and it was certainly good, but I did expect a bit more. For instance, this is labeled Jazz-Rap, but I feel the jazz influences are very light, due to the simplified production. You won't be finding any interesting jazz riffs save for one or two. Q-Tip's voice and flow is still super tight though, and I really recommend you walk with earbuds whilst listening, and you'll get pretty into it. This one may grow on me in future listens, but for now, while I get the praise, I don't think I can put it way up there.
yeah this was a great listen, just super high quality beats and lyrics and flow. consistent throughout, never a dull moment on the album. just front to back really really good.
This is exactly why I started using this album a day thing. Sure I’ve heard of A Tribe Called Quest, I’d even heard 1 or 2 of these songs but I’d never go out of my way to listen to the whole album. It was really cool! I really loved the jazzy aspects.
Really good, like wu tang Clan the beats and flow were a cut above other hip hop from the same time. As often happens when going through this list, I learned a couple of parts of songs from other artists I like have been lifted from quest, which is an endorsement. I can't truly put it at the same level as my favourite hip hop (RTJ/Aesop rock) but ill definitely be listening again.
I didn't really have any expectations heading into this - I get them confused with Questlove and the Roots. However - what a great album. Clearly well thought through, with plenty of highlights (Show Business). I did go back and listen a second time but wouldn't a third, hence 4 stars. If any more A Tribe Called Quest albums come up, I can't wait.
How these guys were not the biggest thing going is crazy. They have such crisp lyrics and simple flowing beats. I really enjoyed the Hip-Hop/Jazz mix, will definitely listen to this again. Highlights: Buggin' Out Check The Rhyme Jazz (We've Got) Scenario
I listened to "What?" twice and it took the second time to figure out the little moment of silence in the middle... I have all of De La Soul's stuff, so I don't know why I never picked up any of A Tribe Called Quest. But man, this fits a nice funky spot. Everyone is playing off of each other lyrically, they are really doing some cool stuff here. My favorites so far are "Excursions" and "Buggin' Out". I like the bass riff going throughout "Excursions" very jazzy. Definitely one I'd like to get into more.
These guys were always smooth. This album is no different - slick jazz hip-hop. But it lacks some variety. The songs blend together, which is cool from a chill vibe perspective but not from a unique thing perspective. The songs that did stand out were awesome - Excursions (perhaps because first song), Show Business (witty/clever lyrics), What? (again, super witty/clever and cool beat), Scenario (good energy). When I sit down and really pay attention, the songs are more varied but the really great albums don't require that effort to truly love. Still a very good album, but not great.
If you could wear out a CD, I would have wore out my copy of "People's Instinctive Travels". I will admit that "Low End" hasn't gotten nearly as much play into my ear-balls. This record has some good moments and is more straightforward rap than "People's".
Liked this a lot more than a lot of the earlier rap albums I’ve heard. Rating: 4.2
Loved the vibes - Jazz was reaaaally good - Infamous date rape -> the beat is really cool
Musique bien funky.
The beats and delivery are 🔥 Highlights: Excursions, Buggin' Out, Jazz (We've got), What?
Enjoyable. Will definitely revisit again, along with the other albums by them. Favorite track: Show Business
definitely 1990s hip hop a tiny bit like MF DOOM solid album
Favourites: • Excursions
-i have vaguely heard of this band before but haven’t listened to them -loving this first song -THAT BASSSSSS -okay i love how kinda subtle the background and instruments are because the rap can really shine -and i Love the lines in the raps -its so fun and chill -check the rhime is a genuine bop -this album gets an easy 4 for me, fun chill and easy to listen to
"The Low End Theory" by A Tribe Called Quest is a groundbreaking album that defines the essence of jazz-infused hip-hop. Released in 1991, it's a masterpiece that fuses complex beats, smooth rhythms, and conscious lyrics. Tracks like "Check the Rhime" and "Scenario" exemplify the group's lyrical prowess and skillful sampling. The album's production is rich, with its jazz influences creating a mellow yet engaging vibe. However, for some listeners, the album's laid-back approach might feel a tad monotonous, and certain tracks might blend together. Yet, "The Low End Theory" remains a quintessential record that revolutionized hip-hop, despite moments where its continuous style may not fully captivate every listener's attention.
Classic, vintage, and still sounds great. Less is more, and the tasteful and timely jazz flourishes really make the record. "Butter," "Verses" and "Vibes" are the best cuts. This is just a tick down from a full-on masterpiece, by which one means, a 5.
Truly great hip hop album with several truly essential tracks and a couple of clunkers.
pretty sick'
Almost unbelievable that this is already over 30 years old and still sounds fresh. Relaxed and Jazzy HipHop, where the flow of the songs into each other is only rivaled by the flow of Q-Tip himself.
Kinda repetitive and not the greatest rapping I’ve ever heard, but on the same points, the production is strong and consistent, and the vibes are impeccable. Some really excellent and influential beats. Shoutouts to Busta Rhymes’s random show-stealing appearance on the final track. Best song: Jazz (We’ve Got)
listened to again one of the greats
I mean what’s not to love here, it’s a smoothie
I enjoyed this.
Great album! Excellent vibes, awesome beats, and engaging lyrics! No wonder why it’s a classic!
8/10. Solid as hell, not a new favorite or anything, but I was pleased to discover there was still some Tribe Called Quest left on the list.
I had never heard this album before and I had to listen to it twice. First time through, I just grooved to it and the second time through I listened to it on Apple Music with the lyrics turned on.
If I could do 4.5 I would. 4 is doing this album such a disservice. Some of the best hip-hop pre-2010s. Rating: 8.5/10
Tribe starts slow, but psychodelic. Then they open up, but only a little bit, just to keep the psychodelic vibe going. The beats are great and the flow is absolutely one of the greatest in history.
4.0
un bon flow, bon pace. J'ai adoré c'était en plein dans mon genre. Beat plus old school, le flow et le rap sont a l'honneur 4.5
Very slick and easy to listen to. Clever writing and infectious beats. Will return to this. No particular highlight - enjoyed it all.
Dit album onderscheidt zich van stamalbum. Er is een professionaliseringsslag gemaakt. Alles is in balans. De rap is bijna meer een instrument dan een tekst. Daardoor prikkelt het wat minder. Het album kabbelt vooral lekker door. Het wordt achtergrond-rap. Lekker om bij te werken. Maar stiekem vind ik het eerdere, waarschijnlijk minder uitgedachte album fijner om naar te luisteren.
Weer zo'n lekker laidback hiphop plaatje van A Tribe. Het is eigenlijk drie kwartier dezelfde vibe, waarop de rappers hun lyrics spitten. Geen idee waar ze het allemaal over hebben en het zal me ook een zorg zijn. Het klinkt relaxed en daarom vind ik het prettig om te luisteren.
Legendarisk hiphop, jazz-samples, ordspil, humor, minimalistisk
a tribe called quest er goood
A Tribe Called Quest is one of those hip hop groups I can actually listen to, so this was quite good! Saved tracks: Verses from the Abstract, Check the Rhime, Scenario LP Mix
Ok this was really great but still suffered from the same issue that plagues nearly every rap album - SO VERY LONG.
An old favourite!
quite good, hip hop is not my fav but his one is enjoyable! Recommend!
Stripped back and smooth, with nothing theoretical about its prominent low end bass. Unusually an album that drags a bit in the first half rather than the second.
Hip hop classic: tasteful and influential.
Low end theory has been proven.
Between this and renaissance, q-tip is pretty safely my GOAT old school rapper and it’s cool that I discovered him through this list. His jazzy production abilities and his rapping/lyricism is almost unmatched by anything else from this time period on this list. It didn’t excite me like renaissance did and isn’t something I want to relisten to a lot but it’s still great. Check the rhime is probably my favorite.
Has become a classic Hip Hop album.
Nice. I'll probably use as background music when working.
4/5. Honestly, the more I listen to this album the better it gets. The chill low bass is what drives this album, with some nice rhythmic and smooth riffs and beats. The lyrical content will take some time to digest but if it’s excellent, this could definitely be a 5.
Nice
While this is not to my taste, this is still a good album.
Anybody wanna play Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX 2?
Loved the old-school vibes and all-round positivity
I love A Tribe Called Quest. The combination of jazz samples and positive raps is nice.
Didn't know about this album, first glance at the artwork, I was already impressed. Enjoyed this way more than I'd expected to.
It's smooth. It flows. It's got a good vibe. But it's not as fun as stuff like Run DMC or Public Enemy. This is more mellow. Not as fun.
I’ll preface this one by saying I haven’t listened to hardly any rap music from before like 2004 so I’m missing a lot of context here. The storytelling on this album is very strong throughout, but my enjoyment of each song correlated with how much I enjoyed each of the instrumentals. I love the dark bass line and then jazzy instrumentals on Excursions, but then Buggin’ Out has a similar instrumental formula with a bass line I don’t like as much as the first one. Because the instrumentals are so minimal, they basically have to be perfect or else they get stale pretty fast. Check the Rhime has a cool conversational dynamic that is really cool to listen to over another one of the album’s best beats. “What?”Is another one of my favorites on here, fun clever verse over a quirky lil beat. I could see this one going up to a 5 for me, I need a few more listens to unpack some of the lyrics. Cover art: 8/10
All the beats are a vibe to chill to and could definitely dig deeper into the lyrics the more I listen to this one. Got a little behind on listening so I only went through once so the main thing that I got into was the jazzy production well mixed beats. I feel like a lot of 90s hip hop beats don’t hold up over time but these ones still seem well mixed. 👍: show business, check the rhime
Fun album, really like vibes and stuff and a few other tracks. The no cursing threw me off tho
The transition from Rap Promoter into Butter…IS SMOOTH LIH BUTTA The influence of tribe is without question but there was a miss or two on here that I wasn’t expecting. 👍: butter, check the rhime, 👎:everything is fair
Great flow, great beats, great hip hop. 4 stars
Tribe is always classic and timeless
I don't have a history with this album but these songs are fantastic. The beats and samples are great, and I really like Q-tip's voice, both the sound of his voice, and the way that he's chill, vulnerable, self deprecating, and still delivers a message.
I don't like most rap, with a few notable exceptions: Kendrick, De La Soul, Outkast, and Tribe. Tribe may just be my favorite among them. They walk the line between fun and intelligence so well. You can be entertained by the cleverness of their prose, or just vibe to the beat. I think the reason why their beat clicks so well with me is that they use a lot of rock samples. Their basslines are always so slick. Anyways, I don't know where I'm going with this. I slightly prefer Midnight Marauders, but this album is deserving of 4.5 stars.
I love Q-Tip's flow. Redundancy of the (drum) riff not appealing, but overall this is a beauty.
Loved the vibes and the flows, great mix of jazz and hip hop. Tribe Called Quest really rewards listening to the lyrics too, they are very clever. A few hits but I mostly appreciated how the album all fits together.
I really enjoyed this one! Fun lyrics, classic 90s rap. I wish 'can I kick it' was on this album! I will definitely listen to this album again, and have added some of the songs to my regular Playlists.
I am familiar with these guys but not this album. This is dope. I was expecting some basically written hip hop lyrics here (hey it’s tribe called quest and I’m here to say, we like to rap in the old school way). Was pleasantly surprised by the flow in these tracks. Some boombap drums take the lead, as they should, and the emcees get all of the credit. Rappers that gain their notoriety in Queens tend to be pretty killer and these guys are no exception. Worth a listen!! I can't get away from sharing a bit of music trivia if you have read any of my reviews on this site! Something that is worth discussing when studying hip hop music is the artist's vocabulary. These guys aren't dumb-dumbs. I enjoy looking at this site sometimes to see where certain rap artists stack up with their vocabulary against other artists. Just like that fighting game Def Jam but with their pure lyrical content. These guys have 4,550-5,000 unique words in their discography which puts them in the same category as artists like Beastie Boys and Nas. Lots of funny observations to be made with this graph, like if you have a Lil in your name, you are pretty much doomed to be a rapper with a lower vocabulary (2750-3200 unique words). Here is the link: https://pudding.cool/projects/vocabulary/index.html
Jazz Rap!
Buttery goodness. This album is perfect for making a batch of cocktails before guests come over for a games night resulting in you get trapped listening to an insufferable pop music playlist. Although I’m not really familiar with Quest’s catalogue, I was happy to take a little excursion and really listen to this respected group. I hear their name tossed around a lot when talking about influential hip hop acts and all that jazz. The art form of rap hangs mostly in the lyrics and cool turns of phrases, with innovative rhimes and intonations. This record has a variety of deep and silly lyrics, making it an enjoyable listen with good vibes and stuff. The beats are fairly similar from song to song, as there is some repetitiveness on the surface but everything is fine because even with that, I was bobbing for most of the record. Especially when a heavy bass or a sax shows up, it gets me buggin out. As exampled by Show Business. I knew it was my favourite track within 4 seconds of it coming on. I feel cool listening to this album.
Been a fan of this album for a while. Love the jazzy sampling and the minimalist beats - this album is about the "vibe". The lyrics are great; meandering from silly to serious, the wordplay is always on point. Q-Tip and Phife are so in-sync here, the flow between them is unreal.
I mean it's prime Tribe.
I gotta get me one of those pagers, they sound cool HL: "Check the Rhime", "Show Business", "Excursions", "Scenario" March 20, 2023
Den här skivans trummor, bas, samples, låter helt härliga... dammiga... Kunde vara typ 2 låtar kortare... för att sammanfatta: Det är tyvärr ingen Spit on a Stranger EP. Super solid 4
Really great flow on everything
I'm usually not very into old rap albums but this one just doesn't sound dated. This is a pretty fun album with a lot of interesting sounds and song concepts. Standouts include: -Buggin' Out -Verses from the Abstract -Check the Rhime -Jazz -Scenario
An easy 4, could have been a 5 prob if I 'enjoyed' the album more. It's obviously great, but just not 'my thing' enough to bring me back to it. I loved this listen, but that's prob enough for a while. The "jazz samples over heavy/deep bass and beats" aesthetic is really awesome and was probably quite a revelation when this record was released. Def it's easy to hear this record in later stuff by The Roots.
A very nice old school hip hop album, nothing to add about it.
Some incredible production, great rhymes, but the album does tend to get a bit repetitive. Good vibes, but overstays its welcome for me.
I *love* the production on this album, but occasionally the flow is... A bit cheesy sounding. I think it's mostly an artifact of the times, and no doubt this is an essential listen, a hip-hop classic... But it does keep it from getting the 5 from me. I don't think that'll change for me either, I've listened to this one a LOT (and will continue to, it's a great album). 4.5 rounded down.
A classic.
Classic
3.5
So so good. Great hip hop, 4/5
From Excursions to Scenario there's not a bum song in the bunch except maybe Butter's content. I love the sound, energy and overall vibe of this record. Lyrics that are singable and worthy of study. It is peak Tribe.
I wasn't aware there was an alternative hip hop genre, but I likes it.
Great hip hop album
solid album, similar beats but it all flowed really well with good lyrics too
Awesome rap. 4
Love this album. I haven't listened to it as much as Midnight Marauders (my favorite tribe album), but this album is still super solid. Its not a usual front to back album for me but most of this album is probably still in my constant rotation of songs I listen to regularly. Excursions, Butter, Scenario are the favorites.
Fantastic.
Never really ever crossed paths with Tribe. I was aware of them but never really listened. I really enjoyed this.
Superior hip hop that grooves along, and no skits. A couple of bangers away from a 5. Best song Excursions
Incredibly influential album. This absolutely deserves a spot on the list.
I really enjoyed the bass and drum grooves on this album.
Awesome jazzy hip hop. Q-Tip is a cool cat, and this fuzzy-sounding record is nearly a 5 in my book.
It was one of the albums of all time
I am very much a hip-hop newbie (especially since I was a whole 2 years old when this album came out) so I am not very good yet at articulating what I like about different albums. I am really enjoying this one though, I recognized a few of the songs so I must have heard them I passing. I think my favorite part is the jazzy instrumentation behind a lot of the songs, especially the bass.
My first full listen to what's considered as an all-time classic album, and I can see why. Phife & Q-Tip have great chemistry and the beats are on point! favs: Check the Rhime, Jazz (We've Got), Verses from the Abstract, Scenario least fav: What?
I have heard of A Tribe Called Quest and I have heard of this album, although I think I may associate it with another band maybe? Nice flow, good beats and bass lines! Sounds like a double bass on the first two tracks. Samples are good throughout. Each member plays really well off the other, excellent lyrically. Fuck what you heard. 4 stars!
Way better than the first one we had.
This album is better than the first, tighter and better production. Not sure why they are both included, I think one album accurately represents them as there are not major differences between them.
so good from beginning to end. smart lyrics, interesting/creative form of each phrase
Excellent, jazzy rap. Fantastic beats on every song. The production is really crisp and clean. I was convinced there was a lot of newly recorded live instrumentation on this but looking at the credits, there doesn’t seem to be much. I’m impressed that the sampling is clean enough that the music sounds like a live band in the studio. The album also closes with “Scenario,” one of my all-time favorite rap songs and probably a top 100 song of any genre. Such a fun jam. Busta Rhymes’ verse is classic.
Super cool band and super cool album. I love the sound, and I can hear so much hip hop looking to this act as a foundational source of sound for the genre. I really dig the jazz influence and overall production. I love the flows specifically- they are really so pleasing to sit and focus-in on and also to have in your ear while relaxing and not so focused. I think listening to A Tribe Called Quest in 2023 will make me hear their influence in other hip hop and rap groups that are around today, like Kendrick Lamar is one that pops out as probably being influenced by this them. This album is an easy 4/5 for me.
Favourite tracks: Rap Promoter, Jazz (We’ve Got), Scenario
Enjoyed this a lot. Nice beats, but a few problematic lyrics that feel very much of their time.
Chill vibe, laid back and jazzy. Clever and fun. But perhaps just a touch too, how shall I say, consistent?, throughout. 3.5 rounding up for the album cover art.
Amazing hip hop album from the 90s and golden era. Countless tracks that are now classics. Love it.
Great stuff. Nice to chill out to or get some work done.
Chock full of classics. Didn't care for the android tour guide though. Four sticks of butter. 🧈🧈🧈🧈
Groovy
Awesome samples, great flows, classic 90's hip-hop record for a reason. 4.5/5
3.5
A distinctive jazz sound and creative rhymes make this a worthy listen. It's also a celebration of the dawn of the '90s!
I really dig this groove.
I enjoyed this! Interesting to listen to with some good rhymes.
I'm not a great Hip Hop fan but this is good. The stripped down jazz with full acoustic bass rocks along and Q-Tips intelligent clean rhythmic non sweary delivery is excellent. Will probably return. Excellent 3.75
Epic sheesh good already listen
beats and bars stripped down raw
Hadn't listed to Julian Cope before. This is decent.
P good would give 6,75 out of 10
Overall a really nice listen. The beats are extremely simple but still well produced and do the job that they’re supposed to. The jazz mixed in is really on point and subtle. Rhymes by both Q-Tip and Phife are quality as well. 8/10
This passed me by back in the day. This is the sort of hip hop I think I like, clever, jazzy, strong beat, funny, melodic.
A hip-hop classic from right before the genre got super gangsta. Smoothe flows, jazzy beats and thoughtful rhymes.
Really fu album that del8vers the kind of flow that I personally really vibe with in hip-hop, even if not all the lyrical content was up to current standards. ATCQ are undeniably makers of the game and I could listen to this era, this sound pretty much all day.
alto
4.0
Can see how so much came from this
Great record from both a lyrics and a beats standpoint. Just solid all around.
A classic rap album from the 90s that showed how awesome Tribe was. Their sound was influential and plenty popular for years to come. The jazz rap with the cerebral style rapping makes Tribe a unique rap group and one of the best. Low end theory is probably their most artistic album and some say their best. I find all three to be pretty equal as they each have their own strengths. Phife and q-tip are solid on this one together as they flow together as nicely as the jazz Instrumentals throughout. 7.8/10
Excellent album! Je crois que j'en avait jamais écouté avant! Un peu répétitif à la fin, mais excellent amalgame entre jazz et hip hop!
Thoroughly enjoyed the album as a whole. Despite almost exclusively listening to hip-hop, I've only tried one album from ATCQ before. I don't remember finding it very easy to listen to, so wasn't sure how I was gonna feel about this one. This album, however, was easy for me to get into. Will probably give some of their other albums a shot and also check out what a solo Q-Tip album is like.
What an insane vibe. Gives me nostalgia for a time I was not alive for. Super fun listen.
All things Go, sick, good stuff, a draw though?? Also that was kinda scary, also how do I feel about that? Front for bleachers, mediocre diner
Turner out I had listened to it before because hannah told me about it. Really quite like the vibe of it, low fi hop hop rnb.
4.5 stars. (My 5 stars would be reserved for Midnight Marauders)
Excellent album.
A lot to say. Really fun. It’s something that makes me want to google associated stuff… just not something I’ll likely stick on randomly.
Listens: 2 Enjoyed: Yeah The beats on this were something special. The two MCs complimented eachother excellently however I didn't personally connect with any of the lyrics. I'm going to give this another try though and delve into their back catalogue
While I don't knowbas well as other how revolutionary it was for hip hop, I had a lot of fun with this record, Q-tip and Phife are obviously very talented MCs and the beats were killer, a couple of the tunes were not as memorable but that's me trying to not be too lenient on what's a five star. A great record
Hard for me to rate a hip-hop album as I don't know much about it - I'll definitely need to give it more time once I go through more rap albums. For now, I really enjoyed the minimialist jazzy beats and double bass. It made other instrumentals stand out more and allowed for more focus on the lyrics. I loved the first song - Excursions, both intrumentally and lyrically, I think it's one of the best openings to any album I've heard so far. Overall, 3.5/5 for me personally, +0.5 for the cult status this album has due to its apparent significance to the genre.
Awesome mix of hip hop and jazz with some killer tracks. Ends incredibly strongly with Scenario.
Tribe Called Quest are an iconic staple in the 90s hip hop era and this is just another example of their incredible work