Reviews (page 9 of 14)
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
Well I quite enjoyed that. Intelligent and intelligible raps that are generally NOT shouted at you. The understated raps are accompanied by further understated instrumentation that sound like REAL instruments. Generally pretty stripped down to a drum beat, again sounding like REAL drums, a nice bass line and subtle washes of keyboard or guitar or horns. The feel is more jazz that hip hop I would say and the spare arrangements sometimes put me in mind of beat poetry. And best of all 14 tracks clocking in at just over 48 minutes with only three songs at over 4 minutes, this album and the individual songs do not over stay their welcome as most rap albums I've heard do. I'm really tempted to give it 5 stars but it does suffer a bit from a samey ness. I really liked it though and would search out rap that is similar in style. I'm definitely going to listen to they're other albums. If anyone reads this and knows other similar bands, hit me up. exliontamer1977@gmail.com. 4.5 stars
Groovy
Decent. Laid back background music. Very early 90s basement beats and jazz samples. Incredibly early 90s rhyme schemes. Flows well, bit repetitive with very basic looped drums
good beat
Love how the tension builds throughout the album. The music seems sparse at first, just vocals and beats, but it allows the background/additional sounds (guitar, synth, horns, etc.) to stand out when they occur. Lyrics are pure poetry.
Unexpectedly nice
This is one of those albums I had been meaning to listen to for ages and it somehow didn't happen. I can't say I was disappointed, I had always liked the individual songs that I had heard and I have always thought that Q-Tip was great. Ultimately I really enjoyed it but not enough so to give it a 5 yet. I think I'll have to relisten a few more times to decide if it is a 5 to my ears. It's certainly worthy of it for its influence but I just can't personally give it one quite yet. Really good album.
Very, very good.
Pretty nice sound. Good vibes for working.
Q-Tip is too smooth. No major critiques, slightly repetitive.
Tribe is always a good choice to chill out!
Great album, I have been a big fan of A Tribe Called Quest for awhile but have never listened past songs like Scenario and Can I Kick It? I think the first few songs are a bit slow but it picks up towards the end. Some of my favorites: Bugging Out, Vibes And Stuff (fav), and of course Scenario
Awesome to hear
slay
Liked this one a lot. I’ve always enjoyed the groove and lyrical creativity that 90s hip hop brings, and I feel like it’s epitomized here. Great flow and I also liked the political commentary. I’d listen to this again.
-Heard of A Tribe Called Quest but never really listen to before - Can see the influence they've had on hip-hop and rap, think of artist like Quelle Chris -Butter: like This song -nice relaxed flows, feel good, and good political commentary -Verses from the Abstract: like the jazz beat and feel - Show Business: really good, the problems with record deals and taking advantage of young poor artist, still relevant today. ahead of its time -Check the Rhime: sick funky beat, good flows -Everything is fair: cool fun beat, like a lot -What?: super funky beat, one of favs -Scenario: one of fav, has brown cow line so if GOATed Overall: The influence on modern music is very apparent, fun, passionate, upbeat and honest music. not afraid to experiment and start conversation on 'taboo' topics. Fav Tracks: -Scenario -What? -Check the Rhime -Everything Is Fair -Butter Least Fav: -Skypager? - not a lot to dislike about this album, all very solid tracks
Easy listening clean hip hop.
cool track in fairness, it got me thru work
Real good
Wow, great beat and rapping from A Tribe Called Quest.
good
chef's kiss
Transformational album for hip hop and jazz both. People have come close to deifying this album and for good reason. It's great to listen to, cause the verses are clever, the beats are solid, and the instruments are live; including the DJ. Subject matter is a little all over the place is my one criticism of the album, it listens more like an experiment than an album. Overall fire though.
This was way more jazzy than I was expecting and it’s so good.
Influential instrumentals and one of the smoothest MCs to do it, Q-Tip and Co. just dance over these beats
Punchy and funky, great album. Well ahead of it’s time
Welcomed change of pace from the previous few albums. Love the lo-fi vibe of this album, the jazz samples and the smooth flows. Really enjoyed from start to finish. One of the best closing tracks of all time.
Now this album is what's up. Happy to see it pop up. Excursions - great opening song. I'm already in a better mood. I love their cadence. Instantly recognizable as a Tribe song, in a good way. So smooth. But then it all kind of blends together by the end. Still enjoyable. Busta coming in growling was something though.
These guys were singing about real life at the same time that others were telling stories about the "gangsta" lifestyle. I listened to them in the beginning but they didn't resonate with me. Maybe it was too real. I get it now. It all feels like "The Wire" to me. I feel like the album played a little slow then they really found their voice. Legends.
LOVE ATCQ. Really the first rap group that I ever really good into. This album is always considered a classic, and while I really like it, I still prefer a few others slightly. Scenario is an absolute banger. 4/5
love TCQ, not my favorite album of there but still pretty great
I’ve only had two rap albums so far and one of them was the other tribe called quest album so I guess it’s a bit of a shame that i’am getting this quite early on… I like how a tribe called quest opens their album with excursions by basically introducing the kind of music you’re gonna get for the next 48 minutes and in both openers the beats have slowly built up as they go along. The depressing bass groove works perfectly backing bugging out it’s a very good song already the album is slightly darker than the last album which is good. Rap promoter is good very cool beat and the lyrics are on point it’s just a little short to be fair. But the flow into butter is amazing another song with a great rhythm I love that it’s a song about finding love great 1,2 punch of tunes! Verses from the abstract is good, the sex verses are a bit awkward to listen to but it doesn’t matter much as it’s so well written and put together. Show Business is a banger it’s probably one of the more aggressive/fast paced tribe called quest songs by a tribe called quest which works really well as I think a song with this speed was what this album was lacking! Vibes and stuff is good it has quite a “loungey” sound to it that works perfectly but I don’t think it’s one of my favourites from the album. The infamous date rape is great a bit short song but the lyrics are solid I guess. Check the rhime is one of those songs with a top groove but it doesn’t really tell a story ( something I usually like about a tribe called quest) as it’s just Q tip and phife saying how great they are for the most part. When it’s not saying “ everything is fair when you’re living in the city” everything is fair is a good maybe filler compared to some of these songs but still good. Jazz ( we’ve got) does again have a very repetitive chorus but it’s much faster than the last songs chorus so it works it’s just a top song. It flows perfectly into skypager its a shortie but still great. What is a little funky song great groove but not the most substance. I think scenario is going for a close with a banger thing which would work because it’s certainly one of the album’s best but i don’t think it works as the closer. Yeah this is another 4 for them it doesn’t reach the heights of the last album ( which I also gave a 4 to) but it’s more consistent and I’am glad it’s not all skits and interludes.
Mixing jazz with rap was a good call.
what is cereal without milk what is a bat without echolocation what is my mamma if she ain't fat what is rubber is it don't have no hose and what is this album if I don't rate it _shrugs_ it's was pretty gud.
Hip hopzao nask
Intelligent hip hop
idrember
Not much to say but I like it
Great beats, really well mixed, laid back vocals - a really effortless listen, just one to enjoy!
good . Loved the beats and all the lyrical references to the industry
“On the point Tip – Yea, all the time.” A little leaner and straight-up funkier than first record, but not quite as chill, fun or boldly creative. Awfully strong all the way around, especially or a second outing so soon after the first, speaking to the Tribe’s high professionalism.
Excursions es una joya.
Moreish. I'm going back in.
I like the vibes and the flows.
"We've got the jazz. We've got the jazz. We've got the jazz..." They proudly chanted this in the intro of "Jazz (We've Got)", one of the album's highlights and a personal favorite. And they didn't yelled it like an extroverted MC in a night club, like most rappers do, but they almost whispered it. That's what this album is. With such a laidback sound and a minimal/more subtle use of vulgar words/topics, this is a easy listen. Very easy for a hiphop album. They used the jazz elements professionally, creating a light and easy atmosphere. The rapping is fine, and the lyrics admired for it's "social awareness", whatever that means. It is no surprise that this is one of the most respected albums in hiphop. It can draw anyone, whether they like jazz or rap or something not as harsh as gangsta rap. A classic. . . . So why does it sound monotonous at some point? Well, perhaps because it appears that the tracks are centered around a variation of a single drum machine beat.
I was little surprised that this album was from '91 because the sound of the album is distinguishable from other hip-hop at that time. It sounds like older hip-hop as the beats are not as complex and the lyrics slower too. It was a good album. Not sure I would listen to the whole thing again. It is not a 4 but it is better than a 3. I will round up.
Very fun to listen to!
Already listened to it
Another Tribe album! 2 in 3 days. Another phenomenal album. Love this jazzy hip hop. Not quite as much as their first album but still great stuff.
a vibe
4/5 8/03/2022 Such a good hip-hop album that doesn't follow the ghetto rap group stereotype. I really really enjoyed it and just love 90s hip hop music, and its the perfect example for it.
East Coast hip hop. Jazz rap. "Minimalist" sound - drums, bass, jazz samples, and lyrics. Great lyrical chemistry.
Sounds like it was made today. Not gonna make it fully into my rotation but close.
this is definitely one I will listen to again. i felt cool having this on my spotify
The beats, the lyrics, the feel, just a great album. Hip hop’s seminal albums
Cool jazzy rap with the standard and likeable 80s drum beats (even though it was 1991). Enjoyable and not nasty aggressive hip hop.
אלבום ממש טוב מאוד נהנתי
Really enjoyed the album. solid 4.3
The album is a lyrical masterpiece. Each song has different story-telling, poetry, and the free-styling element of rap music. Despite its poetry and smart rhymes I don’t find myself listening to this later. It’s more of an album to appreciate as a gold piece of art in a museum. Unless you memorize lyrics and hooks easily, you will need to take extra time to understand each song’s content, meaning, and true value. Many people have mentioned the jazz infusion in some of the songs. I personally don’t think the jazz elements did much to influence the album except for a few songs. But that does not take away from its quality.
pretty decent hip hop
Cool old school hip hop
Takes half an album to get going, but very good when it does.
Любопытно.
Tribe Called Quest is great. Hip hop hall of famers. And "Low End Theory" is a seminal work in hip hop history. But it's strengths are also it's weaknesses. It's so chill and smooth and laid back, but sort of to its detriment. Much of this album sounds the same, without much to differentiate one song from another. Until you reach the last two tracks. "What?" feels very fresh, packed with tons of references and the wittiest lyrics on the album. The album then ends with "Scenario," one of Tribe's biggest hits. It should have opened the album instead of concluding it, but either way it's inclusion hurts everything else by comparison. Nothing else had the energy that "Scenario" had. When it comes to alternative, more mindful hip-hop, Tribe Called Quest might be legendary, but the other album we've rated from this subgenre - Jurassic 5's "Power in Numbers" - is much better in my view. I'm giving this a 3.75, and rounding up because 3 stars doesn't capture the skill and artistry at play here, even if it doesn't reach its potential.
This album feels like I’m hanging out in Central Park listening to Q-Tip, Phife Dawg and their crew wax lyrical about life’s issues. Some dude could be playing the plastic bucket drums and someone else beat boxing and all would be right. Who knew a great hip hop album could be made without curse words? Rhetorical question…a lot of people, but it’s refreshing. I remember back to the Pretentious-Ass’s comment that Dr. Dre killed hip hop. And this is the type of album I assume P-A thought was killed. I could use more musically to pique my interest. I know they stripped it down to focus on the lyrical message, which I get. However, I would personally be more into the lyrical message with some more layers to the music. It would be nice if there were more hip hop around like this today. Maybe there is and I just need to search harder.
Overall, the bass lines and jazzy rap hit right. Lost me on a couple songs. Really serves as a time capsule to 1991 in so many ways. The Busta feature on Scenario is a standout favourite for me.
🎤 check 1 2 what is this!
Excellent classic 90s hiphop/rap. Qtip rules.
It's a vibe, songs kinda mesh together. First one and last two are the best songs.
Always a classic
Overall pretty enjoyable, never really listened to old-school legends of rap and hip-hop like this. First song was kind of weak but it picked up with the second. Standout song was definitely Butter. I thought the jazz samples were awesome. Lyrically interesting but the constant AABBCC rhyme scheme was grating at times. I know this was kind of earlier work but I hoped for more variation. Overall glad I listened.
Still a great album
Been a long time since I listened to this. Love the double bass - such a distinctive sound it gives to the album. There's more misogyny than I remembered. 🤨 I guess there's less than a lot of acts were putting out at around that time, but still... Fave track - "Buggin' Out" for that double bass goodness. "Scenario" was great too...
Really cool, but another album where no one track jumped out at me. I could see me going back for multiple listens and becoming more familiar with each track though
Conocía su super éxito que está en otro disco, pero este me ha parecido muy divertido. Puro Rap y Hip-hop de los 90. Hay canciones muy buenas: "Verses from the Abstract", "Show Busisness", "Jazz (We've got)", "Skypager" o "What?". Un disco de 4 estrellas al que volveré.
Solid album
This album is crisp as hell - minimalist beats and bass lines that take no prisoners coupled with dense bars that range from abstract to narrative gems. Deserves more than a few replays for sure
Pretty good. Not my style so prob won’t listen to again
Que gran sonido de esta banda. Había escuchado muy poco de ellos. Me gustó la ondita hipnótica y repetitiva del disco en general. Fav: jazz (we got it)
Buenazo. Me entretuvo y me gustaron los beats, la mezcla a veces con otros sonidos, otros tonos. Fluye bastante bien, a gusto. Entre mis favs: "Buggin' Out", "Show Business" y "Scenario". 8.5/10
My introduction to the seed that will seemingly eventually grow into rap, and you know, actually very good.
I'm embarrassed to say I never actively listened to A Tribe Called Quest until 2016 when We Got It From Here... Thank You 4 Your Service came out. I think I like We Got It From Here, better than this album. But I also think it's an album that would grow on me more and more each listen.
pretty good. not really any standout tracks that you'd put on as for a quick hit. if you want to listen to this then you basically need to put the whole album on.
Noteworthy. He led the way in early 90s hip hop. Another one I like
Jazz hip hop very cool
Guilty for not giving TCQ more of a chance earlier in life but blessed for being able to experience this classic with fresh ears. Starts strong, Ends strong. Middle is a little weaker.
Album art:3
Good stuff
Bra album. Bra beats och lyrics. Kanske några låtar för många på albumet. Bästa låtar: Check the Rhime Butter Show Business
Great classic hip-hop. A little jazzy. Great lyrics, good beats. Solid all around!
enjoyed it and will be back
Digg it
I worried they’d all sound the same after the 3rd song. But to be fair there’s a few good songs after the first half.
Hard to imagine that hip hop didn’t sound like this before A Tribe.
Another one that I listened to and wrote something about, but I don't remember what. I know I liked the album enough to give it a 4, mostly for the sound.
hip hop it do make serotonin 4/5
One of the most chill and relaxed hip hop albums I've heard so far. Very fun and vibey. Ultimately a little dated sounding, but not in a bad way; just missing some of the high-density rhymes and flows of later rappers that really attracts me. Biting and funny lyrics though!
false
Great time
Not typically my cup of tea but enjoyed it more than I thought I would
sounds dated. but in a good way.
I liked it.
Wow! First time I have heard this and thought it was just fantastic!
Probably one of my favorite hip-hop albums
This sounds so much like the 90s, I can see how this is the roots of rap and how at the time had a very street sound and lyrics. Has some interesting bars.
Was pretty cool, but it isn’t my type of music, however was a very nice experience:)
not bad, even if the style is not my jam
Hey, a rap album I actually liked! I thought this album was actually really solid, and I think a big part of that is as a musician I would enjoy playing along to this. Some really fun beats and baselines that are, like, actually real and not just electronic
I really enjoy jazz rap, and my earlier adventures into a tribe called quest hadn’t stuck, but I have a feeling that this one will
Thanks Tribe, very cool
Starting with a strong one
I love the references to pagers and watching Arsenio Hall on channel 9
I love this album. One of my all time favorite hip hop albums. No one can flow like Q Tip.
I love the Scenario but I hadn't heard much of this album. It was really good.
Finally some hip hop
Honestly? It is GREAT. High relistenability.
Both the flow and the music are great, lyrics are also quite good. I love the jazz samples used in it.
Fav song: Check the Rhime Cool album Obviously a classic
Dug it
Hip hop ok!
Classic 90s rap album.
Really good album. Great rhymes and flow.
Classic hip-hop beats. Good stuff
Great music, but not for work.
good rap, just like JF used to like... traitor!
Good shit
Good!
Great hip-hop.
i already listened to this it's great
30/09/2020 Sat in room when the water went out and phys got cancelled. Really enjoyed this album and was excited for my first hiphop piece. However, some of the album has not aged well at all, although it was part of a genre defining movement at the time. Songs like 'infamous date rape' in particular are not an easy listen. Tempted to give a 3, but because I am so aware of the position ATCQ have in hiphop, and the general influence of this album, I feel inclined to give a 4. Sugar Hill Gang/Grandmaster Flash influences run through the blood of this album.
1991: Check the Rhime, Scenario, Excursions
Old school hip hop perfection.
The lyrics are genius and way ahead of their time. But the drums are far too forward in the mix and the fabulous backing tracks get drowned out. A sabotaged-by-production 3*
Big 3
I really wanted this to be higher rated for me. I tend to love early hip hop. This band is part of it's early Canon, but it just didn't land like I expected it to. I'll probably try it again in the future because I feel I should like it more.
It was nice. Would listen again. 6/10.
Not my thing but not unenjoyable. This one is a winter evening when it's almost storming and you feel about to blow up. 3.3/5
Pretty good!
Ok songs. Nice crisp production. Clean and raw
Fun but kind of repetitive
Love the groove 3.5
Very good album. Notes deleted dont remember enough to write more. Just enjoyable to listen to. Favourite: Butter Least favourite: Scenario
Sounds good.
Not bad, but certainly not my style. ★★★
Great basswork. Pretty sure it's a standing double bass, and dang it, it completely overshadows all the other sonic elements here. Not that that's a bad thing. Not a huge fan of Q-Tip(?)'s vocal. For its time, it isn't terribly notable, but that's just it: half of the post-1990 male rappers sound exactly like this guy. This benefits ATCQ in that the music sounds more modern and less dated, but it also plays to its detriment – without any sort of melody and generally missing hooks or riffs, I feel like I've heard these songs hundreds or thousands of times before. Each song is individually decent – or most of them are, anyway – but as a collective? I see this as a set of good songs, *not* a good album. We start with the supremely groovy Excursions, a masterclass in "less is more" production and instrumentation. There isn't that much going on, particularly during the verses (vocals, bass, drums), but those are arguably the most compelling parts of the song. Obviously it could do with a melody, but such is the tragedy of rap. At least the brass breakdowns in the middle/end present a nice contrast. Buggin' Out is extremely similar – good, but not great – and I sincerely hope the band switches it up to give audiences some more variety. (Spoiler: they don't switch it up.) Nice transition from Rap Promoter to Butter, which has the best lyric thus far: "It's like butter, like the butter, baby / Not no Parkay, not no margarine / Strictly butter". Unfortunately, the remaining lyrics boast about sleeping with every girl in your senior year. I hope people don't listen to this due to finding the poetry relatable. Suffice to say, the novelty wears off quickly. "Once had a fetish, fetish for some booty / Now I'm getting funky in my rap and that's my duty" "Chickity Choco, the chocolate chicken" After Butter, the next time we hear anything notable is in the extremely questionable track Infamous Date Rape. The narrator complains about his one-night stand changing her mind about consent after the fact. I mean, sure. I don't know why I would ever actively seek out this song again, though. And isn't that the point of music? To make memories, to relate to art, to experience emotions? Right now the only emotion I'm feeling is supreme frustration. At least we get the tiniest bit of retribution in Check the Rhime, where Tribe fans cling to any semblance of musicianship with that funky bassline. And props to Everything Is Fair for having a completely novel funk/hip-hop sound, particularly in the vocal hook, than any of the other tracks. The synth keyboard in the penultimate track, What?, kicks ass. Yet another case of i-IV chords being absolutely unbeatable for jamming purposes. I can almost forgive Tribe for their past crimes. Worth mentioning, though, that apart from that one track, there is nothing jazzy about The Low End Theory. Uniform 4/4 beats and one-bar basslines repeated to death do not count as jazz. 3/5 Key tracks: Check the Rhime, Everything Is Fair, What?
A appreciate this music and didn't dislike listening to it, it's just not my thing. On the same level as the other 90s rap/R&B I've had. It's fine! Top Songs: Butter, Jazz (We've Got), What?
The album that established the career of Q-Tip and Busta Rhymes and brought more jazz samples into hip hop. They called it ‘Boom Bap’ apparently! It’s a more relaxing listen than some rap albums and the double bass (Ron Carter in places which is highly credible) is a distinctive feature. It didn’t soundtrack 1991 for me but it definitely was for cooler people and movie soundtracks. I think the presence of Mr Carter adds a star to the review! Not a million miles from the vibes of De La Soul.
Old school. Don't know it, but nostalgic for the style.
The beats on here are undeniable, and Q-Tip and Phife are obviously in the upper echelons of rap wordsmiths. That said, if pressed to indulge in 90s hip-hop I will always have more time for the harder edged, grimier sounds of Wu-Tang and Nas. That's just me!
I liked it. The lyrics are extremely clever. It’s not my style, it terms of a regular listen.
a 3-star for me, but the kind that is intriguing enough and unfamiliar enough to myself that upon second listen it could just as easily drop to a 1-star as it could rise to a 5-star.
Классический умный и расслабленный хип-хоп с динамичным флоу, который приятно слушать в качестве фона или создания правильного ритма для рутинной работы. Для меня единственный минус - что при более детальном рассмотрение тяжело выдержать все 48 минут, но альбом все равно приятный
- Much like the Q-Tip album I previously reviewed, I respect the craft but Qwest does little for me. Something about the delivery just feels insanely repetitive and I find myself becoming less and less connected as these tracks play. - Some interesting lyrics, but the rhymes do not feel particularly creative. The spare backing is interesting, but I begin to once again lose interest after over a dozen songs. - "Scenario" is the best track and Busta Rhymes immediately stands out.
2.5
Kind of fun, but since they mostly just want to talk about themselves it didn't do much for me.
- 3/5 - nyc rap ? Era era - - “I dont get the message so you gots to run the pigeon” - It’s not bad, I prefer my rap to be a bit more melodic/ with background samples like MF DOOM - Jazz (we’ve got) is getting there? Bits of it!!
Fun but not for me
Yep, looks like East coast jazz rap is my flavour.
very samey but it's a pillar of hip hop
3.5
Idk, I really enjoyed *Instinctive Travels* a good bit more than this one. I honestly probably should revisit both and see where I land. This felt a bit more homogenous now, but that's look past all that this influenced on 90s hip hop. But I seem to remember enjoying the more feel good vibe of the predecessor much better. (6.8) ★★★
2 ATCQ albums in the book seems a bit overkill and Q-Tip’s best moment was on Groove Is In The Heart anyway. Not bad but kinda same boring beats and flow throughout. Definitely not needed.
ok
Good rapping vocals are on point and it has a decent beat. Nice lyrics however it just feels dated and very samey the samples dont change much so was a little disappointed.
Standard criticisms apply… but this is a touch groovier than its contemporaries.
Definitely a cut above the majority of other 90s hip hop albums we've been gifted.
I get that this album probably has more cultural cache, but Midnight Marauders is a much better listen (5/5). Still Tribe is a Vibe, and the vibes are all gooooood.
Un sonido que no baja en ningún momento y con algunas variantes que le dan gran riqueza. Llevadero pero nutritivo, así de simple.
Pretty chill, not a bad song on there
Again another 3.5. I dig the classic hip hop but I doubt it will be in my regular rotation. A couple of songs were misses, but on average pretty decent.
I'm not one to judge hip hop, this was alright, but maybe not something I'd revisit. 3*
I liked this album. I've heard of a Tribe Called Quest but never sat down and listened to it. I'm not sure if I would listen to this again though, mostly because this sounds is so familiar that I feel like I've heard to this entire album before because the production and flows have been reused by the music downstream of this album that it has influenced.
Solid work, but most of it sounds much the same to me.
3/5 - Just does very little for me, but I know it did a lot for others.
This album has the ability to transport whoever’s listening to early ‘90’s Brooklyn (or wherever). Feels like a good representation of the genre
This works great as background music. i really liked the genre and might check out more from A Tribe Called Quest. But i found this to be too slow and unmemorable for me.