The Low End Theory

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.

A nice new percpective on rap. Most of the lyrics are high vibrational.

sick beats, but some lyrics were distracting. I enjoyed the second half better

some calm luh flows also nice jazz influences

Overall Rating - 3.07/5 (6.14/10). Pretty solid old-style hip-hop. Slick flow over a good beat.

Groovy, tekstas tho visą laiką apie moteris.

Hört sich irgendwie jedes Lied gleich an aber für zwischendurch nicht schlecht.

3.5

Some good rhythm and beats 🥁

Highly overrated.

Nao e a minha cena mas acredito que seja bom

My rating 3.2

I was pleasantly surprised at this album. I’m not usually someone to be keen on rap music, with jazz and hip hop in the mix it creates this unique sound that I thoroughly enjoyed. I also bopped my head to a lot of it. However, it became repetitive which means there was no specific song that stuck out to me. If I heard this music I would like it but I wouldn’t go immediately to add it to my playlist, which is why I would rate it a 3/5. I definitely need to make a hip hop playlist so that I can listen to the songs again

Does it get anymore classic 90s rap than this? Pure lyrical poetry. Some of these rhymes are a littttle goofy though—“What is a party if it doesn't really rock? What is a poet? All balls, no cock.” Not quite a 3, not quite a 4. Fav: Verses from the Abstract, Vibes and Stuff

This is a very 90s record, for better or worse. The production is excellent, the flow is right, but I had to stop paying attention to the lyrics a few tracks in. Still, worth a listen.

This is the Stringer Bell of rap: not smart enough to hang with the philosophers but not hard enough to run with the boys on the street. Tribe tries to show his bona fides by listing off names of rappers no one remembers 30 years later (and name dropping Arsenio Hall 3 times isn’t a flex). Then he conflates vocabulary for intellect. But his lyrics have no particular insight despite having more syllables. Kendrick Lamar is a much better option for that. Altogether the tracks move along pleasantly enough, which for rap might be more of a bug than feature. It should be more challenging. The album was heading straight in to a half-hearted 2 stars until Busta Rymes jumps in with 90 seconds left on the last track. He brings all the energy that was missing and lifts the whole album on his shoulders up to a 3.

Not really my style, but it was pretty nice. Reminds me of songs I hear on a stop sign during a roadtrip.

Very fun album. Scenario is a a classic and a great way to end the project.

An album I’ve only listened to once.

6/10

3/5

Mire laidback rap compared to the monstrosities I've had recently. Listenable

not exactly a huge fan of hip hop especially in this era of my life however i think the beats and the flow is pretty great, would've been interested in this had i been listening a few years prior

I like the classic 90s vibe as a background vibe. Not mad in any way

Album n.5 I dont really listen to a lot of rap but this album had some good songs on it. The lyrics where harder to follow by meaning but I think I got the gist of it. Again not really my thing so half of the songs didnt really land for me. favorites where: buggin out, vibes and stuff and check the rhime. I rate it 3,3

Not a huge fan of rap, but this is kind of relaxing. I love the album colours and the psychedelic neon art. Certain songs are super cool lyrically. Wouldn’t listen to the whole album again I think just because I might just forget about it.

Typ najs hip-hop, men inte min smak

I enjoyed this more then de la soul or cypress hills.

Pretty good old school hiphop

I liked this overall, even if there weren’t standout tracks for me. All the songs kind of blend in to each other, but are all good

I still don’t know how to talk about hip hop, so here here are my general thoughts on the album. He has good flow! I think the instrumental was slightly lacking. It was very samey throughout. Scenario is obviously a great track! I didn’t realize it was on this album. 3/5 ⭐️, some enjoyment, but I didn’t really pick anything out I loved about it. 135/1089

3.5

I mean, the greats, but I can't pick out one tune I would listen to on its own. Still, I love how much of The Abstract's lyrics are "Yeah, I'll play your show if you pay us."

great album favs were Vibes n Stuff and Jazz

1. Excursions 3/5: beat is cool, bars are hard just not a fan of the delivery. I like the audio bites throughout the chorus. 2. Buggin' Out 3/5: beat is cool again, snare is hard. Still just don't like the delivery from this era. 3. Rap Promoter 2/5: i like this beat less than the others, same complaints as before, bars are hard just don't like the delivery. 4. Butter 4/5: beat is crazyyyy, and delivery is cool has more character, chorus is so sick. can't imagine relistening tho, only thing i find myself latching onto is the beat. 5. Verses from the Abstract 2/5: I can't tell if im listening to a clean version or they just stop talking when they cuss, it's aight, can't really complain about anything but also not finding anything i latch onto. 6. Show Business 4/5: Beat is hyppeee, can hear people like Terror Reid being inspired by this, whoever is rapping at 2:20 is tough, kinda get bored of everyone else after a few bars, i really really like this beat tho. 7. Vibes and Stuff 4/5: Best beat so far, can also hear a snare that i use that's probably ripped from this song lmao, chorus is cool too, get a lil bored but big vibe on this song. 8. Infamous Date Rape 4/5: ???, i like the beat again, same as before not too big on delivery but not finding myself getting as bored w this song 9. Check The Rhime 3/5: beat cool, it's so much better when they rhyme off each other. im bored again. 10. Everything Is Fair 3/5: amen break *.* same as every song, cool beat, not too big on delivery, gettin a lil bored as the song goes on. 11. Jazz (We've Got) 3/5: they've got jazz, chorus is tough, ye. 12. Skypager 3/5: s in skypage stands for sex, i like these shorter songs more, feels like more is happening in a shorter period of time, makes me appriciate it more. 13. What? 2/5: i can't stand this beat LOL, I like their delivery when the bpm is faster, silence bar is crazy haha. 14. Scenario 5/5: banger song, beat is so crazy, i think with more people on this makes it that much better, the delivery from back then they kinda just stick with it without switching flow, this song having different people kinda fills that gap you don't end up just wanting to hear the next guy get on. Busta Rhymes is so fucking good actually carries on this song. Overall: It's cool, i feel a little out of touch with it given my age, can appriciate what it probabaly did to hip-hop and the inspiration people have taken from this. Just maybe didn't age that well, just kept finding myself getting bored of the guy spitting waiting for something else to happen in the song. All the beats are sick just this era of delivery i really am not a massive fan of. 3.2/5

These guys are really good.

I can respect what they're doing, it's just not my bag. It's good "sitting on the deck with friends" social background groove but after two goes it didn't hook me to actually play it ever again

Mid

Continuation from the previous album, same same, not my cup of tea.

Very nice jazz elements to the beats and rapping is great

Extremely solid jazz rap stuff, roots of which you can hear even today

Too rap, not my genre

Not my jam, but not bad.

Not my type. A classic rap album

yo yo yo im here to say, that this album is just ok.

They changed hip hop for sure. Lofi jazz beats. Intelligent lyrics. The only thing is the very repetitive delivery on this album. Every song has the same cadence and Delicery style. It gets tiresome very quickly.

I’m not much of a hip hop fan, but I do enjoy the old school ‘90s rap like this. Still not something I listen to on the regular, but it’s decent.

i had a good time

old school rap was just better

i get this is the original jazz sample album which influenced hiphop forever but it doesnt do it for me......the samples and production gets really boring and generic after a while i do recommend We Got It From Here cos it blends samples with live instrumentation which is more my style....i really love that album but low end theory...not that much

Enjoyable

A good album, I liked Buggin' Out and Butter the most.

1st album

Excursions - 3.5/5 Buggin' Out - 3/5 Rap Promoter - 3/5 Butter - 3.5/5 Verses from the Abstract (feat. Vinia Mojica & Ron Carter) - 3.5/5 Show Business (feat. Diamond D, Lord Jamar & Sadat X) - 4/5 Vibes and Stuff - 3.5/5 Infamous Date Rape - 3/5 Check the Rhime - 3/5 Everything Is Fair - 3/5 Jazz (We've Got) - 3/5 Skypager - 3/5 What? - 3/5 Scenario (feat. Busta Rhymes, Dinco D & Charlie Brown) - 3/5

Not really my style, but they have a reaaly good vibe

nice thoo

Its a rap jaz album that good but i would came back to it often

Favorite Track: Jazz

Always innovative this early album from the tribe suffers from lack of focus. Songs like check the rhime and scenario are magnificent and swaggering but there is not enough. Not their best work but still there are bits and pieces to enjoy

Endlessly chill and groovy. I really like the live instrumentation on this and Q-Tip's is just so smooth and pleasant. Light and approachable, but still very artistically sound. Key tracks: Everything Is Fair Jazz (We've Got) Scenario

Solid album....would listen again

3.75

Très bon, mais un peu répétitif et daté

Nice, short funky rap album. Like the instruments with raping. Pretty same all the time. 3/5

Love the jazzy production but some of the tracks start bleeding together especially in the middle. The hand-offs and dialogue btwn the different Tribe members are as charming and funny as ever on this album though. „Scenario“ bangs like nobody‘s business and Busta Rhymes‘s feature in particular rules. „The Infamous Date Rape“ is an embarrassing track to look back on; Phife‘s verse in particular rehashes the same fears that op-eds of the time harped on. Loved „Excursions“ and „Skypager“ though.

me gusto, buen sonido

Le pongo 3 estrellas porque al de los Rolling Stones de Sticky Fingers le puse 4. Al principio, apenas puse la primera canción pensé: qué estoy escuchando? Porque es un género que no escucho nunca, y si no fuera por este proyecto nunca me hubiera enterado de la existencia de esta banda. Pero al final me terminó gustando. Son canciones con buen ritmo, para escuchar algo distinto. No guardé ninguna canción en mi biblioteca pero lo disfruté, y eso es lo que me gusta de haber empezado esto: de entrar en contacto con música nueva para mí, pero que fue importante en la historia de la música.

American rap!!! 2000s

Bastante diferente a lo que oigo normalmente, me gusto que toda la musica se siente muy colorida y es un respiro divertido a la ai moderna

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

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

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

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

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

Not fully my style but good vibes

7/10

3 fine

Nice, but not impressed.

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

Good

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

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

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

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

Good some great tracks not rlly my thing

A smooth groove all the way through

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

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

buen hiphop, todas las canciones suenan igual

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

good

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

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

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

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

Good record, well done Tribe.

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

what a great album!

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

ts was actually good, didn't expect to like rap

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

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

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

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

Funky and addictive!

good

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

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

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

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

05-06/03/26

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

few songs were good

Nice and good

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

Good older rap with a nice musical interludes.

pretty good

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

Good

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Alternative hip hop at it's best.

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

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

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

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

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

calssic

hmm…new

A good 90s hip-hop rap listen.

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘰𝘸 𝘌𝘯𝘥 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘰𝘳𝘺 is minimalist, smooth, and deeply rooted in jazz — a blueprint for laid-back, thoughtful hip-hop. The interplay between Q-Tip and Phife Dawg is sharp, and the production has that warm, upright-bass pulse that defines the album’s whole aesthetic. Still, as much as I admire its influence and clarity, it doesn’t fully grab me on a personal level. It’s a cool, intelligent record, just not one I’m eager to revisit often.

It’s hip-hop. I don’t really like hip-hop, but this is fine. I don’t remember a thing about it, I’m never going to listen again, but I didn’t hate it.

Not really my style but not offensive 3

The only track I knew was Scenario. I didn't know that track is credited with launching Busta Rhymes' career - neat! I like Tribe because the backing tracks are groovy/jazzy and they _don't_ do the gangsta rap thing. It's like easy listening rap, in a good way. I think if it had ~2 more hits, I would mark it an easy 4.

Ville give det 3.5 giver mig nostalgi følelse og romantiseret idé om at være ung i new york i 90'erne :))) ville jeg komme tilbage til det? not sure

Heart usually sinks when a rap album appears on here but actually this one was on the right side of rap I can listen to without losing the will to live

Core hip-hop album, absolutely influential, and in the lexicon of the genre it feels like it spends a significant portion of its run time on takeoff and never really catches its wind.

Hmm. It's not bad but it's not really good either. I mean sure why not it's nice at first but 40 minutes of the exact same drum pattern well... it's kinda long. I can see why it's liked but i personally didn't enjoy it after the first 3 songs.

Not something i thought i'd like as I'm not a huge fan of hip-hop, but it was pretty decent. I'd probably listen to it again but its not something i was obsessed with. The lyrics were nice and probably my favourite part of the whole album. My favourite songs were infamous date rape or verses from the abstract.

Pretty good. I liked the vibe

man this album is such a vibe, dropped while i was in college and really takes me back not something that i really feel like listening to anymore, for some reason q-tips flow just feels too specific to a moment and its weird listening now. still, the way it hit in its time was epic

I actually quite enjoyed this one; whether that's because I've had an aneurysm in my sleep, or if A Tribe Called Quest are genuinely a high quality example of hip hop, I should probably get myself checked out just in case. It felt far less one-note and monotonous than much of the hip hop that I've dunked on so far - it's far more "vibey" and moody owing to its atmospheric depth, more varied and palatable vocally with an accomplished flow to the lyrics being delivered, and it takes less of an "in your face" approach where you can almost tune out from the vocals if you so choose. When I did find myself focusing on the lyrics, there wasn't too much cause for concern in that department either, with some interesting, abstract concepts being explored. I'll be chucking this into my "hip hop that I don't mind" playlist, which doesn't get too many runouts, but serves as an occasional reminder that it's probably not the genre in and of itself that I take issue with - rather, the execution in many cases.

00:21am Slušala sam ga iz dva puta i iskreno kida hahaha Na prvo slušanje sam htjela površno preći preko cijelog albuma jer nikad nisam slušala ovaj žanr ranije, na drugo sam našla tekst uz pjesme i većinski nemam blage veze o čemu pjevaju al’ je bilo baš dobrih stihova i strofa pa sve u svemu svidio mi se album. Nemam pojma ko su Q-tip i tamo neki Muhamed i Fajf al imaju dobar bit i mnogo mi se sviða taj osjećaj kao da živim u Kvinsu, Nju Jorku, imam vrećaste farmerice do poda i najbolje drugarice su mi Tamika i Shaika iz bloka

Good for background noise

"GRAAH! RAH! LIKE A DUNGEON, DRAGON!"

Some of the songs sounded the same, but they were all good.

It was not bad, I liked some of the songs. I think for me if I like the album or not depends on the lyricism. Some of the songs had that some didn't. I wouldn't really give it a 3 because it is a bit better so probably a 3,5 in reality

Нигеры на плотной читке, но меня все равно не отпускает мысль что музло состарилось

Stripped down rap. Jazz samples. Clever, easy to understand lyrics. Not gangster rap. Not my usual genre but I liked it.

Infamous date rape and scenario are my favorites. Love the beats but the album is just a bit dated for my liking.

fav tracks: butter, vibes and stuff, everything is fair also not really my type of music, but I can appreciate it for its significance. it is really good, just not what I would ever reach for to listen to on my own. glad I heard it regardless because they're legends.

I enjoyed this album listen from A Tribe Called Quest! I feel like this is music that I can just vibe and chill to while listening. Overall, this was a solid hip hop and rap album that I would vibe to again in the future!

pretty solid but not my fav

sort of cool, appreciated how influential it's been

fun lil old hiphop album. way more listenable than i thought it would be. might even add into a playlist? songs seemed a bit too similar to eachother though, a definite favourite didn't really stand out