People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm

Laid back, fun, low fi. I've never listened to this before. I can hear how it has influenced subsequent artists. Very good.

Mind nii väga ei kõneta, aga paar lugu olid päris head

Fine old school hip hop.

Amazing

Push it along: i like the rhymes, but the song doesnt stand out to me, i like that its like an introduction - 2,5/5 Luck of Lucien: This is fun to listen to - 3,5/5 After Hours: chill, good background music - 3,5/5 Footprints: good beat - 3/5 I left my wallet in el segundo: fun song idea, storytelling yay - 3/5 Pubic enemy: fun sound but weird lyrics - 3/5 Bonita Applebum: sounds like a great song to be high to - 3/5 Can I kick it?: Yes you can, great flow, makes me really happy - 4/5 Youthful expression: okay - 3/5 Rythm: deserves the title -3,8/5 Mr. Muhammad: like the mix of different sounds - 3,5/5 Ham n eggs: lmfao, i live for this - 4/5 Go ahead in the rain: 3/5 Description of a fool: joaa - 3/5 Stimmigkeit: 4/5 Gesamteindruck (x2): 3,2/5 (x2) ------->3,3/5

Great album

OK. 2/5

This was great! I can see why it's on this list. Nice to hear Can I Kick It? with the context of the full album.

Great production, prefer The Low End Theory but this isn't far behind

Enjoy Q-Tip's smooth and chilled delivery.

This was class

Q-Tip has a flow like no other, absolutely one of my favourite rappers. Good album, a few classics but also a couple of tracks that didn't really go anywhere which cost it a star

I enjoyed the laid back vibe of this and some of the samples on here are so good. Hip hop isn’t my favourite genre, and at times this gets a wee bit too jazz for my tastes, but I would pick this over Beastie Boys every day of the week. Liked more than I didn’t like.

I think I just really like A Tribe Called Quest, because this one was also quite good. I liked the lyrics and the grooves are good. It was well written and well produced, my only issue when compared to the low end theory is it runs a little long. If it ended ten minutes earlier it would be on par but it’s a slightly lower 4

Amazing album, top to bottom. I'll never pass up an excuse to listen to this Favorite Songs: Can I Kick It?, Ham N' Eggs

A breath of fresh air in rap music 1990. Sound is retro and forward-looking at same time; completely innovative. Contains many iconic tracks, overlooked gems, never loses momentum. Sense of humor and fun-loving spirit evident throughout. As an extra the remixes are dope.

This album really benefits from listening to it as a complete whole. Can You Kick It is obviously a huge hit, but the whole album flows well. Love the understated beats punchy vocals. Luck of Lucien was a new song to me, but I quite liked it

Fantastic album and pretty revolutionary for 1990 when this sort of eclectic sample approach to beatmaking was just starting to take off. I’d give it 4.5 stars if I could but am trying to situate this within the rest of their discography and know I have two 5 star classics to come. Honestly despite being part of the group I was surprised at how little Phife Dawg there is here and it primarily comes off as a Q-Tip project (not a bad thing by any means as his flow and production approach are just so unique). Bonita Applebum is probably my favorite song and is in the list of their all-time greats, but so many other good moments. Footprints is one I hadn’t listened to a ton but hard to wrap your head around just how different this beat was in its time and how much this style would influence 90s boom bap. Overall super super good just not quite my favorite Tribe.

Dope.

A Tribe Called Quest weren't unprecedented - they weren't unlike anything you'd heard before - but they were a perfection of a certain approach not to be achieved again. That's not a dig at the formula-makers such as De La and the Jungle Bros or those who followed suit like Digable Planets or The Pharcyde. Rather, it's an acknowledgement that, unlike those other classics, Tribe is the most synonymous w/ a philosophy and a sound from which they never really deviated. Tho this is their debut, and in fact not their greatest record (but crucial), it possesses a maturity and confidence unusual for a premiere. In this sense, they were never experimental, only commanding. From Q-Tip: 'This ain't trial and error, more like tribin' era.'

Great early 90s hip hop. Pioneers. Their later stuff is more polished, but this is a good album

You always hear how good “Midnight Marauders” and “The Low End Theory” are, but “PITATPOR” always seems to be forgotten about. A much better album than it gets credit for. Has my favorite Tribe song on it.

This deserves at least 7 stars!

My least favorite of every Tribe album I've heard and even then it's still fantastic.

Never listened to this before - this is a vibe. Their voices come in and out seamlessly and every song is like a cipher. Really neat production with crispy drums and great samples. I can tell Lin-Manuel Miranda is a huge fan of A Tribe Called Quest. Embarrassing, but my biggest through-line to this is Hamilton! It's really cool how the outro of one song leads right into the next one, it's a true mixtape. All in all this just a great album, fun to listen to and not a dull minute on it.

The catalyst to hip-hop emerging in NYC in the early 90s, Tribe makes the genre main stream. This album blends story telling, Afro beats, and the ruggedness that New York is know and while making the newest and freshest sound on the market.

Nice, creative rap

Old school 90s hip hop. Laid back, soulful beats. Classy and jazzy.

Takes people to many places listening to a variety of music.

yes

i cant remember if i listen or no this album but i think "A tribe Called Quest was a amazing band no doubt

I was pleasantly surprised. This isn't my favorite genre, but I didn't hate listening to it.

Love this group. This is the hip hop that sends a message, makes you think, and that you can bib your head to.

Conscious, Jazzy Hip-Hop

All you need is love into rocky theme intro is actual gas. Then the Sir Duke intro too! They did some fun stuff in this album fs. Quite a debut, I enjoyed it but just isn’t nearly as strong of a project as what they would come to do.

It’s not as good as low end theory, but still perfect….how were tribe ever real???

Strong 4

Just undeniable

I always love them what can I say

78/1001 :: A Tribe Called Quest - People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm Heard before? ✅ Would I revisit? ➖ Rating: 7 Listen before you die: Yes Fav Songs: Bonita Applebum, Can I Kick It, I Left My Wallet in El Segundo I think the first Tribe song I ever heard was Can I Kick It?. The fact that they sampled Lou Reed resonated with me even though I don’t think I really knew that at the time (1990). This album is probably more influential than it is great and as went through it today I realized it runs a little long. It’s also not their best IMO but as Tribe’s first album it’s pretty monumental and has some all timers sprinkled in. They really bridged the gap between 80s hip hop and 90s Hip Hop. They’re also the ultimate conscious Hip Hop group. They’re actually so good at it, It’s probably why I don’t really like that kind of rap. Because I would rather just listen to Tribe. Tribe always came off as cool AF too. I love that their lyrics have an edge to them but they’re not trying to be tough. They’re just so smart and so is the production. Lastly, beyond just a lyricist Q-Tip is a hell of a producer. I’m sure they’ll be other Tribe albums in this run. Excited to get to those.

Coolio

I never realized this was the debut album for Tribe. That's insanely impressive, it's such a great album experience. This is the hip hop that I asked all my friends to listen to in school, along with De La Soul, and it's even more to enjoy over 2 decades later.

très cool

It's so joyful and occasionally jazzy - and Q-Tip has got crazy prophylactics. What's not to love?

Great old school hip hop

Cool vibe, found myself grooving, now want to check out their other albums.

Repeat listen

Bangers.

This album was so cool! All the samples and jazzy hip hop vibes.

A masterpiece that’s fun and repeat friendly is a rarity. So much to love on every track. Favourite track: After Hours

Solid album start to finish

Album 8/1001 The year was 1990: Nelson Mandela was freed from prison, Margaret Thatcher resigned as PM, Goodfellas was gracing the big screen, Twin Peaks the small screen, and Italia 90 was bringing feel good vibes to the nation. And on top of all of this, the golden age of hip hop was about to become even golder with The Tribe's emergence onto the scene with this instant classic of a debut album. The 90s were off to a good start. Now, I'm not old enough to remember any of this stuff happening at the time but still, what a time to be alive! Favourite song: I Left My Wallet in El Segundo 💰 Honourable mention: Can I Kick It? ⚽️ Bonita Applebum 🍎 After Hours ⏰️ Luck of Lucien 🤞

Another album to mark off the hip-hop gauntlet. With this behind me, I'll have listened to eleven of the top twenty hip-hop albums. I've never in a million years heard of A Tribe Called Quest, though I'm aware that their second album is the highest-rated hip-hop album on this site, so I might just raise my expectations a little. Any album which trumps the insane hype surrounding The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill and To Pimp a Butterfly must be pretty good. Yeah, it's alright. I enjoy this kind of hip-hop sound, and the lyrical flow is decent. My only problem is that's all this is. Samey instrumentals, samey vocal performances, all stretched out to make for an album which is over an hour. While I do enjoy this general musical style, I also can't deny that these kinds of subdued, bassy hip-hop instrumentals are pretty creatively restrictive. "Pubic Enemy" is alright. I like the quirky instrument during the chorus, and the jittery percussion is pretty cool, too. "Bonita Applebum" has some pretty great samples, and I enjoy the change in vocalist. "Rhythm" has a pretty cool sound - I especially like the electronic ambience in the background. It gives the song a great, spacy atmosphere. Book time. "hip-hop's funkiest philosophers". "...marked the birth of the alt-rap scene". Influential among hip-hop musicians. Wasn't received well by critics or audiences at the time, but has since been reappraised as a classic. Yeah, this seems to be a decent pick. Can't fault it.

I've already listened to his album (13). Good clean NY Hip-hop. I prefer the second album, this one is a bit long and repetitive.

Feels a bit choppy and incomplete. I dug the Ham and Eggs song and the interlude that reprises itself many times during the album's runtime, but other than that, I was not particularly impressed.

A classic! A time and a place! Thank you to Philadelphia and the people I am lucky enough to call my friends.

I can see why it's a classic and the influence it probably had on the things that came after it. But I think it's age really shows and as someone listening to it for the first time in 2025 I just think that there are much more alternatives I could find that would make me happier to listen to.

Tribe was one of the most influential original rap groups and this album still stands up today easily. What sets Tribe apart is their beats almost have this loFi, African, hypnotic chill vibe. It's not overly aggressive, especially when you compare with the rap albums that gained a lot of attention in the 80's/90's. QTip made a lot of these beats as a high school kid, experimenting with sampling other songs, which you can hear clearly in some of the songs like Can I Kick It? There are some beats that don't "work" or a bit off, but overall they are fun beats like you would make for your friends, which is what original rap was all about. Hanging with your friends, trying some rhymes and talking about just the little things in a young kids life. No drugs, drive-bys; just chilling with your friends.

5 out of 5 One of the best. Every song is incredible.

With Tribe you know you've always got a good album; in fact did they ever release a truly bad album? Great flow, intelligent samples and hooks for days. What more do you want? Best Tracks: Luck of Lucien; I Left My Wallet in El Segundo; Can I Kick It?

Just incredible!

Enjoyed this. A bit long. Could have done with dropping a few tracks to tighten the album up, but overall I liked it.

You learn some classic life lessons from A Tribe Called Quest, like don't leave your wallet in El Segundo, don't eat ham and eggs cuz they're high in cholesterol, and the art of moving butts!

yeaaa, maybe i can stomach this as background music in a fashion store. but to listen through this, i guess there's not enough hip in me.

Groovin.

Absolutely one of my all time favourite bands and albums

Favourites: Push It Along, Luck of Lucien, I Left My Wallet in El Segundo, Pubic Enemy, Bonita Applebum, Can I Kick It?, Mr. Muhammad, Go Ahead In the Rain

pubic enemymoment.laaa... ai että.. ai että.. Uskomaton albumi.. raskas.... noeii, kepistävä, kepestävää askelta laittaa a narttuni on homofobinen. tämä lepakkosignaali ei ole hakulaite, nämä kuokat käyttävät sitä väärin. ksiselitteisesti päheätä musiikkia. ei voi nuoret, nuoret sukupolvet lätistää tätä alas... seisoo ajan testissä.. hyviä wiboja ei mitään muuta piru vie piru vieköön teidät nuoret... ette voi pahoin tästä sanoa, pirulainen teidät kaapatkoon tervetuloa putoukseen mailaman parhaaseen sketsihahmokilpailuun-.. yli miljoona (1000000) katsojaa saman aikaan... totinen lukema siinä. 10 jäljellä btw footprints

fire

Cool laid back vibe Very diverse samples, fun You can hear their enthusiasm The lyrics don't do much for me

A few good beats.

Good samples. Long album, almost 90 mins. Holds up against time.

Great album. Q-tip is always great to listen to. Wyatt seemed to enjoy it.

Couple big hits, it's fine

I love this 90s rap! You can tell this album has influenced so many artists. The lyrics are clever and funny. I will listen to more. Favorites: I left my wallet in el segundo, Ham N Eggs

Was familiar with Can I Kick it , but gladly discover the rest of their discography, I can dig it!

Q-tip шикарен

2,6/5

Decent old school hip hop but the songs were very redundant which was quite annoying

However people tried to define A Tribe Called Quest when this came out, alternative hip-hop, progressive rap, jazz rap, whatever--it's clear this record is near perfection.

i dont usually listen to a ton of hip-hop(?) but this was actually pretty neat. stand outs were push it along, pubic enemy, and ham'n'eggs. 7/10!

A great listen.

Such a smooth groove and glad to get a full Tribe album to listen to. Love the outro recording on the first track and into the second. Real sense of rawness and community. Enjoyed the little samples and nods to other songs and artists. Consistently chill and easy listening. And the classic ‘Can I Kick It?’ Such great verses in that. Usually like something a little more bombastic or moving but a very good steady album for groove, background or foreground.

a great precursor to Low End Theory, just not quite as good

Respect for the lo-fi shimmer and sample sorcery way ahead of its time. Occasionally brilliant, but that old-school rap vibe just doesn't hit for me.

This review might get me in trouble, but...it's a 4. I love Tribe, and I know that this is just a debut, but I still think it is a little undercooked and unfocused. If anything, it seems a little TOO Native Tongues, whatever that means, and when I want to hear some classic Native Tongues, I feel like groups like Black Sheep did it with more personality. Or, for some offshoots, Das EFX or Digable Planets. To me, this isn't Tribe's greatest talent, which ultimately comes to fruition on their next 2 albums. The samples here seem just a bit more limp than their two classics, where they moved into more unified jazz samples. All that said, Bonita and Kick It are all-timers, and as bad as I might have made this review sound, it is still a 4. Forgive me 🙏

Wow, this just keeps going

i feel like i should change my rating criteria. i'd never heard this and probably won't listen to it ever again front to back. but it was good while it was there.

Amazing early hip-hop record.

A banger of an album, and institution. Really showed where rap could go.

There's an alternate reality where the foundation of popular hip-hop culture sprouted from A Tribe Called Quest and De La Soul, instead of N.W.A., and I wish I lived there.

Now I’m not a very big fan of old school boom bap it just never hit me the right way. Even though I don’t like it this was still a pretty good album. A lot of fun tracks, great lyrics and beats through out the whole record. I didn’t rly have a favourite song with everything being about the same level. Overall this wasn’t amazing but it was still a solid album 7.1/10 3.5/5

Boom bap

me gusto

Can I Kick It? (yes you can!)

Cool album. Misschien niet hun beste en misschien ook niet hun tweede beste. Can I Kick It blijft hun absolute top, maar voor de rest staan hier misschien een 2-3 tal andere nummers op die ik opgeslagen heb. De rest is oké, maar nu ook niet wauw. 3.2

I really enjoyed this. Old school rap, which I imagine would be played in a cool cocktail bar now. I'm not sure if there were a lot of samples used, or these are the original songs which were then used as samples, but I liked this a lot.

Vibes

Great album!

Not exactly my taste, though I can understand its appeal.

It was an OK hip-hop album, much more interesting to me than most others. The flow was nice, it was groovy and it was overall pretty nice. I'm not the biggest fan of hip-hop though so I don't think I can appreciate it enough.

hyvää kamaa

Best album I've heard in the past week. Favoriting this one for later. Great rhythm, solid narrative without being to much in a direction of explicit or silly, and great individual songs. I can get lost in this album.

Great album

I completely expected to skip this. But the samples are sick and Q-Tip was in this group? I love me some Q-Tip. Awesome stuff. Can't wait to put it on loud. Oh, and that Lou Reed sample? Stick a fork in me.

Very strong start but faded a bit towards the end there

63/1001 A Tribe Called Quest - People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm Heard before? ❎ Revisit? ✅ Really enjoyed this. It's a chilled vibe with some absolutely classic tracks. I enjoyed the embrace of jazz on the record and the flow of the vocals works really well for me.

This was just such a fun listen. It’s funky, it’s funny, and the beats are so cool. I love A Tribe Called Quest

I appreciate their place in the industry… but I just don’t like their music. And this album was L O N G

Good stuff, liked it and would check it out again but nothing really wowed me

# 555 : People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm by A Tribe Called Quest People’s Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm – Smooth Ride, But Do We Have to Take It? This one was better than expected—laid-back, trippy, and full of slick production and clever samples. It’s got a confident, jam-session vibe that’s fun and catchy, with a nice balance of serious and playful lyrics. The melodies are smooth, the instrumentation is tasteful, and it all feels like a hip-hop picnic in the park. But after a while, it starts to feel like you’ve been on a very stylish treadmill: smooth, but going nowhere. It’s repetitive in that “this is nice, but how many more tracks are there?” kind of way. “Can I Kick It?” is the clear standout—infectious, iconic, and the one track that really sticks. The rest? Cool, but not exactly life-changing. Verdict: A confident cruise through hip-hop history, but not essential travel. File under “respectable detours.” If you have to listen to this, look out for: Can I Kick It? Listened: 27/08/2025

Push It Along - Really nice beat (I suspect this will be a common theme). Cool flows to start the album. The outro intro as well was great. Luck of Lucien - Cool horns! After Hours - Excellent Sampling work Footprints - Enjoyed the sampling of Sir Duke. Great beats I Left My Wallet in El Segundo - Lyrically more interesting banter. More of this please Pubic Enemy - Wild lyrics in this Bonita Applebum - Sexxxxy Can I Kick It - Great samples again. The backing vocals are hype as hell. Yes I can! Youthful Expression - Nice and cool backing again. Rhythm (Devoted to the art of moving butts) - Despite the name and funk of the song, not so good for moving butts. Still good though. Mr. Muhammad - This is the best beat so far. Ham 'N' Eggs - Great bass groove with some whack lyrics. Outro is great still. Go Ahead In The Rain - A little faster and a little more soulful. Description of a Fool - Great closer for the album. Instrumental forward and with fresh vocals.

No sure why multiple ATCQ albums are on this list. But I guess they wanted to throw their debut album on here also, for some reason. It's a lengthy album, and I counted at least 10 different tracks that use sampling from other songs/artists. Certainly a common thing these days, especially in rap/hip-hop, but takes a lot of originality away, if you ask me.

"People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm" is the debut album by American hip hop group A Tribe Called Quest. East Coast hip hop, alternative hip hop, progressive rap and jazz rap are the Wiki-listed genres. The album was self-produced and the laid production encompassed a diverse range of samples that functioned as a template for the group's unorthodox lyrics. The bandmembers learned the studio through their group collective known as Native Tongues which also included the Jungle Brothers and De La Soul. A Tribe Called Quest was Q-Tip (performer, production, mixing), Ali Shaheed Muhammad (scratching, programming), Phife Dawg (performer) and Jarobi White (performer). The album received acclaim from the critics and the hip hop community especially as a central album in alternative hip hop. Commercially, it reached #91 in the US and #54 in the UK. The album opens with "Push It Along." Water running, a baby crying, wind with chimes lead to Junior Mance drum and Grover Washington Jr. samples. The group is introduced but Q-Tip is doing most of the rapping. Things might be unraveling but you got to push it along. "Luck of Lucier" tells the story of a naive French immigrant. It's jazzy, chill and has a 70's vibe. Lucier needs to pay better attention to his dangerous surroundings. The Spanish guitar of the Young Rascals' "Sueno" opens "I Left My Wallet in El Segundo." The song also samples the Chamber Brothers' "Funky" and relays the hilarious story of an ill-fated road trip where, of course, Q-Tip loses his wallet in El Segundo. The band goes somewhat psychedelic at the start of "Bonite Appleburn." A soulful RAMP sample. A dedication and admiration to a fellow rapper Leaf's Mother. Is there a better sample than the "Walk On the Wild Side" bass sample in "Can I Kick It?" The scratching. More chill and Q-Tip just hanging out. Jazzy, chill, laid back and groovy are pervading music vibes on this album. Great use of jazz, rock, R&B and soul samples. Instead of rap bravado, we get funny stories, neighborhood warnings, hanging out and chilling, following a French immigrant and eating ham n' eggs at Grandma's. Q-Tip's rhyming is great. The lyrics are clever. It's a great album (they'd have more) as are the other Native Tongue bands' albums and always a joy to go back to.

1*

Pretty fun, but grating after an hour.

Day 13 Really enjoyed this album, love all the little samples and callbacks - will definitely be listening more. 8/10 Highlights Can I Kick it? Youthful Expression Mr Muhammed.

Can appreciate it as art and admire the perfect diction but I can’t bring myself to like hip hop or rap

Not much of a rap guy, but this ain't bad, a lot better than a lot of stuff calling itself rap made in recent years

I'm not kidding these guys taught me that ham and eggs are high in cholesterol like I thought they were making it up but they're not 😅

4/5

Looved the lyrics and flows. It just felt so satisfying to listen to this record. I enjoyed so much more than the previous one. 3.8 / 5

Good listening 3/5

So, not too far back, I did get The Low End Theory from these guys. You know, an album usually considered one of the greatest of all time. And I’m going to be honest, I didn’t really care for it. Every track sounded almost the same and I think I remember thinking it was boring. So initially I assumed this would be worse. And yet somehow, I ended up like this one a lot better. Is that weird? Does anyone else have the same feelings? I think a lot of the tracks here feel more lively, more diverse, and more funky. It’s still suffers a bit from the length (classic hour-long hip-hop), but I didn’t really experience any of the problems here that I did in the Low End Theory. Kind of crazy. Favorite track: Description of a Fool Other hits: Can I Kick It?, Go Ahead In The Rain, Youthful Expression, Footprints, I Left My Wallet in El Segundo, Rhythm(Devoted to the Art of Moving Butts)

Бачиш трайбів - ставиш 5. Тут дуже проста логіка. Одна з найкращих дискографій в історії хіп-хопу (та й загалом мабуть теж). Купа бенгерів, супер круті семпли, неймовірний продакшн, класна динаміка між Q-Tip та Phife Dawg (останній все-таки більше почне розкриватися на наступному). Альбом який подобається тим, кому хіп-хоп взагалі не подобається

Not for me. I don't really like the sing songy rap style.

Ik kan hier niet zoveel mee. Dit album gaat tekstueel nergens over. Het zou hiphop/rap moeten zijn, maar ze hebben het amper tot niet over teefjes en hoeren. Aan het einde van het album heb je geen enkel idee van hun financiële situatie: ze zeggen niks over de hoeveelheid karaat van hun kettingen, je weet niet wat voor auto ze rijden of welk merk horloge ze om de pols hebben hangen. Bovendien lijkt het alsof ze een hekel hebben aan de wijken waar ze vandaan komen want nergens geven ze aan dat hun wijk gevaarlijker is dan alle andere wijken. Bij ons in het dorp zou je daarop aangekeken worden. En dan hebben ze de muziek ook nog duidelijk gejat van andere artiesten. Dat begin van 'Luck of Lucien' wat gejat is van dat kerstprogramma van Robert ten Brink. Of 'Can I Kick It?' wat overduidelijk van Lou Reed is. Overigens is dat sowieso een matig nummer. Na 28 seconden wordt gevraagd of 'ie het kan schoppen en hij krijgt eigenlijk meteen het antwoord "ja dat kun je" al. Een veel te snelle resolutie met een totaal gebrek aan spanningsopbouw. Daarna is het eigenlijk één grote herhaling van zetten. Heel repetitief. Volgens mij kan niemand van deze groep een echt instrument bespelen en ik betwijfel of iemand van hen weet hoe de kwintencirkel werkt. Een paar gunshot geluidseffecten of iets van een slagzin als "Dit is een Tribe Called Quest exclusive!" in elke track hadden dit album goed gedaan. Desondanks 5 sterren.

1 stern

Kinda cool. Not completely my genre.

On today's roll of 1001 albums to listen to before I die, I got an album I had already heard before but instead of just copying and pasting my already existing review, I thought it would be much more fitting to give this a much deserved relisten. While my original score and review are not really all that crazy or mean towards the album, it really doesn't do this legendary group justice in describing their stellar debut of Jazz Rap legends. While this album may not have the strongest lyrics in the world, I do have to say that this is easily some of their simplest and most accessible production, hence why it is so accessible to all. I genuinely don't get how people can hear something like this and say they don't like Rap, it feels like an afterthought compared to all the soulful Jazz elements scattered all throughout this album. People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm may not be Tribe's magnum opus by any means, but man is this project a tight debut that really shows off who this group is and what they are about.

Classic rap album. I’ve heard several of these tracks previously but never all in one listen. Very enjoyable experience, I’m sure I’ll listen to this album again when I’m in the mood for some old school hip hop.

5/9

⭐️⭐️ 1001 Albums- # 75 People’s instinctive what now?! While the beats kick it, the repetitious nature of reminding the listener of who’s on the mic “Q-Tip ya’ll!” is off-putting to say the least. 🎧 Classic Track: I Left My Wallet in El Sugundo 🚫 Skip Tracks: Can I Kick It? (among other I’ll advised samples) Tribe Called Quest released their debut album, People’s Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm, a record that would quietly, but profoundly, reshape the soundscape of hip-hop. Emerging from the Native Tongues collective—a movement rooted in Afrocentrism, artistic experimentation, and positivity—this album stood in stark contrast to the aggressive, politically charged, or party-centric styles that dominated the rap charts in the late 1980s. At a time when artists like Public Enemy and N.W.A. were rightfully commanding attention with confrontational narratives, A Tribe Called Quest chose a different path: one of introspection, humor, warmth, and musical sophistication. The result was a genre-defying debut that, while initially met with modest acclaim, has since been recognized as one of the foundational texts of alternative hip-hop. 🖼️ Album Artwork: Props for not posing as a self portrait for Q-Tip! While I appreciate the legacy the album has paved within hip hop circles, when it comes off the backs of original artists creativity within those respective styles through the use of sampling (jazz, funk rock), well that’s where they lost me.

Vibey

Sorprendido agradablemente

Bonita Applebum is seriously catchy I've listened to it like ten times in the last hour

Classic hip hop

really enjoyed this one. made up for queen latifah being hot garbage

Yeah so this is epic. So many styles of music blended into something that actually sounds awesome. Hip hop/rap isn’t my thing but this actually blew me away.

Great production amazing samples pretty decent verse just not my favorite style and flows

Why do people put baby crying noises on their songs? It's wank. A lot of this is just them saying their names. Stop introducing each other. This album is cool and I can see why people like it but at times it's either boring or annoying. I get why this is good and why people like it but to me it's grating. Even the songs I like on it are vaguely annoying.

I have such weird feelings on this album. On the one hand, I really enjoyed listening to it - I had a good time, and I thought every song was at least worth the time to listen to it. On the other hand, I couldn't help but wish it had been more than it was. This record is a foundational hip-hop album, featuring some of the earliest forays into experimental and alternative sounds that would shape the genre to this day. A Tribe Called Quest are genuine legends, and their lyricism pushed the boundaries of early hip-hop in so many ways. It's very interesting to hear this album, however, because I personally can't help but notice all the ways this formula has been iterated and improved upon since then. This is probably a super younghead take (and I'm okay with that), but there is just a very dated sound to the rapping on this record. It comes and goes in places (with some songs sounding more modern), but there is a real feeling that the cadence and flow of rap is being discovered in real time here. It must have been mind-blowing at the time, but in retrospect it just feels like Quest is trying to justify and explain their sound more than just telling a story from within it. Several tracks spend entire verses discussing how to rap and how to listen to rap, which is honestly just weird in 2025. I don't know that it's necessarily fair to judge this record by the standard of 2025 rapping, but it did impact my enjoyment. One arena which has not aged a day, however, is the production. This album is full of varied beats, incredible samples, and awesome production throughout. Even now, 35 years later, the sound of the album is still so fresh and clean - you could rap over these beats today, and no one would find it out of place or odd. A lot of the time, I found myself just enjoying the sample work and beats, and tuning out of the vocal work. None of my criticisms of the vocals or lyrics are intended as criticisms of Quest as writers or rappers - this group practically invented a big part of modern hip hop sound, and I'm not blind to that. But you can tell that even they are still figuring rap out, which hurts your enjoyment when listening to the record in the modern day. This is such a historically significant record, but at the same time I just can't see myself returning to it often.

I’m sure it’s great but not for me

alternative hip-hop with its unconventional production and lyricism. debut, every song different. After hours Can I kick it (lou reed sample)

Loved it!

I nominate A tribe Called Quest for the smoothest vibe in hip hop.

I think Hip Hop reflects its time more than any other type of music, which is a great credit to the artwork, but it also lends itself to sounding anachronistic when listening 35 years later. I like this album, let's just get that straight. I like it more than most albums that get the same star rating (again, please PLEASE give us half stars), but it does sound extremely dated – it's almost sweet. I wish I could give it a higher rating, but it would be disingenuous to give it 4 stars, as there's no way this album would enter any sort of current rotation, it's just too dated. But if you're interested in the history of Hip Hop, this is a classic that cannot be missed.

Pesquisas de mestrado e descobrindo, ou melhor, relembrando que vou ter que fazer o TOEFL de novo.

Another Hip-Hop album, supposedly one of the greatest albums of the 1990s? Music-wise it's a lot better than most Hip-Hop albums, with some interesting samples, but ultimately it's still boring.

Phenomenal hip hop

So funky and groovy, their flows are immaculate I’m naming my children q-tip and jarobi, regardless of gender “No banana, I ain’t a primate!”

Maybe not as adventurous as I thought it would be, but the flow, sound, lyrics, pretty much everything was as solid as expected

Another example of ATCQ being near perfection in every execution. When this album launched in 1990 hip-hop and rap were at a cross roads. East Coast / West Coast rivalries were being amped up and Q-Tip just slips in this masterpiece. 5/5

I am a fan of hiphop and I never heard A Tribe Called Quest before. The thing that I liked the most was it's beats and rhythms. It seems they mention themselves quite a lot as they do conversations in the middle of songs. There was also a lot of remixes of their tracks which shows that they are revered in the hip hop community. Will check out this band later on the road.

I actually enjoyed this - great historical musical references, beats are fun, wordplay is strong.

Q-Tip is one of my favorite rappers. His flow is so mellow and smooth. I enjoyed the album, although I felt some of the songs were a bit too long. It’s definitely an album I’d put on in the background for a nice vibe on a chill night.

each song on this was a banger and i wasn’t bored through the over an hour runtime, low end theory is a classic and i never really thought of this record but this is absolute quality, would 100% listen again and get on vinyl

Pretty good album! While I wasn't crazy about the verses/lyrics, the sampling is impeccable, and the beats are infectious! kit It is a jam!

Whack

Such a great record. While it feels so much of its time, I love the vibe. 'Can I Kick It' all day long

Had not had a spin through this Tribe album before. Kept having to consult the whosampled. This one is rich. Can I Kick It, was just icing on the cake. Will come back to this one.

I’m interested by how ground-breaking their sound was but also how you can hear affinities with less “cool” rap of the time.

- This was their debut? Man, what a good record. Somehow, I had not heard this one ..... so good. Fuck gangsta rap ..... -

Good first half weaker second but still good all around. Decent debut excited to see where they go with the low end theory

I was only really familiar with The Low End Theory before but this is similarly top tier.

Not the best tribe album mid

Highlight Song/s: I Left My Wallet in El Segundo, Pubic Enemy, Can I Kick It? and Youthful Expression This is a landmark album in hip-hop music. The production, the flow, intelligent lyrics and interesting wordplay. What I find kind of neat is that lots of the album seems to flow into each other, as it tends to say the name of the next song on a fair bit of the tracks; it gives it a little bit of a concept album feel to it. This is a notable lack of Phife Dawg on this album, which The Low End Theory corrects that mistake. The jazz and rap combination is pretty unique for its time. It's like as if they are paying tribute to jazz, kind of similar to gangsta rap and funk music and its combination "G-Funk."

East Coast HipHop with funky, repetitive beats and the very casual and sometimes very basic lyrics, which feels too long, and too repetitive.

Very consistent album start to finish, which is as much of a strength as it is a weakness for me. The flow, delivery, and overall vibe didn’t vary that much from start to finish. I love the clarity and annunciation, the beats are great, fundamentally it’s just not something I’d find myself choosing to listen to on my own. Not bad!

God the beats on this album are just so eternal. Classic solid hip hop with flowing lyrics and top tier production. Absolutely deserves to be on this list. 8/10

RnB, Rap -> 2

I really didn’t expect to enjoy this as much as I did. When the first track stared I was like, oh no here we go an hour and a half of this! I listened to the anniversary edition. By the time I got to Ham and Eggs I was hooked. The instrumental versions on the end of the anniversary edition are gold! This is the very reason for signing up to do this, I would have never listened to this otherwise and I am so glad I did.

Ah, I forgot how much I love A Tribe Called Quest. This is a powerful, groovy, and impressive debut album. There's so many banger tracks before you even get to "Can I Kick It," and the great raps keep coming after that. Tribe is one of the greatest of all time, and this is a true gem of an album.

Wonderful, of course.

Great rap album. A good, consistent sound the whole way through. Will listen to plenty more times.

Classic for a reason. While I still prefer Low End Theory, Tribe's debut was a seismic moment for alternative hip-hop and you can feel the influence today. RIP Phife Dawg. 4.5/5

Uno de mis favoritos, va al top

3.2 Good but got boring at the end tribe has wayyyyy better albums

This band. I always feel like I want to like their music more than I actually do. It just doesn’t get me moving the way hip-hop should in my opinion. Maybe they are more about the lyrics. I listened to this enough times today for it to climb up to three stars from the original two, but really feel it’s 2.5.

A new ATCQ fan onboard! Tracks to Track: Can I Kick It?

It’s pretty good.

Storytelling and beats are dope

Good listen 🎶

3.2 1x

Funky as hell. If only hip hop followed this route throughout the 90s. Joyful and laid back. Songs about worrying about high cholesterol and eating enchiladas rather than any criminal activity. I’m no connoisseur of the genre but for a debut this sounds confident and assured. Enjoyed it far more than I expected it to.

Not my fav type of music but this album still engaging and a great listen. Enjoyed more than I thought I would.

First time listening to A Tribe Called Quest and I liked it. Smoothest hip hop I’ve ever heard.

Man this album is awesome

East Coast's finest.

Not for me. Hip hop generally doesn't interest me.

Some of the best lyricists eVeR!

thoughts: absolutely no skips. “bonita applebaum” is legit one of the most gorgeous songs. one of the most confident debut albums you’ll ever hear songs: “luck of lucien”, “footprints,” “bonita applebaum” rating: 9.6/10

Mostly a very good project from the Tribe. Flows are quality and beats are fantastic. Only place it lacks could be hooks and lyrics being a bit nonsensical much of the time. But still a pretty cool record to chillax to! 7/10

Probably great for those who love hip hop, too tedious for me. Nice beats

Some really cool sampling happening on this one. I do enjoy 90s hip hop, the artists always sound like they're having just the best time.

Most of it not so interesting.

Fun and interesting songs, with some really catchy beats. One of my favourite hip hop albums on the list.

funky. great stuff

Good earworms. Can’t say how it fits with the ATCQ discography but I would give it future listens

Fun one - feels ahead of its time in a lot of ways. Clean lyrical delivery (clean as in 'clear', definitely not clean as in 'suitable for a bar mitzvah) and great sample flips (never realized Can I Kick It is repurposing Lou Reed!).

First time listen. Very satisfying. Smooth, funky, and really tight. Also, some cool progressive elements and surprising samples. This really feels like a benchmark for hip-hop moving forward.

Didn't really stick as much as I thought it would. Lots of skits and minimalistic beats. Probably very funny and great lyricism but I'm here for the melodic and chill tunes with catchy lyrics

It’s obvious how influential this group is. This was a great listen.

3.4 / 5 Some days you just want some upbeat rhymes and that's exactly what this delivers. No crips or bloods, just some homies reminiscing on losing their wallet in El Segundo; where they learned it's not about the destination, but the raps you made along the way. Fave Songs: Bonita Applebaum and Can I Kick it

The '90s rap album your parents might like. Hooky and fun hip-hop that sounds like it was made by extremely talented dorks.

Some old school hip hop. Not my genre but ok.

not what i usually seek out but pretty cool. a bit long though.

Smooth, great beats, thoughtful lyrics, political, a fusion of genres- I feel like this is when hip hop is at its absolute best.

When the indoctrination centers, er, schools are not getting the job done... enter the alternatives... i can think of no other reason for the entire genre of so called "rap" "music"... Eminem, NWA, Snoop, etc use hyperbole, and humor... so i would probably be more lenient toward them... but... zero stars.

I am definitely not peer or target consumer, and culturally this is all very remote from me. But this is the great thing with ATCQ: it is entertaining and educational, helps understand difference and identity, sameness and diversity, without being preachy or prescriptive. In short words: great storytelling, great musicianship, and that kind of hip-hop that I like listening to.

Nop

Not my music.

Overall: 8/10 This feels like it must have been a big game changer in 1990. The beats feel more sophisticated than most rap that was being released at the time and the lyrics are astounding. The only thing that's really stopping me from rating this higher is the fact that I just don't know if I want to listen to it all the time compared to other music I've found. The replayability seems limited but that might change over time. For now, it's a very good album that I'm glad I listened to. Fav Song: Push It Along Least Fav Song: Pubic Enemy

The Low End Theory is my favorite. This is good and clearly influential but doesn't hit as hard as TLET in my opinion. This is also the first hip hop album for me on the list!

Quite good

Love this. But would have picked one of their other albums. 4*

I think for the time especially, the samples were great, unique additions. I like the chill vibe for hip hop.

Listened to it whilst gaming and thought it was just another Tribe album. I.e.: Kinda just mid. Perhaps I'll listen to it again on its own as maybe its the lyrics that put the album in this list.

This was pretty cool and transported me to a good place.

I dunno. On this record, the lyrics didn't speak to me at all, and the use of the recognizable samples severely diminished my take on this. I was grooving in spots, but it was too often interrupted by something that didn't land.

I liked this one more than their more famous one. And I like their group mentality. Still, I'm not blown away by these guys.

I dig! Particularly fond of Ham 'N' Eggs.

В начале ещё есть парочка приятных моментов для слуха, но дальше - полный мрак. 1,5 из 10.

Got some classics on here, the samples are great and the lyrics set Tribe apart from a lot of their contemporaries. I think Low End Theory and Midnight Marauders are better

Great flow and great nutritional tips and tricks

There's some nice elements on this album, but it's quite simply too long for what it is. The tracks sound too similar and if you'd played them for me one at a time spread out I might have enjoyed them more. But tightly packed like this it becomes too much and very clear how same-y the tracks sound and none of them ends up standing out Standouts Luck of Lucien 2/5

Очень хороший альбом, прям от него веет тёплом и радостью, глоток свежего воздуха после радиохед, только один минус у альбома, это его длина, вырезать бы пару треков, либо укоротить их, хотя ничего прям не выбивалось во время прослушивания, все примерно равно заходило, есть конечно вообще шедевры типо push it along или can I cick it?, но так же есть и послабее треки типа public enemy. В итоге альбом прослушал не зря, думаю буду к нему возвращаться через какое то время. По поводу смыслов этот альбом повествует типичную жизнь обычных людей, также этот альбом является исключением в хип хопе, так как в нем нет ни единого мата, что не характерно для обычного рэпа. Если вы любите хип хоп, и нормально относитесь к джазу, то вы обязаны прослушать этот альбом, это шедевр в джаз-рэпе.

This style of hip hop, the kind that just sounds like a group of people hanging out and jamming, is right in my wheelhouse. Which is interesting because I am NOT a fan of that sort of rock music. Go figure.

Love it

I think everyone knows Can I Kick It? but I’ve never listened to this album before. I quite like Q-Tip as a rapper/vocalist but again my experience is limited to this and the odd track he has collaborated with others like the Chemical Brothers on. I had a fine time here, it feels like good music to play whilst you’re sat out in the garden with friends on a sunny day having a drink and/or a barbecue, but I’m not sure I’d be reaching for a solo listen. It’s a touch long as is apparently every hip-hop album

Listenable. Majoring in can you dig it. Aside from that nothing really stood out but nothing offensive either.

Well, here it is. A Tribe Called Quests debut. I first listened to Low End Theory a while ago, and I gotta say it is absolutely incredible. That album is for sure a 5. However, venturing from Tribes sophomore album to their debut, I was interested in what improvements, if any, they’d made or how consistent their discography would be. This album did only release a year before Low End Theory, after all, so I was expecting similar quality. And I was definitely not disappointed. The album, and really Tribes entire legacy, begins with Push It Along, a 7 and a half minute rap song. Like, for a rap song, let alone a 90s rap song, let alone the opening track to an album, let alone the opening track to their career, that’s pretty long. Tribe is really showing from the get-go that they are a force to be reckoned with, a group that doesn’t engage in the typical formula. Pair that with the lyrical ability in societal commentary and the oh so wonderful execution of jazz rap pervasive throughout the record, and you have a band making a statement, one they would hold onto for their entire career: this is the new hip-hop and it’s here to stay. They make sure to maintain some old-school rap group elements, however. They finish their opening track by introducing all the members of the group one by one, a style reminiscent of that 80s and early 90s staple. I’m looking at you, N.W.A, Beastie Boys. And I’m loving that reprise of the chorus at the end, more echo-y and all together a completely different vibe. Tribe is just flexing their flexibility at this point. So yeah, incredible opening to their discography and really setting the vibe for the record. Oh my god I have 13 more songs to talk about so I’ll have to pare some of this down a bit. Luck of Lucien offers a chill, rap vibe. The rhyming is immaculate and beautiful. The flow is perfect. Everything you could ask for from Tribe. But I do have something else to ask, is that All You Need Is Love? The sampling on this album is incredible, as also evident in the next track, After Hours. Taking a beat and immediately scratching the record, ooh! This album really is old-school hip hop at its best. On d again, the rhyming scheme on this song is impeccable and entrancing. It all kinda reminds me of Everything is Fair from Low End Theory, my favorite song off the record by far. And so this is probably my favorite song off of this album, at least as of current. Next song up is Footprints and… is that a Stevie Wonder sample?? They know me all too well with these samples man I swear. It’s like the Beatles sample on Beastie Boys’ The Sound Of Science. You also get some playful lyricism on this record like you with the Beastie Boys; they ask for a “level on the bass and on the treble” as such instruments come in. Peak. Every song on this album just proves further what Tribe is doing: hip-hop is still gaining popularity yet this group is already trying to flip it on its head. Change the game in the first inning, if you will. Reinvent the rules at the start of the first quarter. Ok I’ll cut it out. But really, they were way before their time. I don’t have much to say specifically about I Left My Wallet in El Sugundo, other than that the story telling is wonderful. It’s so clear and coherent. And of course the beat is just as beautiful. Now, I’m gonna be honest: I thought the song was called Public Enemy for almost all the time I was listening to it. It’s no doubt a play on words, but that was quite the surprise. Anyways, this song offers some of that more up-tempo, no breath songs that I love from Tribe. The story telling here is also just as amazing as in El Segundo. But… you know who’s the main prop master? Meeeeeeeeeee. So stupid. It was only really at Bonita Applebum that I realized how many of the songs lead into eachother, same with Rhythm into Mr. Muhammad. There’s an overarching story here that I can’t even begin to digest. Maybe later. Same with much of the lyricism and commentary that hip hop is known for. I didn’t live through the 90s and so I am not as tuned into the references as 90s kids would be. Still, I can recognize the poetry and lyrical mastery that Tribe has. Ok, after Bonita is Can I Kick It? the number one hit from this album and Tribes whole career. And probably for good reason cause it sums up their vibe so well. And man is it catchy. It kinda feels like a De La Soul hit with the chemistry between lead and background vocals. It’s also got some changing of the chorus in the same fashion that Push It Along did. But yeah, love this song. All I can say for Youthful Expression is: the bass and pen must have been on fire in the booth. I can’t tell which part I like more. The amount of entendres and play-on words here are too much to count. Everything means everything. To wrap this up, Mr Muhammad is funky as hell, Ham N Eggs has superb flow, and Description of a Fool has the cheekiness that I only wish to have a fraction of. Alright this is a pretty long review and took me a while to write so TLDR; this album is really good. God I didn’t even talk about the influences it had on so many modern day artists and Tribes career going forward! Another time!

Good samples everywhere, ok overall

Nice.

Interesting laid back go hip, great beasts.

Great beats and silky instrumentals throughout. Lyrics are absolutely wild. New fan.

Awesome and consistent flow

Growing up I usually gravitated towards Tribe's other albums like Midnight Marauders and Beats, Rhymes and Life, as it seemed to show a more polished style where Tip and Phife had perfected their beat making, flows etc. But this album is where it all began, and along with De La Soul's debut, heralded a new era in rap where you didn't have to be gangster. And the beat making is super on point and visionary. There are so many classic rap tracks on this album--Push it Along, Luck of Lucien, El Segundo, Bonita Applebum. A lot of these are just great artists having fun. Tip's flow and delivery are on point right from the beginning, though Phife doesn't begin to shine yet in this album--it'll be Tribe's second disk where he really comes into his own. Aside from the classics, the album is filled with many great sleeper tracks like Youthful Expression, the Art of Moving Butts and Description of a Fool. This is a complete album, and respresent the beginning of an epic run that inspired countless other rap albums in the future as well as spawning Busta's solo career, Mobb Deep and helping to propel J Dilla. Rap would not be what it was in its best points if it wasn't for Tribe. So Can I Kick it? Yes, I can.

All hail the algorithm! Two great hip-hop albums on consecutive days! Q-Tip is such a great lyricist. His flow is smooth like butter. The beats are so good here too. Top notch album all around.

Nice vibe. Nostalgic.

на любителя.

frickin awesome for a debut! Incredibly influential and you can really hear the tonal shift in rap and hip hop coming from the 80's to the 90's. Lots of samples and a great variety of sounds here keeps it interesting, I love the tempo the album keeps throughout. This was great for a day walking through nature. Going in I only recognized Can I Kick It, but man it was so good to discover so many new (to me) songs. Great addition.

The album that taught me the term “Jimmy Hat”! Some stone cold classics and some not so hot tracks. But Ham n Eggs is definitely a SCC and you can’t convince me otherwise! Also maybe my brain is just fricked but did they remix the beat in Mr Muhammad for the 25th anniversary rerelease? I remember the samples not syncing up well at the start of the song in the OG version but they sound a lot better now. Am I crazy? The “ba di ya” and the wump wump always sounded off beat to me but now they don’t. Q Tip PLEASE! Email me personally and let me know because it’s driving me mad

A Tribe Called Quest, småtrevligt men inte jättespännande.

Smooth and funky. Loved the sampling on this. I can absolutely see why this is a landmark album in hip hop, and I totally got lost in the album. Such an enjoyable listen.

Score 7.5/10 | Favorite Song: Description of a Fool A Tribe Called Quest’s debut album feels like flipping through a photo album of everyday life, except every photo talks back to you with smooth beats and clever rhymes. At 7.5 out of 10, this one lands in that sweet spot where you can hear the group’s raw creativity bubbling, even if it has not fully matured yet. Q-Tip’s laid-back voice is front and center, delivering stories about food, love, and street smarts with an almost casual ease, like he is chatting with you on a stoop somewhere in Queens. The jazzy samples and playful production give it a warm, homegrown vibe, but not every track hits the same. Some feel more like sketches than fully painted portraits, and the flow of the album can wander a bit too far into experimentation. Still, Description of a Fool stands out big time. It has a hypnotic bassline and a sharp message about toxic masculinity that feels ahead of its time. You can already hear the DNA of Tribe’s future greatness in moments like that, where groove meets wisdom. This is not the Tribe masterpiece just yet, but it is an important first step on a journey that would eventually reshape hip-hop. A solid and soulful introduction to one of the genre’s most thoughtful and unique groups.

Not too bad. There’s something there.

Promising reviews for this - to me - unknown band. Comments of "not denigrating of women" immediately opened up my ears. Loved the funky Luck of Lucien. Overall though, not added to my Liked Songs

molt top, exotisme a un altre nivell, l'he escoltat mentres feia tdr i molt guai, les ases dde altres cançons molt xulees

This album is so strong throughout, I love the sample choices, the beats are great I constantly found my head bobbing the energy is so good throughout. I'm not great at critiquing lyrics or even catching them as I go, but when I did they were solid and even if not paying attention it still sounded great. It's slightly weaker at the end but still remains pretty good. Push It Along - not in love with the opening baby, drums are decent, Q-Tip spittin. The chorus is decent, kind of low-key. I really like this, I like the switch up towards the end of the track - he's pretty much just talking but still sounds pretty good, it definitely drags on a bit though. Luck of Lucien - when I first went onto this album this song came on and I immediately went to my web browser to see if I had a Beatles song playing. Then the beat came in, these guys sampled them, super cool. Got me bobbing my head, this is very good. Lucien's parts are nice. After Hours - man they just keep coming in strong, the turntable scratching sounds are good here. This guy makes it sound effortless, so good. Fire. I thoroughly enjoyed the whole song, the sample is so good, catchy track. Footprints - drums are nice, and I like the sample and the horns coming in after it, I think in some ways this is a weaker track but again I still liked it and I love the ending so much. I Left My Wallet in El Segundo - this is good and gets kind of catchy too, but I'm surprised its more popular than some of the previous songs. It's a good performance and I like the personality to it. Pubic Enemy - good beat. I initially read this as public enemy, I was so confused Bonita Applebum - recognise the sample from Lauryn Hill, cool. A slower more relaxed song, I'm vibing with it. Good drums. Can I Kick It? - Kanye kind of sampled the same thing recently (and I just found out David Bowie helped produced the song its from, wow), I really like it. Youthful Expression - I'm into it Rhythm (Devoted to the Art of Moving Butts) - good sample and drums. Whilst the last track was good I was worried my enjoyment would drop off - due to being tired of it but also noticing the streams are weaker on the second half, but this is still really strong. Mr.Muhammad - Ham 'N' Eggs - immediately makes me think of MM.. FOOD. Tracks about food are just destined to be good I guess. The energy at the end is so damn good. Go Ahead In the Rain - they got a Jimi Hendrix sample in here too, what. I mean whilst that was cool I do think this is one of the weaker, maybe weakest so far. Still not bad. Description of a Fool - fun track, I like the responses from the guy, and the stories are well told. I wish the instrumental wasn't so long but now that I realise the rest of the tracks I'm seeing are remixes (so this is the end) it makes more sense, still makes the song way weaker though. Best - Luck of Lucien, After Hours, Bonita Applebum, Can I Kick It, Ham 'N' Eggs Worst - Go Ahead In the Rain

Great vibes

Great record with tasty beats and good lyrics. Fav: I left my wallet in El Segundo

I like their other albums more

Very delightful! Gets a little too repetitive for me after awhile.

Favorites: After Hours, Footprints, I Left My Wallet in El Segundo, Public Enemy, Can I Kick It?, Ham 'N' Eggs, Go Ahead in the Rain, Description of a Fool

Based on the name, I assumed this album would be something far different than what it is. What a pleasant surprise it turned out to be. The lyrics were well-written, and the flow was great. It was far superior to a majority of modern hip hop and/or rap music. I don't listen to a great deal of 90's hip hop, but this album definitely got me interested in hearing more.

One of the best from the pinnacle of hip hop.

Great listen, a couple of absolute all time hip hop songs

Some cool stuff here but Tribe gets a lot better after this.

This record was such a breath of fresh air when it came out. It was funny, it had great beats, the content was very relevant to everyone... I particularly loved "Ham 'n' Eggs", "El Segundo" and the silly keyboard on the first track "Push It Along". It makes me feel a bit old to read about how historic and groundbreaking this record was LOL as it came out while I was in college. That said, we listened to it on and off more or less constantly for probably four months!

Ich muss ihnen ein großes Lob geben, weil sie Hip Hop machen und ich keine Lyrics übers Gangstersein raushören konnte, oder sonstige eher fragwürdige Sachen. Aber musikalisch fand ich es nicht so spannend. Ich fühle mich etwas schlecht dafür, es nicht zu verstehen, aber mich hat es entweder genervt oder gelangweilt. 2 1/2. Es tut mir leid, ich runde ab.

Influential album, famous samples like Killing Me Softly (in Bonita Applebum) and Walk on the Wild Side (in Can I Kick It); definitely feels like the 90s

Just feels like the 90s. Really loved the beats and I could listen to this all day. Not to mention the samples that I think a lot of people would recognize.

I recognize the artistry and contribution to Hip Hop, and the rhyming was quite impressive. However, this just isn't my cup of tea, personally, and none of the songs really grabbed me.

They didn't transfer my notes, so I guess no real review. Bob Power mixed/produced this album, is a total badass, and I owe him a good chunk of my career. So five stars!

3.5 / 5.0

Smooth jazz rap. What is not to like. I slightly prefer their next 2 albums, but this is still strong. High 3 (7/10)

Can I Kick It? was a massive hit. This is a stand out track, and I really like the J Cole mix at the end of the anniversary edition. It's easy going and charming.

A beautiful meeting of beats and lyrics. Luck of Lucien particularly has an outstanding groove, it’s a really smooth ride which demanded immediate repeat listens from me when I first picked up this album. The good natured rap flows are just as buttery. The whole production just bubbles away like a dream. The samples throughout the record are intelligently selected and an excellent new twist is brought to them all. There is a slight drop off midway through the record, I can totally see this being the start of an incredible run of LPs though - looking forward to hearing more.

Prefer much of their later work but this is great, has a chill vibe, funny, a high 3 could move to a low 4 with repeat listens

An easy to like album Lots of good hooks and samples and lyrics Enjoyed this one

classic rap as well. Really liked this one. Well enunciated too. Kinda funk so it's fun 1. I Left My Wallet in El Segundo 2. Can I Kick It ? 3. Luck of Lucien

I always knew I wasn’t in to hip hop, but this challenge has definitely confirmed that I’m not! I’m not saying this album is bad as it’s a lot better than some of the albums I’ve been given so far. But it does all sound the same. The samples are well utilised, such as the use of Lou Reed’s ‘Walk On The…’, however I would much rather listen to the original song.

A surprising fun listen.

One of the greatest hip hop albums, let alone greatest albums, of all time. Masterful lyrics and delivery, exceptional samples and mixing

Nice beats och gick bra att digga till. Kanske inget jättespeciellt i övrigt. Första låten var bäst

Back to the 90s when times were a lot less.… crap and I liked this one. Took me back to the clubbing days.

Nearly Perfect Album

Very nice

Me gusta mucho todo el rollo y la narrativa del álbum, volvería a escuchar todas las canciones en otro momento, aunque solo una la he guardado en mi coleccion personal. Un 6.5/10

Not to pat myself on the back too much, but this is an album that I really wouldn't have enjoyed at the start of working through this list. The first time A Tribe Called Quest came up (The Low End Theory) on my listen was within the first 20 albums, and now over 400 albums ago. I did my best to recognize how quality it was, but I would say I didn't really personally enjoy it. I'm genuinely enjoying listening to this today. My biggest worry when an album relies heavily on loops is that they get overused and tired by the end of each song, but here they're used, for lack of a better word, very tastefully. The album does have a small problem of some of the songs feeling same-ish, though. I think some people would say that isn't a problem, but I have a hard time staying engaged through the entire album because of it. A really fun album. Well written, well designed, well produced. Favorite Song(s): Luck of Lucian, Can I Kick It?

Okay

As one half of UK hip hop supergroup Houmous & Chutney I can really get on board with what these guys have tried to do here. They haven’t managed it. But they tried. 2.5 2/14 Luck of Lucien

Hoewel de twee daaropvolgende albums nog beter zijn, is dit ook gewoon een vijfsterrenplaat.

4.5 Go ahead in the rain.

I’m not a fan. I watched the first Pink Panther movie recently and was put off by the obvious set pieces in about of the gags - Peter sellers would get to his mark and then wait for the gag to happen. This album feels like that to me - the diction is too clear, the rhythm unchanging, even the whole French references too repetitive; it feels too set, without the (I know it’s artifice, but good rap feels too set me like it was just spirit and captured raw) apparent spontaneity.

Tribe is my favourite hiphop group ever. This was the third album that I bought of theirs and it took me a while for it click. I would run every day through London listening to it and eventually I loved it. Q tip talks about writing a lot of these songs when he was 14 and 15 on ‘pause tapes’ and you can tell - there’s a sample followed by another section etc because that’s how he sketched the song out on a tape recorder. Hard to state how anticipated this album was (I think they received the biggest advance ever for a hiphop group to record it). Some of the tracks are good but many are iconic and paved the way for their future sounds and inspired others. Love the playfulness and lightness of this album. Hard to believe these guys were 19 when it was released.

A handful of great tunes but overall too long to really enjoy for me

I enjoyed it, but it wasn't something I would seek out and listen to again.

Enjoyable bit unlikely to listen to again.

Favorite Track: Can I Kick It?

A vela e repetitiva fórmula de vocais declamados sobre uma base percussiva. Mais um álbum que entra na categoria: "1001 discos para morrer antes de ouvir".

This sound screams 1990. Makes me feel like it’s middle school. Not really my favorite kind of rap sound, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t having a great time with it. Well made and well mixed. What I really like is a lot of the call and response stuff early in the album has the response moving around the microphone. Also it’s crazy how much everyone ripped these guys off. Over all very good.

Very good

Great album that you can tell was the impetus for a lot of modern rap. The sampling is just so much more modern, and the lyrics and flow are starting to go to the next level of what rap and hip hop would become.

Jazzy beats with loads of great samples and bouncy flows. This album has a great energy. Track after track, it put a smile on my face. 3.5

"Can I Kick It" is such a great piece of music. That intro guitar part has a unique quality to it; to me it feels like a morning in the middle of summer where it's already a warm but not hot 84 degrees, you don't have anything lined up for the day, and you are deciding between a hot or iced coffee. That's a day I like and a day I want more of. I know that it's a sample from Lou Reed's "Walk on the Wild Side", but it works so well in a hip hop context. Ice Cube's "It Was A Good Day" gives me almost exactly this feeling too- specifically in the hip hop genre. Solid album, really enjoyable to hang out with. There's a lot of good performances on it and I think it's actually got a pretty timeless sound.

Can I kick it?? Good album

Didn't expect any less from Tribe. Some of the absolute GOATs of Hip Hop, with the production here being particularly smooth (as is expected). I find it so fascinating how the group are able to create such slightly different albums within the same sonic backdrop each time. Super cool. Love them so much. 8/10

3rd best tribe