People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm

Fave tracks: I Left My Wallet In El Segundo, Can I Kick It?, Youthful Expression, Mr. Muhammad

It’s not quite to the level of their follow ups ‘The Low End Theory’ and ‘Midnight Marauders’, but ‘People’s Instinctive Travels…’ is still great. For any other group something like this would be their magnum opus. For the Tribe this was the first in a consistently excellent series of albums that they would release. Sure, it’s probably a bit too long, and it loses a bit steam towards the end, plus they could’ve made the interludes shorter or cut them out completely, but this doesn’t detract greatly from what’s still a fine record overall, debut or otherwise.

7/10

Love Q- Tip

Can I Kick It?

I love this group and this album, though I don’t think it’s as strong as their subsequent albums. It’s a really solid debut with some classic jams, but there is a little unevenness in the overall work. I really want to give it a 5; it’s damn close, but not quite.

Just a really fun album. I've been vaguely aware of ATCQ for ages but never really got into them beyond a few songs, and for some reason I always had them filed in my mind as like a "conscious rap" group, which is a genre I mostly find unbearable. Really pleased to see that this wasn't the case. Unsurprising, I suppose, but the highlights for me were the instrumentals, lots of which were really interesting and fun (some of them just made me grin) and which hold up really well. The lyrics did less for me than I imagine they might've done for other people - not sure why, perhaps because I was focusing so heavily on instrumentals and flows that I didn't feel the urge to unpack the texts as much. I do like the fact that they manage to be quite lighthearted while still broaching serious subjects, while some of the songs (ham n eggs) are just so stupid that they're pretty hilarious. Biggest criticism is the fact that some of the songs have that "hippity hop" old school rap thing going on that I just can't help finding extremely corny despite knowing that it's a product of its time. That threw me a little bit on some songs and definitely impacts replayability. But there's no arguing on the merits with this one, clearly a great album. Fav songs: after hours ham and eggs can i kick it youthful expression Least fav songs: I left my wallet in El Segundo

I thoroughly enjoyed this surprisingly but too long

It is just a vibe, my favorite rap group of all time with amazing jazz samples.

Tribe doing Tribe things, good beats, fun raps, just a joy to listen to.

I did not enjoy this as much as I did Low End Theory.

I feel deeply conflicted about being another old white man who wishes this strain of hip-hop had outcompeted the the gangster version, but there it is.

I could’ve liked it more. A lot of the early songs were big hits but it kind of stalled near the middle. Really liked Ham N Eggs however. They have better classics after this (6/10, 3/5 on this scale)

first time full listen the production truly bangs

Always interesting to listen to old school hip hop and hear samples that have been used and reused recently. Paying respect to the OGs!

Bought this when it came out and enjoyed it. It hasn't aged well

Something I never would have picked and I thought it was fabulous

I left my wallet in El Segundo!!

Meh

Ålreit

The sonic collage of this album was a fun ride - made me realize how much I miss good sampling. They were able to capture the sense of hanging out with a group of friends swapping stories and observations of life. Not a small feat. Also appreciated the overall sense of claiming who you are without pretense or posing.

Really enjoyed this. Loved the use of samples, the wittiness of the raps, and the overall positivity of it.

Tribe is one of my favorite hip hop acts ever, and easily my favorite hip hop group, so was psyched to get this one. I always have listened to Low End Theory and Midnight Maurauders more, but this is an insane debut. These guys just loved listening to music and making music, and its all so vibrant. The joy of creating this record shines through. The witty lyricism of Q Tip, unique flow of Phife Dawg, and production skills of Shaheed are on full display. Fun samples throughout the whole thing. Even on the goofier tracks like El Segundo and Ham N Eggs, the precision and skill is unmatched. Foundational album right here

Not my cup of tea. Very rap voices here or hip hop

A classic

Not their best work.

This album is funky as hell.

3.3/some good beats but their delivery isn't always for me

So smooth and I've never heard the album, only Can I Kick It which is a great track but the rest is fantastic. Sort of what I wanted Arrested Development to be. This hits a 4.5 for me and might go up eventually, but going for:

The first 1001 albums that I listened to was a tribe called quest album. I liked that one but I loveeeee this one. Super cool, suave, I’m tapping my foot the whole way through. Yeahhhh I can see how these fellas would do well after this debut album

intersting start - the child crying is distressing. i like the wind chime/water sound; and the airy otherworldly clock and whooshy sounds... prooving to be pleasant to listen to. not my usual style, but i like the grooviness & the general relaxed mood.

Very good,

I’ve always thought the first song has a bunch of corny rhymes, but then the album finds its way. Solid debut, but no their best work. Set the stage for many alternative hip-hop artists I love.

I legit loved this album so much. It was so groovy and I enjoyed every song, even recognized a few. I'm definitely going to listen to this one again.

I can kick it

Good rhymes, full of funk

Boy does this one take me back. Dig this group and this album, just a shame it's been relegated to the shelf for so long in the forgotten pile of music of my past. Great funk, clever lyrics, no complaints here

Amazing debut, great references great themes

There was no option, I had to move my body when listening to this album. Great beats, great lyrics, positive social topics. Love it.

Strange Intros, slow rap 1/5

That was enjoyable

I know the big singles off of this. I'm pretty sure I listened to it in high school. Q-tip has one of those voices that grates on me. I think my perception of this is way skewed by Can I Kick It? The production sounds way less dated than i expected. The last two songs sound like they could have been made today. Theres less Jazz Rap than I expected. It's not Digable Planets. Some of the raps sound dated on a couple tracks never heard/noticed Luck of Lucien before. That's a highlight. Also liked Go Ahead In the Rain and Description of a Fool. Low 4

Not my favorite Tribe album but boy is this slick.

It’s a classic that defines my people and my childhood! Just makes you want to rhyme.

Really enjoyable alternative hip-hop. It has it’s flaws but it’s a fun time throughout the album.

There's something always endearing about listening to earlier projects of artists. In fact, sometimes I like it even more than their most acclaimed album (like Section 80 w/ Kendrick). That is not the case here, so the 5 star rating will be reserved for the other Tribe Called Quest album.

Muy rap old school, con elementos de funk, me recuerda algo de triphop, un par de canciones estan muy bien, pero no me enganchó por mucho tiempo

9/10 This was pretty perfect - and amazing it is as far back as 1990. Amazing production, terrific choice of samples. Great, fun raps. Best: Footprints

Always delightful, except for the moaning remix

4.5/5

old school nostalgic hip hop that i can actually listen to! most of it anyways 😆 “can i kick it” - i discovered i had heard before somewhere because i had a big “i know this song!!!!” moment when i first listened to some of this album half a year ago. my one complaint is that it’s very long.

One of my favorite artists ever. The impact Tribe has had in shaping hip hop as a sophisticated genre is undeniable. Their debut album was a sign of things to come: youthful energy, clever bars and great beats. Undoubtedly, they would take it to the next level in Low End Theory and even farther in Midnight Marauders, but People's Instinctive Travels is a very inspired first entry in the legendary group's discography. Absolute classic!

A great debut from the GOATs of hiphop. They went on to perfect their sound later on, but still a very strong start.

3/5 smooth rap. Beats are enjoyable and not over the top bassey

J'ai pas compris leur délire avec les français mais sinon sympa même si je ne le réécouterais probablement jamais.

Highlights: Youthful Expression,Mr. Mohammed, Bonita Applebum, and Can I Kick It. I could listen to Can I Kick It on repeat for 24 hours. Great album. Dancey, good samples. I love an early hip hop album with no skits.

Awesome record. Laid back, jazzy, and intimate. I love a calm hip hop record.

Now I could get into hip-hop if they were routinely this good - unfortunately that doesn’t seem to be the case of the other examples that’s on the list. Liked the Lou Rees samples!

Genius

Great vibe all day long.

Smooth

Great work, but I'm more of a Low end theory or Midnight Marauders type of guy. Shaped the genre with their unique style.

This was a good debut album, The rhymes were great, samples were tasty. Far different than the gangster rap of the era. The 'sameness' of the flow and songs brought it down a bit for me, but solid for sure.

J - 4/5 Best Track - "Can I Kick It?" F - DNL

Tribe in the raw. I absolutely love this album, hit after hit after hit. Phife and Tip are young and hungry with so much contagious energy. The golden age of sampling for hip hop. This was an album that was a such a great continuation of what the fun in hip hop was/is supposed to be. Their next 2 albums blow this one out of the water though. This is great, but they are still finding themselves and their voices. 8.9/10 #67/1001

OK aber bisschen boring

Leider etwas repetitiv aber sonst nur sehr gute Songs Top Push it along

A really enjoyable album, I am fast becoming a fan of late 80’s / early 90’s Hip Hop. While there aren’t any bad songs on here it was missing some ineffable element that would make me give all five stars. Top Track - Can I Kick It?

that lou reed sample, man...

Love ATCQ, knew most of the songs and loved hearing new things I hadn’t heard yet.

Good listen, but starts to all sound alike after a while.

This album was better than their other album that we listened to. I enjoyed this one. It had nice variety, no over the top language, and nice samples.

It was definitely interesting and provided unique sounds

“Earth to your brain, is anyone home?” Love the lyricism, the way it flows over the beats, the samples, the occasional scratching. It all fits so seamlessly. I went into this knowing that bare minimum I can tolerate ATCQ but I was not expecting to love this as much as I did. Loved the jazzy feel to the beats and rhythms. The lyrics are great, tell stories poke fun at stereotypes and are otherwise just worlds apart from the asinine gangsta rap that would come to so heavily influence hip hop and rap. Really wish it had been this album and others like it that had a greater influence. Despite it being over an hour I did not mind in the slightest which is rare for any hip hop/rap album. “Description of a Fool” was a great track to end on and perfectly encapsulates what I love about this album and hate about gangsta rap.

I appreciate that they have depth to their lyrics. overall I prefer the other Tribe album over this one. but still a pretty solid listen. good variation in sounds & samples. 3.5 stars

We all start out by being disappointed when we think we're going to hear "Walk on the Wild Side" and instead it's "Can I Kick It". But then we grow up, and we learn that the proper order of things is to hope for "Can I Kick It" and be disappointed by "Walk on the Wild Side".

Low End Theory hænger en smule bedre sammen men det er sgu svært at slå energien på det her album

Hot take (?) De La Soul kravlede så Tribe kunne gå. Elsker den her plade, vildt fede beats, fjollet på en lidt Malk de Koijn agtig måde. De leger og de er afsindigt gode til det. Can I Kick It er måske den bedste brug af Walk on the Wild Side inkl originalen

Cool album, some of the songs sounded the same? I guess it's just a sample they reused, but I found it kind of confusing. Was the recital / vital rhyme in Push It Along an homage to RUN DMC?

Being a Hip Hop artist in 1990 meant you were rapping some bullshit over some of the greatest production ever assembled.

ATCQ is an act that I've alway kinda walked around the edges with. Never really going as deep with them as I should. A bit repetitve but fun and a lot of good jams here. 7/10

Good beats Good rapping Good times

Man I wish I liked this more. I think maybe I just don't vibe with early 90s rap.

Hugely impactful album, but not for me. I Left My Wallet in El Segundo and Can I Kick It? are the songs I was most familiar with.

god i love a tribe called quest. they took hiphop and jazz and put them back together. so incredibly talented and i will forever love them

Really strong throughout, good listen

One of my favourite albums of all time.. perfection. So much hip hop, and beyond, would not exist if it weren't for this album and group. But it isn't just a nostalgia hit, it is timeless and masterful. Effortless rhymes, the coolest of beats. Love love love it

This was fine as background music. I liked the relaxed vibe, but it does go on for far too long. Not especially attention-grabbing either

Not as related to Questlove as I thought

Sampling with no consequences. A classic!

i mean name better

I like Ham 'N' Eggs and I liked this. Good samples, funny lyrics

I can kick it!

Of course this one gets me out of the woodwork. Dope samples + amiable, goofy rhyming = a good time, every time.

perfect soundtrack for a sunny Memorial Day in NYC

Favorite track: Luck of Lucien. Overall score: 7.6/10

Just some good, groovy '90s jazz rap. Not a whole lot to say other than the middle of it did lose some steam, but it picked it all back up in the end. I loved Luck of Lucien and Ham 'N' Eggs. The 4 guys are all awesome lyricists. Also shoutout to this album for making a song berating wife-beaters <3

Demasiado añejo el sonido para su época. Rapeaban sobre pelotudeces, no me gustó. Nota: 2.1

Pleasant 90s hip hop

3.5

Incredible album. As someone with a CD copy of The Low End Theory I wouldn’t have thought I’d love their earlier album so much, maybe even more than that one. It is just so full and rich with wonderful sounding beats, samples, and rhymes. The sense of bounce and fresh style is palpable and fun. Pure artistic intent plus vibrant life. Must-listen #145.

Such fun rhythm and beats, I think ATCQ is my favorite Hip Hop group? Before starting this challenge if you told me I'd like any hip hop groups I'd laugh.

I really liked the chilled vibes and the trumpets that keep showing up. The lyrics aren’t always my thing, but I like how funny they can be. They fit the casual feeling of the album. I liked the samples, sometimes adding really unexpected elements, although there were some sound effects I didn’t like as much. I wasn’t a fan of some of the talking bits and I thought the intros to the next song at the end of some of the songs were a bit strange. But overall I really enjoyed the album and would listen to it again. Fav song: Can I Kick It? Least fav: Bonita Applebum

I listened to it once and liked it, a few really great songs. I thought it got repetitive towards the end.

Had a good time, the storytelling was pleasant.

Cool, and I don't usually listen to rap in English.

Really enjoyed. Especially ‘Can I kick it’…very De La Soul-esque.

4 stars

Really enjoyed this, great vibes for my afternoon. I have never listened to them before. Had to laugh when I realized that the closest they came to profanity was "nincompoop" 😂

I mean…. A TRIBE CALLED QUEST. that’s all that needs to be said. REST IN POWER PHIFE DAWG 🕊️

I can understand why this was so forward thinking and revolutionary in 1990, even if it’s not my favourite hip hop album by any stretch.

Really good old skool hip hop. I’ve always had time for TCQ and I hadn’t heard this album before so all good!

This is an excellent debut album. Cool beats, decent sampling, Q-Tips, and excellent lyrics combine for a very smooth listening experience. Head bopping and foot stomping during the whole record.

Didn’t expect to love a hip hop album with a title longer than most IKEA receipts.

I haven't really listened to a Tribe Called Quest before. I'm a bit surprised I missed out. It's groovy fun hip hop. The album is too long, though. It drags at the end. Favorites: Luck of Lucien, Bonita Applebum, Can I Kick It? It's a 3.5, but the great outweighs the ok, so I round it up to 4.

Can I Kick it? Bonita Applebum? ⭐️🌟⭐️🌟⭐️

Classic

Not for me

Bin einfach keine Hip Hop Maus aber kann man hören

ATCQ gets a lot of hype by music critics and lovers. I know a handful of songs and I'd know Q-Tips voice anywhere, but I've never listened to an entire album of theirs. I knew "Bonita Applebum", "I Left My Wallet..." and "Can I Kick It" from back in the day. Truth is this is easily digestible, non-offensive, lyrically wise hip hop with a chill beat that even the gray hairs in the room can handle today. "Push It Along" (went a little too long), "Luck Of Lucien" (great beat), "Footprints" were all good glue tracks to fatten the appeal of this album beyond the hits ... truth is I actually liked every song and didn't skip any tracks but "Ham & Eggs" tempted me. The 25th Anniversary reissue include a version of "Footprints" with CeeLo Green and a few cool remixes by big names like J. Cole & Pharrell Williams. In summary, it's a fun album, has a few hits, is easy accessible and stands up well even 35 yrs later. 3 solid stars.

A bim bop a bim to the bop

Immaculate head bobbing album.

Another banger this week. Not my favorite Tribe record but it’s iconic in its own way and I can’t give it 3 stars.

Hip Hop als er noch funky, jazzy .. und eben OK und hörbar war. Tolles Album!

Cooler Hip Hop

Fun

Some really wack songs, really feels like musically they're hitting the expected groove but falls flat lyrically and rhythmically on certain tracks - although it's possibly I'm comparing too harshly to their later work

5/10

Fresh beats! Very chill, wholesome and good vibes

Probably one of the coolest hip hop groups out there, Tribe always brings a smooth and infectious energy inlaid with moments of pure distilled swagger. Looking forward to some buttery beats and creative lyricism. Looking forward to this one. Push It Along Scary sounding intro. Funky and smooth instrumental, love the repeating lick. Q-Tip has such a great voice for hip hop. There are some really well constructed rhyme schemes in here. Love how the sax solo comes in as a palatte cleanser. Love how the introduction interlude is included at the end, feels more dynamic than just tacking it onto the start of the album. Great. 4.5/5 Luck of Lucien Great transition. Fantastic first verse, really keeps you engaged throughout it. Creative verse composition, a fun piece of storytelling. The "spoken word" passages for the lack of better term, that bridge the verses add some more chaotic energy to the otherwise measured and structured track. Good. 4/5 After Hours Love the sample. Extremely relaxing beat. Really like how the instrumental changes throughout the first verse, feels like it works in tandem with the vocal delivery. Awesome instrumental break. The lyrics are at times pretty funny. The frog noises... Strange choice. Entertaining track. Good. 4/5 Footprints The Sir Duke brass sample goes hard no matter where it shows up. Like hoe they've made it kinda ominous. Great flow on the beat. Chaotic sampling. Clever well thought out lyrics yet again. The militaristic marching at the end is yet again quite ominous. I'm very intrigued with the lyrics of this track. Has a really distinct writing style that's extremely clever and fun to follow along with. Had to immediately replay. Fantastic. 5/5 I Left My Wallet in El Segundo The latin guitar is pretty fun. Great sample. Love the bassline. I find the story here a bit dumb. Doesn't feel as clever as previous tracks. The delivery is still pretty good. Fine. 3/5 Pubic Enemy That's a great beat. Stylized and unique. Okay that's kinda funny. Yep it's about crabs... Love the heavy use of record "scratches". Good. 4/5 Bonita Applebum Classic sample, I can swear I've heard it somewhere else. Love the jazzy keys in the background and the smooth guitar. It's a bit repetitive and dumb, but it's performed charismatically so it's hard to take it too seriously. Catchy chorus. Decent. 3.5/5 Can I Kick It? The Lou Reed sample has got to be one of the most recognizable samples in hip hop. It's extremely clever that they somehow discovered that this worked this well for a hip hop track. Very dynamic and varied instrumentally, especially when it comes to the strange bridges between verses. The hook remains iconic to this day. Really catchy while remaining eclectic and weird. Timeless classic, deserving of its legacy. 5/5 Youthful Expression Amazing sampling, really bouncy, funky and dancable. Love the chilled out rapping on top the smooth keys and the thick bass. Some corny lines in there, but I can't deny they're pretty fun. The beat alone sells it. Good. 4/5 Rhythm (Devoted to the Art of Moving Butts) Definitely rhythmic. The hook works pretty well, though I'm struggling a bit to remain invested in the verses. The beat grew on me quite a lot throughout the track, decently catchy. Decent. 3.5/5 Mr. Muhammad Was not expecting the disco adjacent vocal sample. Interesting sampling and effects. Feels a bit dated and lacks some direction, does give some plundephonics vibes. Fine. 3/5 Ham 'N' Eggs That's a stupid hook, though it's kinda charming. Bring back rapping about random food items. It's a fun gimmick. Can't help but smiling at this. I guess these guys just proved that they can literally rap about something as boring as breakfast and I'll still be intetested. Really fun. 4.5/5 Go Ahead In the Rain Awesome bass/guitar sample. Love the change up in flow. Feels a bit more melodic. Has dancy qualities to it. Uncomplicated but works. Decent. 3.5/5 Description of a Fool A continuation of the funky smoothness of the rest of the album. Love the storytelling, takes up a serious subject without being overwhelming. I like how they let the sample play itself out. Feels like a "To Be Continued". Decent. 3.5/5 Yeah that was really fun. It's refreshing to hear a when a hip hop group, despite having some serious songwriting chops don't take themselves too seriously. Embracing many decades of music before them, they take the great rhythms and grooves of the past and make them their own with impeccable flows and amazing pieces of delivery. There's storytelling, there's themes of identity and there's a lot of silly dancable tunes that keep you moving. Tribe delivers something for everyone, staying ahead of the curve with their unique jazzy, funky sound. You'll be hard pressed to find a group as charming and charismatic as them. A great debut which really paves the way for their later catalouge which would build upon the ideas of this album further. 4.5/5, closer to a 4. Fave Track. Footprints

A classic. Great beats and flow.

Funky and fun but the intermission kind of stuff in the the actual songs annoys me a bit. Like I want to add this to a playlist but I can’t be arsed listening to their 2 minute monologue. Still great though. Specific rating - 4.3 Fav song- luck of lucien Least fav - footprints

Enjoyed the beats, often a lot more than the lyrics. (That being said I really loved Ham 'N' Eggs despite it being objectively silly- great to be able to hear how much fun they're having). Favourite: Can I Kick It? Least: Pubic Enemy

Great summer vibes

Great

I loved this album. I had heard of them at the time they were around and wouldn't have liked them then but this was super great to hear now, well now that I am an adult and not some irritating, waiting for the hair metal to come teenager

Bring back fun rap.

Bonita Applebum Can I Kick It? Description of a Fool

Really good

Nooooo. Ya cansa esa musiquita medcolanza de todo. No me adhiero en absoluto.

These guys are just to good with so much genere influences its hard to keep up. Great album although low end theory is their greatest one.

I just can't stand these rhymes, good bars could justify shitty rhyming for me, but there were none. This period of hip-hop is not interesting in any way, not lyrically, not musically. Just bad

I wanna like ATCQ and I bet if some things were just a tiny bit different they would be my favourite rap group but a lot of the stuff just ends up sounding samey, both between songs but also intra-track. Like they made an 8 bar backing beat and then rapped over it. Theres way too little variation

Fine but there better be two more Tribe albums on this list

Wasn't my favorite but respect what it did for the genre

This was good. I really liked Can i kick it?

A tribe called quest is just awesome. No one pushed the opposite and beeing genuine, respectful and as fun in rap like them. Also during a time were Rap was also mostly connected with Gangsters Gang etc. (4.5/5.0)

Love it, funkiest beats around. This is the kinda 90s rap that I love. Make sure to wipe your feet real good on the rhythm rug.

Classic hip hop

Some trax incredible, some trax unfortunately sound like the undertones. I dont wanna hear about ur sandwich

The music is cool and its not hard to listen to, but it is just not my jive.

Great album through and through. Love the lyricism & range of samples. 5/5 every time all day..

Effortlessly cool.

I appreciate what's happening musically, but the rapping is soooo dorky. I guess all prog is dorky

Flip this is mint

Lo habia escuchado. Ya conocia varias canciones, varias clasicas, pero nunca le di la atención que debia al album completo. Joya.

Alright beats, but mostly bored with the album and wanted it to be done much sooner. Maybe I wasn't in that right mindset, or just wasn't for me, but this listen was meh.

Hell yeah

> the Beatles Can I Kick It? Is an all timer

It was good for what it was, maybe it’s because I listened to the remix version, but it was a bit long for me to keep up with? But I enjoyed it, and appreciate the artistry of it. Solid 4 to 5.

I know this is a classic and all but it's just too repetitive and laid back for me. Sometimes a good sample will wake me up, but that'a about it. Out of the first three albums this is the one I like the least.

Their 2 following efforts are much better, but it's still quite the enjoyment.

A great ride of fun and energetic and groovy boom bap jazzy hip-hop! I loved the overall inexhaustible flow of the album.

Sampling and production great on this record, very old school, prefer this to modern hip-hop and rap.

All rappers should hope to have a tenth of the personality that ATCQ inject into each song on this album. All rappers should also be hopeless when they hear how easily the bars are delivered on this album. "Luck Of Lucien" was such a fun, linear story that was so easy to go along the ride for. It is in this track that I can practically hear MF DOOM taking notes - he strikes me as one of the few rappers to ever honorably iterate on the blueprint that ATCQ laid down here. My song of the record is probably "Rhythym (Devoted To The Art of Moving Butts)" for that beautiful, futuristic beat under some fun rhyme schemes.

SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO GOOD

First listen - have heard of ATCQ Very smooth easy listening. A lot of the meanings and pop-culture references were lost on me...

I don't think hip hop is for me

Några man hört innan, några nya bra

It's alright nothing mindblowing tbh WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY too long fym its 1h30min bro Mr Muhammed had the best beat no questions asked

Love the combination of jazz, audible lyrics and overall positivity of this album. 8/10

Chill beats, laid-back rhymes. A bit pretentious for my liking (why does Description of a Fool have half its runtime as the outro?) and like most hip-hop on this list, too dense to really get a handle on on first listen. Some great samples, though.

I really enjoyed this album. Excellent record on a Friday. Wolf

Probably my favorite hip-hop band ever. Listening to I Left My Wallet in El Segundo took me back to the days of Colts and big speaker !

Not my favorite Tribe album but still a solid album

Another solid album, though not in my wheelhouse, was an enjoyable listen

My favorite rap album of all time

Classic!

yh

Thoroughly enjoyed this album but rap isnt really my genre. Very funky

5 Absolute belter of an album and essential listening

"Push It Along" - Since I, shame on me, never heard of A Tribe Called Quest before, and I had some ancipations about what this could sound like (I thought of something Salsa-like; as I said, shame on me.), this was quite surprising, but not in a bad way. It is quite rhythmic, indeed, and I liked the saxophone part for some reason. I could imagine listening to this in a club or a bar, it would have people dancing soon! "Luck Of Lucien" - Quite a few musical samples I recognise. These lines stood out to me, too: "If you go to jail, then who'll pay the bill? (...) Instead of finding pleasure, all you find is misery..." I believe this is about Lucien having come to the United States, in hope of finding something worth living for, but having to rely on other people in the end. While the community itself is something I would say can help others in times like this, it also feels like Lucien is going through a rough time emotionally and mentally. I like the idea behind this song, very cool. "After Hours" - "The Moon dabbles in the morning sky, as the minutes just creep on by"... A nice way to express this, in all honesty, I should keep this line in my mind. I am actually feeling a bit overworked just listening to this, and I am wondering whether it is because I got up at 5am after a few hours of sleep (likely!), or whether the song is "to blame" (Also, random frog noises!! *__*), but if it's the latter, they really reached their goal. "Footprints" - The stomp sounds in the beginning (They return later, too.) are really starting to pull me into the song, and I can actually imagine what the music would look like in colours and moving objects (Don't have this usually.) in visualiser tools. It also feels like the song's structure is getting denser while listening to it. "I Left My Wallet In El Segundo" - I had to replay this because I was shortly distracted and felt like this didn't give this song the attention it deserved. It is fun to listen to, but I easily forget time when listening to it, apparelty :D. The guitars in the beginning remind me of Carlos Santana for some odd reason, and the topic of a roadtrip, once again, made me think this is quite outstanding. "Pubic Enemy" - Yes, I fell for writing a different title at first, lol. :D Actually a really fun song! "Bonita Applebum" - Quite smooth. I am actually beginning to feel like I understand why the album was called "People's Instinctive Travels And The Paths Of Rhythm"; they really talk about subjects that are important, like cravings for freedom, community, love, fun, ... "Can I Kick It?" - Yes you can! :) I've heard this before, but it has been decades, and I am not even kidding here. Makes me want to dance, too. The contrast between the bass line pulling you back to the ground again and the other tracks that sort of feel like "flying away in freedom" makes me feel like this was a true masterpiece, and I am so glad they released this song. The organ's super fun. "Youthful Expression" - This is exactly what the title says, but actually so much more. There's hope for the future in this song, and rebellion, and a strive for freedom and experimenting with life. Brings me back to the "good old days", but also feel somewhat sorry for youth nowadays, not because "They never experienced this.", but because they do experience the same longings, yearnings, etc. still and the world around them shows them no empathy? It's hard to explain. "Rhythm (Devoted To The Art Of Moving Butts)" - Another song that truly makes me (you?) dance! "Mr. Muhammad" - Celebrating yourself is also something people strive for, right? "Ham 'N' Eggs" - LOL, why do I think of Dr Seuss right now? As a vegetarian, I am not sure what to say about this one, though, as I do not understand the need for meat, but then again, this is just me. "Go Ahead In The Rain" - I first thought the song sampled might be by David Bowie, because the voice sounded a bit like him. "Devoted to the arts of movin' butts, so get on up and / Think about what's yours / I mean your culture and your laws" - True words. Tongue-in-cheek, definitely, but very true. "Description Of A Fool" - Another great song idea, and: YES for standing up against physically abusing your partner! I do not want to over-analyse this piece, tbh, because it feels like in school, and this is certainly NOT what A Tribe Called Quest would've wanted. However, honesty is a value that many of us have, after all. Overall rating: 8/10.

Solid classic

Really good will come back to write review 4/5

surprisingly easy to listen to. Couple of familiar tunes, not normally my thing but interesting enough to leave on

without question, this is an iconic debut from one of the most iconic groups in the history of hip hop. one thing that ever-so-slightly holds People's Instinctive Travels back in comparison to a later album like The Low End Theory or Midnight Marauders is how wet ATCQ feels behind the ears. Q-Tip and Ali Shaheed Muhammad demonstrate a hell of a lot of prowess as producers on nearly every track here (the one-two punch of "Bonita Applebum" into "Can I Kick It?" remains one of the highest points of any Tribe album tracklist), but knowing just how colorful and unique their production would become on future records spoils things here just a little bit. thankfully, the group's MCs nailed their sounds from the jump! Q-Tip's rasp and Phife Dawg's smoothness each make for some of hip hop's most iconic voices. plus, for a long time, this was the only album to feature vocals from Jarobi, who makes perhaps his most notable contributions to People's Instinctive Travels as a chatting DJ in the skits that introduce each song. again, this is a pretty great album all around, but it's hard to observe in a vacuum. their first three records form this tremendous trilogy which it's hard to isolate any one piece from. they'd probably rather I focus on the whole anyway, since ATCQ notably credited all the production and writing to all of their members, somewhat obscuring the lines between who was doing what and making it all about the collective. it's a pretty great formula for free-wheeling group chemistry that they would capitalize on even further in the future. decent 8/10.

Amazing, prescient, seminal, infectious, joyous, essential

Used to listen to this all the time in middle school. Easy 5.

A chilled album, I enjoyed having it on as background music, but it's not an album I would listen to and really pay attention.

Enjoyed the album. Very mellow and a lot of lyrics to decipher with one listen.

Generally not a fan of hip hop music but the rhythms on this one are fun, would be good background music if I'm ever in the right mood.

didn't like the lyrics but the music is a vibe

I be traveling down the big road

I remember this as being better than it actually is. Middling but not bad. 2.5 stars

Nem rossz, jó beatek, semmi különös

Як я вже писав раніше - альбом дуже гарний, але все ж трохи нуднуватий, не вистачає в ньому, як на мою думку тої енергетики, щоб зрівнятися із майбутніми релізами. Однак (одначе), альбом є надзвичайно важливим. На ньому гурт фактично сформував для хіп-хопу новий образ - тепер це не був звичайний хіп-хоп, який початково асоціювався з образом «небезпечних, але крутих хлопців» із гетто, на кшталт Public Enemy чи N.W.A. Tribe Called Quest пропонують нам більш вдумливу, але водночас «емоційно легку» роботу, де фокус, з одного боку, було зміщено на «усвідомленість» та «інтелектуальність», а з іншого - на самовираження та життєдіяльність. Хоча більш прямолінійна подача соціальних питань - також знайшла тут своє місце, наприклад у треку Push It Along, що порушує питання поліцейського свавілля. Але не дивлячись на «спрощення» у тематиці деяких пісень - музично це було «переродження» жанру у більш естетичній формі, що поєднує у собі складні джазові семпли та мʼякі, плавні, я б навіть сказав «афроцентричні» біти. Звісно, джазові семпли юзали і до цього, але вони були набагато примітивнішими ніж те що почали робити A Tribe Called Quest. Та і загалом можна сказати, що цей гурт винайшов jazz rap як такий, та представив його широкому загалу у «доконаному вигляді».

Rhythmic, lyrical, musical awesomeness.

90s rap man. I wish we had more of it. (32 known/64 new)

I don't know if it was the version I listened to or if this is an artistic choice, but it sounds like half the songs are cropped a few seconds short. They were as long as the tracks on the track listing on Wikipedia, so I think that's just what they wanted it to sound like. I don't care for it. Aside from that, I do like most of the album. It's fun, it's experimental, and it's pretty varied in sound.

Great classic

Without question a good hip hop record from the 90s. It’s hard to rate after one listen especially considering my lack of experience with the genre. For now, nothing grabbed my ear enough for repeat listens.

I got Low End Theory a few days ago and gave that a 4. This is perfect though. My favorite Tribe Called Quest record, and after this one Midnight Marauders, which would also be a 5 if it was on the list. Just still so fucking good and hasn't aged a day.

Ik ben geen expert in rap en heb dus nooit gehoord van a tribe called quest. Can I kick it was al bekend maar heb het nooit zelf geluisterd en dit was voor mij ook wel het hoogtepunt van dit album. Erg genoten van de productie en keuze van samples, wat erg modern voor de tijd aanvoelt. Hier kan ik me in vergissen aangezien ik nogmaals geen expert ben van rap, al helemaal niet van de early nineties. Erg charismatische cast en ze houden je aandacht vast met hun straight forward story telling. Ik zou dit qua lyrics alleen niet heel hoog plaatsen, hoewel er uitblinkers tussen zitten voelt het voor mij dat veel van de flow ouderwets aanvoelt voor mij. Dit kan ook komen door de minder consistente rapstijl wat komt bij het hebben van een rapgroep, wat moeilijk bij te houden is als je nog niet bekend bent met de groep. Deze review kan dus aangepast worden naarmate ik naar het album luister en meer van de band leer kennen. Voor nu dus een 4/5.

Not the best tribe album but still really excellent. Great beat selection and fun bars, absolute classic

I don't remember tbh I think it was ok

I see how this was groundbreaking and genre-defining in 1990. Sick beats, innovative fusion of jazz and hip-hop, classy execution.

Not bad but not great either.

Can I kick it?

For being a rap album, this is not bad. Gotta listen to it more.

No skips, what an awesome first album

I missed the 90s era of hip hop, was fully into metal and grunge/post-punk back then. I can hear why this group hit the levels they did, but at the same time I can understand why this album in particular did not perform as well as some of their later releases. There is a great amount of repetition, and some of the hooks and loops are so short that the ear is begging for some resolution that never comes. Can I Kick It? is one track I remember hearing during its heyday, and listening to it again all I can think is how I wish the loop would resolve into something more developed than a re-loop. Good stuff and an absolutely fantastic sample of the Golden Age of Hip Hop. More complicated than much of the rap that came earlier, but not nearly as angry (while still needing a number of listens to appreciate) as the also-emerging gangsta rap. I am a little sad I missed out on this when it was new, it seems perfect for the time in the same way that Nirvana was - This release was integral to the sound of the time, but as a release did not have nearly the impact later releases did, much like Bleach vs Nevermind. Does anyone else here Sheryl Crow's 'All I Wanna Do' in a number of the breaks?

Un genesis. Lo más cerca al paraiso habrá sido poder usar samples de toda la industria y tener a Q-TIP para rapear arriba. Hip hop puro. Le pongo 4 estrellas solo porque los mismos "A Tribe Called Quest" se superaron en los próximos dos discos.

THIS STUFF IS MAGNIFICENT, HOLY FUCKING AIRBALLS

Oh, hell yes.

Sounded like a typical tribe album. Nothing blew me away. Great beats, good rhymes

Surprised by this. Great bassline. Love the jazz funk vibe. Amusing rather than the standard whinging hiphop lyrics. Had me dancing around the kitchen. I didn't think I was into hiphop that much but this is really rather good.

Very calm and I liked the vibe. The jazz is beautiful and I would like to play some of the songs for background music. I have heard of one of the songs before, I liked the one about finding a way of hope through depression, especially since I have been depressed for a couple of years already, I feel like that song might help me out right now or at least give me motivation.

3.5

mögulega þeirra besta plata. þetta er 4,5.

Really enjoyed the storytelling and humour elements to this which went alongside the multi-dimensional music. Might buy on vinyl

7/10.much more like it from the American hip hop! I feel like this is sort of more like what I was waiting for in terms of lyricism and delivery, there is lots of fun to be had in this record with it's playful storytelling and eclectic range of beats! I feel like there are still improvements to be had in terms of poetry and delivery but this was an overall enjoyable listen. Also what a great name for an album! And of course the iconic 'Can I Kick It?' :)

Faktisk ganske bra. Litt spess

Good stuff but some of this is damn goofy

This album has got some really good tracks. I got a bit lost on first listen and I want to listen a few more times.

Some filler mostly all killer.

2.75

Starten på Tribe. Føler de ikke helt hadde funnet sin stil og sin greie, så det er litt variabelt, men en del moments of genius

stasera ci ho fatto sopra una dormita pazzesca con Anita.."mostly happy hip-hop, featuring gently humorous, casual, conversational raps"

I don’t eat no Ham N Eggs cause they’re high in cholesterol. 8/10

Pretty good. There were some weird bits, like the very start, but mostly it was just energetic hip-hop and quite nice to listen to.

don't finish but it's good song

Rap is not my style, but this is nice enough, I enjoyed it. Old school style rap, which is better than the newer, mumbley stuff.

Whilst you technically could kick it, you probably shouldn’t.

still kicking it

Love Tribe. Love this album. The first rap group I ever really fell in love with and still a great listen whenever I go to them to this day. 4.5/5

This is their debut and it absolutely slays. What a momentous debut!

I like the writing and the rhythmic beats and flow, but there's just nothing special about this album. If you want some chill hip hop, this is perfect, but that's not what I prefer this genre to sound like. I like something more energetic and aggressive (yes, I like pretty much the same stuff most white hip hop fans like, sue me). This album is a bit to repetitive for me: There is not enough iterations within tracks, or the same iterations repeat with some regularity. Good album, not really my vibe. 7/10

My favorite part of tribe is the give and take between tip and phife and I’m missing that. I think that’s why I like other tribe albums better but the overall vibe and mellow beats are unmatched

Allgemeiner Eindruck: Seele des Hip Hops, sehr roher Sound (Klassisch Tribe, noch mehr als Midnight Marauders und Low End Theory), das funklastigste Album von ATCQ, krasse Flows von Q-Tip, Phife Dawg leider ein wenig vernachlässigt Underrated Tracks: -Push it Along -I Left My Wallet in El Segundo -Mr. Muhammad Least Favourite: -After Hours -Footprints -Youthful Expression Favourite Tracks: -Bonita Applebum -Can I Kick It? -Public Enemy

Classic 90s hip hop with true jazz samples. No gansta just beats and life and rhythms.

American tasty for shit

Really loved 'Luck Of Lucien' and 'Ham & Eggs'. 'I Left My Wallet In El Segundo' was great too. Great soundtrack for a walk!

The first song feels like children rhymes and each verse is separate from the last. The child noises in the start were a bit creepy. Footprints was pretty good but that was about all I liked.

pretty fun album.

Fun album.

Pretty good

-push it along is a 6/10 -Luck of Lucien is a solid 8/10. I like it -After hours was fine but didn't catch my attention, 5/10 -footprints

My favourite songs were luck of Lucien and I left my wallet in El Segundo. Overall I thought it was a great album. It was very chilled and I liked the chemistry between Q-tip and phife and, the storytelling in a lot of the songs.

Manage to cultivate a vibe, fairly monotonous conscious rap

more hip-hop - it's just not my scene man

Highlights: After Hours, Can I Kick It

First time hearing it. Enjoyed it but not enough to listen again

Absolutely loved this one

pretty good and funky

That's not my taste in music - But ok

ATCQ are right up my alley, though like I said with Fear of a Black Planet I struggle to put into words what I like and dislike about hip hop. I can say I prefer this to that album though, and this style more generally. I like listening to them when I'm sitting about not doing too much Phife and Q-Tip are some of my favourite rappers, their flows are really smooth and, with the jazzy beats they use, sort of relaxing. Q-Tip is excellent right from the start, it never seemed like he had to grow into his role and knew what he was doing immediately This is a great album, and this set them up well on their way to creating a masterpiece like The Low End Theory. It's just not quite as memorable or creative as that album, maybe a bit overlong too (I think with the drumming lacking the variety to go over 60 minutes), but it's still really good. Just needed some fine tuning Highlights: Can I Kick It?, Luck of Lucien, Description of a Fool

Please...

One of my favorite hip hop albums ever. I totally see why ATCQ are as influential as they are.

Fantastic rhymes very fun. Very dense topics but light lyrics. Great groove. Fun samples 10/10

Same. Fine but not for me.

Not really the kind of music I like. It sounds interesting but I feel the lyrics are very local which alieniates foreigners to fully appreciate it. I can appreciate the creative way of using samples, and also this sounds like honest art. I always thought that hip hop from the early 90s in the USA sounded all like MC Hammer. I'm glad this kind of music existed.

The Low End Theory was my first Tribe album, so while songs from this album (certainly Can I Kick It) led me to purchase Low End, I had never listened to this one completely… until now. I miss the 90’s.

Wow. I usually don't like or listen to rap, however this hits hard. It blends in jazz through samples and that really appeals to me. I hope there is other rap out there like this because it's great. Ham n' eggs is great. That horn riff will be stuck in my head for a while now ngl

Corny rhythms. The best song here - Can You Kick It? - derives all its power from the Lou Reed sample.

East coast babyyyyy

A good example of mid-early rap. I could have done without the remixes of the deluxe edition as they added nothing to the experience. The first half of the album was more solid than the latter. The rhymes by today’s standards seem lame but at the time were unique. Good for a blast from the past when picking select songs but not an album I would listen to in full again.

Solid. Real easy to listen to.

Absolutely solid album.

Love this album so much. It's just so cool and smooth. It makes me feel cooler just for having listened to it.

Another great album from Tribe. Not sure if I like this one more or less than Low End Theory. This one has a runtime longer than I'd like, but even with that it's pretty great start to finish.

Good album. Not as good as Low End Theory, but I liked it quite a bit. 3.5/5

[4]

This was a dope album. I think it's one of those that just captures a vibe, and while a couple standout tracks (Can I Kick It), it's really enhanced by the fact that almost all the songs have the same vibe while being different. Very chill, very relaxing, I loved it.

Old school hiphop, solid lyrik, laid back

A Tribe Called Quest hits the ground running on their debut LP. Jazzy samples and playful rhymes keep the mood lighter than some of their gangta-rap contemporaries. Q-Tip, Phife, and Jarobi keep the fun flowing for over an hour including Tribe's magnum opus, "Can I Kick It". I can understand the praise for this album in particular, but I do find Low End Theory to be a bit more consistent.

One of my favorite records by one of my favorite groups! Feels like a love letter to 16 year old me. Only outdone by The Lowend Theory, this is as strong a debut album as any on this list. Tribe is something special in the rap world, even among the Native Tongues collective. Creative rhymes delivered with a laid back flow full of youthful charm over clever, jazzy beats that act like a tour of the pop culture my generation grew up with. 5⭐️

Can I dig it? Well it's another one of those where I can appreciate how good it is but it's not for me. Polymath

Super fun all the way through.

Can i kick it, yes you can! 3.5/5

This is not usually my kind of music but I really enjoyed this. This is the type of hip-hop/rap kinda stuff I prefer. I really like the vibes of the 80s/90s hip hop over the more modern rap we have now and this is a great example of it. Fun samples (always a pleasure to hear the Beatles, even if it was about 5 seconds as an intro) and great delivery. Fun album!

I really enjoyed it, I imagine it had a huge impact at the time

favs

Nice hip-hop, cool interesting beats. Maybe too 90's at times. high 4

6/10

This is some good stuff and I don’t even like rap that much but this album is a solid jam. Light one up and chill.

Pretty good

Ok so I don't actively hate this like most hip hop. I still don't really like it and would never choose to listen to it but I'm not miserable sitting here cringing at the whole thing like normal. I mean the late 80s/early 90s hip hop is way different than what's come out in the last 20-25 years even. It's more innocent and innocuous. There's not really much else to say about this one, it just kind of is. Though it's one of the least unbearable hip hop records I've heard, I was still ready for it to be done about 15 minutes in. 2/5

It's a great mix of soul, funk, jazz and hip-hop. There is some great storytelling on here.

Dug it. Apparently I really dig the 80s and early 90s Rap and related areas scene.

Brilliant! Favourite track is still Can I Kick It 4/5

It's the worst ATCQ album

Not my jam but oo

OK LUV this so so much!! Standouts: Bonita Applebum Can I kick it

yupp

A fun listen! Good 90s hip-hop. Highlights are "I left my wallet in El Segundo", "Bonita Applebum", "Can I Kick It?," "Youthful Expression" and "Mr. Muhammad"

I've been loving all the classic 90s rap we've been getting lately. Haven't really dove into Tribe too much outside of their popular albums (Low End Theory, Midnight Marauders). And the only song here I know is Can I Kick It, so I'm excited for this album. Pretty damn solid for their debut album. Not a lot of bangers outside of Can I Kick It and Left My Wallet (I also liked Luck of Lucien quite a bit), but most of the songs here are still fairly good. The beats throughout are laid back and cool. This doesn't reach the heights of their later works, but it was enjoyable from start to finish. Solid 4 from me.

Solid album from one of the greatest hip-hop groups to ever do it. Jazzy instrumentals and effortless flows from Q-Tip and co. What's not to love? The hits are timeless (Bonita Applebum, Can I Kick It?, and Left my Wallet in El Segundo) and some of the deep cuts are even better. My favorites are Pubic Enemy (which has a RZA, esq flair to it), Mr. Muhammed, and Go Ahead In the Rain. This falls at a high 4 for me.

I like this album a lot for similar reasoning to Wu Tang; great flow, fun beats, and the Collab nature is great. While each song on this album was good in it's own right, I feel like the album had some oddly abrupt transitions from song to song; maybe it was a Spotify thing, but it was off-putting. Ham N Eggs was a fun but admittedly cheesy number. I went into this with high hopes. Most of the songs definitely had me grooving, but the lack of true standouts + the choppiness of transitions between songs brought this from a 4 to a very high 3. Brb gonna go listen to Electric Relaxation.

Some of the songs were really good like Push it Along and Can I Kick it. But others were really quite boring. I was excited to see this album come up but I left a little disappointed. Still a mid to high 3 though

Interesting we get the debut here. Hope they have Midnight Marauders or Low End Theory. This have some obvious hits (Can I Kick It, Bonita Applebaum, Left My Wallet..) and pretty much every other song is above average. Tribe is always a welcome listen. The flow is real.