People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm

Chillowy hiphop, troche dziwny ale da sie słuchać.

I’ll be ok not having “Bonita, Bonita, Bonita applebum” in my head

Album was okay. I can see why it was influential at the time, I feel like I can see the vibe of the music videos as I listen. The new remixes were the ones I liked the most.

This was fun! I doing think I liked it as much as low end theory. It felt more scattered than that album, but it's still so strong.

not my thing but didn't hate it

Great !

Bit boring to be honest. Not my sort of thing.

Mørkhudede som lager hvitmanns-rap. Hatet det ikke, men fikk ikke så mye ut av det heller.

Ikke helt for mæ, men det e jo bra

Skjønne at det e bra, men e bare ikke min greie.

Trivelig hiphop.

Pretty underwhelming.

It's an okay album with some real classics but I enjoy their more jazz inspired work. I still have to say that Can I Kick It? is one of the most influential hip hop songs of all time.

It was alright. Some of the rhymes were a bit silly, but I didn't mind hearing about cholesterol instead of gangs.

Really cool listening here. I'm a big fan of it's hip hop and Tribe really set the stage. Some of the rhymes were very of-the-time, but the sampling, engineering, and beats were phenomenal. "Ham N' Eggs" was the favorite track on this one.

Great mix of early hip hop — boom-bap and conscious rap, but it does have moments of slightly simplistic rhyme schemes that the early eras are kinda known for, but that’s just part of it. I really like the production on this one. 3.7/5.0

I do not like green eggs and ham. I do not like them, Sam I Am.

This album is a little tricky for me. For one, I really enjoyed the musical production on this record. There were some interesting samples, and the whole thing put together felt very well done. I found that aspect of the record to be more engaging than the vocals. But that was itself a problem; I didn't get much out of the rapping that was happening over the music. The voice's tone didn't really appeal to me, and some of the lyrics were off putting for various reasons (or just whimsically bland). It became a bigger issue for me due to the album's length. It ran 64 minutes, with the same thing happening throughout. I probably would've found it less annoying if the album had been a decent chunk shorter. All that said, there were still some really enjoyable songs on here. I've even gotten the "bonita, bonita, bonita" part randomly stuck in my head countless times since I listened to the album a few days ago. I Lost My Wallet In El Segundo was pretty fun. A number of other tracks had strong vibes. I think I would've enjoyed this more if I liked the genre more. As it stands, I found it mostly enjoyable while not really engaging. The musical backing was my favorite aspect, but it wasn't really enough to make me say this was much better than solid/on the low end of good. Overall: 3.1/5

3.5/5 Other A Tribe Called Quest Albums: Midnight Marauders (1993) 5/5

Definitely not something I would have ever listened to but very intrigued. Ok super not my vibe

chilliä hoppia. hyvä vibe miksaus vähä ääs. 7/10

Decent hiphop

Good fun this one

Yep

Not as bad as I expected, I guess.

The album started out really good. I was excited for this interesting take on hip hop. Unfortunately, it got old quickly. They lost me by the time they sang a song about leaving a wallet at a restaurant. Very riveting topic there. The album isn't bad. It's fun for sure, but just not for me. I'm not sure who exactly it is for either.

Hip to the hop to the hippetihop

hip hop de la mama lui i can see the appeal da nu e pentru mine neaparat

71. nice

Long, but a nice change - Fun and smart

I've never got the love for this album. Low End Theory-love it. Midnight Marauders - love it. Love Movement-close to classic. But besides the three big songs, I feel this is overrated. 3/5

I like some of the beats and the vibes of the album but I just couldn't get in to it very much. The brass instruments and fun mixing using stereo audio cleverly is really great but the rapping is what brings it down a bit to me. I feel like something is missing but unfortunately I can't say exactly what it is, just the feeling. Still a fun listen through and I definitely get why the album is included on the list.

It is a good album that has some slower spots. It definitely cemented Tribe as being their own sound and thing. I like it but it isn't my favorite work by them. It feels bizarre that only a year later they made a quantum leap in terms of quality and cohesion with Low-End Theory? Maybe this was just a bit too meandering for me? Not sure who was involved from final production standpoint between these two albums.

I thought it was good, after hours was my favorite song. Definitely a style a rap I am yet to get into so this helped me greatly.

Easy listening rap that uses a lot of samples from famous tracks. Really good just not my cup of tea.

Heard of A Tribe Called Quest, never listened to a full album. Favorites: After Hours, Bonita Applebum Thoughts: Liked it, worth a listen at some point in the future. I feel like white rappers listened to this album and copied the flow without thinking.

It has a good beat! I enjoyed this one.

A Tribe Called Quest is amazing. I fought hard in my head between 3 or 4 stars for this album. Honestly, I think if the album was trimmed down it would be better but still a classic.

Favorite songs: I Left My Wallet in El Segundo, Bonita Applebum, Can I Kick It, Rhythm (Devoted to the Art of Moving Butts)

Loved hearing all of the samples. Fun lyrically too. Used to listen to midnight marauders a fair bit, should give Tribe more of a listen.

Not my favorite album of theirs. I like Q-Tip’s voice and the production is among my favorites for 80s-90s hip-hop, but the album lacks variety and kinda sounds the same by the fourth or fifth song. Definitely good background music but not great for detailed listening.

Decent 3. This was a great album to start out this project with. I’ve heard “Can I Kick It?” before and really liked it. It’s still probably my fave on the album. Luck of Lucien and Footprints were also fun. I appreciate their jazz influence and think they have a great sound.

ok to listen to, don't know I'd listen again. but appreciate getting to know them

Surprised we got this album, thought it would just be Marauders and Low End Theory. I’m a big Tribe fan and I listened to this album a bunch in university but it doesn’t hold up nearly as well as I remembered. It’s a classic first album where they haven’t figured out who they are yet. It’s too many skits and goofy songs, they sound like they’re trying to be De La Soul but not quite getting there. The biggest flaw by far though is way too much Q-tip and not nearly enough Phife. I think I counted 4 Phife Dog songs, whereas every album after this has both MCs on nearly every song. I always suspected I liked Phife more than Tip and now I’m sure of it. Some great songs and beats, but nowhere near peak ATCQ.

Too much jazz but better than that gangsta nonsense.

Reminded me of the Wu-Tang Clan, really interesting album, hip-hop at its best, original and most uplifting 🎶

i used one of their songs for my first mixedinmemories post. listened to the album while doing my classes online #storm #boston

I was looking forward to digging deeper into cuts by a group that I enjoy a few different songs from… I was a bit disappointed, though, with the results, and the fact that there wasn’t even one or two songs that really stood out or grabbed me. May give it another listen but just middle ground for me. Would give it a 2.5 but round up to 3

Some now classic hip hop.

Rap I can actually listen to. There was definitely some dancing alone in my house yesterday with this on. I could never listen to an entire album, and I most likely wouldn’t revisit this, because I overall don’t care too much for rap, but the lyrics were clever and it wasn’t dirty or violent 😇 It was pretty darn catchy actually.

did not expect it to be not explicit

A classic, but of a genre that I'm not particularly interested in. A nice listen.

не плохой хип-хоп альбом, на фитах есть Фарелл Вильямс и Джей Коул, не сильно мой стильно звучит прикольно

Solid tracks all the way through. Can I Kick it is an all time classic

No. 345/1001 Push It Along 4/5 Luck of Lucien 4/5 After Hours 3/5 Footprints 3/5 I Left My Wallet 3/5 Pubic Enemy 3/5 Bonita Applebum 3/5 Can I Kick It? 5/5 Youthful Expression 3/5 Rhythm 4/5 Mr. Muhammad 4/5 Ham 'N' Eggs 3/5 Go Ahead In The Rain 3/5 Description of a Fool 3/5 Average: 3,43 Really cool listen. "Can I Kick It?" is the obvious highlight of the album.

Quirky—and undoubtedly fresh-sounding in 1990. But there’s nothing profound being said here: the album’s too laid-back for that. (Maybe being laid-back is even the message?) The album’s too long, too. Maybe 15 minutes too long? Repeat listens would be more fun if some of the gimmicky stuff had been cut.

sembrano interessanti ma non al loro peak

Ok but not my style

3.5

I like this more in “low end” theory…

not my type

Not my jam but can appreciate it. 3.5

Best song: Can I Kick It Nice find: Rhythm, Mr. Muhammad, Ham n Eggs Worst song: Bonita Applebaum Chill rap with smart lyrics. A little too talky for me. Somewhat repetitive.

Best: Can I Kick It I do like samples in this, simple though they are, they still hold up today. Production is maybe a little dated with a lot of the disk scratches. Performance is flawless, lyrics are smooth but honestly neither evoke much emotion in my opinion. Do like the positivity / laid back feeling of the album

Decent debut but I prefer a lot of their other stuff.

Good beats but it got repetitive and the lyrics were so basic

Lou Reed samples and stuff about eating apples

interesting. probably a grower.

Not my style but still good. It had a good beat and rhythm.

I liked it, not as much as other Tribe Called Quest albums or songs but still enjoyed it. Some songs I wasn’t a big fan of but it was mostly just fun rap w a fun beat which I always like.

An early example of sample-based beat making, following the Beasties’ lead. Funky fresh vibes through and through, showcasing the lyrical and vocal mastery of Q-Tip.

8.2/10 only saved 2 songs from the album unfortunately

Samples and production are great

Appreciate the talent and liked a couple of tracks but the rhythm of the rhyming isn’t my favorite and would not relisten.

Un peu long, un peu répétitif.

Songs more distinct than I remembered, remember all the songs being pretty same-y. Enjoyable listening, probably a little more lowkey than I typically go for.

Gosto de hip hop mas raramente ouço dessa época, me soa um pouco monótono. Quando quero, normalmente vou em busca de músicas dos anos 2000. Esse álbum tem uma sonoridade agradável, me peguei balançando a cabeça em alguns momentos. Com elementos jazzísticos, alegre, divertido, se torna fácil conhecer um álbum que dificilmente eu iria escolher por conta própia. "Bonita Applebum" e "I Left My Wallet in El Segundo" com sua intro flamenca se destacaram. Dessas duas faixas, a única que adicionei em minha playlist foi "Bonita Applebum" (o refrão é meio chiclete). Prestando atenção consegui gostar de muitos detalhes das batidas, porém depois de um tempo fica repetitivo e vira música de fundo, sinto que ele dura mais do que deveria durar. Não me vejo ouvindo mais de uma vez em um dia. É ok, minha avaliação é 3/5. Não tem faixas suficientes que eu realmente goste que me faça dar nota maior que 3.

this was fun!

I like the beats and the lyrics. They tell stories in their songs and they make it easy to imagine it. It has a lot of funny lyrics too. The start of the album is really good but it does get worse as it goes on to the end, though i added a good 10/14 songs which is without the remixes, since their at the end.

Anthem

Nie mój klimat

Didn’t do an in depth listen but from the bits and pieces cool positive vibes, like good funky jazzy elevator music with rap.

I don’t listen to much rap or hip hop, but I respect the art. I enjoyed several songs on this album and definitely recognized some interpolations that were nicely added. A few songs were too repetitive, but overall this album was quite palatable.

Favorite Song: Bonita Applebum Least Favorite Song: Push It Along Had a very fun time exercising to this one.

Even though I don`t listen to hiphop, it was fun to listent to this album. I'll definitely listen to it more often.

uzmigau traukiny klausydama

rap de los 90, suave con funk/jazz, bases tranquilas, la cancion de Can I kick it?, en general está bien, pero no me llama

Cool

Fint

Can I kick it? I know of them but I’ve never really listened to A Tribe Called Quest. You can really hear how formative this album was for so many artists that came after it. I’m not a huge hip hop fan but I do get into certain albums and artists. This album feels like one I could come back to. I love the little intros between each song to set up the vibe. ‘I Left My Wallet in El Segundo’, ‘Bonita Applebum’, and ‘Footprints’ are standouts for sure. The beats, the lyrics, the production it’s all so well done.

New-to-me band but I really enjoyed this. Need to listen to more.

Obi-Wan Kenobi: Hello there. General Grievous: General Kenobi. You are a bold one. Kill him! General Grievous: Back away! I will deal with this Jedi slime myself. Obi-Wan Kenobi: Your move. General Grievous: You fool. I've been trained in your Jedi arts by Count Dooku. General Grievous: Attack, Kenobi!

6.0/10

alright

bra. blir sikkert litt bedre om man hører på

Can I kick it steekt er boven uit. Wel lekkere stemmen, maar net geen 4

Appreciate the craft on display here, but I feel they have been surpassed by the people they influenced? Still, neat.

Driving up to visit my sister and nothing captures Kingston Ontario quite like A Tribe Called Quest (he says before listening to a second of A Tribe Called Quest).

I thought the use of samples was really interesting and I definitely prefer this kind of hip-hop/rap that is not rooted in the the gangster stuff, but ultimately not something I would return to by choice.

Good stuff but not really my jam

I ABSOLUTELY adore Walk on the Wild Side by Lou Reed, so I really like hearing the sample in Can I Kick It?

Enjoyed the shuffle afterwards more

Parempi kuin edellinen TCQ-levy. 3/5.

Aika samanlainen setti ku edellinen yhtyeen albumi. Tiputetaan toiston vuoksi nelkku kolkkiin

Algoritmi ja alkometri tekee tepposiaan kun tää raippi kuestin eka levy tul näin vasta ton tokan jälkeen listauksesta. No ainakin tän myötä sai osotuksen omalle ounastelulle jossa muistin että toi toka on parempi setti. Eli hyvä meno ja paljon samaa mut ei iha nii hyvä. Siks keppana.

3.5

7.5

Classic hip hop with such great beats. Favorite Song(s): Can I Kick It

Très sympa à écouter une fois, mais une fois seulement!

Ok. Some pretty good samples in there and appreciated it for what it was - not really my taste though did have some funky beats!!!

Not my vibe.

Crazy the evolution hip hop made from the mid 80s to this in 1990. Super listenable.

Never been a big Tribe guy, as I prefer my hip-hop to go harder than what they were serving up. Certainly not bad, though. I never listened to this album in full and was surprised at how little Phife was on it. "Footprints" is sensational and "Pubic Enemy" is very good. "I Left My Wallet In El Segundo" and "Luck of Lucien" are fun. Nothing really bad here, it's all pleasant, but other rap artists just grab my attention more.

Still fresh but retro.

I don't generally like rap, particularly '90s rap, but this album wasn't bad. Didn't mind it

Just ok

Surprisingly good. I don’t think I’ve ever heard them. Will keep them in mind next time I am cleaning, weed-eating, gardening, or just wanting to move.

Not my cup of tea

A bit monotone. Didn’t understood the vibe

Liked that more than I thought I would - never listened to hip-hop/RnB on purpose but it's nice focus music. Better than lo fit hip hop girl

Rätt cool stil med kul samplingar!

Not my cup of tea but alright

Cool album in the history of hip hop. Not my favorite but enjoyable.

Rhythm

I like it overall, there weren’t too many songs that I’d listen to outside of an overall album re-listen.

Tribal Quest – Peoples Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm This was an eye opener. Not a genre I would normally like so why was I smiling and enjoying this so damn much? One reason: they use samples to enhance a song, not turn it into a cover version; but mainly because they are good. Real good.

Maybe I need more exposure to hip hop to really enjoy this.

I enjoyed listening to this - it really isn't my thing, but I always thought there was always something quite fun about A Tribe Called Quest. Rightly or wrongly I put De La Soul in a similar bracket. It's the music that makes it for me in records like this, and this one just has a nice feel to it. I don't feel the need to hunt down everything they ever did, but I didn't want to turn it off screaming either. So that's good.

Off the cuff remark: I am not a big fan of rap and hip hop broadly speaking, there are a few artists I like and listen to regularly but my knowledge of the genres is patchy at best. I can't quite pin it down but while I didn't think it was amazing I liked this album a whole lot more than I thought I would, perhaps something to do with the instrumentation which has a bit of variety and there is a dash of humour throughout. Standout track: perhaps obviously - Can I Kick It? Revisit?: I think I just might.

I didn’t have high hopes for this, given it was my second A Tribe Called Quest album here, but I was pleasantly surprised. I was familiar with “Can I Kick It?”, but I really enjoyed the delightfully named “Bonita Applebum” as well, the brain rot of it setting in so I was singing it the rest of the evening. “Rhythm (Devoted to the Art of Moving Butts)” I enjoyed less, but also thought it had an excellent name. I also really enjoyed the wide variety of the samples, from Stevie Wonder to Lou Reed, and how well they were used in the songs. I did feel it was a bit long (especially track 1), and some of the tracks went in one ear and out the other, much like the previous album I listened to by them. However, there was still stuff here I really enjoyed - had I a half star, it would probably get to 3.5 but, as I don’t, and didn’t consistently like it enough to give it 4 stars, it’s getting a 3.

Solid! Prefer The Low End Theory but this is a really really good album.

3 out of 5. Liked the sample choices, and the beats have layers which stand out to me.

fun

Like it. I think I need more listens to fully soak in. But the single syllabic flow for every song got slow and repetitive

This was cool. A bit dated. Good jams, good rhymes.

Solid album with some choice samples. Highlights: "Footprints" and "Public Enemy"

I didn't enjoy this too much, but it's a good old school sound

6/10

Nothing special but not bad either 6.61/10 3/5

Not one I would ever have chosen to listen to but actually quite enjoyed and had realised they’d done the iconic Can I Kick It

The Tribe's emerged nearly fully formed on their debut. Q-Tip's lyrics are smart and focus on the positives. His storytelling can be a bit awkward - see "I ordered enchiladas, and I ate em" - and his flow doesnt vary much, but his performance is still very good. The beats are tinged with jazz and hit well on a track by track basis, but there aren't enough surprises for the hour of music to not drag a bit. Despite that there are some classic tracks, with "Can I Kick It?" and "Ham n Eggs" chief among them. That latter track shows the biggest thing the album is missing: Phife Dawg. "Ham n Eggs" is a playoff back and forth between Phife and Tip that shows the way they can play off of each other. Outside of that song, Phife has only 3 verses on this. More variety, from beats, flows, or rappers, would elevate this, but there are enough great tracks to make it worth a listen.

I'm getting a little burnt out on getting so much early 90s hip-hop in succession, but as with a lot of the other classics from that error -- it's good, but a little too long and laid back to keep my full attention all the way through. Can I Kick It still holds up with that Lou Reed sample. So good.

Rap doesn't do much for me, this one didn't either

Not my favorite genre, but I mostly enjoyed this. Eventually, the over repetitive loops just wear me out.

Listened to a couple of tracks. Quite liked the sound. I wouldn’t go out of my way to listen but I’d be cool with someone else putting it on

Was ok. 3.3

- Der leicht entspannte jazzige Vibe hat schon etwas - Mir ist das Album einfach zu eintönig, es hört sich alles recht ähnlich an - Würde ich vielleicht nochmal hören, aber eher im Hintergrund als entspannte Begleitung Topsong: Can I kick it?

Would put this in the same basket as de la soul, a certain brand of old school hip hop where the beats are quite up near and quirky, and the rapping is a bit conversational almost. I do like it, when it's good it's great, but the album was a bit long and meandering. Would be a lot better if it was trimmed down a bit. Would definitely listen to some songs again, first one and can I kick it particularly, but probably not the whole album.

Interesting. Funky and liked it while driving around to my various doctor appointments.

Yet another hip-hop album but I quite like this one, it has a recognisable sound, vocals are good, samples tasteful... it just doesn't move me much at all. A bit meh. But nothing wrong with it.

Like the beats.. for five minutes.

Nice quiet polite rap album, who would know

Really like this, strong debut record. Was shocked by how early this was for the sound, I thought this was more mid-90s, the beats sound leaps ahead of the 80s loops. Rhymes are great too and definitely help usher in a more quiet, abstract style of rap going into the 90s.

Fine old school hip hop.

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

Enjoy Q-Tip's smooth and chilled delivery.

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.

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

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.

Repeat listen

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.

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.

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

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

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.

Couple big hits, it's fine

2,6/5

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 precursor to Low End Theory, just not quite as good

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

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

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.

Very strong start but faded a bit towards the end there

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

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

Good listening 3/5

Kinda cool. Not completely my genre.

Classic hip hop

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

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.

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.

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.

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!

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

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!

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.

Wonderful, of course.

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.

Good listen 🎶

3.2 1x

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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.

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.

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

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

Good samples everywhere, ok overall

Interesting laid back go hip, great beasts.

на любителя.

A Tribe Called Quest, småtrevligt men inte jättespännande.

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

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.

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

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

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

A surprising fun listen.

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

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

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

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.

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.

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

7/10

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)

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

A classic

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

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 can kick it

Amazing debut, great references great themes

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.

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.

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

OK aber bisschen boring

that lou reed sample, man...

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

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

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.

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.

Not as related to Questlove as I thought

I can kick it!

Pleasant 90s hip hop

3.5

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

Classic

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.

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

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

Bonita Applebum Can I Kick It? Description of a Fool

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

Not my favorite Tribe album but still a solid album

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

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

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.

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».

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.

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 don't remember tbh I think it was ok

Not bad but not great either.

Can I kick it?

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