People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm

Wipe your feet really good on the rhythm rug. One of the greatest hip hop records of all time. Genius writing. Flawless delivery. Impeccable production value. Every song runs like honey and each interlude provides a perfectly paced breath to introduce the next chapter of the story. Packed with some of the greatest 90's hip hop tracks of all time, Can I Kick It being the obvious example. Description of a Fool is the progressive antithesis of the toxic behaviour glorified by so many of their peers at the time. Left My Wallet in El Segundo is a comedically leaning work of story telling perfection. Both Devoted to the Art of Moving Butts and Mr Muhammad even have elements of early 90's rave styles (it's a stooone groove, baby). Dropping a track purporting the benefits of a healthy diet in the middle of it all is a master stroke, not to mention hilarious. The near incoherent French over Lucien also falls into this category. One for the collection.

A Tribe Called Quest came out swinging with this phenomenal, genre-changing record. It was positive, experimental, well-rounded, and exclusively different than anything that rap and hip-hop was known for in the early 90's. The foundation of jazz music paired with modern hip-hop rhythms is exceptionally beautiful and joyous to listen to. Each member is a master of their craft, and though Q-Tip was more of the frontrunner than he was in later releases, you can tell each songs was given the proper treatment by every member's role. I just get pure bliss and comfort from listening to this record, even if it doesn't hold the spot for my favorite ATCQ album. Favorite Songs: Footprints, I Left My Wallet in El Segundo, Can I Kick It?, Mr. Muhammad Least Favorite: Rhythm

A full rebellion against gangster rap… these guys respect women, misplaced their wallets, and watch their cholesterol.

Really solid Tribe album, complete with fun rhymes and creative, old-school instrumentals you would expect. Classic!

I want to live in the multiverse where the "Native Tongues" style of Tribe, De La, Monie Love and Jungle Bros ended up defining 90s hip hop instead of gangsta rap. The ratio of great hip hop singles to great hip hop albums is roughly 4,080:1. It's very hard to do but these guys pull it off - on their debut no less, and the first of three great albums in a row for them - with self-effacing, creative rhymes delivered with a laid back flow full of youthful charm over clever beats that act like a tour of the pop culture my generation grew up with. Also, pour one out for Phife Dog, the Five Foot Assassin who left us way too soon.

Favs: Can I Kick It?, Bonita Applebum, Ham 'N' Eggs, all of them really Mehs: The opening bit of Push It Along isn't my favorite but, yeah, all these songs are great Lot of fun to listen to for the first time in a couple years. Still sounds fresh and innovative. Great lyrics and song variety (STDs, breakfast food, French Cassanovas!). Fun little unexpected jazzy bits. Great sampling (always love the Lou Reed on "Can I Kick It?"). Is it just me, or did Hamilton totally rip off "Luck of Lucien" in tone and sound? Hmm.

91/100. This is a fantastic and fun record. A Tribe Called Quest masterfully fuses jazz and boom bap—two of my favorite rap styles—into something truly special. The album flows effortlessly with no weak spots.

Never realised just how great this album is. The samples are picked from seamingly everywhere. Lots of it seems to have been grabbed from From, Fusion and R&B. I love the flow, the lyricism. Everything here is a joy to listen to. Paced really well too.

Love Tribe, I like the next few albums more though, feel like they were still finding their way with this one. Regardless, it's another 4.5 (5) stars.

Not only brings me down memory lane but reminds me of the brilliance of this group. Their sampling is groundbreaking, lyrics exciting, and their sound? Chef's kiss.

Can I kick it?

In case you had any doubt that everything was cooler in the 1990’s than it is today, consider this exhibit A.

If part of Q-Tip's strategy was ensuring I slapped a juicy rating on this, he couldn't have done much more than ending Description of a Fool and the album with a Sly & the Family Stone sample. Of course, I didn't figure into his strategy one (Diogo) jot(a). As with all the groups in the tentative Natives Tongues collective, the target audience here is other black people, who Tip & co. want to join them in a celebration of all things pan-African. As ever, I'm humbled to be allowed to the party--especially one whose DJ has Luck of Lucien, El Segundo, Bonita Applebum and Can I Kick It on the decks. To my ears, this doesn't groove to rhythms as Afrocentric as you'd assume from ATCQ's image, but therein in lies my ignorance. Celebrating your African roots ain't about aping Youssou N'Dour, Fela Kuti or Tabu Ley Rochereau. The very Americanness of ATCQ's sound is a reminder of how deeply American music has been shaped by people of African descent, and how disgracefully that's been overlooked and overwritten. Slapping the Ghanaian colours on this puts it front and centre, where it should be.

Another absolutely phenomenal album, with some iconic tracks in it. The groove, the rhythm, all of it comes together to create a wonderful experience that just doesn't let up.

Bold samples, boasts for days, cerebral and street level at the same time. This is Tribe really nailing how to burst into the music scene, and especially the hiphop scene

Hard to believe this is a debut album--seems so confident in its quiet blend of hip hop, rap, funk, even a riff or two from Lou Reed and Stevie Wonder. Genius and to know they followed this up with the Low End Theory.... I owe this project for introducing me to the Tribe!

Took van in for check up,talked to Brenda. JENNI rent paid. Her behavior out of control.

LOVE THIS SHIT

I always felt too white to listen to this and still do but man I wish I could get over it cause this rips!

Crazy this is probably the third best tribe called quest album

Having found ATCQ's next album, Low End Theory, to be extremely dull and dated, I was surprised to actually quite like this. Fun, catchy and laid back hip hop with a good balance of instrumentation and samples from a range of genres. Can/do I kick/like it? Yes you/I can/do. 3/5.

Smooth, joyous melodies, with a mix of serous and light-hearted lyrics covering a wide range of themes. Musically, this is trippy and laid back, but full of crisp and tasteful compositions, slickly produced but seeming almost like an extended jam session. A testament to the confidence of the group. Top tracks: footprints, public enemy, can I kick it?

Can he kick it? Yes he can! Great sound, unique samples and timeless tracks that still hold up

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

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

Teraz to mnie pikerka pozytywnie zaskoczyla, nie sadzilem ze ATCQ pojawi sie na tak wystakowanej liscie i to w dodatku debiutanckim albumersem, chociaz z drugiej strony, to nie jest glupi pomysl wybrac akurat peoples instinctive travels and the paths of the rythm, jako przedstawienie tworczosci tribowej, bo zakladam ze jednak zaden inny albumik sie nie pojawi, niestety, bo jako debuitancki album slychac na nim najwiecej kreatywnej wolnosci, bo plyta wydana byla przez jive, ktore raczej jest kojarzone z popowymi wydaniami, no i swiezym ksieciem, kolejnym czynnikiem ktore z pewnoscia mialo wplyw na brzmienie plyty bylo studio calliope, w ktorym obok tribersow tworzyli junglowi bracia, czy chocby prince paul razem z stetsasonic, ktory pojawia sie nawet goscinnie na traku rhythm, ale najwazniejsza jest chemia miedzy czlonakami ekipy, a tutaj ukazuje sie ona przede wszystkim jako koperacja miedzy qtipem i phifem, czyli duetem lirycznym ktory rozumie sie bez slow i konczy jeden drugiemu linijki, jeden z najlepszych duetow na majku w historii murzynskiej piesni rapowanej, a jak w dobrej historii, to tlem bedzie tutaj przyjazn od malego i wspolne dorastanie, jada jada, chociaz ta plyta jest bardziej przychylna dla qtipa, jesli chodzi o podzial linijek, ktory wedlug mego odczucia wynosi 4:1 po stronie Q, co do kolejnych czlonkow to za produkcje odpowiedzialny jest dj muhammad, czyli polaczenie perfekcyjnosci w masteringu, skillsow djskich i instyntku samplowego, bo jest to album opierajacy sie glownie na brzmieniu zlotej ery jazzu, choc potrafia sie pojawic bardziej funkowe zapetlenia, czy nawet cos bardziej rokowego, nie mozna takze zapominac o szadolowym czlonku, czyli panu bialym jarobim, ktory chociaz nie rapuje i pojawia sie jako wodzirej i jest osoba ktora przedstawia bande na openingowym push it along, ale ktory takze mial swoj udzial w tekstach, zwlaszcza na najwiekszych hitach plyty, czyli i felt my wallet in el segundo czy can i kick it, a jesli juz przy liryce, to plyta jest mocno zwiazana z tak zwanym pozytywnym rapowaniem i jest utrzymany w klimacie de la soulowego 3 stopy wysoko i jeszcze wzlatuje, wiec milosc, pokoj i mlodosc, a jak mlodosc to robienie glupot, a to wszystko przedstawione z humorkiem i inteligentnym samokrytycznym spojrzeniem na samego siebie, im wiecej wiesz o plycie tym trudniej jest zapisac jakas notke, bo o kazdym traku mozesz napisac osobna note, ale przynajmniej na plejke nie bedzie problemu, bo z 14 trakow albumu 6 znalazlo sie na niej wczesniej, wiec na dokladke otwierajacy push it along i polowa jest, oby wiecej takich pozycji

This was a stone cold groove. So many diverse sounds, many samples I recognized. I had fun!

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

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

Although it's their debut album, this is actually the second Tribe album in this collection for me (I had already heard "Low End Theory" quite a while back). In this case, I wish I'd gotten their albums in chronological order, as I don't think both albums warrant four stars each, yet I foolishly gave "Low End Theory" 4 stars, not realizing we'd get more. This album definitely deserves the four stars more--really 4.5 stars if that were possible--in part because it's their debut album and also because there's simply more variety on this album than on "Low End Theory". And of course there's the eternally fun "Bonita Applebum" on this album, plus a few other fun tracks ("Push it along" for the first 4 minutes or so, "Pubic Enemy"). I'm also really impressed at the range of Q-Tip's samples and references, even if many of the tracks end up having a very similar format. Much like with "Low End Theory", I was struck by how much this album evokes De La Soul at times, and thankfully the Wikipedia entry for this album finally clarifies why that is, as Q-Tip not only appears on De La Soul's "Three Feet High and Rising", but also early on Tribe, Funk Brothers and De La Soul all formed a "collective" called "Native Tongues". Too bad they never did a mega-album with all of them (and the other later members).

I'm not very well-versed in early 90s hip hop. This album has inspired me to start going down that rabbit hole because this album is fantastic. The humor and flow in their lyrics are a lot of fun and must have been revolutionary at the time.

I finally have a 3.5 that gets rounded up to a 4 rather than down the the 3. Some classic things in here absolutely. I did feel their "sound" kind of starts to all feel the same after awhile, but that's not necessarily a bad thing.

Album koji je lansirao ATCQ na duge kvalitetne staze hip hop, jak debitanski album sa par klasika i neotkrivenih dragulja. Iako mi je njihov Midnight Marauders u top 3 hip hop albuma ikad, nikad nisam slušao ovaj naslov. Misleći to što imaju dva jako kvalitetna albuma iza ovoga da će ovaj biti neki slabiji trud, naravno sam promijenio mišljenje nakon slušanja. Za 1990. godinu, beatovi su friški, groovie i mog reć u neku ruku za tancanje dok se spremaš na posao (što je u mom slučaju bilo) pa se ujedno sklopilo sa lijepim vremenom i tako stvorilo pozitivnu vibru. Razlikuje se od prethodna dva albuma u tome što nije toliko jazz inspiriran/sempliran. Tldr; kvalitetna grupa kao što su ATCQ - nerazočarava! (4/5)

Helt okej för att vara hiphop. Tre.

Hip Hop und Rap... was kann das schon werden? Witzig! Und überraschend! Kein Schimpfen oder schlüpfriger Lobgesang an eine „thicc biatch“. Dafür eine witzige Geschichte, wie er seinen Geldbeutel in einem Restaurant vergisst. Relatable! Der Beat ist entspannend und wenn ich wollte, konnte ich den Rap überhören. Teilweise gab es sogar groovy Melodien. Quasi das beste, was man aus Rap rausholen kann.

Perfect album for …. Well …. Anything. Love the flow of this album. Music. Lyrics. All in perfection

Loved it, great and an OG hip hop group

amazing and classic and still resonates

All A tribe called quest albums are 5 star .

Uses a lot of samples of older songs. Incorporates a lot of elements of R&B. Overall, a very good rap album. Very essential rap album.

Rating: 5/5 ⭐️ Was reading people’s reviews on this album on this website and people are saying this ISNT EVEN THEIR BEST ALBUM??? excited to see what they could possibly mean because this is an incredible album, i love the heavy instrumental beat and the radical lyrics so good to jam out to. Never rate things 5 stars unless I really vibe heavy wit it, this is completely deserving of it. Buying everything they’ve ever done now 🤞 Favourite Song: After Hours, Footprints, Rhythm, Ham ‘N’ Eggs, Description of a Fool Least Favourite: THERE ARE NONE BRO!⭐️

I love this album. Tribe is a lot of fun.

A great album. I loved the fusion of different styles of music.

Always great

Yeah another good one

Obelix the true hip hop albums. It still sounds so good after 36 years.

This.Is epic. One of. the best hip hop records I have ever listened to. So cool, so tight, so fun, so good. More please!

Can I kick it favorite song

Great album. Great feel to it.

blown away, easy 5/5

I don’t think there is a single bad Tribe Called Quest album or even song.

Pinnacle of hip hop.

Enjoyed listening to Tribe in the 90’s, appreciated the chill hip hop beats even more now. Great album.

one of the most important albums out there.

A rad debut, whole new sound, and basically invented a new genre of rap. Can I Kick It? YES YOU CAN.

Chill af

A hip hop classic that features not a single bad song on it. It just hits so nicely. Smooth flows and beats all the way through. Of course I gotta say, RIP Phife

ultimate legendary

Neįtikėtina, kiek daug girdėjau kažkokių frazių ar ištraukų, kurias kartoja dabartiniai reperiai. Iš esmės norėčiau nuimti balą dėl tos dainos apie vegetarus, bet whatever lol

Fell in love with this album so deeply. Incredible production, sometimes a little in awe of what was achieved by q-tip here.

Love

Love!!! Great music to have on in the background

Really fun listen. I loved this one

EXCELLENT!

Listened

This album is perfect. Way better than The Black Album.

absolutely spectacular

I love 90s hip hop that tells stories. This is a prime example of how good that can be.

I don’t often listen to rap but goddddd this was smooth

One of my favorite all time albums.

Once of the best. The chemistry between tip & phife is unreal.

I am not a hip hop person at all but this one is amazing

How did they do this THREE times??

Repeat

Not my usual style, but I enjoyed listening to this one. Good grooves.

Considered this an album I really liked but not my favourite of theirs. Maybe I was wrong because on re-listen I adore this. Some songs are more fun than good but it's mostly bangers. The mixes are amazing.

Jungle brother founds his de la soul to a tribe called quest

impeccable

I’m no rap buff but this just seems like a seminal album in rap and hip hop and it’s easy to tell why (if I’m right). Fun use of samples, and a casual coolness that permeates the album.

I’ve always enjoyed any songs I’ve heard of theirs in passing, so sitting down and listening to a full album was very exciting and I was not let down. Great album with great sampling, choruses that get stuck in your head, memorable lyrics. I would 100% return to this album again 5/5 would recommend

i love it!!! has beautiful percussion and extremely smooth flow, each song is excellent in its own way

Forgot

Even though the album isn't in my usual genre, it felt like I was coming home to join in making music with some great (and talented) friends. Super inviting, just silly enough, and over all wonderful

Just so cool. I listened to a lot of hip hop from this era when I was a kid and it always sits right with me.

Excellent.

My favorite ATCQ album.

Great album.

I love A Tribe Called Quest. Haven’t listened to this in full for such a long time, but it holds up. Easy 5/5

One of my all-time favs, it's soooo chill and cheerful and fun! The duo Bonita Applebum/Can I Kick It may be the hilight of the album, but the whole run is incredibly consistent and still feels fresh and creative even 35 years after the release.

I listened to Tribe's following two albums an unreal amount of times in my late teens to early 20s. This first album I always really liked and appreciated, but I saw it as a lesser project, rough around the edges, and scattershot. Most of that is still true for the most part, but going back and listening as a grown man change my perspective. Instinctive Travels is rough and scattershot, but not to its detriment. There is a raw, youthful energy that emanates through every song. It's an experience that make me nostalgic, not for the memories I made listening to it, but for my own youth. Those good times Hanging With The Boys, acting silly, goofing around, and having the whole world in front of you. *Heard before

This has been a gem and a pleasure. My faves are the flowless, purposefully mid raps about losing wallets and shi. One of the besr hiphop albums of it's era, easy.

this was unreal. genuinely loved it. never usually listen to this kind of thing, but always enjoy it when i do

4.5 - Great

Classic 90s rap, first time listening to quest, I will be listening to more.

excellent album

Tribe is my go to 90s hip hop

Yes lads. Yes.

This is I think the first album I saved in full on my Spotify, like a decade ago. It's so groovy and political and sexy and fun. On this listen, Bonita Applebum and El Segundo stood out.

If it were released today the fellas would have been clowned for being too corney. Luckily that smooth good guy lyrisism comes across as wholesome. The production (and Mc skills) on tracks like "footprints" and "Mr. Muhammad" are so solid and ahead of there time they coukd exists in any era as classics.

Exceptionally funky. Impossible not to groove into it.