A Tribe Called Quest - The Low End Theory

Believe it or not, I wasn't always a big fan of A Tribe Called Quest. There was once a time when I (please don't shoot me) found Q-Tip's voice to be kind of annoying, and the general jazzy sound of the group to be kind of, well, dull. The main reason why I bought The Low End Theory in the first place was because it had a feature from my at-the-time favourite rapper Busta Rhymes, and given that I knew of his affiliations with the group I considered it only right I should hear the album that put him on in the first place. But after listening to it once, and concluding that The Low End Theory didn't really appeal much to my younger, angstier self, I left it to collect dust on the shelf for like a year, busy listening to the likes of Tech N9ne and The Game, and dreaming about the money and expensive cars. Probably. 

And these days, I tend to ask myself: what the fuck was wrong with me?

The Low End Theory, as any self respecting hip-hop head knows, was Tribe's second album, released in 1991, as the follow up to what in my opinion is a highly overlooked album, People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm, an incredibly nostalgic effort for me that I have already written about on this site. Yet despite that project being pretty successful at the time, with hits including "Can I Kick It?" and "Bonita Applebum", Tribe decided to go in quite a different direction with their sophomore LP - this was perhaps inevitable, considering not only the departure of Jarobi, but also the newfound passion for rapping that Phife Dawg had found, after seeing how successful Tribe's debut was. Phife has a hell of a lot more screen time here than he did on People's Instinctive Travels, that's for sure - and when he does rap it's a lot better too. But another difference with this album is the production and sequencing - while Tribe's debut was a bright, summery effort with simplistic flows, long track times and a million samples, The Low End Theory had a darker and more stripped back approach to the production, and more variation in track lengths to help the effort flow better. Yes, some songs could have easily appeared on the debut, but for the most part this album is a very different animal to their first effort (I really can't be bothered to type the title out anymore). 

I'm far too young to be able to tell you what the album's reception was at the time of its release, but I can comment that this is today often considered Tribe's magnum opus, with the music community frequently naming it one of the best hip-hop albums of all time. And I have to say, I can certainly see where they're coming from, because this album is brilliant. 

Shit I spoiled the ending

1. Excursions (prod. A Tribe Called Quest)

Starting off with an immediate classic, "Excursions" lets you know from the jump that The Low End Theory will sound completely different from Tribe's previous album, both lyrically and instrumentally. While Tip (who is the sole performer on here) does take some time within the verses to make sure you know that his crew is the best in the business ("if you got the money, Quest is for the booking"), there seems to be more of an attempt at what would later come to be known as conscious hip-hop, which was prevalent in the '80s, but was simply known as "hip-hop" at the time, before the genre started becoming less socially conscious and more flashy and violent. There are lyrics on here focussed on the rise of black culture in the media, and the state of today's society, and while for the most part the writing stays surface level, they do show some improvement in it since the previous album, not only lyrically, but also in Tip's more advanced flow. And remember in the intro where I said that I didn't really like The Low End Theory the first time I listened to it? Well even back then I remember digging the fuck out of this beat, which boasts one of the best basslines in all of hip-hop - that'll become a running theme by the way. "Push It Along" is tough competition (as is "Steve Biko (Stir It Up)"), but there is certainly an argument to be made that this is Tribe's best opener. It's incredible in general too. What a way to kick things off. 

2. Buggin' Out (prod. A Tribe Called Quest)

Remember when I said that dope basslines would become a running theme on this album? Yeah. That's exactly what we're dealing with here. In fact, I'd go as far as to say that this is an even better beat than that on "Excursions", and possibly the best in the Tribe catalogue. It's seriously that good. This song also features what is almost certainly the greatest Phife Dawg performance ever, as he flows so well over this beat with a more animated style than Q-Tip's, which makes for a fantastic contrast, and makes you wonder where the hell Phife was at for the majority of the previous album. "Yo, microphone check one two what is this / the five foot assassin with the rough-neck business / I float like gravity, never had a cavity / got more rhymes than the Winans got family" - I could go on typing that verse. It's easily one of my favourite verses ever, and dare I say it better than any Tip even delivered on this album. Still, that's not to knock the way Jonathan (sorry - Kamaal) introduces himself here, with those cymbal crashes moving into a more swing rhythm at the top of his verse being one of the most satisfying moments on the whole record. I also always remember the music video of this, where it's almost like a crazy fun dream they're having in the middle of the very somber and dim shots of the "Jazz (We've Got)" video that surrounds it. I love when Tip starts rapping his verse acapella in that too. One of the best videos, for some of the best hip-hop tracks ever. God I love this album. This song is so good. 

3. Rap Promoter (prod. A Tribe Called Quest)

One thing to notice about this album that separates it from the two surrounding it is the presence of more short, interlude-type tracks that help give it a more cohesive feel in my opinion - I'll say right now that this is the best sequenced album in Tribe's catalogue. This song is all about how Tip (once again without any help from Phife Dawg) hates how record labels are starting to run the hip-hop industry, and the artists are beginning to have less control, and also earn less money since it all goes to the execs. A full length track would probably have been a little too long for a subject like this, but this 2 and a half minute runtime is pretty much perfect, and while this song certainly doesn't match the quality of the first two, it's still full of plenty great quotables and a dope beat with some record scratching sound effects intermixed with it that sound absolutely brilliant - and it really helps the album to flow well. It's dope. 

4. Butter (prod. A Tribe Called Quest)

Phife Dawg's first song to himself on a Tribe album, that is if you ignore the refrain in the middle performed by Tip. This track is very easy to follow compared with some of the previous cuts, as Phife Dawg in general has a more simplistic take on lyricism - not that that's a bad thing, as it makes his storytelling all the more compelling, and also paints him as the more down to earth of the group, compared to "The Abstract" Q-Tip and his occasionally esoteric bars. This track starts off as a story about how he was gotten back for his being a player all those years by a girl called Flo, but quickly dives into a rant about how women should wear less makeup and be more like themselves, which is really kind of an unlikeable stance from Phife - let them do what they want and focus on your damn self. Still, flow-wise this song is pretty great all the way through, and I absolutely love those horns on the hook. Overall this is a fun song, if lyrically a little odd at times. 

5. Verses From the Abstract (feat. Ron Carter & Ms. Vinia) (prod. A Tribe Called Quest)

Absolutely beautiful song, and definitely one of my favourites on this entire album. Q-Tip takes full control of the vessel once again to rap about a bunch of shit, including his ways with the ladies, his love for the hip-hop genre, and the negative states that some Black neighbourhoods in the US have fallen into - and I think it's this song's lack of lyrical direction that is one of the main things that makes it work so well. Q-Tip is unapologetically just laying his thoughts out on a platter, and we can take from it what we will, but he isn't leaving anything out, as he's too real for that. Also, the classic line "once had a fetish; fetish for some booty" shows up on this track, which automatically gives it some extra points. Musically this is also one of the strongest songs yet in my opinion. The groovy instrumental with Ron Carter's bass guitar makes for a unique rhythm that Q-Tip's flow syncs perfectly with, and Vinia Mojica's chorus vocals (teamed with Tip's shout-outs in the background) make this one of the catchiest tracks on the entire album too. This is easily one of my favourite songs here, and one of the most "A Tribe Called Quest" songs that Tribe have ever made. If that makes any sense.

6. Show Business (feat. Diamond D, Lord Jammar & Sadat X) (prod. Skeff Anselm, co-prod. A Tribe Called Quest)

Originally a homophobic anthem titled "Georgie Porgie" that the record execs decided was a good idea to be left off the album, this song was then re-written into a diss against those very execs, carefully excluding the fact that what the companies did in this instance was actually very smart and morally the right thing to do. Ever since "Georgie Porgie"'s leak Tribe have gotten flack for it, along with the guest stars on here of Brand Nubian, and yet I feel people miss that not only did they write such a despicable song, but they then had the nerve to write a diss track to the labels that made them take the song off this tracklist. I wonder how this album would be remembered had the labels not stepped in - probably not as well as it is now. Oh, you want me to talk about the actual song? Well I hate to say that it's pretty fucking dope. The instrumental on here (one of two on the album from Tribe affiliate Skeff Anselm) is aggressive yet keeps up the dope instrumentation from previous tracks, only with a more hardcore hip-hop edge, and the rapping is excellent too, with Diamond D and Sadat X having two of my favourite verses on the track to finish things up, and Phife and Tip doing their things well too (Lord Jamar is okay, but has easily the least memorable verse here in my opinion). It's a shame this song has such a deplorable origin story - on its own it's really fucking awesome. I also find it funny that words as tame as "ass" are censored throughout this album, yet here "motherfucker" is let slide. I guess Tribe felt the need to look cooler when working with the more streetwise Brand Nubian. 

7. Vibes and Stuff (prod. A Tribe Called Quest)

The best song title on the record unfortunately lends itself to the weakest overall song, which is a bit of a shame, but oh well. I just find this instrumental to get kind of dull after a while, and this song also has the least amount of notable lyrics out of all the tracks here. It's certainly not bad, and I can enjoy it as part of the album, but aside from the "I'm out like Buster Douglas" line there's really not much more to note. Don't get me wrong, I can dig this, but if it wasn't part of such a brilliant album experience I doubt anyone would really bump this track more than twice. It's merely okay. 

8. The Infamous Date Rape (prod. A Tribe Called Quest)

I'm always kind of confused as to the actual message of this song. Phife's verse seems to be about him being falsely accused of rape, which is strange since surely he should be denouncing rape itself, at least judging by the song title. It's not all about you, man! And Tip's last verse seems to simply be about how he will not touch this woman that he's with without consent, because he's "not the type that would go for that". I mean, what does he want, a medal? He then goes on to be patronising about the woman he's with being on her period, and also indicates that he'll be finding another woman to be with until his current girl is off her period ("I'll have to fetch a brand new cat"). If Tip is playing a character here, which he surely must be, he certainly does it very well, as the entire verse paints him as a complete asshole without an ounce of self awareness. And since Tip always seems like a decent guy, I'll assume he's speaking from the perspective of someone else. Let's hope. And hey, even if the lyrics here are a bit awkward (and nothing to do with date rape as far as I can tell), at least the music is fantastic - it carries a more eerie and tense vibe than most of this record, and it's definitely one of the best beats here. Also Q-Tip's delivery in the last verse is amazing. Overall I do like this one - I'm just not exactly sure what to take away from it. 

9. Check the Rhime (prod. A Tribe Called Quest)

The lead single from this album, and a Tribe classic. The relaxing instrumental on here teamed with the soft (even for Tip) deliveries throughout this track make for one of the most relaxing, Sunday evening vibes you're gonna get from a hip-hop song, which is made even better when contrasted with the louder, more intense horns that come in during the hook. The call and response within this track is absolutely beautiful, with lines like "It was I the Abstract / and me the Five Footer / I kicks the mad styles so step of the frankfurter" standing out especially - these lines aren't lyrically dense or particularly well rhymed, but that's the magic of Tribe. They don't need to be on the lyrical level of a Common or Mos Def - they just want to have fun on the mic, and that joy in the making of music shines through here. This also contains the classic "Industry rule number 4080 - record company people are shadyyyyyyy" line, which simply can't be overlooked. Definitely one of the best Tribe songs ever. This is so good. 

10. Everything Is Fair (prod. Skeff Anselm, co-prod. A Tribe Called Quest)

For sure the most underrated song on this entire album, "Everything Is Fair" is one of the darker cuts on this album, digging into lifestyles in New York in the early '90s and the consequences of actions in the city. My absolute favourite part of this one musically has to be the build up in the first chorus, where the hard-ass drum rhythm slowly comes in over the goofy hook lines, to make for one of the most energetic moments on the entire record. The instrumental during the verses does feel more like the rest of the album however, with a smoother sound and drums that aren't so emphasised in the mix - but that's fine as it leaves room to hear Q-Tip's verses, which are some of the most intriguing he's written yet. The first verse seems to deal with a woman who gets into a life of crime because she can't afford to feed her kids, and it ends darkly with her being killed for her work (I think), which is strange considering the generally up-tempo feel of this song. And while the second verse isn't quite as good, it still provides some further interesting commentary on the streets. Why this one is so overlooked, I'll never know - it's one of my favourite songs here. 

11. Jazz (We've Got) (prod. A Tribe Called Quest)

I remember there was a time when I thought this was the weakest track on the entire album, and while I can kind of see why, I also don't really know how there was ever a moment where I thought "Vibes and Stuff" was better than this. I still maintain that this isn't Tribe at their strongest though - at least not production wise, even if lyrically I do love this one. Q-Tip and Phife do come with lots of quotables throughout this track, for better or for worse (perhaps Tip's admission to being involved in an orgy could have been left out), and I especially love the opening to the latter's verse, as it exemplifies exactly how good Tribe are when it comes to repetition - with most hip-hop acts it falls flat, but Tribe could include the same line over and over and it would sound dope as fuck. Unfortunately, while the muffled horns on here are quite nice, the main drum and soft synth beat on here is one of the worst on the album, and one of only a couple that could potentially be labelled "dull" by the more cynical listener. Still, this certainly isn't the worst here, I'll admit that - and among a weaker set of songs it'd probably sound a lot better. It's just that this album is so good. 

12. Skypager (prod. A Tribe Called Quest)

At this point in the album it starts to feel like everything is building up to the monumentous closing track, but that's not to say that this joint is one you shouldn't pay attention to. As a fan of hardcore hip-hop this instrumental is actually one of the dopest on the album in my opinion, with that darker bass and the harder drums making it stand out on the record. Alternatively, however, the addition of horns into the instrumental really help set it in as a true part of the album - Tribe really just know how to create and maintain a vibe perfectly. Lyrically, this song is kind of weird though, as it seems to focus on the very dated concept of pagers, but since the music is so dope I'll let it slide. Big fan of this one. 

13. What? (prod. A Tribe Called Quest)

Another very short song that consists of one single, long verse where Q-Tip asks a bunch of questions, some of which are more important than others. The instrumental on this track actually feels very different to the rest on this album, with more of a funky, up-tempo feel with these bouncy synth sounds that feel weirdly futuristic somehow. It's actually a really cool beat though, and while the rapping and writing on here certainly isn't the most complex, it's still pretty unique lyrically. A good precursor to the final song. 

14. Scenario (feat. Charlie Brown, Dinco D & Busta Rhymes) (prod. A Tribe Called Quest)

Is this a top 10 hip-hop song of all time? Quite possibly. I mean, does it really get any better than this? Not only is it the introduction to the most charismatic and explosive MC the '90s had to offer, Busta Rhymes (what the fuck happened to him, man?), but it also exhibits a mesmerising contrast between lyrical potency, and delivery and flow perfection, as well as the unity that hip-hop exhibits in a way no other genre seems to. I mean, I'm no musical expert, but I've heard a lot of different music in my time, and never have I heard rock, pop, country, metal, or any genre for that matter, produce a song as hilariously brilliant as this, that actually works as a song and not some kind of parody. The constant echoes from both crews throughout the verses, the eccentric delivery of Busta and Charlie Brown, the verses from the Tribe members themselves... that goddamn music video! And somehow, despite how phenomenal the rapping is on here, the instrumental holds its own as one of the most iconic in history - as soon as this beat starts up any decent party would erupt with energy. "Scenario" is the perfect hip-hop posse cut, and one of the songs that truly represents why the genre is so fantastic. This is one of the greatest songs of all time. 

The Low End Theory isn't necessarily an album you can guarantee enjoyment of on first listen. Instead, it's an LP that burrows into your conscious and, whenever you're first listening to it, it will seem to define that period of your life, and at the same time will demand more and more re-listens, which will become more and more enjoyable every time, until you're convinced it's the best piece of music ever recorded. Shit, when I first listened to Tribe's catalogue I thought this was the weakest of their first three, and now I'd say it's in contention for the strongest. Is there anything that holds this album back from perfection? Yes. A couple of the beats on here aren't as engaging as they could be. Lyrically, it's of a simpler time, and Tip and Phife's writing is definitely not on the level of, say, Andre 3000 and Big Boi. But even that could be argued, as simplicity in writing could be considered a good thing - and let's not pretend that OutKast were so perfect. I bet Tip has never written a line as stupid as "they call it horny 'cause it's devilish", nor curated a monstrosity like "Pink & Blue" - and that's because he knows where he stands, and what that means is that he always sounds confident and cool on the mic, a presence that is only furthered when the more animated Phife enters the scene, which thankfully happens a lot more on this album than it does on their debut. Phife and Tip have some of the best chemistry ever seen on this album, and if songs like "Buggin' Out" and "Check the Rhime" aren't clear enough examples of that then I don't know what to say. And as for production, it's almost always pristine - the bass lines, the jazz instrumentation, the hard percussion, everything: it comes together to create one of the most mesmerising soundscapes in hip-hop, leading to an album that is so easy to get lost in. Sure, Midnight Marauders may have a higher abundance of hits than this album, but what it doesn't boast is as consistent of a soundscape, nor does it have such brilliant sequencing. I could go on about this album all day, but simply put it's one of the most well-crafted, well-produced and generally fun albums in existence. The Low End Theory is a masterclass. And goddamn is Scenario good as well - what a note to end on. 

Best Tracks: Most of them if we're being honest, but special shout-outs to "Buggin' Out" and "Scenario"

Worst Tracks: "Vibes and Stuff"

Read more of my write-ups on Tribe!

A Tribe Called Quest - People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths Of Rhythm

Being a huge fan of '90s hip-hop, and also a great enjoyer of Busta Rhymes and Leaders Of the New School, it was inevitable that sooner rather than later I would be compelled to explore the discography of the legendary hip-hop trio (or sometimes quartet) that is A Tribe Called Quest. Coming up as part of the Native Tongues collective in the late '80s alongside other acts that included De La Soul and The Jungle Brothers, Tribe would go on to become one of the most well-respected and incredible hip-hop acts in the history of the genre - not that anyone needed telling that, since there's very little argument in the hip-hop community against their status as one of the best collectives of all time. The group are one of the most recognisable in my favourite genre to this day, and so when I realised that I had quite a few of their albums in my house which I hadn't ever decided to check out, I decided it was high time to get into the catalogue. 

And boy am I glad I did. 

Tribe's first album, which went by the fun but overly long title of People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths Of Rhythm, was released in 1990 following the group's signing to Jive Records, and it is widely known as being pretty great, but not as good as their two albums to come after it - of course, at this stage in their career Tribe were still finding their own unique sound, meaning this album sounded more like a De La record without the skits than anything else. Also, many of Tribe's biggest fans cite the undeniable chemistry on the mic between our two lead MCs Q-Tip and Phife Dawg as a key component of the group, and on this album that's barely present ever. The only songs where both artists get equal screen time are "Can I Kick It?" and "Ham 'n' Eggs", and other than that the vocals throughout this album are almost entirely handled by Q-Tip, with Phife appearing as a mere guest MC on his few tracks. And even when he does rap, the lyrics were all written by Tip anyway, so bear that in mind. Of course, Phife Dawg's lack of appearances on the album can be explained by him not even wanting to be a rapper at the time, but still a lot of people who go back through Tribe's catalogue criticise this album for that reason, and I think that's fair enough.

Another thing this album has that none of Tribe's other records do is a series of interludes featuring Jarobi, the fourth member of the group, acting as a master of ceremonies and introducing quite a few of the songs over the same exact instrumental every time. Most of the time his interludes are very short, but still it's easy to tell why someone might find his appearances a bit of a slog - especially when they last for over two minutes, like at the end of the opening track. Jarobi left the group after the release of this album to pursue his own interests, but he was still always cited as a member even after this departure. 

So, the real question is this - what do I, someone born in 2007, think of an album that's almost 35 years old? Well, I've been listening to this record for over a month now, and I feel pretty familiar with it, so I thought it was about time I covered this project on the blog. So let's get to it.

All songs are produced by A Tribe Called Quest, but I'm pretty sure it was mostly just Q-Tip and a little bit of Ali Shaheed Muhammad. 

1. Push It Along

After the ominous sounds of a baby crying that I think is supposed to represent a kind of birth of the group, the drums on this song kick in, and from there we're laughing all the way. The funky instrumental on this track that incorporates a beautiful jazzy melody stands as easily one of the dopest on the whole LP if you ask me, and when those horns come in, it's just such an elevating experience. They really went all out with this beat, and I think it's one that deserves to land in conversation more often. The first verse from Q-Tip is probably my favourite on the track, with those opening lines "Q-Tip is my title, I don't think that it's vital / for me to be your idol, but dig this recital" just being absolutely iconic to me, but it's also worth noting that Phife does show up for a quick 8 bars on here, and I thoroughly enjoy his efforts too. The actual song portion of this track is phenomenal - catchy hook, great positive rapping and one of the best beats of all time in my opinion. There's a rather long interlude on the end with Jarobi introducing the members of the group, and that part probably could have been shortened a bit, but other than that this stands as one of my favourite Tribe tracks of all time. 

2. Luck Of Lucien

Our second absolutely top-tier instrumental of the day is used for the first of many, many Q-Tip solo cuts to appear on this album, and the Tribe catalogue in general. This one is rather odd in its subject matter, as it serves as a whole-ass letter to a French rapper who had moved to New York, and tries to help him with incorporating himself into American society as someone born and raised in France. I don't know who's idea this goofy-ass subject matter was, but thankfully Q-Tip handles it well - the song is funny rather than cornily motivational, and my God is the instrumental on this song luscious. Also, that interlude between the second and third verse where Lucien tries to tell someone that he must be sexy since he's French is hilarious as hell. This song is brilliant. 

3. After Hours

Not quite as classic as the first two songs in my opinion, but still a really pleasant track that continues the midnight vibe that I always feel this album gives off. The beat on here is really nice, and slightly intense as well in a weird way, and Q-Tip rocks it well with some nice storytelling about the Tribe's late night adventures - and while Phife is sadly once again absent from proceedings, he does get quite a few shout-outs in the verses, so that's nice. The lyrics on this song continue the hippy-ish, feel-good direction that this project has, and the scratches in the hook are also perfectly placed - I couldn't imagine any other scratch fitting better. Not sure why the sounds of croaking frogs needed to be implemented into the middle of this song, but otherwise this is the third brilliant cut in a row. 

4. Footprints

I think this one is considered one of the cult classics on this record, but for me it's still not quite on the level of those first two songs - but then again, what is? The instrumental on this song is top tier - it's not perfect, but the celebratory sound makes it stand out on the album, and I think it would have worked well as the final song for the project - and man does Q-Tip kill this one. Q earns his title as The Abstract on here by using some weird phrases and more complex metaphors and such that make the song a little more difficult to follow than the last song, and it works well as this one feels more skilled and professional. This song almost feels like a taste of what we would hear on Midnight Marauders, and while the sound would be improved upon by that point, this song right here is still a great cut if you ask me. 

5. I Left My Wallet In El Segundo

The notorious storytelling single from this album, that seems to be a bit of a controversial point for hip-hop fans. Some (including Rap Critic) think that this song is ridiculous in its execution, with most of the lines stating the obvious and being seemingly completely irrelevant to the story, and I can see where they are coming from for sure - it's difficult not to laugh at lines such as "came to a toll and paid and went through it" and "Ali laid in the back so he can get rest". However, I'm more inclined to love this song just because of how innocent and funny it is - yes, the story itself is boring as shit, but the fact that Q-Tip is rapping it as if its this huge event that deserves a whole song dedicated to it just puts a smile on my face, as does that whole scene while they're in the bar in the middle of the desert. The music video also very much helps my enjoyment of this track, so definitely go check that out. And yeah, as much as the story is stupid, the execution is great, and the beat is really dope too. I love this song. 

6. Pubic Enemy

No, that's not a misspelling - they really did call it "Pubic Enemy". This song is all about the monster that was and is STDs, and I suppose that was quite a big thing in the year 1990, so it makes sense why they'd make a song like this. And wadayaknow - it actually works really well. On the song, Q-Tip tells two different stories that are both slightly uncomfortable but also intriguing, followed by a third verse that simply addresses the STDs as if they were a sentient being that could actually understand him and consciously do the things they're being accused of. Okay, that idea in the song is a little silly in my opinion, but the stories themselves are dope, and I really like the beat too, even if it is a little loud. Kool DJ Red Alert narrates this one too, by the way, in case anyone's interested. 

7. Bonita Applebum

One of the most popular singles from the whole record, and it's easy to tell why - this song is fantastic. The intro is utterly beautiful, and when it segues into the actual beat and chorus it's just a moment of perfection on the album in my opinion - the instrumental is actually easily my favourite element of this song too. I mean, I like Q-Tip's performance on this, but the verses where he takes a bar-long break after every line do get a bit monotonous - I actually think Common did this style better with his song "Come Close" (which was quite clearly influenced by this track). The chorus on here meshes with the beat perfectly, and when you discount the slightly boring flow, the lyrics themselves make for the perfect love letter to this woman. There's a reason this is remembered as one of Tribe's best singles - it's a classic tune. 

8. Can I Kick It?

The biggest single from this whole album, one that charted at no. 15 in the UK despite not charting on the US Billboard Top 100 at all, and one that has been interpolated and covered so many times in hip-hop it's impossible to count (Jay-Z's "22 Two's" comes to mind though). This song is an indisputable classic, with one of the dopest instrumentals of all time (yes, I know it's basically a mix of different samples, but who cares, they made something original out of them) and two fantastic verses from our two MCs. And yes that's right folks - Phife makes his first appearance since the opening track on this song, track eight. Talk about a slacker (just kidding). Also, the actual lyrics are great and memorable here - "if you feel the urge to freak, do the jitterbug / come and spread your arms if you really need a hug" - and that chorus is undeniable in its iconic status. This is a massive banger. 

9. Youthful Expression

On the website Album Of The Year (which I find myself using frequently), I've seen a lot of people say that this album is consistently brilliant... up to track 8, thereby suggesting that this song here isn't up to par. And while it's not as incredible as "Push It Along" or "Can I Kick It?", I'd still have to disagree with those people, as I find this relaxing joint to be one of the best on the album - Q-Tip's incredibly laid back vocal delivery and flow sound really great over this jazzy, chilled instrumental, and the lyrics themselves are really interesting too. The instrumental fake-out thing at the end was also really nicely done. Fantastic track. 

10. Rhythm (Devoted To the Art Of Moving Butts)

After the legendary Prince Paul sets this one up, we are exposed to a song that sounds pretty different to most of the other tracks on here - the drums are as bangin' as always, but the synth sounds used on this one very much make it stand out. And it's kind of in a good way, even though I still wouldn't put this close to the top of my rankings of these songs. Q-Tip's verses are still just as impressive, mind, as he drops lyrical gems such as "rhythms are obese, yeah, you gotta keep 'em fed" and keeps a nice steady flow going throughout too. Oh, and I quite enjoy this hook - it feels less rowdy and more sensual than some of the other ones here. This isn't a highlight by any means, but I still enjoy it loads, and I'm sure everyone else does too. 

11. Mr. Muhammad

Given the amount of times he's shouted out on this album and subsequent releases (who are we on award tour with? And who said you had to be out? And who made you pay for lunch?), I can only assume the other members feel bad that Ali Shaheed Muhammad doesn't ever contribute vocals. Here, he gets his own track named after him, and it's pretty good, if probably my personal least favourite here. Don't get me wrong, I like it, but something about that repeated "fire" sample just gets on my nerves. On the plus side, Phife Dawg makes his third appearance on the album on this song, and hands in a pretty stellar performance too, even if Tip is the clear dominator of this track. This is a good song, but not one I tend to come back to outside of full album listens. 

12. Ham 'N' Eggs

I remember thinking this song was stupid as hell when I first listened to the album, but now it's proved itself worthy by actually really sticking with me - a lot of these lines really are funny. This song, which talks about the dangers of eating unhealthily, has pretty equal screen time between Phife and Tip, and both use it well, with the best part being the back and forth first verse where the two go as far as finishing each others sentences - not something experimented with on the rest of this project. The beat on here isn't hugely stand out, but with lines like "candied yams inside my tummy" and "I'm plagued by vegetarians", it's difficult not to love this one. And it has a positive message, so we've got to give it props for that. 

13. Go Ahead In the Rain

Over a beat that sounds like a cross between '90s g-funk and early '80s hip-hop, Q-Tip provides some really dope flows and lyrics over the course of two verses broken up by a sample break and not much else. Whenever I hear this I'm reminded of the beats that Tech N9ne rapped over in his The Calm Before the Storm: Part 1 era, which is a good thing, and Q-Tip helps with stopping that distraction by sounding nothing like Tech N9ne at all. He's still dope on here, mind, and despite its simplisticness this is one of the more underrated cuts on the album in my opinion. The rain sound effects at the end were a nice touch too. 

14. Description Of a Fool

Released as a single when Tribe first signed their contract with Jive, making this what I believe to be the first song released with the A Tribe Called Quest badging on it. Still, don't expect to hear Phife show up on here, because you'll be sorely disappointed. What you won't be disappointed with is the song itself - because it's great. The instrumental on here is chilled out and wavy, and fits the vibe of this album perfectly, and Q-Tip's second verse is one of my favourites on the whole record - that storytelling is pretty hilarious, no? Also, the instrumental playing out at the end is a nice touch to end the record on. In case you can't tell, I really, really like this track. 

I'm a huge fan of A Tribe Called Quest's debut album. If you ask me this is one of the most fun, inventive, chilled out records in hip-hop history (that I've heard), and even though there are signature Tribe elements missing from some of these songs, I still think it deserves every ounce of praise it gets and more. Firstly, the beats on here are consistently excellent - they sound forward thinking, are fairly diverse, and above all are really just enjoyable to listen to. Mixing hard drums with jazzy melodies and instrumentation has worked wonders over the years, and these types of beats are in abundance here. And then we come to Tip's rapping - while his flow doesn't switch up a whole lot throughout this record, I think that his lyrics, voice and the flow itself being good all make up for this. Q-Tip proves to be a great rapper with hilarious lines, great subject matter and appropriate annunciation on here, and he fits perfectly over these beats. This means that this album is incredibly consistent with a huge amount of great songs, and none that don't work (even if a couple lack replay value for me). The record scratching that appears all over this album is just the cherry on top. People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm is a fantastic debut from the Tribe, and while Phife is missed here, everything else works almost as well as it would on their next two records. This is an underrated release to me, and the perfect start to one of the most consistently great catalogues in the history of hip-hop. 

Best Tracks: Push It Along, Luck Of Lucien, After Hours, I Left My Wallet In El Segundo, Bonita Applebum, Can I Kick It?, Youthful Expression, Description Of a Fool

Worst Tracks: Mr. Muhammad

More on the work of Tribe to come!