people's instinctive travels and the paths of rhythm

A Tribe Called Quest kicked it and blazed a trail with eclectic positivity of this humorous hip hop hybrid.   Q-Tip (Jonathan Davis aka Kamaal Ibn John Fareed) and Phife Dawg (Malik Taylor) were childhood friends from church.  Q-Tip started out as a solo artist MC Love Child, teaming up with his classmate at St. Albans high school in Queens DJ Ali Shaheed Muhammad.  Phife would occasionally join them as Crush Connection; but was also interested in pursuing a basketball career.  It wasn't until Jarobi White joined the crew that Phife committed to the project which started out as Quest.  The group was given their full name A Tribe Called Quest by the members of The Jungle Brothers, who were also students at St. Albans. Q-Tip would appear on their debut album 'Straight Out the Jungle' in 1988 and then on the De La Soul debut '3 Feet High and Rising' in 1989.   A Tribe Called Quest recorded a demo for Geffen Records before signing with independent rap label Jive Records.  

'People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm' was recorded in New York at Calliope Studios, Battery Studios, and Dumb D.J. Towha's DewDrop Inn.  The album was produced and mixed by A Tribe Called Quest with engineers Tim Latham, Bob Power, Anthony Saunders, and Dr. Shane Faber and features vocals by Q-Tip and Phife Dawg with DJ Ali Shaheed Muhammad.  Jarobi White contributed to ideas for some of the songs and background vocals were provided by Lucien.  

'People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm'  reached number ninety-one on the US pop album chart; fifty-four in the UK, and number twenty-three on the US R&B album chart.   Q-Tip looks back:  “When I recorded my first album, I was 19, so I was very much in the moment and did not think about my career past the following year. I knew I loved what I did and had big fun, but I never imagined this...I see the Tribe legacy as one of the strongest in modern music.”








http://atribecalledquest.com/








"I Left My Wallet in El Segundo"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WILyWmT2A-Q 



"Can I Kick It?"
Phife fumes:   "That was on our first album and the sample is Lou Reed. Fuck Lou Reed, man! Fuck him. Because we didn’t see no money from that fuckin’ record yet. Really. Here’s what happened - and I take back saying ‘Fuck Lou Reed,’ because Lou Reed has every right to say ‘Give me my motherfucking money,’” he said. “So Lou Reed could have easily said, ‘Oh yeah, a rap group use my shit? Alright.’ No. Anita Baker don’t let nobody use her shit, period. […] So Lou Reed, instead of saying no altogether, he was like, ‘Yeah, nice! Give me the motherfucking money.’ Like Smokey in Friday.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3pyCGnZzYA




"Bonita Applebum"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bT0gVTjZEFE







'People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm' 

full album:




1 Push It Along 7:42
2 Luck Of Lucien 4:32
3 After Hours 4:39
4 Footprints 4:00
5 I Left My Wallet in El Segundo 4:06
6 Pubic Enemy 3:45
7 Bonita Applebum 3:50
8 Can I Kick It 4:12
9 Youthful Expression 4:52
10 Rhythm (Devoted to the Art of Moving Butts) 4:01
11 Mr. Muhammad 3:33
12 Ham ’n’ Eggs 5:27
13 Go Ahead in the Rain 3:58
14 Description of a Fool 5:42

midnight marauders

A Tribe Called Quest marauded our ears with the smooth and sophisticated liquid jazz soundscapes of this bewitching hip hop benchmark.  Having made a significant breakthrough with 'The Low End Theory', the trio of  Q-Tip (Jonathan Davis), Ali Shaheed Muhammad, and Phife Dawg (Malik Taylor) continued to build on their successful sound, co-producing 'Midnight Marauders' with Large Professor and Skeff Anselm.  

Phife considers:   "[Jazz and hip hop] was our meat and potatoes, bread and butter so to speak, whereas other people did other things. A lot of people duplicated certain others, so [the jazz and hip hop element] was our thing. We just wanted to be ourselves and we enjoyed it. I don’t like to call it fusion, but to be able to take jazz and put some hard drums – that’s what we mean when we say hip hop; we’re really talking about drums and so forth."

Mohammed says:   "I think one of the most important aspects of jazz is the improvisation aspects of instrumentation and having these solo moments where the artist is just being free. The relativity to hip hop is when the emcee is just rhyming or freestyling or whatever and it’s just the freeness and the movement that’s unrestricted. What’s their style, what’s their cadence, what’s the rhythm, how’s the movement on top of the movement?"

Q-Tip reveals:    "I always start with the music. I don’t know who said it, but someone said that music is the art form that all other art forms are aspiring to be or trying to be. But I try to let the music set the tone and the pace, because it’s just magic. You have these different harmonies, different melodies, and everything is just intertwined and playin together. It just sets a mood. It sets a tone. And I think it’s interesting for you as a writer if you’re gonna pen the tune. To kinda just come in with no hang-ups and just let the music dictate to you what you’re gonna be or what you’re gonna speak about... It was just like off the top of my head or whatever, so I never really started out writin. It’s always been a relationship with the music where I let the music—I just succumb to it the only way… it’s kinda like I just wait for it. ’Cuz that way it’s different every time that you come to it."

 'Midnight Marauders' went to number seventy in the UK, forty-eight in Canada, eight on the US Billboard 200, and number one on the US R&B/hip hop album chart.  







http://atribecalledquest.com/









'Award Tour' became the group's biggest hit, going to number forty-seven on the US pop chart and number one on the hot rap singles chart.  It samples "We Gettin' Down" by Weldon Irvine, "Lowdown" by Charles Earland, "Olinga" by Milt Jackson, and "Hobo Scratch" by Malcolm McLaren.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P800UWoE9xs





'Electric Relaxation' samples "Mystic Brew" by Ronnie Foster, "Outside Love" by Brethren, and "Dreams" by Ramsey Lewis
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHRnvjCkTsw





'Oh My God' features Busta Rhymes and samples "Who's Gonna Take Weight" by Kool & The Gang, "Why Can't People Be Colors Too?" by The Whatnauts, and "Absolutions" by Lee Morgan.  
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIah18jcJko








 'Midnight Marauders' 
full album:






All songs produced by A Tribe Called Quest, except track 4 produced by Skeff Anselm and track 11 produced by Large Professor.


1. "Midnight Marauders Tour Guide"     0:45
2. "Steve Biko (Stir It Up)"     3:11
3. "Award Tour" (featuring Trugoy the Dove)   3:46
4. "8 Million Stories"   Davis, Muhammad, Taylor, Skeff Anselm 4:30
5. "Sucka Nigga"   Davis, Muhammad, Taylor, Freddie Hubbard 4:05
6. "Midnight" (featuring Raphael Wiggins)   3:49
7. "We Can Get Down"     4:19
8. "Electric Relaxation"     4:04
9. "Clap Your Hands"   Davis, Muhammad, Taylor, Bob James, Leo Nocentelli, George Porter Jr., Cyril Neville, Joseph Modeliste 3:16
10. "Oh My God" (featuring Busta Rhymes)   3:29
11. "Keep It Rollin'" (featuring Large Professor) Davis, Muhammad, Taylor, Mitchell 3:05
12. "The Chase, Part II"     4:02
13. "Lyrics to Go"   Davis, Muhammad, Taylor, Steve Arrington, Victor Godsey, Buddy Hankerson 4:09

14. "God Lives Through"     4:15

the low end theory

A Tribe Called Quest took hip hop back to its jazz roots with pensive loops built around heavy rhythms. When most of rap was focused on violence and an aggressive sound, Q-Tip, Phife Dawg, and Ali Shaheed Muhammad focused on a more positive and laid-back vibe. Phife says, “a lot of people will scare you into believing certain things or liking their material, but it was never like that with us. We just spoke on how we felt at the moment and it was the truth. We were one of those groups that didn’t have a problem admitting that we cried in front of our mothers.” They produced the album alongside Pete Rock and Skeff Anselm, using live drums and upright bass to get a realistic jazz sound. Q-Tip recalls, “I just felt like a conduit… like I wasn’t even conscious...It was just like energy that we didn’t even plan on, we just got in and it was almost just like how a band jams.” The downbeat Afro-centric intelligence of 'The Low End Theory' was a game changer for hip hop, selling platinum and influencing a whole generation. 







http://atribecalledquest.com/








'Excursions' sets the scene with samples from 'Time' by The Last Poets, 'Tribute to Obabi' by The Last Poets, 'The Soil I Tilled for You' by Shades of Brown, and 'A Chant for Bu' by Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers.

“Back in the days when I was a teenager
Before I had status and before I had a pager
We could find the Abstract, listening to hip hop
My pops used to say it reminded me of bebop
I said, ‘Well daddy, don’t you know that things go in cycles?
The way that Bobby Brown is just ampin like Michael
It’s all expected, things are for the lookin’
If you got the money, Quest is for the bookin’”







'Check the Rhyme' was the first single and debuted the vocal interplay between Q-Tip and Phife. It made it to number one on the Hot Rap Singles chart. It samples 'Fly Like an Eagle' by Steve Miller Band, 'Love Your Life' by Average White Band, 'Hydra' by Grover Washington, Jr., and 'Baby, This Love I Have' by Minnie Riperton.

"You on point Phife?
All the time, Tip."









This black-and-white video for 'Jazz (We've Got)' segues into a bit of 'Buggin' Out in full color. The single for 'Jazz' peaked at number sixteen on the Hot Rap Singles chart. It samples 'Don't Change Your Love' by the Five Stairsteps, 'Sing a Simple Song' by Sly & the Family Stone, 'Red Clay' by Freddie Hubbard, 'Green Dolphin Street' by Lucky Thompson, and 'Long Red' by Mountain.

"So push it, along, trails, we blaze
Don't deserve the gong, don't deserve the praise
The tranquility will make ya unball your fist
For we put hip-hop on a brand new twist"








'Scenario' hit number six on the Hot Rap Singles chart. It samples 'So What' by Miles Davis, 'Blind Alley' by Emotions, 'Give It Up' by Kool & the Gang, 'Soul Vibrations' by Kool & the Gang, 'Ecstasy' by Ohio Players, 'Oblighetto' by Jack McDuff, and 'Little Miss Lover' by the Jimi Hendrix Experience.

"It’s a Leader Quest mission and we got the goods here
Never on the left cause my right's my good ear
I could give a damn about a ill subliminal
Stay away from crime so I ain't no criminal
I love my young nation, groovy sensation
No time for hibernation, only elation"







 'The Low End Theory' 
full album:


All songs produced by A Tribe Called Quest, except tracks 6 and 10 produced by Skeff Anselm


1. "Excursions"   Jonathan Davis 3:55
2. "Buggin' Out"   Davis, Ali Shaheed Muhammad, Malik Taylor 3:37
3. "Rap Promoter"   Davis, Muhammad 2:13
4. "Butter"   Davis, Muhammad, Taylor 3:39
5. "Verses from the Abstract" (featuring Vinia Mojica and Ron Carter on double bass) Davis 3:59
6. "Show Business" (featuring Diamond D, Lord Jamar and Sadat X) Skeff Anselm, Davis, Lorenzo Dechalus, Joseph Kirkland, Muhammad, Derrick Murphy, Taylor 3:53
7. "Vibes and Stuff"   Davis, Taylor 4:18
8. "The Infamous Date Rape"   Davis, Muhammad, Taylor 2:54
9. "Check the Rhime"   Davis, Muhammad, Taylor 3:37
10. "Everything Is Fair"   Anselm, Davis, Muhammad, Taylor 2:58
11. "Jazz (We've Got)"   Davis, Muhammad, Taylor 4:10
12. "Skypager"   Davis, Muhammad, Taylor 2:12
13. "What?"   Davis 2:29
14. "Scenario" (featuring Leaders of the New School) Davis, Bryan Higgins, James Jackson, Muhammad, Trevor Smith, Taylor 4:10