In 1991, the group released its jazz-influenced second album, The Low End Theory, regarded for helping shape alternative hip hop in the 1990s. In 1998, the group broke up shortly before releasing its fifth album, The Love Movement, but in 2006, the group's original members reunited and toured the United States. In 2016, the group released its sixth and final album, We Got It from Here... Thank You 4 Your Service, which was still incomplete when Phife Dawg died suddenly in March 2016, and was completed by the other members after his death. A Tribe Called Quest was the most commercially successful act in the Native Tongues collective, with all six of its albums certified either gold or platinum.
John Bush of AllMusic called them "the most intelligent, artistic rap group during the 1990s." The Source gave the group's debut album, People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm (1990), a perfect rating of five 'mics,' marking the first time that the magazine awarded the rating. In 2005, A Tribe Called Quest received the Founders Award at the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Awards, and two years later, the group was honored at the 4th VH1 Hip Hop Honors. In 2017, the group was awarded the Brit Award for International Group.
AllMusic critic John Bush called A Tribe Called Quest "without question the most intelligent, artistic rap group during the 1990s", further stating that the group "jump-started and perfected the hip-hop alternative to hardcore and gangsta rap." At a time when James Brown drum breaks and P-Funk basslines dominated hip hop production, the group successfully bridged the gap between jazz and hip hop, incorporating bebop and hard bop samples and recording with double bassist Ron Carter. The group's production influenced their contemporaries, thus changing the sound of hip hop; Dr. Dre produced his highly regarded debut The Chronic after being inspired by The Low End Theory, and Pete Rock stated, "There were times when I would walk into a record store and see Tip sitting on the floor with his glasses on, going through albums, looking for beats ... I was like, 'This guy is serious.' Being around [the group] made me step up and become even more serious than I was".
Lyrically, A Tribe Called Quest has been regarded for addressing many social issues through Q-Tip's philosophical viewpoints and Phife Dawg's everyman perspectives. People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm influenced several hip hop artists; Scarface asserted that it "really made me want to rap", and Pharrell Williams expressed that it was "the turning point [which] made me see that music was art." Kierna Mayo, former editor-in-chief of Ebony, said that The Low End Theory and Midnight Marauders "gave birth to neo-everything. ... That entire class of D'Angelo, Erykah Badu, Maxwell, and Lauryn Hill—and moving on to André 3000, Kanye West, and Talib Kweli—everything that is left of everything begins with Tribe." The group has also been credited for helping launch the solo careers of Busta Rhymes, J Dilla and Consequence.
The group was the subject of the acclaimed 2011 documentary film Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest, directed by Michael Rapaport.
Studio albums
People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm (1990)
The Low End Theory (1991)
Midnight Marauders (1993)
Beats, Rhymes and Life (1996)
The Love Movement (1998)
We Got It from Here... Thank You 4 Your Service (2016)
8 Million Stories
A Tribe Called Quest Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
This honey ripped me off for all my loot cakes
The car oh yeah there's money in my jacket
Somebody broke into my ride and cold macked it
Yo Tip, I tell you man the devil's tryin it
But I'm goin to stay strong cause I ain't buyin' it
Tonight I'm taking Sherry out, I don't have jack to wear
You know I gots to look dipped in the fresh new gear
I then got caught up on the phone, oh shit, I'm frying it
Will someone tell me what did I do to deserve this?
I think I'll, pull out my suit for Sunday service
My little brother wants Barney, cool, I'm gettin' it
Took him down to Kay-Bee, they ain't sellin' it
Here we go with the crying, yo he's throwing fits
My blood pressure's blowing up, I can't take the shit
Finally got what he wanted, now he's good to go
Again the ride was smashed, where's my radio?
One time, the car was in the shop I had to borrow see
They had no mercy on the car, Lyor will kill me
Where the hell can Nicki be? I'm gonna smack her up
I got the tickets for the Knicks and she cold stood me up
I need to hit a honey off, Jarobi pass the phone
Pulled out my book of hoes, oh yo, Sheila's home
Steady smiling like a mother yo, I'm read' to bone
Went down on hon, she's in the red zone
Stressed out more than anyone could ever be
Forever tryin to clear the samples for my new LP
Everybody knows I go to Georgia often
Got on the flight and I ended up in Boston
With all these trials and tribulations, yo, I've been affected
And to top it off, Starks got ejected
Problems, problems, problems, woe is me I'm having
Problems, problems, problems
Just last week my girl was stressin' me
Now her best friend be undressing me
Well I was loving her by the moon ray
Now I'm tricking on her like Kinte' (c'mon)
Bought a bag of izm from the smoke shop
Walking towards the car, here come the damn cops
Now I'm station bound for the Thai sticks
I bought it for my man, I don't believe this shit
Coach sat me down from the ball team
'Cause I was breaking niggas on the inseams
Some niggas cross town was trying to stick me
All I had was shorts, a dollar fifty
Picked up this girl in the hooptie
Just because I rhyme, she tried to soup me
Pay for this, pay for that, loot for nails and hair
Who the hell you think I am, Mr. Belvedere?
Go and get a bloody job, then can we look cute
Even if you give me boots, you'll never see my loot
She wasn't even all of that just another hooker
So I turned that ass away, quick like Chuckii Booker
Sometimes you got put the hoes in their friggin' place
Just move from in front me with your botty face
Problems, problems, problems (help me out now, help me out y'all, help me out God, really need ya)
Lord knows I'm havin'
Problems, problems, problems (Help me baby, help me sweetheart, help me out dawg, really need ya)
Jesus Christ I'm havin'
Problems, problems, problems (help me out now, help me out God, really need ya, help me out now)
Pray for me I'm havin'
Problems, problems, problems (help me out y'all, help me out now, really need ya, help me out God)
Yeah (help me out y'all, help me out now, help me out god, really need ya)
Just lay down your burdens by the riverside (help me baby, help me sweetheart)
Hah, and you'll be alright, ya'know what I'm sayin? (really need ya, help me baby)
Love and peace from Phife for '93, nah' I'm saying? (help me out y'all, help me out now)
Tribe Called Quest, Shaheed and Tip (help me out now, help me out y'all)
This is how we flip (really need ya, help me out now, come on)
My man Muhammad in the house, huh (come on, come on)
Zulu Nation in the house, huh (come on, come on)
Subroc is in the house, huh (come on, come on)
My man Skeff is in the house, huh (come on, come on)
Jarobi White is in the house, huh (come on, come on)
Bob Power in the house, huh (come on, come on)
My man Eric in the house, huh (come on, come on)
My man Litro in the house, huh (come on, come on)
Help me out y'all, help me out now
Help me out y'all, help me out now
Help me out God, I really need ya
Help me out now, I really need ya
Help me out y'all, help me out now
I'm having problems, help me out now
Really need ya, to help me out now
Help me out y'all, help me out now
Help me out y'all, help me out now
Help me out y'all, help me out now
Help me out God, I really need ya
Havin problems, help me out now
The lyrics of A Tribe Called Quest's song "8 Million Stories" paint a picture of a day filled with mishaps and trials for the singer. He starts off by getting ripped off by a girl for all his money, then realizes his car has been broken into and someone has stolen his money. Despite these setbacks, the singer tries to remain positive and decides to take his girlfriend out on a date, only to realize he has no clothes to wear. He eventually finds something to wear, but gets distracted on the phone and ends up burning his clothing. The singer also has to deal with the frustration of trying to find his little brother's desired toy, dealing with a girlfriend who stood him up, and trying to clear samples for his new LP. The song ends with a chorus of the singer asking for help with his problems and listing members of the Tribe and other associates.
The lyrics of "8 Million Stories" provide a commentary on the struggles that people face on a daily basis. The singer's experiences throughout the day highlight the many setbacks and frustrations that can seem overwhelming. Despite all of this, the singer tries to remain positive and keep moving forward. The chorus of the song serves as a reminder that everyone has problems and sometimes it helps to ask for help.
Line by Line Meaning
Went to Carvel to get a milk shake
I went to Carvel to buy a milkshake.
This honey ripped me off for all my loot cakes
This woman stole all my money.
The car oh yeah there's money in my jacket
There's money in my jacket inside the car.
Somebody broke into my ride and cold macked it
Somebody broke into my car and stole my stuff.
Yo Tip, I tell you man the devil's tryin it
Hey Tip, the devil is testing me.
But I'm goin to stay strong cause I ain't buyin' it
But I will remain strong and not give in.
Tonight I'm taking Sherry out, I don't have jack to wear
Tonight, I'm taking Sherry on a date, but I don't have any nice clothes to wear.
You know I gots to look dipped in the fresh new gear
I need to dress up in the latest fashion.
Cool I found something so I ironed it
Luckily, I found something to wear, so I ironed it.
I then got caught up on the phone, oh shit, I'm frying it
But then I got stuck on the phone and lost track of time.
Will someone tell me what did I do to deserve this?
Can someone please explain why I am going through all of this?
I think I'll, pull out my suit for Sunday service
I might as well put on my suit for church on Sunday.
My little brother wants Barney, cool, I'm gettin' it
My little brother wants a Barney toy, so I'll buy it for him.
Took him down to Kay-Bee, they ain't sellin' it
Took him to Kay-Bee (a toy store), but they don't have it.
Here we go with the crying, yo he's throwing fits
Now he's crying and throwing tantrums.
My blood pressure's blowing up, I can't take the shit
I'm getting angry and stressed, I can't handle this.
Finally got what he wanted, now he's good to go
Finally, he got what he wanted and is now satisfied.
Again the ride was smashed, where's my radio?
Once again, my car got broken into and my radio is missing.
One time, the car was in the shop I had to borrow see
One time, my car was being repaired, so I had to borrow another.
They had no mercy on the car, Lyor will kill me
They treated the borrowed car poorly, and because of that, Lyor (the owner) will be angry with me.
Where the hell can Nicki be? I'm gonna smack her up
Where is Nicki? I'm going to confront her angrily.
I got the tickets for the Knicks and she cold stood me up
I got tickets for the Knicks game, but she stood me up.
I need to hit a honey off, Jarobi pass the phone
I need to talk to a girl for a hookup, Jarobi, pass me the phone.
Pulled out my book of hoes, oh yo, Sheila's home
I opened my book of potential partners, and Sheila is available.
Steady smiling like a mother yo, I'm read' to bone
She's always happy and ready for intimacy.
Went down on hon, she's in the red zone
Had oral sex with her, she's menstruating.
Stressed out more than anyone could ever be
Feeling more stressed than anyone can imagine.
Forever tryin to clear the samples for my new LP
Always trying to obtain clearance for samples in my new album.
Everybody knows I go to Georgia often
Everyone knows I frequently visit Georgia.
Got on the flight and I ended up in Boston
But somehow, I ended up in Boston instead.
With all these trials and tribulations, yo, I've been affected
These difficulties have truly impacted me.
And to top it off, Starks got ejected
To make matters worse, Starks (a basketball player) got ejected from the game.
Just last week my girl was stressin' me
Just last week, my girl was causing me stress.
Now her best friend be undressing me
Now, her best friend is trying to seduce me.
Well I was loving her by the moon ray
I was in a romantic relationship with her under the moonlight.
Now I'm tricking on her like Kinte'
But now, I'm spending money on her like a fool.
Bought a bag of izm from the smoke shop
Bought a bag of marijuana from the smoke shop.
Walking towards the car, here come the damn cops
As I was walking to my car, the police suddenly appeared.
Now I'm station bound for the Thai sticks
Now, I'm heading to the police station for possession of marijuana.
I bought it for my man, I don't believe this shit
I bought it for my friend, and now I can't believe this situation.
Coach sat me down from the ball team
The coach removed me from the basketball team.
'Cause I was breaking niggas on the inseams
Because I was defeating opponents in basketball.
Some niggas cross town was trying to stick me
Some guys from a different neighborhood were attempting to harm me.
All I had was shorts, a dollar fifty
All I had were shorts and a dollar fifty.
Picked up this girl in the hooptie
Picked up this girl in a cheap, old car.
Just because I rhyme, she tried to soup me
Just because I'm a rapper, she tried to seduce me.
Pay for this, pay for that, loot for nails and hair
She wants me to pay for everything, including her beauty expenses.
Who the hell you think I am, Mr. Belvedere?
Who do you think I am, someone rich like Mr. Belvedere?
Go and get a bloody job, then can we look cute
Get a job and then we can worry about looking nice.
Even if you give me boots, you'll never see my loot
Even if you give me gifts, you'll never have access to my money.
She wasn't even all of that just another hooker
She wasn't even that special, just a regular prostitute.
So I turned that ass away, quick like Chuckii Booker
So I immediately rejected her advances.
Sometimes you got put the hoes in their friggin' place
Sometimes, you need to put disrespectful women in their proper place.
Just move from in front me with your botty face
Just get out of my sight with your unattractive face.
Hah, and you'll be alright, ya'know what I'm sayin?
And then, everything will be okay, do you understand what I'm saying?
Love and peace from Phife for '93, nah' I'm saying?
Sending love and peace from Phife for the year '93, you know what I'm saying?
Tribe Called Quest, Shaheed and Tip
This is A Tribe Called Quest, featuring Shaheed and Tip.
This is how we flip
This is how we express ourselves.
My man Muhammad in the house, huh
My friend Muhammad is here.
Zulu Nation in the house, huh
Representing the Zulu Nation.
Subroc is in the house, huh
Subroc is also present.
My man Skeff is in the house, huh
My friend Skeff is here too.
Jarobi White is in the house, huh
Jarobi White is also present.
Bob Power in the house, huh
Bob Power, the audio engineer, is here too.
My man Eric in the house, huh
My friend Eric is present.
My man Litro in the house, huh
Litro, another friend of mine, is here as well.
Help me out y'all, help me out now
Assist me, everyone, assist me now.
Help me out God, I really need ya
Help me, God, I really need your assistance.
Pray for me I'm havin'
Pray for me, I'm going through
Yeah
Yes
Just lay down your burdens by the riverside
Just let go of your worries by the riverside.
Hah, and you'll be alright, ya'know what I'm sayin?
And then, everything will be okay, do you understand what I'm saying?
Love and peace from Phife for '93, nah' I'm saying?
Sending love and peace from Phife for the year '93, you know what I'm saying?
Tribe Called Quest, Shaheed and Tip
This is A Tribe Called Quest, featuring Shaheed and Tip.
This is how we flip
This is how we express ourselves.
My man Muhammad in the house, huh
My friend Muhammad is here.
Zulu Nation in the house, huh
Representing the Zulu Nation.
Subroc is in the house, huh
Subroc is also present.
My man Skeff is in the house, huh
My friend Skeff is here too.
Jarobi White is in the house, huh
Jarobi White is also present.
Bob Power in the house, huh
Bob Power, the audio engineer, is here too.
My man Eric in the house, huh
My friend Eric is present.
My man Litro in the house, huh
Litro, another friend of mine, is here as well.
Help me out y'all, help me out now
Assist me, everyone, assist me now.
Help me out y'all, help me out now
Assist me, everyone, assist me now.
Help me out God, I really need ya
Help me, God, I really need your assistance.
Havin problems, help me out now
I'm going through problems, help me now.
Really need ya, to help me out now
I truly need your help now.
Help me out y'all, help me out now
Assist me, everyone, assist me now.
Help me out y'all, help me out now
Assist me, everyone, assist me now.
Help me out y'all, help me out now
Assist me, everyone, assist me now.
Help me out God, I really need ya
Help me, God, I really need your assistance.
Havin problems, help me out now
I'm going through problems, help me now.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Ali Shaheed Jones-Muhammad, Kamaal Ibn John Fareed, Malik Izaak Taylor, Skeffington V. Anselm
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Tate Buitrago
on Electric Relaxation
another of my dads