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)
Baby Phife's Return
A Tribe Called Quest Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Maybe that'll ease ya
Master of this microphone macking, master as in great
I'll have your brain going in circles as my style tends to modulate
I'm making moves, never movies, that's why y'all MCs lose me
Retrace, won't, so your stubborn like groupies
Kid, you know my flavor, tear this whole jam apart
Fuck around and have your heart, like Jordan had Starks
Cause I come out to play every night like Charles Oakley
Dissing around with wack rhyming
You lose your grip from chalk climbing
Let me take this time to say R.I.P. to Phyllis Hyman
Who never got the props that she damn well deserved
But see me, you don't want to see me, cause all MCs are getting served
The nerve, for you to even step to the Phifer
I'll bumrush your set and crush your whole cypher
Reserve, a spot for me in hip hop's hall of fame
Cause rapping ain't no game, big up your head and maintain
Yeah, Queens forever in this piece crushing any beef
Ain't nothing sweet, the bakery's across the fucking street
Phife Dawg, swinging it back and forth just like Aaliyah
Making moves on your heart like that trick Tamia
No doubt about it, I love hip hop to death
But yo Tip, bring in the chorus 'cause I'm losing my breath
A, yo, you know the deal when the diggy Dawg is on the scene
We got the fiend bumpin straight from the borough Queens
You know the deal when the diggy Dawg is on the scene
We got the fiend bumpin straight from the borough Queens
You know the deal when the diggy Dawg is on the scene
You know the deal, ha, you know the deal
Big up pop Duke, that's where I caught my athleticism
My mama, no doubt, that's where I got my lyricism
My nana, that's where I got my spiritualism
As for Tip and Shah, they made me stop from smoking izm
Now, when I'm with some cheese, I be letting off gism
Writing rhymes since Daddy Kane and Biz Mark was on Prism
I gotta brave heart like the one named Shirley Chisholm
As for my late twin, boy, I wish I was with him
Got the Lightro in the back talking bout (come on, get him)
And when it comes to rhymes, no doubt, I flip em
Sucker MC in my path, hey main, I say we ship him
Money please, your rhymes are wack, say word, this geek is tripping
Just because my name is Phife, my man, I'm never slipping
I got the type of flave to have your ass straight bitching
For those who act cute, see I got them on mute
Have you walking through your projects in your birthday suit
Cause your style is off loot, so I played him like a flute
If you'se a sucker MC, then it's you I rebuke
My style is, everyday all day, similar to water
Crushing MC's as if my name was Sargent Slaughter
Keep shit hotter, than a sauna
Or better yet, the hormones on your Christian daughter
Hey, I tried to warn her
My sounds the type to kill, like the grill on Lauryn Hill
So all ya sucker MC's, y'all best go chill
Bout to go to Union Square so I can see my care bear
Singing good stuff in my ear, running fingers through my hair
Represent the Zulu Nation with illy rap creations
Just keep shit hotter than Death Row-Bad Boy confrontations
Chilling with Fudge Love because he represents the Haitians
Ya naw'mean
Word up
I just want to big up everybody for supporting A Tribe Called Quest
Through the years
This be the fourth LP, you know what I'm saying?
Tip, Shaheed and Phife, Beats, Rhymes and Life
Featuring my man, you know what I'm saying, Consequence
192 is the area where we represent, for the ladies and gents, ha ha
You know what I'm sayin? Big up Shaheed Muhammad, that's my man
Christine, you know what I'm saying, word life
The Abstract Poetic, rocking this track
Bouncing it all over the place, up in your face
You know what I'm saying? My man Lightro
In the lyrics to A Tribe Called Quest's song Baby Phife's Return, Phife Dawg introduces himself as a 'mad man' capable of making other MCs run for Milk of Magnesia. Phife uses the metaphor to show the kind of impact he has on other rappers with his skills. He describes himself as a master of the microphone, who can make people go round in circles as they try to keep up with his style. Phife is confident in his ability to deliver timeless hits that shake the industry, calling out other rappers who are hesitant to collaborate with him. He warns other MCs that he is not one to be messed with and that he's always coming out to play like Charles Oakley. Phife gives a shout out to the late Phyllis Hyman, an American singer and songwriter, who didn't receive the recognition that she deserved in the music industry, highlighting the injustices of the industry. The song highlights Phife Dawg's exceptional rapping skills and the influence he has had on the hip-hop culture since the late '80s.
One interesting fact about the song is that it was featured on A Tribe Called Quest's fourth studio album called Beats, Rhymes and Life, released in July 1996. The song, along with the entire album, was produced by Q-Tip, who was also a member of the rap group. The album was their first without the guidance of their longtime producer Skeff Anselm, who had worked on their first three albums. Another interesting fact is that Baby Phife's Return marked the first collaboration between Q-Tip and Consequence, a rapper and Q-Tip's first cousin. Q-Tip had discovered Consequence's talent while listening to him rap over the phone, and he later featured him on the song. The song samples a portion of Isaac Hayes' Ike's Mood I, which was later remixed by Wu-Tang Clan. The song has been praised for its catchy chorus and Phife Dawg's excellent lyricism.
In terms of the chords, the song features an up-tempo groove with a bassline that is more prominent than the chords. The main chords during the chorus are Am7 and Em7, which are played on a keyboard instrument. However, it's challenging to determine the exact chords played in the song because of the heavy bassline with variations in beats in different sections. Overall, Baby Phife's Return is a classic example of A Tribe Called Quest's unique blend of jazz-infused beats, soulful melodies, and socially conscious lyrics that have made them one of the most influential rap groups of all time.
Line by Line Meaning
The mad man Malik makes MC's run for Milk of Magnesia
Malik is so good at rap that he makes other rappers feel physically sick and run for medicine
Maybe that'll ease ya
The milk of magnesia might make the rappers feel better
Master of this microphone macking, master as in great
Malik is great at rapping and owns the microphone when he is doing so
I'll have your brain going in circles as my style tends to modulate
Malik's rapping style is complex and can be difficult to understand, so it might leave the listener confused
I'm making moves, never movies, that's why y'all MCs lose me
Malik is focused on his music and not on other endeavors, which might be why other rappers don't fully understand him
Retrace, won't, so your stubborn like groupies
Malik won't change his style to make it more understandable, so rappers who don't understand him are being stubborn like groupies who won't give up
Kid, you know my flavor, tear this whole jam apart
Malik's rapping style is unique and distinct, and it's powerful enough to take over the entire music scene
Fuck around and have your heart, like Jordan had Starks
Malik's rapping style is so intense that it could affect your heart or make it beat really fast, like how Michael Jordan dunking on John Starks made people really excited
While you playing hokey pokey, there's no time to be dokey
Other rappers are wasting time and not taking rap seriously, but there's no time to mess around
Cause I come out to play every night like Charles Oakley
Malik is always on top of his game like Charles Oakley, who was a professional basketball player known for his toughness and skill
Dissing around with wack rhyming
Other rappers are using bad rhymes and not taking the craft seriously
You lose your grip from chalk climbing
Trying to be a rapper without proper skills is like trying to climb a wall with no grip, it's impossible to succeed
Let me take this time to say R.I.P. to Phyllis Hyman
A moment of silence is given to pay respects to the late singer Phyllis Hyman
Who never got the props that she damn well deserved
Phyllis Hyman didn't get the credit and recognition that she earned despite being a great singer
But see me, you don't want to see me, cause all MCs are getting served
Malik is so good at rapping that other rappers don't want to compete against him because they know they will lose
The nerve, for you to even step to the Phifer
It's disrespectful for other rappers to try competing against Malik because they can't match his abilities
I'll bumrush your set and crush your whole cypher
Malik is so good at rapping that he could take over someone else's stage and outperform them, causing the other rappers to look bad in comparison
Reserve, a spot for me in hip hop's hall of fame
Malik is confident in his skills and believes he deserves to be remembered as one of the greatest rappers of all time
Cause rapping ain't no game, big up your head and maintain
Rapping is serious business, so rappers need to stay focused and maintain their skills
Yeah, Queens forever in this piece crushing any beef
The rappers from Queens are the best and they will overcome any rivalry
Ain't nothing sweet, the bakery's across the fucking street
Rap isn't easy, and there's no shortcuts to success
Phife Dawg, swinging it back and forth just like Aaliyah
Phife Dawg is rapping with a lot of rhythm and energy, just like Aaliyah used to perform
Making moves on your heart like that trick Tamia
Phife Dawg is passionate and his rapping style could really touch someone's heart, just like Tamia's music does
No doubt about it, I love hip hop to death
Phife Dawg is passionate and devoted to hip hop
But yo Tip, bring in the chorus 'cause I'm losing my breath
Phife Dawg is getting tired and needs a break
Big up pop Duke, that's where I caught my athleticism
Phife Dawg credits his late father for giving him his athletic abilities
My mama, no doubt, that's where I got my lyricism
Phife Dawg got his rap skills from his mother
My nana, that's where I got my spiritualism
Phife Dawg's grandmother influenced his spiritual beliefs
As for Tip and Shah, they made me stop from smoking izm
Phife Dawg's friends, Q-Tip and Ali Shaheed Muhammad, urged him to stop smoking marijuana
Now, when I'm with some cheese, I be letting off gism
Phife Dawg is enjoying life and having fun, while also expressing himself through his music
Writing rhymes since Daddy Kane and Biz Mark was on Prism
Phife Dawg has been practicing his craft for a long time, ever since he was influenced by rappers like Big Daddy Kane and Biz Markie
I gotta brave heart like the one named Shirley Chisholm
Phife Dawg is fearless and has a strong spirit, like the famous politician Shirley Chisholm
As for my late twin, boy, I wish I was with him
Phife Dawg's twin brother passed away, and he wishes he was still alive and could share his success with him
Got the Lightro in the back talking bout (come on, get him)
Phife Dawg has a backup rapper in the background who is cheering him on
And when it comes to rhymes, no doubt, I flip em
Phife Dawg is confident in his rap skills and can improvise and come up with clever rhymes on the spot
Sucker MC in my path, hey main, I say we ship him
Phife Dawg sees other rappers as competition, and if they're not good enough, he wants to get rid of them
Money please, your rhymes are wack, say word, this geek is tripping
Phife Dawg thinks that other rappers who aren't good enough to compete with him are ridiculous
Just because my name is Phife, my man, I'm never slipping
Phife Dawg takes pride in his name and will always be on top of his game
I got the type of flave to have your ass straight bitching
Phife Dawg's rap style is so good that it will make listeners complain that their expectations for other rappers are too high
For those who act cute, see I got them on mute
Phife Dawg is too good for rappers that try to challenge him or imitate him, he ignores them
Have you walking through your projects in your birthday suit
Phife Dawg will strip other rappers down to nothing and make them look foolish
Cause your style is off loot, so I played him like a flute
Phife Dawg defeated other rappers because they don't know how to rap properly and don't take the craft seriously
If you'se a sucker MC, then it's you I rebuke
Phife Dawg thinks that if you're not a good rapper, you don't have a place in the rap community
My style is, everyday all day, similar to water
Phife Dawg's rapping style is fluid and adaptable like water
Crushing MC's as if my name was Sargent Slaughter
Phife Dawg is so good at rap that he can defeat other rappers easily, like wrestler Sargent Slaughter would defeat his opponents
Keep shit hotter, than a sauna
Phife Dawg's rapping style is intense and passionate
Or better yet, the hormones on your Christian daughter
Phife Dawg's rapping style is so good that it could even make someone's daughter feel aroused
Hey, I tried to warn her
Phife Dawg's rapping style is so powerful that he tried to warn people that they should be careful listening to it
My sounds the type to kill, like the grill on Lauryn Hill
Phife Dawg's rap style is so good, it could be lethal, like Lauryn Hill's music which is known for its emotional intensity
So all ya sucker MC's, y'all best go chill
Phife Dawg thinks that other rappers who aren't good enough should relax and not try to compete with him
Bout to go to Union Square so I can see my care bear
Phife Dawg is going to a place where he can see his friend and relax
Singing good stuff in my ear, running fingers through my hair
Phife Dawg is enjoying himself and is being comforted by his friend
Represent the Zulu Nation with illy rap creations
Phife Dawg is a part of the Zulu Nation rap group and is proud to represent them
Just keep shit hotter than Death Row-Bad Boy confrontations
Phife Dawg wants his rapping style to be more intense than the hip-hop rivalry between Death Row Records and Bad Boy Entertainment
Chilling with Fudge Love because he represents the Haitians
Phife Dawg is hanging out with a friend who is Haitian and is proud of his friend's heritage
Ya naw'mean
You know what I mean
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ALI SHAHEED JONES-MUHAMMAD, KAMAAL IBN JOHN FAREED, MALIK IZAAK TAYLOR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Tate Buitrago
on Electric Relaxation
another of my dads