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)
Busta
A Tribe Called Quest Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Got dawgs with love and plus dawgs that's packing
So what's the deal Captain, if it's time for some action
Watch me roll with hon, try to push her back
Which one of these niggas, think they fucking wit dis?
Put your money on Queens, yo these cats is pissed
Meaning hot green and stinky, see shorty there winking?
Hit her off so hard, that her eyes start blinking
It's the Dawg For Pres, new star on the scene
And I'm here for the battle, right down to the letter
If it rains today, then it's a double-header
Range Beemaz and Benz, 1100's and Jettas
Phife Dawg for whatever, just get it together
(Just) get it together
Just get it together
No matter the weather, or where you at
This is how we gon' do it, cause we keep shit fat
You gotta
(Yo yo) do it (yo, yo yo) do it
Didn't you read the news, did you heed the alarm
It was good overall, it said that we was the bomb
I'ma make the call, and I hope you respond
We the stars y'all, and everyone beckons far
You a star and you shining, I'm one and I'm rhyming
Let's get together, start intertwining
Yo you coming with me, somewhere where you can't see
with his bonafide joints, underneath the sea
Of confusion and glitter, nobody's a quitter
Try to front and get ripped, from your ear to your shitter
Gon' put it on harder than anyone did
It would benefit you to keep a wide open lid
Making sho' shot shit, making sure you shine
Taking shows for sure, taking hearts in time
Do it all for the rhyme, and the rhythm and things
When we do it we banging, like we inside the bang
Ain't doubting nobody, when we inside the jam
But I'm proud overall, and I know who I am
As the constellation gets brighter this writer's going
(Yo yo) do it (yo, yo yo) do it
The song "Busta" by A Tribe Called Quest appears on their album "People's Instinctive Travels and The Paths of Rhythm." The lyrics are delivered by Phife Dawg and describe his confidence as a rapper and his ability to navigate dangerous situations. He starts by proclaiming that he is not worried about the risks of car-jacking because he has backup from friends who are both loving and tough. He challenges anyone who thinks they can take him on and asserts that he represents Queens, a neighborhood in New York City that is known for producing talented hip hop artists. Phife Dawg also describes seducing a woman and then calming her down, using his words to soothe her. He encourages listeners to join him in creating something new and exciting, a fusion of rhythms and rhymes that will spark inspiration in others. He sees himself and his fellow musicians as stars, shining brightly for all to see.
Line by Line Meaning
Fuck the car-jacking, Phife Diggy is rapping
Let's forget about car-jacking for a minute and focus on Phife Diggy's rapping skills.
Got dawgs with love and plus dawgs that's packing
I have some friends who are kind-hearted, but I also have some friends who carry weapons.
So what's the deal Captain, if it's time for some action
What's going on, Captain? Are we about to do something exciting?
Watch me roll with hon, try to push her back
Watch me hang out with my girl and try to ignore any negativity around us.
Which one of these niggas, think they fucking wit dis?
Who here thinks they can mess with us and get away with it?
Put your money on Queens, yo these cats is pissed
You should bet on us from Queens because we are determined to win.
Meaning hot green and stinky, see shorty there winking?
I'm talking about some good weed here, and you can see the girl over there looking at me knowingly.
Hit her off so hard, that her eyes start blinking
I gave her some good weed and she got so high that her eyes were blinking rapidly.
Then massage her down, with the word serene
After getting her high, I calmed her down by using soothing words and a relaxing touch.
It's the Dawg For Pres, new star on the scene
I'm Phife Dawg, the president of the gang, and I'm a rising star in the rap world.
And I'm here for the battle, right down to the letter
I'm ready and willing to compete and fight until the very end.
If it rains today, then it's a double-header
If we face any obstacles today, we'll work twice as hard to overcome them.
Range Beemaz and Benz, 1100's and Jettas
We're driving high-end cars like Range Rovers, BMWs, Mercedes Benz, Audi 1100s, and Volkswagen Jettas.
Phife Dawg for whatever, just get it together
I am ready for anything, let's just make sure we are organized and united.
No matter the weather, or where you at
It doesn't matter if it's sunny or rainy, or where you are located.
This is how we gon' do it, cause we keep shit fat
This is how we are going to do things because we always come up with great ideas.
Didn't you read the news, did you heed the alarm
Have you been keeping up with the latest news and are you aware of what is happening?
It was good overall, it said that we was the bomb
The news was good and said that we were excellent and impressive.
I'ma make the call, and I hope you respond
I will initiate the plan and I hope you will join me and help me execute it.
We the stars y'all, and everyone beckons far
We are the ones in the spotlight and everyone looks up to us from a distance.
You a star and you shining, I'm one and I'm rhyming
You are a star and are shining in your own way, and I am a star because of my rapping skills.
Let's get together, start intertwining
Let's collaborate and work together towards a common goal.
Yo you coming with me, somewhere where you can't see
Come with me to a secret and hidden place that you don't know about.
with his bonafide joints, underneath the sea
Bring some top-quality marijuana joints with you, and we will enjoy them while hiding underwater.
Of confusion and glitter, nobody's a quitter
In the midst of chaos and glamour, we will not give up or back down.
Try to front and get ripped, from your ear to your shitter
If you try to act tough or confront us, we will beat you up from your ears to your ass.
Gon' put it on harder than anyone did
We will work harder than anyone else has in the past to achieve our goals.
It would benefit you to keep a wide open lid
You should stay alert and aware of opportunities that may come your way.
Making sho' shot shit, making sure you shine
We are committed to making sure we produce high-quality work and ensure that we are successful.
Taking shows for sure, taking hearts in time
We will perform our music at shows and win over our fans' hearts in due time.
Do it all for the rhyme, and the rhythm and things
We are in this for the love of music, the rhythm, and everything that comes with it.
When we do it we banging, like we inside the bang
When we perform, we are giving it our all and feel like we are at the heart of the action.
Ain't doubting nobody, when we inside the jam
We are confident in our abilities when we are in the zone and playing music together.
But I'm proud overall, and I know who I am
Despite any challenges or setbacks, I am proud of myself and know my worth as a person and musician.
As the constellation gets brighter this writer's going
As my star continues to rise and I become more famous, I will keep writing more music and getting better.
Just get it together
Let's focus and work together to achieve our goals.
Yo yo do it yo, yo yo do it
Let's get to work and accomplish our tasks together.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ALI SHAHEED JONES-MUHAMMAD, JAMES DEWITT YANCEY, KAMAAL IBN JOHN FAREED, MALIK IZAAK TAYLOR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@STREETBEEFS_
I appreciate these artists so much more as an adult....in my youth gangsta rap was everything, and the "alternative rap" was an afterthought...Every rap song talked about "my nine" and "smokin a fool"...wich is fine, i still love gangsta rap...but seeing the devastation of violence in the streets makes me appreciate that these men tried to go a different route with their lyrics!
Think about it...most of them KNEW they werent gonna make crazy money if they werent doin gangsta rap..yet they chose to do conscious music anyways.
Respect to the whole genre
@Jump7Off
This is a classic album period.
@jirensentry7609
That's a plus Cuz! I think about it as you laid that out - with NWA, Eazy, Too Short, E-40, Spice One, Compton's Most Wanted, Cube - it went on and on. Then you had Illegal, EPMD, DMX, Naughty By Nature, Eric B and Rakim, LL, D-Nice, and others like BlackMoon, Gangstarr, Jay Z and Nas, AZ and your girl Foxy, it went on and on from Gangsta Bangin, to Underground, Hip Hop Hardcore... then there was Public Enemy and Kane.
But the Native Tongues??? That was Heaven! They were a sanctuary! They, along with Christian artists like Kirk Franklin, BeBe and CeCe Winans, even some R&B Artists - they balanced the Street Digest of Gutta Reality. GOD I miss them all! Every one of them!
The Jungle Brothers, Leaders of a New School, Tribe, Queen Latifa, Moni Love, Digable Planets, Common, Phacyde!
STREETBEEFS... THAT WAS HIP HOP!!!
@hjillumi880
they were adults
@thdoom81
What do you mean gangster rap is cool? No it wasn't
@Neilpoe
This comment right here. It's how I feel.
@ashleymonday298
Busta's verse is legendary.
@jerseybricks6426
19 year old busta
@meta1211
@@jerseybricks6426 wait for real?
@NotSoTypikal
@@meta1211 FOR REAL!!!!! 👌