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)
Everything Is Fair
A Tribe Called Quest Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Looking at Miss Lane, it was the fast lane
Barely knows her name, struck by fame
She just got a Benz, she rides with her friends
Gotta keep her beeper in her purse to make ends
Rollin down the block, checking out the spots
She winks at the cops, always give her props
Hangs out for the loot, makes her papes from the gutter
Tried to make my moves on Miss Lane, she called me young boy
Told her not to dis me I just want to be your love toy
You young boy, my love toy, I doubt that very highly
Just because you rhyme don't mean I'll let you try me
Business oriented, egos never dented
Always sweet scented, if it's business, she meant it
Distractions never hurt, always did the work
Always was alert, she never got jerked
Queen of the feats, thrive to compete
Love the funky beats while she drive down the street
She was justified, couldn't get a job
Had to feed her family, so she had to play, then rob
Pulling out the ooh wop, listening to doo-wop
You don't have to say a word
That's all ya heard
"Everything is fair when you're living in the city"
She's not a big kahuna, wish I met her sooner
Instead, I met her later, my love is much greater
Put me on her roster, to rid her of impostors
And to sell the buddah for the sexy drug ruler
Love is my motive, now I'm drug promotive
Plus I needed duckets to fill up my buckets
Supplied me with the squeezy to make my life easy
Now I'm missing action for this fatal attraction
But don't you let me catch you with your joint up in these bitches
And don't you even dare to plan a plot upon my riches
'cause if you play me out, I think I'll let ya be
I'll be damned if I let a brother try to gas me
I played my cards well, try to live swell
For the G, I would sell, 'cause I was deep in hell
But then I really wasn't, she had a fly cousin
Who would give me booty on the side of my cutie
Elaine, she kinda new, that I would do the do
But she didn't tear, I did my work with care
That's all that really mattered, he money never splattered
As long as she was paid, she was in the shade
You can't really blame her for holding on a flamer
Society taught her, but they didn't tame her
A ten clip salute, honey here's a troop
She will never stop until she reach the top
Top, top
"Everything is fair when you're living in the city" is a song by A Tribe Called Quest that talks about the complexity of life in the city. The song starts with a description of Miss Lane, who is barely known but caught up in fame. She just bought a Benz and rides with her friends while keeping her beeper in her purse. She knows she is the woman, and nobody can touch her. The song describes how Miss Lane is business-oriented and always alert. She is the queen of feats and loves funky beats while driving down the street. She had to play and rob because she couldn't get a job to feed her family. Miss Lane's character is in contrast to the young boy who wants to be her love toy but gets rejected because he is not her type.
The song depicts the harsh realities of a city where people are pushed to play and rob for survival. It also portrays gender and power dynamics, where women have to work hard to provide for themselves and their families while also dealing with the consequences of their actions. The song reflects the challenging nature of growing up in the city, where everyday life is a struggle, and survival is the only priority.
Line by Line Meaning
Looking at Miss Lane, it was the fast lane
Miss Lane is living life at a fast pace, probably to keep up with the lifestyle city offers
Barely knows her name, struck by fame
Miss Lane is becoming famous so quickly that it's hard to keep up with her name
She just got a Benz, she rides with her friends
Miss Lane recently acquired a luxury car and she often cruises with friends
Gotta keep her beeper in her purse to make ends
To keep making money, Miss Lane has to be accessible to potential clients or customers
Rollin down the block, checking out the spots
Miss Lane is always on the prowl for potential business opportunities or new places to go to
She winks at the cops, always give her props
The police recognize and appreciate Miss Lane's success and good conduct
She knows she's the woman, can't nobody touch her
Miss Lane is fiercely confident and knows her own worth and abilities
Hangs out for the loot, makes her papes from the gutter
Miss Lane is willing to do whatever it takes to make money, even if it means doing business in unsavory areas
Tried to make my moves on Miss Lane, she called me young boy
The artist attempted to flirt with Miss Lane but was rejected because he was too young and immature
Told her not to dis me I just want to be your love toy
The artist is asking for Miss Lane's attention and is willing to be used however she wants, even if it's in a sexual manner
You young boy, my love toy, I doubt that very highly
Miss Lane dismisses the singer's advances, implying that he's not experienced or skilled enough to be her lover
Just because you rhyme don't mean I'll let you try me
Miss Lane doesn't respect the artist's alleged skills as a rapper and is not interested in having anything to do with him
Business oriented, egos never dented
Miss Lane is focused on making money and preserving her self-esteem, despite any setbacks or obstacles
Always sweet scented, if it's business, she meant it
Miss Lane takes care of herself and is always ready to conduct business, no matter the situation
Distractions never hurt, always did the work
Miss Lane doesn't let anything get in the way of making money and prioritizes her work before anything else
Always was alert, she never got jerked
Miss Lane is vigilant and aware of potential dangers or scams, and never falls for them
Queen of the feats, thrive to compete
Miss Lane is a prominent and successful figure in her field of work, and is always striving to outdo others
Love the funky beats while she drive down the street
Miss Lane enjoys listening to music while she drives and probably uses it to relieve stress or escape from the demands of work
She was justified, couldn't get a job
Miss Lane is forced to find other means of making money because she's unable to find traditional employment
Had to feed her family, so she had to play, then rob
Miss Lane resorts to illegal means of making money to support her family
Pulling out the ooh wop, listening to doo-wop
Miss Lane enjoys listening to classic oldies music, possibly as a form of nostalgia or relaxation
She's not a big kahuna, wish I met her sooner
The artist regrets not meeting Miss Lane earlier because of her apparent success and attractiveness
Instead, I met her later, my love is much greater
The singer was able to meet Miss Lane eventually and became enamored with her despite not doing so earlier
Put me on her roster, to rid her of impostors
Miss Lane recruited the artist to help her weed out people who were trying to impersonate her or scam others in her field
And to sell the buddah for the sexy drug ruler
Miss Lane and the singer are involved in drug dealing to make more money
Love is my motive, now I'm drug promotive
The singer is involved in drug dealing to impress Miss Lane and possibly win her affection
Plus I needed duckets to fill up my buckets
The singer needed money and saw drug dealing as a way to achieve financial goals
Supplied me with the squeezy to make my life easy
Miss Lane provided the artist with drugs to sell to make their lives easier and more profitable
Now I'm missing action for this fatal attraction
The artist is sacrificing other opportunities or pleasures for the sake of being involved with Miss Lane
But don't you let me catch you with your joint up in these bitches
The singer is warning his associates to not betray him or cheat on him with other women or competitors
And don't you even dare to plan a plot upon my riches
The singer is warning his associates to not try to steal his money or harm him for their own gain
'cause if you play me out, I think I'll let ya be
The artist is threatening to let people who betray him suffer consequences, but won't actively try to harm or retaliate against them
I'll be damned if I let a brother try to gas me
The artist won't allow anyone to deceive, manipulate or trick him into a bad situation
I played my cards well, try to live swell
The artist has been making smart decisions and trying to live a prosperous life
For the G, I would sell, 'cause I was deep in hell
The singer was willing to do anything to make money because they were struggling with poverty and felt trapped
But then I really wasn't, she had a fly cousin
Despite the artist's previous struggles, they were able to find new opportunities and connections through Miss Lane's attractive cousin
Who would give me booty on the side of my cutie
The singer was able to have sex with Miss Lane's cousin while still being involved with and loyal to Miss Lane
Elaine, she kinda new, that I would do the do
Elaine, Miss Lane's cousin, knew about the singer's involvement with Miss Lane but didn't care
But she didn't tear, I did my work with care
Elaine didn't let petty jealousy or rivalry distract her, and the singer was able to balance his personal and professional relationships
That's all that really mattered, he money never splattered
The artist prioritized keeping his relationships and work separate and was able to do so without damaging either, and was able to make money successfully
As long as she was paid, she was in the shade
Miss Lane tolerated the artist's indiscretions and affairs as long as he remained successful in making them both money
You can't really blame her for holding on a flamer
Miss Lane can't be blamed for finding alternative ways to make money or deal with difficult situations
Society taught her, but they didn't tame her
Miss Lane's behavior and approach to life can be attributed to the upbringing and societal norms she has experienced, but it hasn't controlled or changed her completely
A ten clip salute, honey here's a troop
The artist is saluting Miss Lane and acknowledging her success and hard work
She will never stop until she reach the top
Miss Lane is committed to her goals and aspirations and won't stop until she achieves them
Top, top
Reinforcing the idea that Miss Lane and the artist are aiming for maximum success and prosperity
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ALI SHAHEED JONES-MUHAMMAD, EDDIE HAZEL, GARRY MARSHALL SHIDER, GEORGE JR. CLINTON, KAMAAL IBN JOHN FAREED, MALIK IZAAK TAYLOR, SKEFFINGTON V. ANSELM
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Tate Buitrago
on Electric Relaxation
another of my dads