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)
Glamour & Glitz
A Tribe Called Quest Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yup yup yup
To the North to the South to the East to the West
I don't discriminate boy I bring it to your chest
If you oppose, then your soul will decompose
Strive to get money and I'm not no hoe
Fresher than the air that you're breathing through your nose
Fuller than the kicks that you're puttin on your toes
About the dominant factor the accurate rapper
Here's the next chapter, page ninety-five
Niggaz so hard it's a wonder they alive
But yo we still survive through the danger that lurks
My eyes remain wide while you ask like Urk
and yo my Family Matters, so all you mad hatters
Put your thinking caps on and motherfuckin brainstorm
Cause I got the plan that wins and can't lose
Your man knows who's nice say Tip he'll say "True"
A lot of these jokers out here is blase
I'll be rockin mikes until a horse says hey
Some are preoccupied with glamour and glitz
Actin all boogee and making big movies
But I'll be in the cut call me Incognito
Busy makin joints that will bump for my people
You're listening to a man who was something for nothing
Stay in me forever head, never be frontin
Chorus: repeat 2X
Once in a while we have fun in the mix [never ever]
In to good living, but some be into glitz [true dat]
Everybody knew, all the fellas and the chicks [trigga E]
Gotta wear a shoe that fits
...to all my peoples
Verse Two:
c'mon word, check it out now [you out there?]
Uh, uh, check it out now [you out there?]
What? Uh, check it out now [louder! louder!]
[louder! louder!] Uh, check it out, yo
Peace to the girl named Hurricane G
Peace to my girl named Dawn Paris
Peace to the Organzied Kon-fus-ion
Peace to all my shorties that be dying too young
Peace to both coasts and the land in between
Peace to your man if you're doing your thing
Peace to my peoples who was incarcerated
Asalaam alaikum means peace, don't debate it
Devouring, and towering over fools
Your mic is broke and my shit's cool
The black man with the understandin of
The three wise men and the theories of Zen
Yo I get inside the crevice like a dentist
Disrupt, the block, like Dennis, the Menace
Shaheed is on the needle, the shit it won't weeble
or wobble, your rhymes is mixed up like Boggle
Bingo! That was the damn dog's name
But yo I know another one with much more fame
The Phife Dawg, and that's my word to the cipher
About to bring it to your chest and cause strife check it out
You're doubling back, to your rhyming pad
What I represent is MC's gone mad
In a perfect world there's imperfect acts
We've come like a God to redirect alla that
So people with a gift can just flaunt and get money
So much, we in the bank that the shit ain't funny
Money is invested in real estate and stocks
But not inside the glamour 'cause all of that stops
Outro: Consequence
Yo dis the Cons to the Quence
up in ya like a stiff one, knowhatImean?
It's nine-five, you got to live it or rip it
So if you step on the streets keep it movin, knowhatImean?
Chorus
In "Glamour & Glitz Weekendz," A Tribe Called Quest featuring Consequence rap about their opposition to the glam and glitz lifestyle that many pursue. Q-Tip begins the first verse by stating that he doesn't discriminate and challenges anyone who opposes him to step up. He also brags about his fresh style and skill as a rapper. He continues to rap about how he's survived through dangerous situations.
Moving onto the chorus, the group repeats that they enjoy good living, but some are more into the glitz lifestyle, and people need to find shoes that fit their feet.
The second verse references various people, including Hurricane G, Dawn Paris, and the Organized Konfusion group. Q-Tip raps about peace and understanding and then goes on to rap about how he believes MCs have gone mad. He believes in a perfect world, there are imperfect acts, and he raps about redirecting them.
Throughout the song, the group is promoting individuality, staying true to oneself, and not getting caught up in commercialized culture.
Line by Line Meaning
Yup yup yup
An enthusiastic affirmation of what's to come.
To the North to the South to the East to the West
No matter where you're from, the music is for everyone.
I don't discriminate boy I bring it to your chest
I'm not biased, I'll hit everyone with these bars.
If you oppose, then your soul will decompose
If you try to take me on lyrically, I'll destroy you.
Strive to get money and I'm not no hoe
I work hard for my money, and I won't compromise my integrity to get it.
Fresher than the air that you're breathing through your nose
I'm at the top of my game, and I'm always coming up with something new.
Fuller than the kicks that you're puttin on your toes
My rhymes are more complete than the shoes you're wearing.
You can ask Bo but yo that nigga don't know
Bo Jackson knows about sports, but he doesn't know about rap like I do.
About the dominant factor the accurate rapper
I'm the best in the game, and my rhymes are always on point.
Here's the next chapter, page ninety-five
This song is just one chapter in my story, and I'm always moving forward.
Niggaz so hard it's a wonder they alive
Life is tough, and some people have it harder than others.
But yo we still survive through the danger that lurks
We make it through tough times by sticking together and staying strong.
My eyes remain wide while you ask like Urk
I'm aware of what's going on around me, while some people are oblivious.
and yo my Family Matters, so all you mad hatters
My family is important to me, and I won't let anyone mess with them.
Put your thinking caps on and motherfuckin brainstorm
Get creative and come up with new ideas.
Cause I got the plan that wins and can't lose
I have a strategy for success that can't be beat.
Your man knows who's nice say Tip he'll say "True"
My skills speak for themselves, and anyone who knows rap will agree.
A lot of these jokers out here is blase
There are a lot of rappers out there who aren't really putting in the effort or bringing anything new to the game.
I'll be rockin mikes until a horse says hey
I'll keep rapping until I physically can't do it anymore.
Some are preoccupied with glamour and glitz
Some people are more concerned with flashy appearances than substance.
Actin all boogee and making big movies
Some people are putting on airs and trying to be something they're not.
But I'll be in the cut call me Incognito
I'll be working behind the scenes and staying out of the spotlight.
Busy makin joints that will bump for my people
I'm focused on making great music that my fans will love.
Once in a while we have fun in the mix [never ever]
Sometimes you have to let loose and have fun, but not all the time.
In to good living, but some be into glitz [true dat]
I believe in living well, but some people care more about superficial things.
Everybody knew, all the fellas and the chicks [trigga E]
Everyone knew what was up, both guys and girls.
Gotta wear a shoe that fits
You have to find what works for you and stick with it.
Peace to the girl named Hurricane G
Shout out to Hurricane G, a female rapper.
Peace to my girl named Dawn Paris
Shout out to Dawn Paris, a friend or collaborator of the artist.
Peace to the Organzied Kon-fus-ion
Shout out to Organized Konfusion, a hip-hop group.
Peace to all my shorties that be dying too young
RIP to all the young people who have died too soon.
Peace to both coasts and the land in between
Shout out to everyone across the country, from coast to coast.
Peace to your man if you're doing your thing
Respect to anyone out there doing their own thing.
Peace to my peoples who was incarcerated
Shout out to anyone who has been in jail or prison.
Asalaam alaikum means peace, don't debate it
Asalaam alaikum is a greeting of peace in Arabic, and there's no need to argue about it.
Devouring, and towering over fools
I'm better than anyone else out there trying to rap.
Your mic is broke and my shit's cool
My rhymes are on point, while others are struggling to keep up.
The black man with the understandin of
I'm a black man who understands a lot about the world.
The three wise men and the theories of Zen
I have knowledge of Eastern philosophy and other wisdom traditions.
Yo I get inside the crevice like a dentist
I'm able to get deep into things and explore them in detail.
Disrupt, the block, like Dennis, the Menace
I'm shaking things up and making an impact, like Dennis the Menace from the comic strip.
Shaheed is on the needle, the shit it won't weeble
Shaheed is working on the turntables, and the music is steady and strong.
or wobble, your rhymes is mixed up like Boggle
Your rapping is all over the place and doesn't make sense.
Bingo! That was the damn dog's name
Bingo is a dog's name, but I have other, more important things to talk about.
But yo I know another one with much more fame
I have other things to focus on, and I'm not concerned with the popularity of a dog's name.
The Phife Dawg, and that's my word to the cipher
Shout out to Phife Dawg, and I'm speaking truth to the hip-hop community.
About to bring it to your chest and cause strife check it out
I'm going to come at you hard and make an impact with my music.
You're doubling back, to your rhyming pad
You're not putting in the effort to come up with new material.
What I represent is MC's gone mad
I'm pushing the boundaries of what's possible in hip-hop, and that's making some people uncomfortable.
In a perfect world there's imperfect acts
Things aren't always going to be perfect, and that's okay.
We've come like a God to redirect alla that
As artists, we have the power to shape the culture and redirect it to something better.
So people with a gift can just flaunt and get money
If you're talented, you can use your talent to make a living and be successful.
So much, we in the bank that the shit ain't funny
We're making so much money that it's almost ridiculous.
Money is invested in real estate and stocks
We're smart with our money and investing it in things that will grow in value.
But not inside the glamour 'cause all of that stops
We're not interested in superficial things like fame and glamour, because that's not where the real value is.
Yo dis the Cons to the Quence
This is Consequence rapping with A Tribe Called Quest.
up in ya like a stiff one, knowhatImean?
We're getting in your face and making an impact, like an erect penis.
It's nine-five, you got to live it or rip it
It's 1995, and you have to make the most of it.
So if you step on the streets keep it movin, knowhatImean?
If you're out in the world, keep moving forward and making things happen.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: KAMAAL IBN JOHN FAREED
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Tate Buitrago
on Electric Relaxation
another of my dads