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)
His Name Is Mutty Ranks
A Tribe Called Quest Lyrics
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You know what live and direct mean?
Live and direct, come!
Yeah yeah, yeah yeah, yeah yeah, how you be, how you be?
From New York to A-T-Aliens, you know what I'm saying?
Word up, do it like this
Word up word up, do it like that
Unless you're in the studio doing wack shit
Yo check it
Boom batta, watch your teeth shatter
All that shit you pop in your jams, it won't matter
Bust your whole grill, now watch that joint shatter
I'm the Captain of the ship, FUCK a William Shatner
Emcees be popping shit when they squeezing they cake batter
Claiming they style be fat, but guess whose style is fatter?
The ill beat jacker, emcee attacker
Fucking with the Diggy it don't, get no blacker
Malik is Zach Taylor, ey the stress reliever
Brown eyed shorty, chocolate like Godiva
Fuck what you heard I'll make YOU a believer
Me getting burnt, that's like a white girl named Shareema
You never see her, cause she's the black like Sarafina
Set shit off like Monifah, nickel like Khadija
So girls with fat asses and tits, nice to meet ya
Do five plus five equals ten? Ask your teacher
For God so loved the world he said Phife, ask your preacher
Love to toot my own Horne, similar to Lena
Before I take stage, I take sips of Aquefina
Fucked Judy Jetson now they call me Jet Screamer
Love my coffee dark so you can keep your dairy creamer
Tribe falling off well you'se a got damn dreamer
You know what I mean?
A word up a word up a word up a word up yo
Have you heard the one make the crowd rock?
Tribe Called Quest we haffa do it non-stop
Listen to the radio we're never going pop cause
ya nah ready for dis yet, boy!
Say ya nah ready, say ya nah ready
Say ya nah ready for dis yet, boy!
Say ya nah ready, say ya nah ready
Say ya nah ready for dis yet, boy!
And we out like that, fuck that
The song "His Name Is Mutty Ranks" by A Tribe Called Quest is a classic hip-hop track that showcases the lyrical prowess of Q-Tip and Phife Dawg. The song features a catchy hook and a memorable beat that keeps listeners engaged throughout. The lyrics themselves are filled with references to New York City, as well as various pop culture figures and celebrities.
One of the standout lines in the song is "I'm the Captain of the ship, FUCK a William Shatner" which is a clever play on words that references Star Trek actor William Shatner. Q-Tip is using this line to declare himself as the leader of the hip-hop world, confident and in control. The line "Tribe falling off well you'se a got damn dreamer" is another example of Q-Tip asserting his dominance, as he dismisses any claims that the group is losing their edge.
Phife Dawg also shines on this track, with his trademark flow and witty wordplay. Lines such as "Me getting burnt, that's like a white girl named Shareema" and "Set shit off like Monifah, nickel like Khadija" showcase his ability to weave pop culture references into his lyrics. Overall, "His Name Is Mutty Ranks" is a classic hip-hop track that showcases the talent and creativity of A Tribe Called Quest.
Line by Line Meaning
Live and direct, live and direct!
We're performing live directly in front of you, no pre-recording.
You know what live and direct mean?
Do you understand the significance and authenticity of live performance?
From New York to A-T-Aliens, you know what I'm saying?
Our influence and reach is across the country, from New York City to Atlanta.
Word up, do it like this
Listen up, let us show you how it's done.
Word up word up, do it like that
Listen closely, because this is how it's done.
And you don't stop, and you don't quit
We will keep going no matter what happens, not giving up.
Unless you're in the studio doing wack shit
We won't stop unless we're making terrible music in the studio.
Boom batta, watch your teeth shatter
My raps are explosive and powerful, beware of their impact.
All that shit you pop in your jams, it won't matter
The superficial aspects of other artists' music won't stand up to our own.
Bust your whole grill, now watch that joint shatter
If you disagree with us, we'll take you down and break your pride.
I'm the Captain of the ship, FUCK a William Shatner
I'm in charge here, and I don't need any help from the traditional captain.
Emcees be popping shit when they squeezing they cake batter
Other rappers act tough when they're not really doing anything impressive.
Claiming they style be fat, but guess whose style is fatter?
Other rappers are bragging about their skill, but ours is even better.
The ill beat jacker, emcee attacker
We steal beats and we take down other rappers.
Fucking with the Diggy it don't, get no blacker
If you challenge us, you won't find anyone any better than us.
Malik is Zach Taylor, ey the stress reliever
My name is Malik and I'm a stress reliever, much like a character named Zach Taylor.
Brown eyed shorty, chocolate like Godiva
I'm a young, attractive man with brown eyes and dark skin.
Fuck what you heard I'll make YOU a believer
Disregard any rumors or doubts, because I'll prove myself to you.
Me getting burnt, that's like a white girl named Shareema
It's unlikely and unexpected for me to fail, just like it's unlikely for a white woman to be named Shareema.
You never see her, cause she's the black like Sarafina
You never see someone like Sarafina, because she's one-of-a-kind and unique.
Set shit off like Monifah, nickel like Khadija
We start things off with a bang, much like the musician Monifah. We have grit and are unbreakable, much like Khadija, a character from the show Living Single.
So girls with fat asses and tits, nice to meet ya
We appreciate and welcome women with curvy bodies.
Do five plus five equals ten? Ask your teacher
The answer is obvious, so ask someone who would know it - a teacher.
For God so loved the world he said Phife, ask your preacher
God loves everyone, including me (Phife). Ask a religious leader or preacher for verification.
Love to toot my own Horne, similar to Lena
I'm proud of my own art, much like a musician named Lena Horne.
Before I take stage, I take sips of Aquefina
Before performing, I hydrate with bottled water brand Aquefina.
Fucked Judy Jetson now they call me Jet Screamer
I engaged in sexual activity with a character from the cartoon The Jetsons and am now known as Jet Screamer.
Love my coffee dark so you can keep your dairy creamer
I prefer my coffee to be strong and dark and thus do not need any cream.
Tribe falling off well you'se a got damn dreamer
Anyone who thinks our group is losing popularity or skill is delusional.
Have you heard the one make the crowd rock?
Have you heard our music that makes everyone move and enjoy themselves?
Tribe Called Quest we haffa do it non-stop
Our group is called A Tribe Called Quest and we won't stop creating music.
Listen to the radio we're never going pop cause
Our sound is unique and will not become too mainstream for radio play.
ya nah ready for dis yet, boy!
You aren't prepared for this level of excellence, my friend.
Say ya nah ready, say ya nah ready
Admit that you aren't ready for our greatness yet.
And we out like that, fuck that
We're done with this performance and we're confident in our skill level.
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
Tate Buitrago
on Electric Relaxation
another of my dads