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)
Its Yours
A Tribe Called Quest Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Commentatin', you illustratin,
All the beautiful things that a baller can go for
But I'm not that, I don't like to floss
If you need me in your universe, listen it's yours
Uhuh uh uh...
And it's yours
[Chorus:]
Do you want this? Yea
Well if you had it would you flaunt this? Hell yea
Well it's yours
Talkin to a player who's already played can
Soon lead to boredom and your feelings just may fade
Never be intrigued by the young boy face
Look inside me love you see I got wild taste
I don't really know but
Somebody said that
A high-priced girl can really lay in your head
I don't know
If it's true now, I leave it up to you
Queenstyle, uh, well it's yours
Your style plus angle done up with finesse
Is rubbing you right and I hope you don't
Fess
Now it's time, to introduce
Myself as Tip so cut the other cats loose
Listen, I hope you're diggin this tune
Cause when I get you in a room I'm gonna make you swoon
A B S T are A C T
Usually the reason why a lady wants me
She write down her number, I make impact
Which only occurs, if the club ain't packed
So??? Come on, stop whilin, I got it all fixed
Just listen to the mix to the mix.....
Break down yall, break it down (x4)
To da beat, to da beat....
Ali, ali, ali.....
Common talk, deserves a walk,
While I sit in a range
Everything he says to you from now on
Since talkin to me, it all seems strange
Definitely
You will agree
Just let your mind be free
Relax yourself, I got you now
Yo, this is the place to be
What what what.....
Romance uh, Romance uh, Romance uh
A cracker jack joint to put on your ring finger
When you're all alone thoughts of us still linger
Once the picture is finished, the music ain't done
The difference is the memories, we had fun
Cause they'll be plenty of nights, that we can excite
No other could be me because I shoot the G right
Frid up some??? With the collard green special
It's my crib, I'm Fred and you're Ethel
Massage your head up with a temple rub
While we cool and make love to a???? Dub
It's deeper than the tangible I want in
Can't you see it in my eyes, it's yours, it's no surprise
So we takin you back yo
And we illin on the track yo
On the dance floor never ever lie
Here we go one more time uh
Chorus
The song "It's Yours" by A Tribe Called Quest is about a man who is illustrating all the beautiful things that a baller can go for while also conversing with a woman about his wild taste. He tells her that her style & angle is done up with finesse and rubs her in the right way. He doesn't like to floss as he is not that type of guy. He says if she needs him in her universe, listen it's yours. The chorus asks if the listener likes it, wants it, and if they had it, would they flaunt it. He talks about how one should never be bored by talking to an experienced person and how a high-priced girl can really lay in one's head. He leaves it up to her to decide if it's true or not. He introduces himself as Tip and invites her to listen to the tune and enjoy it. He talks about how he usually makes an impact wherever he goes, and the ladies want him. He also talks about how he has everything fixed and invites her to relax and enjoy herself. He wants her to know that it's deeper than the tangible and it's no surprise that it's hers.
Line by Line Meaning
And it's yours
I am giving it to you
Commentatin', you illustratin, All the beautiful things that a baller can go for
I can describe all the luxurious things a successful person can have
But I'm not that, I don't like to floss
But I don't like to show off my wealth
If you need me in your universe, listen it's yours
If you want me to be a part of your life, I am yours
Do you like this? Yea Do you want this? Yea Well if you had it would you flaunt this? Hell yea Well it's yours
If you like and want something, and even if you want to brag about it, it is still yours
Talkin to a player who's already played can Soon lead to boredom and your feelings just may fade Never be intrigued by the young boy face Look inside me love you see I got wild taste
Talking to an experienced person can be dull and monotonous, and attraction to a guy based on age should be avoided. But if you look inside me, you will find a person with varied interests.
I don't really know but Somebody said that A high-priced girl can really lay in your head I don't know If it's true now, I leave it up to you Queenstyle, uh, well it's yours
Someone said that an expensive woman can be unforgettable in bed. I do not know if this is true, but if you want to try it out, it is up to you.
Your style plus angle done up with finesse Is rubbing you right and I hope you don't Fess Now it's time, to introduce Myself as Tip so cut the other cats loose
The way you carry yourself with elegance is attractive and I hope you don't deny it. It's time to let you know that my name is Tip and you should leave other guys and stick with me.
Listen, I hope you're diggin this tune Cause when I get you in a room I'm gonna make you swoon A B S T are A C T Usually the reason why a lady wants me She write down her number, I make impact Which only occurs, if the club ain't packed So??? Come on, stop whilin, I got it all fixed Just listen to the mix to the mix.....
I hope you are enjoying this music, and when we are alone, I will make you feel excited. My name has four letters that make ladies want me, and I make an impression on them when the club is not crowded. So, stop being hesitant, I have everything under control. Just listen to the music.
Common talk, deserves a walk, While I sit in a range Everything he says to you from now on Since talkin to me, it all seems strange Definitely You will agree Just let your mind be free Relax yourself, I got you now Yo, this is the place to be What what what.....
The guy who spoke to you earlier deserves to be ignored, and I am sitting in a Range Rover. Everything he says to you will sound strange now that you have talked to me. Surely, you will agree that you should let yourself relax because you are with me now. This is the best place for you to be.
A cracker jack joint to put on your ring finger When you're all alone thoughts of us still linger Once the picture is finished, the music ain't done The difference is the memories, we had fun Cause they'll be plenty of nights, that we can excite No other could be me because I shoot the G right Frid up some??? With the collard green special It's my crib, I'm Fred and you're Ethel Massage your head up with a temple rub While we cool and make love to a???? Dub
This is a special relationship that is worthy of a ring. You will think about me when you are lonely. Once the moment is over, we will have good memories. We can have many exciting nights, as I know how to please. We will have some food with a special dish. My place is your place, and I will take care of you. We can relax and do some massage with a temple rub while making love to chill music.
It's deeper than the tangible I want in Can't you see it in my eyes, it's yours, it's no surprise So we takin you back yo And we illin on the track yo On the dance floor never ever lie Here we go one more time uh
I want more than just material things. You can see in my eyes that my feelings are for you, and it is not surprising. Let me take you back, and we will have a great time together. We will have fun dancing and never be fake. Let's do this one more time.
Contributed by Alice N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
DRJesusJuice
Just when I think I've heard every tribe song I hear something like this and it makes my day
Erika Johnson
There equivalent to water; they flow.
C-JayyTheDJ
its from the "The Lost Tribes" album, its a compilation full of hot tracks
Sonja DeJesus
I can't believe there's a Tribe song that I haven't heard!
Rahsaan Brown
It was from a Jive Records compilation called Jive's Unreleased Masters (1998). It has this track and a few remixes from R.Kelly(Gotham City Remix), Joe, E-40 and a few other artists. The proceeds went to charity. Amazon still has a copy.
Jeff L.
Originally performed by T La Rock as @streetdisciple987 said below :)
BlueKaiTheEnd
been listening to tribe for a long time and i've never heard this before.
DaQuan Timberlake
This is my new favorite song, thumbs up if It's Yours
stanis3k
where are all these rare quest tracks coming from?
JOLEW
It's so Good !! I'm french, I love it !