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)
Movin Backwards
A Tribe Called Quest Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A-fixed to the earth like my feet they got cleats on
Moving backwards never, that was never the plan
Pushing shit along, render stillness in the quick sand
Asphalt jumpin', junkie lyrical, concrete
My Jedi mind be moving me through the many dark streets
Backwoods, boondocks, whatever terrain
Auf wiedersehen, aloha, man, our feet ain't the same
Then trudging through these motherfuckers first album footprinting
Never ever ghostwritten, yo shit free, bitten
Grab my shit with both hands
Iron grip, steel mitten
And bloviated Jarobi ate it, and now it's gone
Closed mouths don't get fed or move ahead to my hustlers with customers
Scam my chicks just being petty
Trap lords with the fetty, don't be no backwards, no
No backward ass nigga, don't be no backwards, no
No backward ass nigga, don't be no backwards, no
Don't do it, nigga
I spun around without a care, when I stopped, I felt lost
I'm two heels from the top tier, I really want to be boss
I figured out, I figured it out somewhere
Maybe the answer's not up there
Maybe it's on the ground somewhere
When I stopped, I felt lost
Do you ever feel lost?
They wanna see my downfall
Turn a good day into a downpour
Thorns in the crown and the cross I bear
Why they wanna see me hangin' like a towel somewhere
One eye, two bills, three tears, a heart still
How I'm feelin' in my mind right here
I think I'm moving but I'm going nowhere, nowhere
Lately I feel lost, yeah
How I'm supposed to know how home feels, I ain't even on my home field
Yeah nigga I feel lost
Was not a cruise that brought us here
Yeah, again I feel lost
And I refuse to be stuck right here yeah
I don't want to move backwards, and oh
Can somebody just give me, can somebody just give me, can somebody just give direction?
I don't want to move backwards, no
Can somebody just give me, can somebody just give me, can somebody just give direction?
Can't go back, I don't want to move backwards
Moving backwards never, that was never the plan
Can I vent? I was content being my own man
Up until that night, ill fated, walking home, I was faded
Po puts braces on my wrist like he was clapping his hands
How demeaning y'all, who could be blind to racism
Bring bro bro to me for the brotherly baptism
Instead of slaps give 'em, the dose of Ab wisdom
He'll make it out of the jungle some way
Hey, it's figurative, it's not a real place you stay
Ay, it's mind state, feel with muck and malaise uh
I got direction without using Waze, mm
Submitting myself to praying these days
Yeah, moonbacking backwards, it's only for stage
Feds lining up, we're right here
And everybody's hands in the air
Four-fives so get your ass found somewhere
Caught between hope and despair
Say it loud, when it take to make my niggas listen
(Somebody just me, somebody just give me, somebody just give me)
Cool out, chill out nigga, I'm cool
Cool out nigga, nah, nigga I'm through
Head down, ain't no tellin' what you gon' do
(Somebody just me, somebody just give me, somebody just give me directions)
I don't want to move backwards, and oh
Cops, killing us niggas everywhere, maybe we should get some guns too
She come around every now and a few
Man I hope she really loves you
Living high ain't hard to do
She'll be in the clouds somewhere
Feeling fresh, I'll snatch your bitches out of here
Might even take your broad too
Oops, I'm 'bout to get kicked out here
Tell mama I'mma slide through, yeah
Still I, I'm trying to get out of here, but stuck in the same room
Too many open miles in here, sick of eating out at drive through
The lyrics in A Tribe Called Quest's song Movin Backwards reflect ideas of facing challenges and feeling lost in life. The opening lines express a desire for the artist's style of rap to live on and their determination to make progress and not move backwards. The song's chorus asks for direction and expresses a fear of moving backwards. The second verse describes feeling lost and wanting to be the boss, not wanting to move backwards. The third verse refers to racial issues and the necessity of navigating difficult situations. The song concludes with a repeated chorus, describing the difficulty of leaving a certain place.
The lyrics of the song are similar to themes present throughout A Tribe Called Quest's discography, which reflect on African American experiences and encourage continued progress despite oppression. The song features a guest appearance by rapper and singer Anderson .Paak, who also contributes backing vocals to the chorus.
Line by Line Meaning
I hope my legendary style of rap lives on
I aspire for my unique rap style to continue to exist and be remembered.
A-fixed to the earth like my feet they got cleats on
I am firmly planted on the ground, like my feet have spikes digging into the earth.
Moving backwards never, that was never the plan
I never intended to move in a direction opposite to progress or success.
Pushing shit along, render stillness in the quick sand
I am making slow and steady progress, but it feels like I'm stuck in quicksand.
Asphalt jumpin', junkie lyrical, concrete
I navigate through the city streets with ease, even though the concrete can be rough and the lyrics I write are influenced by the city and its energy.
My Jedi mind be moving me through the many dark streets
My strong willpower and determination motivate me to overcome challenges and move forward, even in the midst of adversity and danger.
Backwoods, boondocks, whatever terrain
I can adapt to any environment or situation, whether it's the countryside or the city.
Auf wiedersehen, aloha, man, our feet ain't the same
Farewell and goodbye, because we're not alike, and we're not walking the same path.
I won't abuse these shoes these shoes ain't made for reversing
I won't waste my efforts going backward, because my path is forward and my shoes are not meant for going backward.
Then trudging through these motherfuckers first album footprinting
I am making my mark in the industry, and my first album is evidence of my journey and progress.
Never ever ghostwritten, yo shit free, bitten
I write all of my lyrics and never have used ghostwriters. Your rhymes are cheap imitations of mine.
Grab my shit with both hands, iron grip, steel mitten
I approach my life and career with a strong determination and firm grasp, like a mitten made of steel.
And bloviated Jarobi ate it, and now it's gone
My former bandmate, Jarobi, was overconfident and consumed a lot of opportunities, and now those opportunities are lost.
Closed mouths don't get fed or move ahead to my hustlers with customers
If you don't speak up or put in work, you won't progress or succeed. This is especially directed towards my hard-working fans with clients or customers.
Scam my chicks just being petty
I won't engage in cheating or scamming to get ahead, even if it seems like a small or insignificant act of dishonesty.
Trap lords with the fetty, don't be no backwards, no
Drug dealers who are making money (fetty) don't want to move backwards or lose their progress and income.
Don't do it, nigga
Don't move backward or engage in any behavior that will hinder your progress and success.
I spun around without a care, when I stopped, I felt lost
I acted impulsively without thinking of the consequences, and now I'm unsure of what direction to take.
I'm two heels from the top tier, I really want to be boss
I'm close to reaching the peak of my profession and want to be in a position of authority and success.
I figured out, I figured it out somewhere
I know the solution or path to success exists, I just need to find it.
Maybe the answer's not up there
Perhaps the solution is not in a position of power but elsewhere.
Maybe it's on the ground somewhere
I might find the answer or solution by being grounded and humble.
They wanna see my downfall
There are people who want me to fail or lose my success.
Turn a good day into a downpour
These people want to rain on my parade and ruin my good days and moments.
Thorns in the crown and the cross I bear
I carry the burden and challenges of my success like thorns in a crown or cross.
Why they wanna see me hangin' like a towel somewhere
Why do they want to see me give up or fail, like a towel hanging after being used?
One eye, two bills, three tears, a heart still
I've been through a lot of trauma and pain, but my heart and willpower are still strong.
How I'm feelin' in my mind right here
I'm feeling a lot of emotions and thoughts, which affects my wellbeing and mentality.
I think I'm moving but I'm going nowhere, nowhere
I feel like I'm making progress, but it's not leading me in the right direction.
Lately I feel lost, yeah
I've been feeling uncertain and unsure of my direction or purpose.
How I'm supposed to know how home feels, I ain't even on my home field
I don't know how to feel comfortable or at home because I'm not in my familiar environment.
Feds lining up, we're right here
The authorities are targeting us, but we're not backing down.
And everybody's hands in the air
We're being forced to be submissive and surrender to the authorities.
Four-fives so get your ass found somewhere
If you're not careful, you'll get caught by the authorities or hurt.
Caught between hope and despair
I'm stuck between wanting to hope for a better outcome and feeling despair about my situation.
Say it loud, when it take to make my niggas listen
I'm speaking up and making a statement so that my people can hear and pay attention.
Cool out, chill out nigga, I'm cool
Relax and calm down, because I'm fine and under control.
Cool out nigga, nah, nigga I'm through
Don't tell me to calm down, because I'm done and ready to move on from this situation.
Head down, ain't no tellin' what you gon' do
If you don't pay attention and stay focused, you might make a mistake or do something unpredictable.
Cops, killing us niggas everywhere, maybe we should get some guns too
The police are killing my people without consequences, so maybe we should retaliate and arm ourselves as well.
She come around every now and a few
She only shows up every once in a while, randomly.
Man I hope she really loves you
I hope she genuinely loves you and isn't using you for other reasons.
Living high ain't hard to do
It's easy to live a luxurious lifestyle if you have money and resources.
She'll be in the clouds somewhere
She'll be living in luxury and extravagance, up high in the clouds.
Feeling fresh, I'll snatch your bitches out of here
I'm feeling confident and will easily take away your significant other or girlfriend.
Might even take your broad too
I might even take away your female companion, just to prove my dominance.
Oops, I'm 'bout to get kicked out here
Uh oh, I might be kicked out or removed from this situation or place for my behavior.
Tell mama I'mma slide through, yeah
Tell my mother that I will visit her soon or make an appearance.
Still I, I'm trying to get out of here, but stuck in the same room
I'm still trying to leave or move on from my current situation, but feel trapped and unable to escape.
Too many open miles in here, sick of eating out at drive through
There are too many distractions and opportunities here, and I'm tired of settling for fast food and quick solutions.
Submitting myself to praying these days
I'm dedicating myself to prayer and relying on faith to help me through tough times.
Yeah, moonbacking backwards, it's only for stage
Moving backward is only acceptable or necessary for the purpose of performing on stage or in a show.
Lyrics © Ultra Tunes, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BRANDON PAAK ANDERSON, KAMAAL IBN JOHN FAREED, DEXTER MILLS, JAROBI WHITE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Tate Buitrago
on Electric Relaxation
another of my dads