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)
Mr. Muhammad
A Tribe Called Quest Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Issued rhythms that are on the rise
Step right up, with an opened circuit
Get this current, don't you know it's worth it?
Presented with tribe's intricacy
Compared, don't you know? Vibe electricity
Strong like a bomb, quick like a comet
Can I get whatever from Mr. Muhammad?
If Muhammad has the breaks, who will have the backs?
Bodies set it up all flow to rhythm stack
Okay, I see my brother, (huh,) you know what we can do?
Cruise with the rhythms, Shaheed will lead us too
Posin' with the hotties, (huh) harder than the hard
Still, Muhammad plays with a full deck of cards
The tribe's stuff is present, (yeah,) established with the beat
We roll around on wheels, (huh) or utilise the feet
Go and keep progressin', (huh) egos of the tribe
If we have to swing it, we won't take a dive
Comprende my compadre? (Yeah) Kid you want some more?
Muhammad push the button, (huh) sample sing the score
Brothers try to pose, up with the tribesmen
Rhythm on your toes, yes, it's the funk again
Appreciate the flow, denounce the circuit breakers
Do it with the best, the movers and the shakers
Bustin' out your heap, my vehicle
Burnin' up the felts rhythm's up to me
It will be strong like a bomb, quick like a comet
Can I get a whatever from Mr. Muhammad?
Sitting on the dock, (huh) fin' to make a wish
Muhammad, oh Muhammad, (huh) damn you're quite a dish
Fondling the groove, (groove) with the mystic sense
Honies, won't you try? (Huh) They push you in the tents
But I don't give a damn, (word) rhythms make you swing
If you don't like it, (no) you can pucker up
You listenin', Mr. Quayle? (Yeah) If you're hiding, just give up
I'm a rhythm monster, (wild) who's out on a prowl
Muhammad gives a hoot, (hoot) like Woodsy the owl
Comprende my compadre? (uh huh) Kid you want some more?
Muhammad, push the button sample sing the score
The verses in the song "Mr. Muhammad" by A Tribe Called Quest talks about the soulful, groovy rhythm and how it electrifies the listener's emotions. The lines "Dip, dip, dive, to the socialized, Issued rhythms that are on the rise" invite the listener to get lost in the rhythm and step to the beats. The reference to Mr. Muhammad in the lyrics alludes to the iconic boxer, Muhammad Ali, who was also known to be a vocal advocate of black pride and civil rights activism. The line "If Muhammad has the breaks, who will have the backs?" suggests that since Muhammad Ali is a symbol of black pride and activism, the question is who will continue to fight for the community if he is gone?
In the second half of the song, the verses explore the idea of the lover of the rhythm as a "rhythm monster" and seeks to convince listeners to let go of their inhibitions and immerse themselves in the beat. The lines "Sitting on the dock, (huh) fin' to make a wish, Muhammad, oh Muhammad, (huh) damn you're quite a dish" can be interpreted as an expression of admiration for the rhythm and how it makes the listener feel. The song creates a vivid picture of a vibrant and joyful community that finds solace in music, rhythm, and dance, standing up for its beliefs.
Line by Line Meaning
Dip, dip, dive, to the socialized
Let's get into the groove and dance to the beats
Issued rhythms that are on the rise
We're creating fresh new music that's gaining popularity
Step right up, with an opened circuit
Come and join the party, let yourself open up and have fun
Get this current, don't you know it's worth it?
Feel the energy of the music, it's worth embracing and enjoying
Presented with tribe's intricacy
Our music is complex and thoughtfully created by our tribe
Compared, don't you know? Vibe electricity
Our music's energy and vibe is incomparable to other artists
Strong like a bomb, quick like a comet
Our music is powerful and mesmerizing
Can I get whatever from Mr. Muhammad?
Can Muhammad give us the beats and samples we need to create our music?
If Muhammad has the breaks, who will have the backs?
If Muhammad provides the beats and samples, who will support us and back us up?
Bodies set it up all flow to rhythm stack
We'll create a flow with our bodies that's in sync with the music
Okay, I see my brother, (huh,) you know what we can do?
Let's work together, we can come up with something great
Cruise with the rhythms, Shaheed will lead us too
Let's move to the beats and let Shaheed guide us
Posin' with the hotties, (huh) harder than the hard
We'll show off our moves with attractive people, making it look easy
Still, Muhammad plays with a full deck of cards
Muhammad has all the beats and samples at his fingertips
The tribe's stuff is present, (yeah,) established with the beat
Our tribe's music is present and well known, with strong beats
We roll around on wheels, (huh) or utilise the feet
We can dance or skate to our music, using our feet to move to the beat
Go and keep progressin', (huh) egos of the tribe
Let's keep moving forward and improving, without letting our egos get in the way
If we have to swing it, we won't take a dive
We won't give up or back down, we'll keep moving and dancing
Comprende my compadre? (Yeah) Kid you want some more?
Do you understand what I'm saying? Do you want to hear more of our music?
Muhammad push the button, (huh) sample sing the score
Muhammad, give us the beats and samples we need to make our music
Brothers try to pose, up with the tribesmen
Other artists try to copy our style and pose as part of our tribe
Rhythm on your toes, yes, it's the funk again
Our music will make you move your toes, it's the funky rhythm
Appreciate the flow, denounce the circuit breakers
Enjoy the flow of our music, don't let anything interrupt or stop it
Do it with the best, the movers and the shakers
Dance and move to our music with the best energy and enthusiasm
Bustin' out your heap, my vehicle
I'm driving and dancing in my car, with our music blasting
Burnin' up the felts rhythm's up to me
I'm heating up the dance floor, our music is inspiring me to move
Sitting on the dock, (huh) fin' to make a wish
I'm sitting by the water, about to make a wish
Muhammad, oh Muhammad, (huh) damn you're quite a dish
Muhammad, you're so talented and desirable
Fondling the groove, (groove) with the mystic sense
We're deeply feeling and connecting with our music
Honies, won't you try? (Huh) They push you in the tents
Ladies, come and join us and be a part of our tribe and dance community
But I don't give a damn, (word) rhythms make you swing
I don't care what anyone thinks, our music will make you move and dance
If you don't like it, (no) you can pucker up
If you don't like our music, you can go find something else to listen to
You listenin', Mr. Quayle? (Yeah) If you're hiding, just give up
Are you paying attention, Mr. Quayle? Stop hiding and admit that our music is great
I'm a rhythm monster, (wild) who's out on a prowl
I'm a wild and enthusiastic dancer, seeking out good music to move to
Muhammad gives a hoot, (hoot) like Woodsy the owl
Muhammad cares about our music and takes pride in it, like Woodsy the owl
Comprende my compadre? (uh huh) Kid you want some more?
Do you understand me, my friend? Do you want to hear more of our music?
Muhammad, push the button sample sing the score
Muhammad, give us the beats and samples we need to create our music and make it great
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Kamaal Ibn John Fareed, Ali Shaheed Jones-Muhammad, Maurice White
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Tate Buitrago
on Electric Relaxation
another of my dads