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)
Peace Prosperity & Paper
A Tribe Called Quest Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Is peace, prosperity and a little paper
Objects, they seem seem greater
But I'm sure we'll overcome when we illin' on the drum
All we want in this life
Is peace, prosperity and a little paper
Objects, they seem seem greater
But I'm sure we'll overcome when we illin' on the drum
We in a world that places heavy emphasis on money synthesis
Y'all can be my witnesses
That a fella fascination with money has grown
To the point that he will shit on his own
We got to have it, y'all, its not a Spike Lee cinematic
A piece of paper making niggas get dramatic
But the money doesn't come automatic
Gotta motivate ourselves to go and grab it (then go get it)
We got to get it, y'all, in an orderly fashion (uh, say word)
Some cats go about it with too much passion (uh)
We got to mediate our greedy levels (or what?)
'Cause the lust of currency can have us sleeping with the devil (true)
Gotta recognize it, realize the power
That this little motherf-ing piece of paper will devour (come on)
Man can be greater than the thing he creates
See, I'ma do my thing and see how much I can scrape
Yo, I'd rather have respect than money, no doubt
But listen to me, y'all, I want the mass amount
That the Sesame Street Dracula can't count
So that I can give my people when that thing surmounts
To higher levels of being, so when I'm MC-ing (what?)
I hope to see you there steady G-ing (say word)
But the only way we can truly reach that goal
Is finding true inner peace and prospering souls
It's like that (uh)
All we want in this life
Is peace, prosperity and a little paper (yeah, yeah)
Objects, they seem seem greater
But I'm sure we'll overcome when we illin' on the drum (Big Mu in the house)
All we want in this life (turn the party out)
Is peace, prosperity and a little paper (yeah, yeah)
Objects, they seem seem greater
But I'm sure we'll overcome when we illin' on the drum
Here comes your royal highness, one of Queens' finest
Believe me, honest, you know you can't stop it
Come on, son, never leave your mic 'round me
True MC, for real, ask my man, Shaheed
Strictly focused on what I'm in this rap game for
Not for fame and screwing every whore after whore
With all that AIDS stuff going 'round, tell me how that sound
Rather hit the studio and hear some beats that pound
Now, don't get me wrong, I love honeys galore
But see hip-hop's my bread and butter, 'cause that's what I get paid for
See this is what I wanted, Allah helped me to get it
And if the beat is wicked, you know Malik will rip it
From the bottom of my heart, that's where the love starts
The love for break dancing, my love for the art
And with this love, I do hip-hop from the soul
A real MC, who never sweats how many copies are sold
Yeah, I want to go gold, platinum, uh-huh, etcetera
But why put out some wackness when no one will respect ya
I'm staying true 'nough respect to those that paved the way
From Bambaata down to Shah, that be my DJ
Without my peeps I don't know how the hell I'd make it work
Sometimes I feel that my career is headed for the curb
One love for lending hand and giving all your help
Believing in me when I didn't believe in my own self
The Abstract with who I'm always making rugged tunes
Kid Hood resting in heaven, I hope to see you soon
I keep things hot and this year they're even hotter
Big Mu and Shah, one day, I'll take my shahada
Out
In "Peace Prosperity & Paper," A Tribe Called Quest addresses the universal desire for peace, prosperity, and financial success. They acknowledge that society often places a disproportionate emphasis on money, which can lead individuals to prioritize wealth over everything else, including their own integrity and values. The song critiques the obsession with money, highlighting its potential negative effects and urging listeners to find true inner peace and prosperity of the soul instead.
The lyrics emphasize the importance of self-motivation and perseverance in achieving financial success. The group acknowledges that money doesn't come automatically and requires effort to attain. They caution against becoming consumed by greed and materialism, as it can lead to detrimental consequences and compromised morals.
Throughout the song, A Tribe Called Quest expresses their love and dedication to hip-hop as their true passion and purpose, rather than pursuing fame or material gain. They value the art form and its ability to bring people together, emphasizing the importance of staying true to oneself and respecting those who paved the way.
Overall, "Peace Prosperity & Paper" is a reflection on the balance between material wealth and personal fulfillment, urging listeners to prioritize inner peace and meaningful connections over the pursuit of money.
Line by Line Meaning
All we want in this life
Our ultimate desires in life are simple and straightforward
Is peace, prosperity and a little paper
We seek contentment, financial stability, and material wealth to a reasonable extent
Objects, they seem seem greater
Material possessions may appear more important or valuable
But I'm sure we'll overcome when we illin' on the drum
Yet, we believe that through our passion for music and self-expression, we can overcome these desires
We in a world that places heavy emphasis on money synthesis
Our society places significant importance on accumulating wealth
Y'all can be my witnesses
I invite all of you to observe and acknowledge this fact
That a fella fascination with money has grown
The male fascination with money has intensified
To the point that he will shit on his own
To the extent that a man will betray himself for the sake of money
We got to have it, y'all, its not a Spike Lee cinematic
We feel an overwhelming need for money, it's not just a fictional portrayal like in a Spike Lee film
A piece of paper making niggas get dramatic
The power of money can cause people to behave excessively or dramatically
But the money doesn't come automatic
Acquiring money requires effort and motivation, it does not come easily
Gotta motivate ourselves to go and grab it (then go get it)
We need to find the drive within ourselves to pursue and attain financial success
We got to get it, y'all, in an orderly fashion (uh, say word)
We need to acquire money in a sensible and organized manner
Some cats go about it with too much passion (uh)
However, some individuals become excessively obsessed with acquiring money
We got to mediate our greedy levels (or what?)
We must find a balance and control our levels of greed
'Cause the lust of currency can have us sleeping with the devil (true)
Being fixated on money can lead us to engage in unethical or immoral actions
Gotta recognize it, realize the power
We must acknowledge and understand the influence and significance of money
That this little motherf-ing piece of paper will devour (come on)
We must recognize that money has the potential to consume us
Man can be greater than the thing he creates
We have the capacity to outshine and surpass our material possessions
See, I'ma do my thing and see how much I can scrape
I will pursue my own endeavors and determine how much success I can achieve
Yo, I'd rather have respect than money, no doubt
Personally, I value respect more than monetary wealth, without question
But listen to me, y'all, I want the mass amount
However, I still desire a substantial amount of money
That the Sesame Street Dracula can't count
A quantity of money that is so large that even a fictional character like the Sesame Street Dracula cannot accurately count
So that I can give my people when that thing surmounts
With that wealth, I can provide for my community when it becomes abundant
To higher levels of being, so when I'm MC-ing (what?)
To elevate ourselves spiritually, allowing me to excel as an MC
I hope to see you there steady G-ing (say word)
I aspire to witness all of you experiencing personal growth and remaining true to yourselves
But the only way we can truly reach that goal
However, the only path to achieving this aspiration
Is finding true inner peace and prospering souls
Involves discovering genuine inner tranquility and nurturing our souls to thrive
Here comes your royal highness, one of Queens' finest
Now, I am introducing myself, a highly regarded and talented individual from Queens
Believe me, honest, you know you can't stop it
Have faith in me, because you cannot impede my progress
Come on, son, never leave your mic 'round me
Never abandon your microphone in my presence
True MC, for real, ask my man, Shaheed
I am an authentic and genuine MC, as confirmed by my associate, Shaheed
Strictly focused on what I'm in this rap game for
I am entirely dedicated to my purpose in the rap industry
Not for fame and screwing every whore after whore
My motivation stems from a desire for artistic success, not for seeking fame and engaging in promiscuous behavior
With all that AIDS stuff going 'round, tell me how that sound
Considering the prevalence of AIDS, think about the consequences of such actions
Rather hit the studio and hear some beats that pound
I prefer spending my time working in the studio, creating music with powerful beats
Now, don't get me wrong, I love honeys galore
Please don't misunderstand, I indeed appreciate the presence of countless attractive women
But see hip-hop's my bread and butter, 'cause that's what I get paid for
However, hip-hop is my primary source of income, as it is what I am compensated for
See this is what I wanted, Allah helped me to get it
This is precisely what I desired, and I believe that Allah assisted me in achieving it
And if the beat is wicked, you know Malik will rip it
Furthermore, if the instrumental is exceptionally good, I, Malik, will deliver an outstanding performance
From the bottom of my heart, that's where the love starts
My deep affection for hip-hop originates from the depths of my heart
The love for break dancing, my love for the art
I cherish break dancing and truly love the art of hip-hop
And with this love, I do hip-hop from the soul
Drawing upon this passion, I express myself in hip-hop with genuine sincerity
A real MC, who never sweats how many copies are sold
I am an authentic MC who does not concern myself with the commercial success of my music
Yeah, I want to go gold, platinum, uh-huh, etcetera
Undoubtedly, I aspire to achieve gold and platinum record certifications, and so forth
But why put out some wackness when no one will respect ya
However, why release mediocre music that nobody will appreciate or honor
I'm staying true 'nough respect to those that paved the way
I remain loyal and show great respect to those who laid the foundation for hip-hop
From Bambaata down to Shah, that be my DJ
From Afrika Bambaataa to DJ Shah, they are my DJs and mentors
Without my peeps I don't know how the hell I'd make it work
If it weren't for my close friends and support network, I wouldn't know how to succeed
Sometimes I feel that my career is headed for the curb
Occasionally, I worry that my career is on the verge of failure
One love for lending hand and giving all your help
I express immense gratitude and appreciation to those who have assisted and supported me
Believing in me when I didn't believe in my own self
They had faith in me during times when I lacked self-confidence
The Abstract with who I'm always making rugged tunes
I, the Abstract (referring to himself), consistently create raw and powerful music
Kid Hood resting in heaven, I hope to see you soon
Kid Hood, who has passed away, is now at peace in heaven, and I look forward to reuniting with him in the afterlife
I keep things hot and this year they're even hotter
I maintain a high level of quality and intensity in my music, and this year it is even more exceptional
Big Mu and Shah, one day, I'll take my shahada
Alongside Big Mu and Shah, I plan to proclaim my shahada (declaration of faith) in the future
Out
End of the song
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Ali Shaheed Jones-Muhammad, Kamaal Ibn John Fareed, Malik Izaak Taylor
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Tate Buitrago
on Electric Relaxation
another of my dads