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)
Phony Rappers
A Tribe Called Quest Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Phony rappers who do not excite
Phony rappers, check it out, aight
Yo, I was riding the train
And this Puerto Rican kid said simple and plain
Let's battle - it kinda took me by surprise
Cuz the brother was moving wit his eyes on the prize
But I got to do this shit real quick so um
Hurry up kid, bust your joints and then I'll bust mine
And I be out cuz I got to see this hottie, he said ok
Now check it, check it out, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, that's what he said
Then I came back and just fucked up his head
Cuz yo, he thought an MC who was seen on TV
Couldn't hold the shit down in New York City
Aiyyo, I showed his ass, then I went off on my task
To bless her ass Uptown, real MC's will hold it down
Yea, yea, sonny, to the beat like that
You wanna bring it to me, where you at
Yes, dread, I had a similiar situation
When this kid tried to tell me I didn't deserve my occupation
He said I wasn't shit that I was soon to fall
I looked him up and down, grab my crotch and said balls
Of course he tried to bring it on the battling tip
Ay, you know me, you know I had to come out my shit
Trying to lounge at the mall, meet Skef and Mr Walton
Finally I banged his ass wit the verbal assault
He said a rhyme about his .45 and his nickelbags of weed
That's when I preceeded to give him what he needed
Talking 'bout I need a Phillie right before I get loose
Poor excuse, money please, I get loose off of orange juice
Preferly Minute Maid cuz that's exactly what it takes
To write a rhyme, huh, to school your nickels and your dimes
Because an MC like me be on TV
Don't mean I can't hold my shit down in NYC
Phony rappers who do not write
Phony rappers who do not excite
Phony rappers, you know they type
Phony rappers, check it
It seems there's a sanitation, y'all full of thrash talker
Sounding good but money can you feed the dog hawker
Talking 'bout your mic days and your breakdancing
Not enhancing, you sound tired
Oh, shit, I didn't know you like to play yourself in front'cha friends
Sitting there, lying to no end
MC's for me make things happening
Talk about a world but in a form of rapping
Who will be the captain of this ship
If it goes down, don't you know you have to go wit it
Just because you rhyme for a couple of weeks
Doesn't mean that you've reach the MC's peak
Let me stop sounding all bitter
Ghetto child, never be a quitter
But don't be a phony in the litter
Take it as a letter from the better
Take it from a man who used to rhyme in busted ass Jettas
Yo, Phife, you need a condom
Word to God, mess around
catch AIDS from MC's being on my nuts too hard
Cuz on my blvd you better bring your bodyguard
And what's your blvd
LP, I represent naturally
So don't step on the rolly if you know that you're phony
Or else I bend that ass like elbow macaroni
Cuz I gotta keep it real (gotta keep it real)
A Tribe Called Quest, you see we never half step
(So on your mark) get ready, MC's be jetti
Me and Phifey be on ya like Veronica and Betty
Archie, Jughead, snuffing Mc's
From Brainslane down to Hempstead
Yes 'Quence, see over
His rhyme style is older that a Chrysler Cordoba
I'm wilder then the cats from Arizona
Villanova, un, un, Kentucky
Whos' the next MC stepping up to try and bust me
Bring him here and boy, will I ever let him have it
And when it comes to the microphone, don't even try to grab it
What?
The lyrics of this song are essentially a commentary on the rise of phony rappers, or those who do not write their own lyrics and cannot naturally excite or impress an audience. The verses describe situations where the artists were challenged to battle or prove themselves on the spot, and they both rose to the challenge by improvising impressive rhymes. They declare that just because they are seen on TV, it doesn't mean they can't represent and hold their own in New York City, which was the epicenter of rap music at the time.
They also call out fake rappers who just talk a big game without any substance, and who act differently around their friends than they do in public. They emphasize the importance of being true to oneself and holding oneself accountable for what they say and do, not just in music but in life. The title "Phony Rappers" sums up their frustration with those who are in the industry for the wrong reasons and their desire to preserve and uphold the integrity of real rap music.
Line by Line Meaning
Phony rappers who do not write
There are some rappers who pretend to write their lyrics, but they don't really do it.
Phony rappers who do not excite
There are some rappers who pretend to be exciting, but they are not really good at it.
Phony rappers, check it out, aight
Hey, pay attention to these fake rappers.
Yo, I was riding the train
I was on a train.
And this Puerto Rican kid said simple and plain
A Puerto Rican boy approached me and said something straightforward.
Let's battle - it kinda took me by surprise
He challenged me to a rap battle, which was a bit unexpected.
Cuz the brother was moving wit his eyes on the prize
He seemed very focused and determined to win the battle.
I said screw it, I ain't got nuttin to lose but um
I thought, why not, I have nothing to lose, so I agreed to battle him.
But I got to do this shit real quick so um
I had to do it quickly because I had other plans.
Hurry up kid, bust your joints and then I'll bust mine
I told him to rap first, and I would then follow.
And I be out cuz I got to see this hottie, he said ok
I planned to leave soon because I had a date with an attractive woman.
Now check it, check it out, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, that's what he said
He started rapping, but his lyrics were not very good or interesting.
Then I came back and just fucked up his head
I rapped much better than him and completely outperformed him.
Cuz yo, he thought an MC who was seen on TV
He believed that a rapper who performed on TV could not rap as well in New York City.
Couldn't hold the shit down in New York City
He thought I wouldn't be able to perform well in the city where rap originated.
Aiyyo, I showed his ass, then I went off on my task
I proved him wrong and then left to continue with my plans for the day.
To bless her ass Uptown, real MC's will hold it down
I went uptown to meet the woman I was interested in, but I also wanted to remind people that real MC's can perform anywhere.
Yea, yea, sonny, to the beat like that
I am agreeing with myself, and I am doing it to the beat of the song.
You wanna bring it to me, where you at
If other rappers want to challenge me, they can do it wherever I am.
Yes, dread, I had a similiar situation
I had a similar experience.
When this kid tried to tell me I didn't deserve my occupation
Someone once told me that I was not good enough to have the job I had.
He said I wasn't shit that I was soon to fall
He insulted me and said that I would soon fail.
I looked him up and down, grab my crotch and said balls
I confronted him and highlighted that his words didn't bother me.
Of course he tried to bring it on the battling tip
He challenged me to a rap battle too, of course.
Ay, you know me, you know I had to come out my shit
As expected, I accepted the challenge.
Trying to lounge at the mall, meet Skef and Mr Walton
I was just trying to relax at the mall and meet some friends named Skef and Mr. Walton.
Finally I banged his ass wit the verbal assault
I defeated him with my superior lyrics.
He said a rhyme about his .45 and his nickelbags of weed
He rapped about his gun and his drugs.
That's when I preceeded to give him what he needed
I had to show him what real, meaningful rap is.
Talking 'bout I need a Phillie right before I get loose
He said he needed to smoke before he could rap well.
Poor excuse, money please, I get loose off of orange juice
I told him that smoking was a poor excuse and that I could rap just fine without it.
Preferly Minute Maid cuz that's exactly what it takes
In fact, I prefer Minute Maid orange juice over anything else.
To write a rhyme, huh, to school your nickels and your dimes
I can write lyrics and teach others how to do it too.
Because an MC like me be on TV
Just because I appear on television doesn't mean I'm not a great rapper too.
Don't mean I can't hold my shit down in NYC
I could perform well in New York City regardless of where people see me on TV.
It seems there's a sanitation, y'all full of thrash talker
It appears that there are a lot of fake rappers out there who talk a lot of nonsense.
Sounding good but money can you feed the dog hawker
They may sound good, but can they provide for themselves and others?
Talking 'bout your mic days and your breakdancing
Some rappers talk about the old days when they used to perform with microphones and breakdance.
Not enhancing, you sound tired
But they aren't doing anything new or interesting; in fact, they sound bored.
Oh, shit, I didn't know you like to play yourself in front'cha friends
Oh, I didn't realize you liked to pretend to be better in front of your friends.
Sitting there, lying to no end
You're just sitting there, lying for no reason.
MC's for me make things happening
For me, real MC's make things happen.
Talk about a world but in a form of rapping
They can rap about the world and make it sound good.
Who will be the captain of this ship
Who will take charge of things and steer us in the right direction?
If it goes down, don't you know you have to go wit it
If something bad happens, you have to deal with it and keep going.
Just because you rhyme for a couple of weeks
Some rappers only rhyme for a short period of time.
Doesn't mean that you've reach the MC's peak
They may not have reached the peak of their abilities as an MC.
Let me stop sounding all bitter
But I don't want to sound bitter about it.
Ghetto child, never be a quitter
I encourage young people from the ghetto never to give up.
But don't be a phony in the litter
But they shouldn't be fake or dishonest, even if they come from a tough background.
Take it as a letter from the better
Take this advice from someone who is more experienced and better at rapping than you.
Take it from a man who used to rhyme in busted ass Jettas
Believe me, I know what I'm talking about because I used to rap in crappy cars.
Yo, Phife, you need a condom
Hey, Phife, be careful not to catch a sexually transmitted disease.
Word to God, mess around
I swear to God, be careful.
catch AIDS from MC's being on my nuts too hard
You might catch AIDS from people who are too obsessed with you.
Cuz on my blvd you better bring your bodyguard
On my block, you need to bring a bodyguard for protection.
And what's your blvd
And where is your block?
LP, I represent naturally
I represent LP (Long Island City) naturally and effortlessly.
So don't step on the rolly if you know that you're phony
So don't step up to me if you know you're fake or dishonest.
Or else I bend that ass like elbow macaroni
Otherwise, I will defeat you easily.
Cuz I gotta keep it real (gotta keep it real)
I have to stay true to myself and be honest.
A Tribe Called Quest, you see we never half step
As you can see, A Tribe Called Quest always goes all the way and never does things halfway.
(So on your mark) get ready, MC's be jetti
So get ready, because real MC's are coming.
Me and Phifey be on ya like Veronica and Betty
Phife and I will be on you like the characters Veronica and Betty from the Archie comics.
Archie, Jughead, snuffing Mc's
Just like Archie and Jughead, we will defeat other rappers easily.
From Brainslane down to Hempstead
We will dominate anywhere, from Brainslane to Hempstead.
Yes 'Quence, see over
Yes, Q-Tip, do you see what's happening?
His rhyme style is older that a Chrysler Cordoba
His style of rapping is outdated, like an old Chrysler Cordoba car.
I'm wilder then the cats from Arizona
I'm wilder than the cats from Arizona, who are known to be wild and unruly.
Villanova, un, un, Kentucky
I named two college basketball teams, Villanova and Kentucky, for no apparent reason.
Whos' the next MC stepping up to try and bust me
Who will be the next rapper to step up and try to beat me in a rap battle?
Bring him here and boy, will I ever let him have it
If someone dares to challenge me, I will defeat him easily.
And when it comes to the microphone, don't even try to grab it
If I have the microphone, I won't let anyone else touch it; I will keep it for myself.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ALI SHAHEED JONES-MUHAMMAD, DEXTER RAYMOND JR. MILLS, KAMAAL IBN JOHN FAREED, MALIK IZAAK TAYLOR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Tate Buitrago
on Electric Relaxation
another of my dads