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)
Pubic Enemy
A Tribe Called Quest Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With my man, Q-Tip
In the morning, woke up from sexual pleasures
Looked at her sexual partner
Who acquainted her acquaintance
Five hours ago at a disco
She went lower than low, into limbo
She answered no, so she had to go...on with the program
Credence, it seems that I've forgotten your name
But it seems that she's done the same
And now something has happened
Suddenly, she's been distracted
By something that has been attracted
She poked and poked and smacked at it
Then she broke down and she scratched it
Now, I think you understand
Clinic, saw the doctor flex his biceps
Then he picked up a pair of forceps
Her pretty face showed fright
Right then and there, she fainted
A really grim picture is painted
The brother who she acquainted
Was the enemy, scary ain't it?
The Pubic Enemy
Yeah!
Let me tell you more about pubic enemy
Hey, Q-Tip
Old King Cole was a merry old soul
Had a lady queen, married since 18
He protested, that he was infested
Get lots of love and he couldn't digest it
All propaganda, one big fat lie
'cause I see the king with my very own eye
Schemed and schemed like a crack fiend king
And popping up on the teammates scene
And popping and pimping on hunnies with moneys
Whole situation to me, was kinda funny
He hold the crown but not the jimmy hat
Now he wears a frown and the jimmy hates that
So the fair maiden in the royal bedroom
Caught the king scratching, so she had to assume
That he got vicked by the enemy's trick
The thought of cheating made the maiden so sick
That she screamed and screamed, went on and kept screaming
Threw a pot and his dome was beaming
You could hear him yelling in the motherland
"Baby, baby please. Baby, understand."
She ignored and walked through the gate
The king is in the kingdom to await his fate, of the enemy
The Pubic Enemy
Propmaster (yeah) Please listen to me (what?)
Something lurking by the Jim Browski
(Who? Jenny?)
No, not propulated
A horrible creature that must be penetrated
He gets all into ya, then he tries to do ya
You better run fast, he's gonna pursue the,
(What? Yo listen here, propmaster whiz, no one fears}
Oh, the caves know, just thought I'd let ya know
How he lives and how he go
Watch yourself when you're out on the run
The enemy is missed, we'll have too much fun
There's four friends of mine that thought they were bad
And laid up this girl, so now, they're sad
They scratched and scratched like it was Saturday and
Listen here, This is Cool DJ Red Alert
Known as the true, the only, the very one, the Propmaster
There's only one thing I gotta tell ya
There's a whole lotta propmasters out there, you know what I mean
Shaheed a propmaster, Q-Tip a propmaster
The Jungle Brothers a propmaster, BDP a propmaster
45 King a propmaster
I won't tell you nothing bout the ladies, they ain't no propmaster
But you know who's the main propmaster
Me!
The lyrics to A Tribe Called Quest's "Pubic Enemy" describe various scenarios in which individuals are faced with sexual encounters that lead to negative consequences. The first two verses describe a woman who wakes up after a sexual encounter with a stranger she met at a disco, and later discovers that she has contracted an STD. The last verse tells the story of a king who cheats on his queen and becomes infected with an STD as a result. In both scenarios, the individuals are referred to as "The Pubic Enemy," a play on the term "Public Enemy," which is often used to describe someone who is generally disliked or considered a threat to society.
The song is a commentary on the dangers of casual sex and the importance of using protection. It also highlights the negative effects that sexually transmitted diseases can have on individuals and society as a whole. The lyrics are delivered in a humorous and satirical manner, but the underlying message is a serious one.
Line by Line Meaning
Check this out, Cool DJ Red Alert
Introducing themselves and their DJ, Cool DJ Red Alert
In the morning, woke up from sexual pleasures
Narrating a woman waking up after having sex
Looked at her sexual partner
Describing the woman's action of looking at her partner
Who acquainted her acquaintance
Questioning the woman's decision to have sex with a stranger
Five hours ago at a disco
Revealing the time and place where the woman met her partner
She went lower than low, into limbo
Using a metaphor to describe the woman's sexual act
A thought crossed the mind, her, a bimbo
Suggesting the woman may have made a poor decision by sleeping with a stranger
She answered no, so she had to go...on with the program
Implying the woman's response when asked about her medical history and continuing with the check-up process
Credence, it seems that I've forgotten your name
Addressing the woman by the wrong name
But it seems that she's done the same
Continuing the mistake of addressing one another by the wrong name
And now something has happened
Highlighting a sudden realization of a medical issue
Suddenly, she's been distracted
Describing the woman's reaction to a medical issue
By something that has been attracted
Indicating a medical issue has caught her attention
She poked and poked and smacked at it
Relaying the woman's actions towards the medical issue
Then she broke down and she scratched it
Describing the woman's frustration as she scratched the affected area
Now, I think you understand
Concluding the medical issue conversation
Clinic, saw the doctor flex his biceps
Narrating the doctor's action in the clinic
Then he picked up a pair of forceps
Continuing to narrate the doctor's action
Her pretty face showed fright
Describing the woman's expression upon seeing the doctor's instrument
Right then and there, she fainted
Narrating the woman's response to seeing the medical instrument
A really grim picture is painted
Using a metaphor to describe the situation
The brother who she acquainted
Referring to the woman's sexual partner
Was the enemy, scary ain't it?
Revealing the partner had a sexually transmitted infection
The Pubic Enemy
Title of the song, referencing sexually transmitted diseases
Old King Cole was a merry old soul
Introducing the story of Old King Cole
Had a lady queen, married since 18
Identifying the queen as the wife of Old King Cole
He protested, that he was infested
Revealing Old King Cole's medical condition
Get lots of love and he couldn't digest it
Using a metaphor to describe the king's promiscuity and its negative consequences
All propaganda, one big fat lie
Claiming that the story about Old King Cole is a lie
'cause I see the king with my very own eye
Dismissing the previous statement as not true and personally validating the king's condition
Schemed and schemed like a crack fiend king
Using another metaphor to describe King Cole's behavior
And popping up on the teammates scene
Referring to the king's promiscuity
And popping and pimping on hunnies with moneys
Continuing to refer to the king's promiscuity
Whole situation to me, was kinda funny
Claiming the situation is humorous
He hold the crown but not the jimmy hat
Noting the king's lack of protection during sex
Now he wears a frown and the jimmy hates that
Implying the king's regret for not using protection
So the fair maiden in the royal bedroom
Referring to Old King Cole's queen
Caught the king scratching, so she had to assume
Imagining the queen's reaction to seeing the king's medical issue
That he got vicked by the enemy's trick
Linking the king's promiscuity to his STI
The thought of cheating made the maiden so sick
Revealing the queen's nausea and disgust with the king's behavior
That she screamed and screamed, went on and kept screaming
Narrating the queen's reaction to the king's infidelity
Threw a pot and his dome was beaming
Using a metaphor to describe the queen throwing a pot at the king, who was struck in the head
You could hear him yelling in the motherland
Narrating the king's yelling due to pain
"Baby, baby please. Baby, understand."
Portraying the king's pleading with his queen
She ignored and walked through the gate
Closing the story of Old King Cole by revealing the queen leaving the king
The king is in the kingdom to await his fate, of the enemy
Implying the king's downfall due to his STI
Propmaster (yeah) Please listen to me (what?)
Addressing the listener as Propmaster and asking for their attention
Something lurking by the Jim Browski
Referencing a dangerous creature
(Who? Jenny?)
Asking if the creature is called Jenny
No, not propulated
Clarifying that the creature is not a prop
A horrible creature that must be penetrated
Portraying the creature as a threat that needs to be defeated
He gets all into ya, then he tries to do ya
Describing the creature's behavior when attacking
You better run fast, he's gonna pursue the,
Warning the listener to flee from the creature
(What? Yo listen here, propmaster whiz, no one fears}
Rejecting the idea that the creature is not a threat
Oh, the caves know, just thought I'd let ya know
Stating that the caves have knowledge of the creature
How he lives and how he go
Describing the creature's life and habits
Watch yourself when you're out on the run
Advising the listener to be cautious when fleeing from the creature
The enemy is missed, we'll have too much fun
Implying that overcoming the creature will be a source of enjoyment after the fact
There's four friends of mine that thought they were bad
Referring to a group of friends who thought they could handle the creature
And laid up this girl, so now, they're sad
Narrating the outcome of the friends' actions towards the girl
They scratched and scratched like it was Saturday and
Portraying the friends scratching themselves due to the creature's attack
Listen here, This is Cool DJ Red Alert
Returning to the intro of the song, reintroducing Cool DJ Red Alert
Known as the true, the only, the very one, the Propmaster
Highlighting Cool DJ Red Alert's role as the Propmaster
There's only one thing I gotta tell ya
Announcing a message
There's a whole lotta propmasters out there, you know what I mean
Acknowledging other Propmasters in the music industry
Shaheed a propmaster, Q-Tip a propmaster
Listing other Propmasters, including Shaheed and Q-Tip
The Jungle Brothers a propmaster, BDP a propmaster
Continuing to list other Propmasters, including The Jungle Brothers and BDP
45 King a propmaster
Naming another Propmaster, 45 King
I won't tell you nothing bout the ladies, they ain't no propmaster
Refusing to list female musicians as Propmasters
But you know who's the main propmaster
Ending the song by stating that Cool DJ Red Alert is the primary Propmaster
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ALI SHAHEED JONES-MUHAMMAD, KAMAAL IBN JOHN FAREED
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Tate Buitrago
on Electric Relaxation
another of my dads