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)
The Chase Part 2
A Tribe Called Quest Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Them can't hold we, no them cam't hold we
Them can't touch we, no them can't touch we
Them can't hold we, no them cam't hold we
(Damn Phife, you got fat!)
Yeah, I know it looks pathetic
Ali Shaheed Muhammad got me doing calisthenics
Making love to my mic like Jarobi on the phone
But um, no time for jokes, there's bills to be paid
Hoes to be laid, punks to be sprayed
Chumps to attack, so my man watch your back
'93 means skills are a must, so never lack
Sit back and learn, come now watch the birdie
Your styles are incomplete, same as Vinny Testaverde
Battling, whenever -- hot Damn!
Give me the microphone boy, one time, bam!
Keep it on the cooler cos here come the heat
Lyrically in space the jazz will pace the beat
As we proceed to elevate you we in 4/4
Run and tell your dad the Abstract's the bad
As we proceed to move your hind parts we know as ass
Poets got the gimmicks, but they lack the sassafras
To make the average hardrocker cock the Glock
And roam the city streets on the jury, they hot
I be ingredients, like sugar in candy
If your life is broke, girl I'll be the handy-dandy
That can mend you, my fee is a shower
For you, I scrub the back and I floss the butt crack
Make you shiny, spiffy in a jiff
Fucking with the Ab, you got the greatest of gifts
A-yo, my mic is sounding bugged, Bob Power, you there? (Yeah)
Adjust the bass and treble make my shit sound clear
Move back yourself man, come watch me drop it
For sure me a go do it, for sure me a go rock it
Me not deal with no changaram, bangaram business
I got soul on the end, like Jehovah's got the witness
Musically, the three, poetically we be
The enchantment on the airwaves, kids just fade
Obey the MCs, cos the MCs say
We flipping on niggas like we Super Dave
But noticing my stature, y'all niggas know we gotcha
Moving to the rapture, listen how we catch ya
Moving with the grace, here we go, let's begin
Making people jump out their goddamn skin
Lyrically, we bite like we Rin Tin Tin
Peace to Grand Pu and his many many skins
Don't mark us for the 'L' cos you know we get the wins
It's the Ab, Shaheed, and the Dawg for the blend
And I wanna say peace to my man Bob P, my man Jerod
And Skeff Anslem on the help out - and we out like shout
Nine-tre, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
I don't wanna say nine-tre
Cause my man Extra P said don't say the years
So, it's for eternity, know what I'm saying?
Rock rock on, everybody in Queens, rock rock on
Everybody in Brooklyn, rock rock on
Money Earnin' Mt. Vernon, rock rock on
Everybody in Jersey, rock rock on
Everybody in Philly rock rock on
Everybody in Houston, rock rock on
Everybody LA, rock rock on
Everybody in The Sand, rock rock on
Everybody in Egypt, rock rock on
Everybody Nigeria, rock rock on
Everybody in London, rock rock on
Everybody in Sweden, rock rock on
Everybody everywhere, rock rock on
To the niggas on the famous, rock rock on
Everybody no name, rock rock on
To the kids at Nu-Clear, rock rock on
To the The Cave rock rock on
McDonald's, rock rock on
This concludes Midnight Marauder Program
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The song "The Chase Part 2" by A Tribe Called Quest is a high-energy track that features the group boasting about their skills on the mic and their ability to leave their competition in the dust. The first verse finds Phife rapping about his dedication to his craft, even if it means doing calisthenics to stay in shape. He also touches on the typical themes of hip-hop music, such as paying bills and having sex. The second verse continues with the theme of the group's superiority, but also includes references to the "average hardrocker" and Jehovah's Witnesses. The chorus repeats a mantra of "them can't touch we, no them can't hold we," further emphasizing the group's confidence in their abilities.
One interesting aspect of this song is its use of musical references. The opening lines, "Keep it on the cooler cos here come the heat / Lyrically in space the jazz will pace the beat," allude to the group's use of jazz samples in their music. The line "for sure me a go do it, for sure me a go rock it" is a reference to the Jamaican DJ Ranking Toyan's song "How the West Was Won." The line "moving to the rapture, listen how we catch ya" is lifted from the song "Rapture" by the group Blondie.
Another interesting fact about "The Chase Part 2" is that it was produced by A Tribe Called Quest's own Ali Shaheed Muhammad, who uses a sample from the song "Trampled Under Foot" by Led Zeppelin. The song also features scratching by DJ Scratch and Bob Power, who mixed the track. The song is included on the group's 1993 album Midnight Marauders, which Rolling Stone named one of the greatest hip-hop albums of all time.
Chords (if known): Gm, Cm, G#maj7, D#
Line by Line Meaning
Them can't touch we, no them can't touch we
We are untouchable and invincible
Them can't hold we, no them cam't hold we
We are unstoppable and free
(Damn Phife, you got fat!)
Comment about Phife's physical appearance
Yeah, I know it looks pathetic
Admitting to being physically unfit
Ali Shaheed Muhammad got me doing calisthenics
My friend is helping me exercise
Needless to say boy I'm bad to the bone
I am confident in my abilities
Making love to my mic like Jarobi on the phone
I am expressing my passion for music
But um, no time for jokes, there's bills to be paid
I am acknowledging the seriousness of life
Hoes to be laid, punks to be sprayed
I have important tasks to accomplish
Chumps to attack, so my man watch your back
I am warning my friend to be careful
'93 means skills are a must, so never lack
The year requires us to work hard and improve our skills
Sit back and learn, come now watch the birdie
Take a moment to observe and learn
Your styles are incomplete, same as Vinny Testaverde
Your musical styles are lacking and incomplete
Battling, whenever -- hot Damn!
I am always ready for a music battle
Give me the microphone boy, one time, bam!
I am ready to perform and take the stage
Keep it on the cooler cos here come the heat
Take it easy, things are about to get intense
Lyrically in space the jazz will pace the beat
We will create a unique and captivating sound
As we proceed to elevate you we in 4/4
As we perform, we will uplift and inspire our audience
Run and tell your dad the Abstract's the bad
Spread the word that I am a talented musician
As we proceed to move your hind parts we know as ass
Our music is so good that it will make you dance
Poets got the gimmicks, but they lack the sassafras
Other musicians lack the unique qualities we possess
To make the average hardrocker cock the Glock
We have the ability to influence people's behavior
And roam the city streets on the jury, they hot
We have many fans and admirers
I be ingredients, like sugar in candy
I am an essential component to making music
If your life is broke, girl I'll be the handy-dandy
If you need help, I am here for you
That can mend you, my fee is a shower
I can help repair your life, but it will cost you
For you, I scrub the back and I floss the butt crack
I will do anything to help you, no matter how unpleasant
Make you shiny, spiffy in a jiff
I will help make you look and feel better
Fucking with the Ab, you got the greatest of gifts
Working with me is a great opportunity
A-yo, my mic is sounding bugged, Bob Power, you there? (Yeah)
My microphone is malfunctioning and I need technical assistance
Adjust the bass and treble make my shit sound clear
I need the sound quality to be improved
Move back yourself man, come watch me drop it
Give me space to perform
For sure me a go do it, for sure me a go rock it
I am confident in my abilities and will perform well
Me not deal with no changaram, bangaram business
I do not involve myself in shady dealings
I got soul on the end, like Jehovah's got the witness
My music has a lot of soul and power
Musically, the three, poetically we be
We are a talented musical trio who excels at poetry
The enchantment on the airwaves, kids just fade
Our music is enchanting and captivating
Obey the MCs, cos the MCs say
Listen to us and follow our directions
We flipping on niggas like we Super Dave
We are dominating the music scene like a superhero
But noticing my stature, y'all niggas know we gotcha
People recognize our talent and abilities
Moving to the rapture, listen how we catch ya
Our music is so good, it will capture your attention
Moving with the grace, here we go, let's begin
We are taking the stage with confidence and poise
Making people jump out their goddamn skin
Our music is so exciting, it will make people jump
Lyrically, we bite like we Rin Tin Tin
Our lyrical abilities are sharp and effective
Peace to Grand Pu and his many many skins
Giving a shoutout to a fellow musician
Don't mark us for the 'L' cos you know we get the wins
Don't underestimate us, we are winners
It's the Ab, Shaheed, and the Dawg for the blend
Announcing the members of the music group
And I wanna say peace to my man Bob P, my man Jerod
Giving thanks and recognition to friends
And Skeff Anslem on the help out - and we out like shout
Thanking someone for their assistance and signing off
Nine-tre, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Referring to the year 1993
I don't wanna say nine-tre
Changing my mind about using the year in the song
Cause my man Extra P said don't say the years
A friend advised me not to use specific years in music
So, it's for eternity, know what I'm saying?
Our music will last forever
Rock rock on, everybody in Queens, rock rock on
Encouraging people in Queens to enjoy the music
Everybody in Brooklyn, rock rock on
Encouraging people in Brooklyn to enjoy the music
Money Earnin' Mt. Vernon, rock rock on
Encouraging people in Mount Vernon to enjoy the music
Everybody in Jersey, rock rock on
Encouraging people in New Jersey to enjoy the music
Everybody in Philly rock rock on
Encouraging people in Philadelphia to enjoy the music
Everybody in Houston, rock rock on
Encouraging people in Houston to enjoy the music
Everybody LA, rock rock on
Encouraging people in Los Angeles to enjoy the music
Everybody in The Sand, rock rock on
Encouraging people in The Sand to enjoy the music
Everybody in Egypt, rock rock on
Encouraging people in Egypt to enjoy the music
Everybody Nigeria, rock rock on
Encouraging people in Nigeria to enjoy the music
Everybody in London, rock rock on
Encouraging people in London to enjoy the music
Everybody in Sweden, rock rock on
Encouraging people in Sweden to enjoy the music
Everybody everywhere, rock rock on
Encouraging people all around the world to enjoy the music
To the niggas on the famous, rock rock on
Encouraging famous people to enjoy the music
Everybody no name, rock rock on
Encouraging regular people to enjoy the music
To the kids at Nu-Clear, rock rock on
Encouraging people at a specific location to enjoy the music
To the The Cave rock rock on
Encouraging people at a specific location to enjoy the music
McDonald's, rock rock on
Encouragement for people at fast food chains to enjoy the music
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Tate Buitrago
on Electric Relaxation
another of my dads