A Tribe Called Quest was an American hip-hop group formed in St. Albans, Qu… Read Full Bio ↴A Tribe Called Quest was an American hip-hop group formed in St. Albans, Queens, New York, in 1985, originally composed of rapper and main producer Q-Tip, rapper Phife Dawg, DJ and co-producer Ali Shaheed Muhammad, and rapper Jarobi White. The group is regarded as a pioneer of alternative hip hop music.

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 Donald
A Tribe Called Quest Lyrics

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Yo
Phife Dawg, whatagwan with the crew?
Nuff ting, that's why me had to come through
Phife Dawg, you spit wicked every verse
The north said respect the Trini man first
Phife Dawg, I know you had the man shook up
Good shit 'cause you a mastermind that cook up
Phife Dawg, whatagwan with the crew?

Nuff ting, that's why me had to come through
Phife Dawg, you spit wicked every verse
The north said respect Trini man first
Phife Dawg, I know you on them one and twos
Give me that woman right there
Phife Dawg, I know you on the one and twos
Give me a zugu zugu and do exactly what you do
Tribe Called Quest, you see them back with one another
Ayo, Busta Bust, them not want no problem, brother

Phife Dawg, Donald, Legend, Phife Dawg

Phife Dawg legend, you can call me Don Juice
I'm the shit right now, what, you need to see proof?
Recently on the internet they chatting
Taking polls, debating who could win in battle rapping
Let's make it happen, these cyber flows already par
No subliminals with me, you know who the fuck you are
Who wanna spar? Ha ha, well, here I are
Orthodox spitter or bring on the southpaw
No doubt, I'mma set it, dudes best be ready
Off top on the spot, no reading from your Wackberry
Leave the iPhones home, skill sets must be shown
I'mma show you the real meaning of the danger zone
I got it sewn, eh speak to all clones
Untouchable in my zone, watch it don't leave him alone
Fuck your ass cheek flows with bars sweeter than scones
Put on microphone

Yes, yes, he the wrong ones to fuck with
No matter what the day he could catch you on his plane
Or the one you on today
Visit niggas in their dreams, make them scream of bloody murder
He's a Trini gladiator, ain't no need to take it further
If you wanna take it further your huffleberry is here
Doctor of your holiday, Wyatt Earp ya like the tears
We gon' celebrate 'em, elevate 'em, papa had to levitate 'em
Give 'em his and don't debate him top dog is the way to rate him

Donald

Don Juice
Phife Dawg whatagwan with the crew?
Phife Dawg, that's why I had to come through
Phife Dawg, you spit wicked every verse
Phife Dawg, respect the Trini man first
Phife Dawg, I know you had the man shook up
Phife Dawg, 'cause your mastermind cook up
Phife Dawg, you know they back with one and another
Phife Dawg, them not want no problem, brother
Step back, them don't want no problem, brother
Step back, them don't want no problem, brother
Step back, them don't want no problem, brother (Don Juice)
Step back, them don't want no problem, brother
Phife Dawg
Don Juice
Phife Dawg whatagwan with the crew?
Phife Dawg, that's why I had to come through
Phife Dawg, you spit wicked every verse
Phife Dawg, respect the Trini man first
Phife Dawg, I know you had the man shook up
Phife Dawg, 'cause your mastermind cook up
Phife Dawg, you know they back with one and another
Phife Dawg, them not want no problem, brother
Step back, them don't want no problem, brother
Step back, them don't want no problem, brother
Step back, them don't want no problem, brother (Don Juice)
Phife Dawg whatagwan with the crew?
Phife Dawg, that's why I had to come through
Phife Dawg, you spit wicked every verse
Phife Dawg, respect the Trini man first
Phife Dawg, I know you had the man shook up
Phife Dawg, 'cause your mastermind cook up
Phife Dawg, you know they back with one and another
Phife Dawg, them not want no problem, brother
Step back, them don't want no problem, brother
Step back, them don't want no problem, brother
Step back, them don't want no problem, brother (Don Juice)

Step back, them don't want no problem, brother
Phife Dawg

Overall Meaning

"The Donald" is a song by A Tribe Called Quest featuring guest rapper Busta Rhymes. The song is about showing respect to Phife Dawg, a rapper in the group, who is of Trinidadian descent. The lyrics repeatedly reference the need to respect Trini (Trinidadian) culture and people. The first verse has a lot of patois, a dialect spoken in Trinidad and Tobago, which acts as a nod to Phife Dawg’s roots. The chorus repeats the phrase "Step back, them don't want no problem, brother," which is a warning to anyone who disrespects Phife Dawg or Trini culture.

The second verse is rapped by Phife Dawg himself and takes aim at those who doubt his abilities as a rapper. He challenges others to make a battle rap happen and prove themselves against him. His confidence is palpable, with lines like "I'm the shit right now, what, you need to see proof?" and "Off top on the spot, no reading from your Wackberry." He asserts that he is an "orthodox spitter," meaning he has traditional rap skills, but he's also open to facing off against a "southpaw," or someone who has an unorthodox style. The verse ends with him warning others to "watch it don't leave him alone," emphasizing his own prowess and the danger of underestimating him.

One interpretation of the song is that it's a tribute to Phife Dawg, who passed away in 2016. The repeated emphasis on respecting his Trini background and the Trini people can be seen as a way of honoring him and his culture. Additionally, Phife Dawg's verse shows him as a confident, talented rapper who is unafraid to take on challengers.

Line by Line Meaning

Yo
Greetings, hello

Phife Dawg, whatagwan with the crew?
Phife Dawg, what's going on with the crew?

Nuff ting, that's why me had to come through
A lot of things are happening, that's why I had to come through

Phife Dawg, you spit wicked every verse
Phife Dawg, you rap extremely well in every verse

The north said respect the Trini man first
People from the north have said to show respect to Trinidadians first

Phife Dawg, I know you had the man shook up
Phife Dawg, I know you made the man feel intimidated

Good shit 'cause you a mastermind that cook up
Great job because you're a genius at creating music

Phife Dawg, I know you on them one and twos
Phife Dawg, I know you're a DJ

Give me that woman right there
Give me that woman over there

Phife Dawg, I know you on the one and twos
Phife Dawg, I know you're a DJ

Give me a zugu zugu and do exactly what you do
Give me a dancehall track and perform your DJ duties perfectly

Tribe Called Quest, you see them back with one another
You see that Tribe Called Quest is reunited

Ayo, Busta Bust, them not want no problem, brother
Hey, Busta Rhymes, they don't want any trouble, brother

Phife Dawg legend, you can call me Don Juice
Phife Dawg is a legend, you can call me Don Juice

I'm the shit right now, what, you need to see proof?
I'm great right now, do you need evidence?

Recently on the internet they chatting
Lately, people have been discussing on the internet

Taking polls, debating who could win in battle rapping
Taking surveys and discussing who would win in a rap battle

Let's make it happen, these cyber flows already par
Let's do it, these digital rhymes are already on par

No subliminals with me, you know who the fuck you are
I don't use subliminal messages, you already know who I'm talking about

Who wanna spar? Ha ha, well, here I are
Who wants to battle? Here I am

Orthodox spitter or bring on the southpaw
Whether you're a traditional rapper or not, I'm ready for you

No doubt, I'mma set it, dudes best be ready
No doubt, I'll make it happen, you better be prepared

Off top on the spot, no reading from your Wackberry
Freestyling on the spot, not reading lyrics from your Blackberry phone

Leave the iPhones home, skill sets must be shown
Don't use iPhones or technology, show off your rap skills

I'mma show you the real meaning of the danger zone
I'll show you what it really means to take risks in rap

I got it sewn, eh speak to all clones
I have complete control, addressing all copycats

Untouchable in my zone, watch it don't leave him alone
Unbeatable in my area, make sure no one challenges me

Fuck your ass cheek flows with bars sweeter than scones
I don't like your weak rap style with lyrics that are too simple

Put on microphone
I'll put on the mic and rap

Yes, yes, he the wrong ones to fuck with
Yes, yes, they're the wrong ones to mess with

No matter what the day he could catch you on his plane
He can catch you any day on his plane of existence

Or the one you on today
Or the plane of existence you're in today

Visit niggas in their dreams, make them scream of bloody murder
He appears in people's dreams and terrifies them

He's a Trini gladiator, ain't no need to take it further
He's a Trinidadian warrior, there's no need to fight him further

If you wanna take it further your huffleberry is here
If you want to continue fighting, he's ready

Doctor of your holiday, Wyatt Earp ya like the tears
A doctor of your rest time, he'll bring you to tears like Wyatt Earp

We gon' celebrate 'em, elevate 'em, papa had to levitate 'em
We'll celebrate him, raise him up, his dad had to lift him up

Give 'em his and don't debate him top dog is the way to rate him
Give him his due respect, there's no need to argue that he's the best

Step back, them don't want no problem, brother
Back off, they don't want any trouble, brother

Phife Dawg
Phife Dawg

Don Juice
Don Juice

Step back, them don't want no problem, brother
Back off, they don't want any trouble, brother

Phife Dawg whatagwan with the crew?
Phife Dawg, what's going on with the crew?

Phife Dawg, you spit wicked every verse
Phife Dawg, you rap extremely well in every verse

Phife Dawg, respect the Trini man first
Phife Dawg, show respect to Trinidadians first

Phife Dawg, I know you had the man shook up
Phife Dawg, I know you made the man feel intimidated

Phife Dawg, 'cause your mastermind cook up
Phife Dawg, because you're a genius at creating music

Phife Dawg, you know they back with one and another
Phife Dawg, you know they're back together

Phife Dawg, them not want no problem, brother
Phife Dawg, they don't want any trouble, brother