Described as "a treatise on black unity", the song is a metaphor for gentrification. It begins with Q-Tip and Phife Dawg stating, "It's time to go left and not right", indicating the side of the political spectrum that the group supports. Next, Q-Tip and Phife Dawg start chanting the chorus in unison, encouraging the listener to "make something happen." After a short verse by Q-Tip, Jarobi White delivers a verse, followed by another short verse by Q-Tip. A longer verse is then delivered by Q-Tip, before Phife Dawg repeats the chorus for two minutes, followed by the outro. The song also contains vocal samples from the musical fantasy film, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, and the blaxploitation film, Willie Dynamite.
Rob Sheffield of Rolling Stone hailed the song as "The triumphant return of the Tribe", and interpreted that the lyrics were "about the end of the world." Writing for Pitchfork, Kris Ex called the song "quintessential Tribe", also praising its "sooty bottom heavy warmness, the uncluttered arrangements and bright instrumentation."
At the end of 2016, Rolling Stone ranked it the 30th best song of the year, and in The Village Voice's annual Pazz & Jop critics poll, it was tied for 66th best song of the year.
A short film for "The Space Program", directed by Warren Fu, debuted on Apple Music on March 29, 2018. Billed as A Tribe Called Quest's final video, it features cameo appearances by Erykah Badu, Black Thought, Vince Staples, Pharrell Williams, Common, Talib Kweli, Questlove, Anderson Paak, Alicia Keys, Rosario Dawson, Ta-Nehisi Coates, Kelly Rowland, Doug E. Fresh, Consequence, Janelle Monáe, and Ladybug Mecca. Rodney Carmichael of NPR stated that the video "propels present-day phenomena — from the racially-charged displacement of inner-city gentrification to the police killings of unarmed African-Americans — into a grim Afrofuturist reality."
The Space Program
A Tribe Called Quest Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Gotta get it together forever
Gotta get it together for brothers
Gotta get it together for sisters
For mothers and fathers and dead niggas
For non-conformers, won't hear the quitters
For Tyson types and Che figures
Let's get it together, come on, let's make it
Gotta make it to make it to make it to make it
To make something happen, to make something happen
To make something happen, let's make something happen
Word to Phife, we're gonna bring it to the overlord
Drinkin' Cisco chilling with the gold microphone cords
And we grip our balls every time we stuntin' on tour
'Cause we never bore, respond to the ready crowd's roar
And promoters try to hit us with the art of war
We about our business, we not quitters, not bullshitters, we deliver
We go get it, don't be bitter 'cause we not just niggas
Jarobi my fiber wove into different cloth
Ain't nothing forbidden this nigga get his written off
Hardest spit in the city y'all niggas spitting kitten soft
Confused and amazed shook up with your brain missing lost, they planning for our future
None of our people involved
Pouring Henny and Smirnoff to get it cracking off
Cracking off a Smirnoff to quickly turn to Molotov
Molotov the spaceship doors before that bitch is taking off
It always seems the poorest persons are people forsaken, dawg
No Washingtons, Jeffersons, Jacksons on the captain's log
They'd rather lead us to the grayest water poison, deadly smog
Mass un-blackening, it's happening, you feel it y'all?
Rather see we in a three-by-three structure with many bars
Leave us where we are so they can play among the stars
They taking off to Mars, got the space vessels overflowing
What, you think they want us there? All us niggas not going
Reputation ain't glowing, reparations ain't flowing
If you find yourself stuck in a creek, you better start rowing
Used to see the TV screen as the place I'd land my dream in
And the car stereo where they would promote the show
Optimistic little brother with a hope you know
There ain't a space program for niggas
Yeah, you stuck here, nigga
There ain't a space program for niggas
Yeah, you stuck here nigga
There ain't a space program for niggas
Yeah, you stuck here, nigga
There ain't a space program for niggas
Yeah, you stuck, stuck, stuck
Sit and wonder sometimes, I read the paper every day
All these happenings is circular, just happen different ways
And the president's refined, in her wings she's confined
With about thirty Percocets and five bottles of wine
Caroline ain't nothing finer than a Black woman who climbs
To the top of the State building claiming that the flag is mine
Now, people on top of people, feels like we can't breathe
Put so much in this muthafucka, feel like we shouldn't leave
Put it on TV, put it in movies, put it in our face
These notions and ideas and citizens live in space
I chuckle just like all of y'all, absurdity, after all
Takes money to get it running and money for trees to fall
Imagine for a second all the people are colored, please
Imagine for a second all the people in poverty
No matter the skin tone, culture or time zone
Think the ones who got it would even think to throw you a bone?
Moved you out your neighbourhood, did they find you a home?
Nah cypher, probably no place to
Imagine if this shit was really talkin' about space, dude
Imagine if this shit was really talkin' about space, dude
Imagine if this shit was really talkin' about space, dude
Tryna go left and not right
Gotta get it together forever
Gotta get it together for brothers
Gotta get it together for sisters
For mothers and fathers and dead niggas
For non-conformers, won't hear the quitters
For Tyson types and Che figures
Let's make somethin' happen, let's make somethin' happen
Let's make somethin' happen, let's make somethin' happen
Gotta get it together for brothers
Gotta get it together for sisters
For mothers and fathers and dead niggas
For non-conformers, won't hear the quitters
For Tyson types and Che figures
Make, make, make
Let's make somethin' happen, let's make somethin' happen
Let's make somethin' happen, let's make somethin' happen
Gotta get it together forever
Gotta get it together for brothers
Gotta get it together for sisters
For mothers and fathers and dead niggas
For non-conformers, won't hear the quitters
For Tyson types and Che figures
Let's make somethin' happen, let's make somethin' happen
Gotta get it together for brothers
Gotta get it together for sisters
For mothers and fathers and dead niggas
For non-conformers, won't hear the quitters
For Tyson types and Che figures
Make, make, make
Let's make somethin' happen, let's make somethin' happen
Let's make somethin' happen, let's make somethin' happen
Gotta get it together forever
Gotta get it together for brothers
Gotta get it together for sisters
For mothers and fathers and dead niggas
For non-conformers, won't hear the quitters
For Tyson types and Che figures
Let's make somethin' happen, let's make somethin' happen
Gotta get it together for brothers
Gotta get it together for sisters
For mothers and fathers and dead niggas
For non-conformers, won't hear the quitters
For Tyson types and Che figures
Make, make, make
Let's make somethin' happen, let's make somethin' happen
Let's make somethin' happen, let's make somethin' happen
A Tribe Called Quest's song The Space Program is a commentary on the current state of black culture in America. The lyrics express the frustration with the lack of opportunities for African Americans and the feeling of being trapped in a system that does not value them. The message of the song is to unite and fight for change in the face of adversity. It's time to go left and not right, the lyrics suggest, as a call to move away from the status quo and create something new.
The line "There ain't a space program for niggas" is a metaphor for the lack of opportunity and space for African Americans in American society. Space represents opportunities for growth and development, but the lack of a "space program" for black people symbolizes the institutional barriers and systemic racism that prevent them from achieving their full potential. The line "Gotta get it together for brothers, for sisters, for mothers and fathers and dead niggas" highlights the importance of solidarity and support within the community.
Overall, the song is a call to action for African Americans to come together and work towards creating a better future for themselves and future generations.
Line by Line Meaning
It's time to go left and not right
It's time to take a different path than the one that is expected or conventional.
Gotta get it together forever
We need to unite and be strong together for a long time to come.
Gotta get it together for brothers
We need to unite and be strong together for our fellow black men.
Gotta get it together for sisters
We need to unite and be strong together for our fellow black women.
For mothers and fathers and dead niggas
We need to unite and be strong together for our ancestors who are no longer with us.
For non-conformers, won't hear the quitters
We need to unite and be strong together for those who go against the norm and never give up.
For Tyson types and Che figures
We need to unite and be strong together for those who fight and stand up for what they believe in.
Let's get it together, come on, let's make it
We need to unite and work hard together to achieve our goals.
Gotta make it to make it to make it to make it
We need to keep pushing and striving to reach our goals.
To make something happen, to make something happen
We need to take action and create change.
Word to Phife, we're gonna bring it to the overlord
We honor our fallen comrade and will continue to fight for our rights.
Drinkin' Cisco chilling with the gold microphone cords
We celebrate our success while enjoying life's pleasures.
And we grip our balls every time we stuntin' on tour
We are confident in our abilities and always put on a great show for our fans.
'Cause we never bore, respond to the ready crowd's roar
We always deliver and put on an exciting performance for our audience.
And promoters try to hit us with the art of war
We are aware of the challenges we face in the music industry and are not easily fooled.
We about our business, we not quitters, not bullshitters, we deliver
We are serious about our craft and will not give up or compromise our values.
We go get it, don't be bitter 'cause we not just niggas
We work hard for success and deserve respect and recognition like anyone else.
Jarobi my fiber wove into different cloth
Jarobi is unique and stands out from the rest of us.
Ain't nothing forbidden this nigga get his written off
Jarobi takes risks and pushes boundaries in his music.
Hardest spit in the city y'all niggas spitting kitten soft
We are the best rappers in the city and others pale in comparison.
Confused and amazed shook up with your brain missing lost, they planning for our future
The world is changing rapidly and some people are struggling to keep up.
None of our people involved
The people making decisions do not represent or care about black people.
Pouring Henny and Smirnoff to get it cracking off
We celebrate and have fun with our success.
Cracking off a Smirnoff to quickly turn to Molotov
We are not afraid of violence and will fight for what we believe in if necessary.
Molotov the spaceship doors before that bitch is taking off
We will not let anyone leave us behind and ignore our struggles.
It always seems the poorest persons are people forsaken, dawg
Those who are most in need of help and support are often ignored or forgotten.
No Washingtons, Jeffersons, Jacksons on the captain's log
Those in power do not care about or represent the interests of black people.
They'd rather lead us to the grayest water poison, deadly smog
Those in power would rather harm us and the environment than help us.
Mass un-blackening, it's happening, you feel it y'all?
There is a trend towards erasing or ignoring black culture and history.
Rather see we in a three-by-three structure with many bars
Those in power would rather see us imprisoned and oppressed.
Leave us where we are so they can play among the stars
Those in power benefit from our struggles and do not care about our well-being.
They taking off to Mars, got the space vessels overflowing
Those in power are leaving us behind and pursuing their own interests.
What, you think they want us there? All us niggas not going
Those in power do not care about or value black lives.
Reputation ain't glowing, reparations ain't flowing
We are not respected or fairly compensated for our contributions to society.
If you find yourself stuck in a creek, you better start rowing
We need to work hard and persevere to overcome obstacles and achieve our goals.
Used to see the TV screen as the place I'd land my dream in
We used to believe that fame and success were achievable through television.
And the car stereo where they would promote the show
We used to listen to music on the radio and dream of making it big.
Optimistic little brother with a hope you know
We were once hopeful and optimistic about our future despite the odds.
There ain't a space program for niggas
Black people are excluded and marginalized from opportunities and resources.
Yeah, you stuck here, nigga
We are trapped and oppressed in a society that does not value or respect us.
Sit and wonder sometimes, I read the paper every day
We contemplate and reflect on our struggles and the news of the world.
All these happenings is circular, just happen different ways
History repeats itself and struggles persist in different forms and circumstances.
And the president's refined, in her wings she's confined
The president may appear polished and sophisticated but is still limited and constrained by society.
With about thirty Percocets and five bottles of wine
Even those in power struggle with addiction and stress.
Caroline ain't nothing finer than a Black woman who climbs
Black women are strong and resilient and can overcome any obstacle.
To the top of the State building claiming that the flag is mine
Black women should be included and valued in all aspects of society, including government.
Now, people on top of people, feels like we can't breathe
We are oppressed and overwhelmed by society and its systems.
Put so much in this muthafucka, feel like we shouldn't leave
We have put so much effort and energy into our struggles that we feel we cannot give up or leave.
Put it on TV, put it in movies, put it in our face
Society bombards us with negative stereotypes and images of black people.
These notions and ideas and citizens live in space
These negative beliefs and attitudes about black people are perpetuated and reinforced in society.
I chuckle just like all of y'all, absurdity, after all
We find it ridiculous and ironic that black people are excluded and oppressed in society.
Takes money to get it running and money for trees to fall
Money and power are the driving forces behind society's systems and decisions.
Imagine for a second all the people are colored, please
Imagine a world in which all people are respected and valued regardless of their race or ethnicity.
Imagine for a second all the people in poverty
Imagine a world in which poverty is eradicated and all people can thrive.
No matter the skin tone, culture or time zone
All people, regardless of their differences, should be treated with respect and dignity.
Think the ones who got it would even think to throw you a bone?
Do those in power care about or help those who are less fortunate?
Moved you out your neighbourhood, did they find you a home?
Do those in power care about or help those who are displaced or homeless?
Nah cypher, probably no place to
No, they probably do not care or have the resources to help us.
Imagine if this shit was really talkin' about space, dude
Imagine if society's resources and effort were actually focused on space exploration instead of oppression and inequality.
Let's make somethin' happen, let's make somethin' happen
We need to take action and create change.
Make, make, make
We need to work hard and persevere to achieve our goals.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Kamaal Ibn John Fareed, Jarobi White, Malik Izaak Taylor
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@HipHopUniverse
We miss you Phife.... A Tribe Called Quest 4 Ever!!!
@oscarmike1131
Hip-Hop Universe always
@randyjohnson2373
God I want to start some drama. But all I'm going to say is RIP Phife. Fuck diabetes.
@ynw5132
ATCQ FOREVER BRO
@BiggRuss
Anyone who dropped a "thumbs down" on this can get the bozack...
#ATCQ4EVER
#RIPhife
@mafiaonline7132
AngelSilverThief4 I don't hate him, I hate Universe's dickriding on Canibus
@aphextwinkie410
Everybody talking about Phife and Q-Tip, but man Jarobi did just as phenomenal of a job on this song, and the entire record.
@raenkie
yes. you got it.
@FormalFilmsProductions
Facts
@joharilarosa6230
Qtip always said Jarobi was tribe over all them.