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 Hillβand moving on to AndrΓ© 3000, Kanye West, and Talib Kweliβeverything 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)
Word Play
A Tribe Called Quest Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Three, four, cuz we're gonna give you more
Five, six, and we ain't the tricks
Seven, eight, and we got it straight
Nine, ten, cuz we make it blend
Eleven, twelve, never ever goin for self
Tribe called quest situation
Check it out
Power, people really get caught with this on different levels
Power controls your life
Money: the companion of the first, some people tend to worship
And we know this ain't right
Attitude (attitude) is how I get my point across
You can't call yourself an mc if you know that you're soft
Aggressive, is how the stage is approached, I burn mcs like toast
Cuz I'm the host with the most
Illin (illin) is what you do when you're assin
Whether it be you or all up in your fashion,
Cashin, it turns your people corrupt
It's six o'clock, yo, you gotta get your weight up
Sex(sex), either a man or a woman
It's a gender, or when lovers get down
Froggin, when niggas try to play roles
But when they really need to put that shit background
Miserable(miserable) is what your whole crew will be
If you're not original and you show no strategy
Heavenly, is how the track tends to flow
And if you don't know, tell em diggy said so
We livin this cuz it's deep in our bones
A tribe called quest with this hip hop jones
So sit and analyze the lyrical spray
Cuz all it really is is word play(word play)(word)
Willie, that's what I kick to get this millie on a lilly
Now, I'm baggin dimes like chilli
Stress (stress), that's what I always go through
Cuz it's survival of the fittest on the 192
Knowledge, when the mind accept facts
On this plane of livin, knowledge be the key, black
Understanding, gettin a grip on what's revealed
When shit be real, can't give understanding back
Analyze, that's what I do to mcs
That be talkin bout they this and that, money please
Ego, I'm on my own jock skill
Cuz if I don't say I'm the best, tell me who the hell will
Cheeba smoke y'all, that's what I use to get high
When I'm in a rut and I don't know why
Try, yo try again my friend
Cuz you can't see this mc representin linden
Freestyle (freestyle), a true mc trait
And when you do it ill, niggas respect it as great
Yo, I gotta
We livin this cuz it's deep in our bones
A tribe called quest with the hip-hop jawns
So sit and analyze the lyrical spray
Cuz all it really is is word play(word play)
The opening lines of A Tribe Called Quest's "Word Play" set the stage for what the song is all about: wordplay. The lyrics are broken down into different categories, starting with power and money, moving on to attitude, and sexual politics, among other things. The song uses clever wordplay to explore each subject and offers a commentary on contemporary society.
The lyrics in the verse about power and money discuss how people tend to worship money and the power that it holds over their lives. The verse about attitude speaks on the importance of projecting strength as a rapper, taking an aggressive stance towards other MCs. The track then moves on to discuss the corrupting influence of cash and how sex can be both a beautiful and dangerous force.
The final verse touches on the importance of being original and having strategy, emphasizing the message that the song is all about: the importance of wordplay. The opening and closing lines are repeated throughout the track, driving home the importance of clever lyrics and wordplay. The song serves as both a message to other MCs about the art of rap and as a commentary on contemporary society's obsession with power and money.
Line by Line Meaning
One, two, what' cha wanna do
Let's get started.
Three, four, cuz we're gonna give you more
We're going to provide more content.
Five, six, and we ain't the tricks
We're not here to deceive you.
Seven, eight, and we got it straight
We're being truthful.
Nine, ten, cuz we make it blend
We mix things up.
Eleven, twelve, never ever goin for self
We're not selfish.
Tribe called quest situation
This is a song by A Tribe Called Quest.
Check it out
Listen up and pay attention.
Power, people really get caught with this on different levels
Power can be destructive in varying degrees.
Power controls your life
The influence of power can greatly impact oneβs life.
Money: the companion of the first, some people tend to worship
Some people value money too highly.
And we know this ain't right
This is unacceptable behavior.
Attitude (attitude) is how I get my point across
My behavior is how I express myself.
You can't call yourself an mc if you know that you're soft
To be a true MC, you must have a strong presence.
Aggressive, is how the stage is approached, I burn mcs like toast
I am assertive on stage and deliver a powerful performance.
Cuz I'm the host with the most
I am the best at what I do.
Illin (illin) is what you do when you're assin
Youβre doing something wrong when youβre messing up.
Whether it be you or all up in your fashion,
Regardless of where you are, you should always strive to do better.
Cashin, it turns your people corrupt
Loving money too much can cause people to act deceitfully.
It's six o'clock, yo, you gotta get your weight up
It's time to hustle and make some money.
Sex(sex), either a man or a woman
Sex is defined as male or female.
It's a gender, or when lovers get down
Gender or the act of engaging in sexual activity.
Froggin, when niggas try to play roles
Trying to act like someone you're not.
But when they really need to put that shit background
But in times of need, they don't follow through with their roles.
Miserable(miserable) is what your whole crew will be
Your entire group will be unhappy.
If you're not original and you show no strategy
If you lack creativity or planning, you will not succeed.
Heavenly, is how the track tends to flow
The music flows beautifully.
And if you don't know, tell em diggy said so
You heard it from me if you weren't aware.
We livin this cuz it's deep in our bones
We live and breathe hip hop.
A tribe called quest with this hip hop jones
We are A Tribe Called Quest and we love hip hop.
So sit and analyze the lyrical spray
Listen carefully to the lyrics.
Cuz all it really is is word play(word play)(word)
Our lyrics are simply words and phrases played together in clever ways.
Willie, that's what I kick to get this millie on a lilly
This is how I earn money.
Now, I'm baggin dimes like chilli
I am getting lots of money.
Stress (stress), that's what I always go through
I frequently experience stress.
Cuz it's survival of the fittest on the 192
It's hard to survive in my community.
Knowledge, when the mind accept facts
Knowledge is accepting what we know to be true.
On this plane of livin, knowledge be the key, black
Knowledge is essential to living.
Understanding, gettin a grip on what's revealed
Understanding the truth behind something.
When shit be real, can't give understanding back
When things get real, you canβt deny the truth.
Analyze, that's what I do to mcs
I examine other MCs performances.
That be talkin bout they this and that, money please
Those who constantly brag about their possessions and wealth.
Ego, I'm on my own jock skill
I am confident in my own abilities.
Cuz if I don't say I'm the best, tell me who the hell will
If I don't have confidence in myself, who will?
Cheeba smoke y'all, that's what I use to get high
Marijuana is what I use to get high.
When I'm in a rut and I don't know why
I use it when I'm feeling down.
Try, yo try again my friend
Keep trying.
Cuz you can't see this mc representin linden
I am representing my community.
Freestyle (freestyle), a true mc trait
Freestyling is a true MC skill.
And when you do it ill, niggas respect it as great
When done well, freestyling is a respected skill.
Lyrics Β© Ultra Tunes, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DEXTER MILLS, JAMES DEWITT YANCEY, MALIK IZAAK TAYLOR, KAMAAL IBN FAREED
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Pride317
Lyrics
Q-Tip:
One, two, what'cha wanna do
Three, four, cuz we're gonna give you more
Five, six, and we ain't the tricks
Seven, eight, and we got it straight
Nine, ten, cuz we make it blend
Eleven, twelve, never ever going for self
Tribe Called Quest situation
Check it out
Q-Tip:
Power. People really get caught with this on different levels
Power controls your life
Money: The companion of the first. Some people tend to worship
And we know this ain't right
Phife:
Attitude (attitude) is how I get my point across
You can't call yourself an MC if you know that you're soft
Aggressive...is how the stage is approached. I burn MCs like toast
Cuz I'm the host with the most
Consequence:
Illing (illing) is what you do when you're assing
Whether it be you or all up in your fashion...
Cashing...it turns your people corrupt
It's six o'clock, yo, you gotta get your weight up
Q-Tip:
Sex (sex). Either a man or a woman
It's a gender, or when lovers get down
Frogging. When niggas try to play roles
But when they really need to put that shit background
Phife:
Miserable (miserable) is what your whole crew will be
If you're not original and you show no strategy
Heavenly...is how the track tends to flow
And if you don't know, tell em diggy said so
Q-Tip:
We living this cuz it's deep in our bones
A Tribe Called Quest with this hip hop jones
So sit and analyze the lyrical spray
Cuz all it really is is word play (word play) (word)
Consequence:
Willie. That's what I kick to get this Millie on a lilly
Now, I'm bagging dimes like Chilli
Stress (stress). That's what I always go through
Cuz it's survival of the fittest on the 192
Q-Tip:
Knowledge. When the mind accept facts
On this plane of living, knowledge be the key, black
Understanding. Getting a grip on what's revealed
When shit be real, can't give understanding back
Phife:
Analyze. That's what I do to MCs
That be talking bout they this and that, money please
Ego. I'm on my own jock skill
Cuz if I don't say I'm the best, tell me who the hell will
Consequence:
Cheeba smoke y'all. That's what I use to get high
When I'm in a rut and I don't know why
Try. Yo try again my friend
Cuz you can't see this MC representing Linden
Q-Tip:
Freestyle (freestyle). A true MC trait
And when you do it ill, niggas respect it as great
Yo, I gotta...(laughing)
Phife:
We living this cuz it's deep in our bones
A Tribe Called Quest with the hip-hop jawns
So sit and analyze the lyrical spray
Cuz all it really is is word play (word play)
@VinylAthletes
This is the most off kilter no quantize Dilla beat ever made.
@1D1UL1C1
the message of this song is so so very deep. Thank you A Tribe Called Quest for making me a better person.
@Amari19_
Freestyle!! A true Emcee trait!!
@thomswaggard7276
best song on the album
@dulcetabeats1800
Second to stressed out imo
@alaubzzz
Honestly this whole album bangs. One of my fav ATCQ albums.
@pr0wl_727
@@alaubzzz this is a very low key album and I love it!
@v.m.a.d.a
Definitive real hip hop shitππ½
@yeechi00
this album my favorite tribe album. i love every song on it. rip phife
@th3rd3arplan3tradio
There will never be another phife & q-tip.