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)
black spasmodic
A Tribe Called Quest Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yo, Phife, you ready?
Cons, you got that part right?
I dunno but it don't matter who choose to set it off
ATCQ, no doubt my niggas is boss
Little half-ass rappers, y'all pissin' me off
Time to dead 'em all off, yo, no matter the cause
(Spasmodic) Who kept up the buzz the whole calendar
(Black) Used to sell drugs out the Challenger
(Spasmodic) Used to keep guns with the silencers
(Black) They don't make thugs of this calibre
(Spasmodic) Who kept up a buzz the whole calendar
(Black) Used to sell drugs out the Challenger
(Spasmodic) Now look what he does to any challenger
Now who want it with the Trini gladiator?
Mid finger to you haters, you biters not innovators
I take zero for granted, I honors my gift
Champion pen game, plus I'm freestyle equipped
You clowns be bum sauce, speak my name, it's curtains
Hamdulillāh my crew's back to workin'
Trash rap the dead pussy, kill the chirping
No more fuck boys, sit down, shit can only get worsen
And how do you touch mic with flows uncertain?
Speak game dry, that flow ain't workin'
Folks throwin' items, dem vex and cursin'
Fuck made me wanna see these niggas in person
Third song in, muthafuckas dispersin'
Only to realize Donald Juice in the buildin'
Big tune this for man, woman and children
Back on my bullshit, Busta Bus then we kill them
(Black) They don't make thugs of this calibre
(Spasmodic) Who kept up the buzz the whole calendar
(Black) Used to sell drugs out the Challenger
(Spasmodic) Used to keep guns with the silencers
My nigga's spirit be talkin' to me, let me explain
Not through evil mediums, tarot cards or Ouija games
But through mixing chords and boards and even drum machines
He be saying, "Nigga fuck awards, keep reppin' Queens
And don't be taking slack from these non-rapping niggas, man
That intellectual shit you spit, you better change your plan
Especially when you see them at the lobby of a label
And they don't seem able to outstretch they hands and admit they fans
You better flame 'em in the J's that they standing in
Ostracize they memory for not remembering
The articles reduce their body parts to particles
And dust the Dead Sea with their cremated molecules
I'm leaving, but nigga you still got the work to do
I expect the best from you, I'm watching from my heaven view
Don't disappoint me, make sure that they anoint me
As the blue ribbon pedigree, the best of show five-foot-three
Speak of the legacy for short people around the world
Napoleonic bionic people who cause the world to twirl
Rip every stage with grace, look right dead in they face
Live the Tribe principle of havin' impeccable taste
Enjoy that breath like that one was your last one left
If you don't believe me, Tip, there's truly life after death
So refer to the Biggie covers and shoutout my Trini brothers
And please check in on my mother," Malik Izaak, call me shorty
(Black) They don't make thugs of this calibre
(Spasmodic) Who kept up the buzz the whole calendar
(Black) Used to sell drugs out the Challenger
(Spasmodic) Used to keep guns with the silencers
(Black)
(Spasmodic)
The song "Black Spasmodic" by A Tribe Called Quest is a tribute to their late member, Phife Dawg, who passed away in 2016. The song is filled with clever wordplay and references to their past, but also touches on themes of legacy and living up to expectations. The lyrics are delivered by Q-Tip and Consequence, with each verse building on the last.
The first verse sets the tone for the rest of the song, with Q-Tip expressing his frustration with "little half-ass rappers." He declares that it's time to "dead 'em all off" and asserts that ATCQ is the boss. The chorus, "They don't make thugs of this calibre/ Who kept up the buzz the whole calendar/ Used to sell drugs out the Challenger/ Used to keep guns with the silencers," is a nod to their past as a group, referencing their early days of selling drugs and navigating street life.
The second verse is delivered by Consequence, who declares himself the "Trini Gladiator" and takes aim at haters and "biters not innovators." He proclaims himself a "champion pen game" and references his ability to freestyle. The chorus repeats, emphasizing their past experiences and how they've grown from them.
The third verse, delivered by Q-Tip, is a touching tribute to Phife Dawg. He describes how Phife's spirit speaks to him through music and tells him to keep reppin' Queens and to flame those who don't believe in him. He encourages short people around the world to rip every stage with grace and to live up to the Tribe principle of impeccable taste. The song ends with a final repetition of the chorus.
Line by Line Meaning
Yo, y'all ready?
Are you guys prepared?
Yo, Phife, you ready?
Phife, are you ready?
Cons, you got that part right?
Cons, did you do your part correctly?
I dunno but it don't matter who choose to set it off
I'm not sure who will start it, but it doesn't matter
ATCQ, no doubt my niggas is boss
ATCQ is without a doubt the boss
Little half-ass rappers, y'all pissin' me off
Mediocre rappers, you guys are irritating me
Time to dead 'em all off, yo, no matter the cause
It's time to finish them off, regardless of the reason
(Black) They don't make thugs of this calibre
There aren't any thugs of this quality anymore
(Spasmodic) Who kept up the buzz the whole calendar
The person who maintained the buzz throughout the year
(Black) Used to sell drugs out the Challenger
They used to sell drugs from the Challenger
(Spasmodic) Used to keep guns with the silencers
They used to have guns with silencers
(Spasmodic) Now look what he does to any challenger
Now see what he does to anyone who challenges him
Now who want it with the Trini gladiator?
Who wants to compete with the Trini gladiator?
Mid finger to you haters, you biters not innovators
I'm flipping the bird to the haters, you're plagiarists, not innovators
I take zero for granted, I honors my gift
I never take anything for granted and I honor my talent
Champion pen game, plus I'm freestyle equipped
I'm skilled in writing and have a talent for freestyle
You clowns be bum sauce, speak my name, it's curtains
You guys are losers, if you mention my name, it's over for you
Hamdulillāh my crew's back to workin'
Thank God my crew is back to work
Trash rap the dead pussy, kill the chirping
End the worthless rap and silence the noise
No more fuck boys, sit down, shit can only get worsen
No more useless men, sit down because things will only get worse
And how do you touch mic with flows uncertain?
How can you perform with such an uncertain flow?
Speak game dry, that flow ain't workin'
Your performance is dull, that style is not working
Folks throwin' items, dem vex and cursin'
People are throwing things and angry
Fuck made me wanna see these niggas in person
What made me want to see these guys in person?
Third song in, muthafuckas dispersin'
By the end of the third song, the motherfuckers are dispersing
Only to realize Donald Juice in the buildin'
Only to realize that Donald Juice is present
Big tune this for man, woman and children
This is a big song for everyone
Back on my bullshit, Busta Bus then we kill them
I'm back to my old self, with Busta Bus to help kill them
(Black) They don't make thugs of this calibre
There aren't any thugs of this quality anymore
(Spasmodic) Who kept up the buzz the whole calendar
The person who maintained the buzz throughout the year
(Black) Used to sell drugs out the Challenger
They used to sell drugs from the Challenger
(Spasmodic) Used to keep guns with the silencers
They used to have guns with silencers
(Black)
(Spasmodic)
My nigga's spirit be talkin' to me, let me explain
My friend's spirit is talking to me, let me explain
Not through evil mediums, tarot cards or Ouija games
Not through negative methods, like tarot cards or Ouija games
But through mixing chords and boards and even drum machines
But through mixing music with technology, like drum machines
He be saying, "Nigga fuck awards, keep reppin' Queens
He is saying, "Ignore awards, keep representing Queens
And don't be taking slack from these non-rapping niggas, man
Don't tolerate these non-talented guys
That intellectual shit you spit, you better change your plan
You should change your style of intellectual lyrics
Especially when you see them at the lobby of a label
Especially when you encounter them at a record label
And they don't seem able to outstretch they hands and admit they fans
And they don't seem capable of admitting they are fans
You better flame 'em in the J's that they standing in
You better insult them where they stand
Ostracize they memory for not remembering
Disrespect their memory for not remembering
The articles reduce their body parts to particles
We will turn their body parts to particles with our lyrics
And dust the Dead Sea with their cremated molecules
We will scatter their ashes in the Dead Sea
I'm leaving, but nigga you still got the work to do
I'm leaving, but you still have work to do
I expect the best from you, I'm watching from my heaven view
I expect the best from you, I'm watching from above
Don't disappoint me, make sure that they anoint me
Don't disappoint me, make sure they praise me
As the blue ribbon pedigree, the best of show five-foot-three
As the best, amazing five-foot-three rapper
Speak of the legacy for short people around the world
Talk about the legacy of short people worldwide
Napoleonic bionic people who cause the world to twirl
People who are short yet powerful and influential
Rip every stage with grace, look right dead in they face
Perform flawlessly and confidently, look them in the eye
Live the Tribe principle of havin' impeccable taste
Live by the Tribe's principle of having great taste
Enjoy that breath like that one was your last one left
Treat each breath as if it was your last
If you don't believe me, Tip, there's truly life after death
If you don't believe me, Tip, there is really life after death
So refer to the Biggie covers and shoutout my Trini brothers
Look at the Biggie covers and give a shoutout to my Trini brothers
And please check in on my mother," Malik Izaak, call me shorty
And please check in on my mother." - Malik Izaak, shorty
(Black) They don't make thugs of this calibre
There aren't any thugs of this quality anymore
(Spasmodic) Who kept up the buzz the whole calendar
The person who maintained the buzz throughout the year
(Black) Used to sell drugs out the Challenger
They used to sell drugs from the Challenger
(Spasmodic) Used to keep guns with the silencers
They used to have guns with silencers
Lyrics © Ultra Tunes, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Kamaal Ibn John Fareed, Malik Izaak Taylor, Dexter Mills
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jayson Michael
Yo, y'all ready?
Yo, Phife, you ready?
Cons, you got that part right?
I dunno but it don't matter who choose to set it off
ATCQ, no doubt my niggas is boss
Little half-ass rappers, y'all pissin' me off
Time to dead 'em all off, yo, no matter the cause
They don't make thugs of this calibre
(Spasmodic) Who kept up the buzz the whole calendar
(Black) Used to sell drugs out the Challenger
(Spasmodic) Used to keep guns with the silencers
(Black) They don't make thugs of this calibre
(Spasmodic) Who kept up a buzz the whole calendar
(Black) Used to sell drugs out the Challenger
(Spasmodic) Now look what he does to any challenger
Now who want it with the Trini gladiator?
Mid finger to you haters, you biters not innovators
I take zero for granted, I honors my gift
Champion pen game, plus I'm freestyle equipped
You clowns be bum sauce, speak my name, it's curtains
Hamdulillāh my crew's back to workin'
Trash rap the dead pussy, kill the chirping
No more fuck boys, sit down, shit can only get worsen
And how do you touch mic with flows uncertain?
Speak game dry, that flow ain't workin'
Folks throwin' items, dem vex and cursin'
Fuck made me wanna see these niggas in person
Third song in, muthafuckas dispersin'
Only to realize Donald Juice in the buildin'
Big tune this for man, woman and children
Back on my bullshit, Busta Bus then we kill them
They don't make thugs of this calibre
(Spasmodic) Who kept up the buzz the whole calendar
(Black) Used to sell drugs out the Challenger
(Spasmodic) Used to keep guns with the silencers
My nigga's spirit be talkin' to me, let me explain
Not through evil mediums, tarot cards or Ouija games
But through mixing chords and boards and even drum machines
He be saying, "Nigga fuck awards, keep reppin' Queens
And don't be taking slack from these non-rapping niggas, man
That intellectual shit you spit, you better change your plan
Especially when you see them at the lobby of a label
And they don't seem able to outstretch they hands and admit they fans
You better flame 'em in the J's that they standing in
Ostracize they memory for not remembering
The articles reduce their body parts to particles
And dust the Dead Sea with their cremated molecules
I'm leaving, but nigga you still got the work to do
I expect the best from you, I'm watching from my heaven view
Don't disappoint me, make sure that they anoint me
As the blue ribbon pedigree, the best of show five-foot-three
Speak of the legacy for short people around the world
Napoleonic bionic people who cause the world to twirl
Rip every stage with grace, look right dead in they face
Live the Tribe principle of havin' impeccable taste
Enjoy that breath like that one was your last one left
If you don't believe me, Tip, there's truly life after death
So refer to the Biggie covers and shoutout my Trini brothers
And please check in on my mother, " Malik Izaak, call me shorty
They don't make thugs of this calibre
(Spasmodic) Who kept up the buzz the whole calendar
(Black) Used to sell drugs out the Challenger
(Spasmodic) Used to keep guns with the silencers
(Black)
(Spasmodic)
Phillip Schellenberger
This is how you tastefully and honorably pay respect to the since passed. Q's verse could basically summed up as a prayer to Phife.
B.Allen
EVERY ALBUM THEY DROPPED WAS A CLASSIC. ALL OF THEM
New Era
True!!!
VengefulBatz
Gold Plated Facts.
Howard Denham
FACTSSS!!! My favorite Hip Hop group of all time since they first dropped! No one make music and gives vibes the way Tribe does! Their music is timeless!
Dno 82
They could actually be the greatest hip hop group ever??
Tay Luc 777
Facts
Jay Medina
This whole album has aged so well. <3
beatswork
This is the best rap song I’ve ever heard in the last 20 years And not once have I heard it on the radio
Micshariki Africa
My favorite from the album..