In a time when rappers were either hardcore and gangster or political and militant the Native Tongues collective were neither. Abstract, witty and intelligent is the best way to describe A Tribe Called Quest’s approach to lyricism, with an evidently coherent jazz backdrop that was much less radio friendly than De La and the JB’s, but would leave more of a lasting imprint on hip hop production values of the 90′s. Made up of Phife Dawg, Q-Tip, Ali Shaheed Muhammad and sometime member Jarobi White, A Tribe Called Quest entered the stage with their 1990 debut Peoples Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm.

Their debut album was full of random rhymes that touched on topics as diverse as safe sex, vegetarianism, wallet loss, as well as odes to the ladies, French hip hop artists and fools. This lyrical lightheartedness gave Tribe a vast appeal which reached out to younger children, the white mainstream and the larger dance community, areas that more militant or hardcore artists could not breach. The fact that a lot of their early audiences didn’t get the lyrical content of a rap album but still chose to enjoy it is a testament to the ear friendly production. This album wasn’t the ear melting stuff of say NWA or Public Enemy but was a mellow full sound that hadn’t been heard from a New York scene which had so far favoured sparse cold production. The warmth of the beats and the varied vocal styles of Phife and Q-Tip make this a classic debut but fortunately for hip hop the best of A Tribe Called Quest was still to come.

Trivia

The album was entirely produced by Q tip

Tribe were originally managed by the legendary DJ Red Alert

Tribe were the least known members of the Native Tongues collective behind Jungle Brothers and De La Soul

The members of ATCQ and Jungle Brothers went to the same school

Singles

Can I Kick It (Boilerhouser mix)

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Bonita Applebum

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Left My Wallet in El Segundo

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Slang Dictionary

Slammin, Jimmy Hat, dome, Propmaster, Freak y’all, lowdown, Blunts, 40,

90s Guy says

De La Soul and Jungle Brothers were already huge in England thanks to a multitude of ‘Dance’ remixes that had brought them into the style of the club music that was already being played over here. Thankfully Tribe were largely spared this fate but it made them a lot less accessible than their Native Tongue brothers. The quirkiness of the single releases meant no one knew had to market them and the music mags didn’t have a clue what they were about, so groups like the Dream Warriors got more play at the time. Then in 92 there was that Ian Wright Nike ad and a new reason to check out Peoples Instinctive Travels which now could be scooped up from the Woolworth’s bargain bin on tape for about £3 along with new Album Low End Theory and the love affair with Tribe truly began.

90s Guy Favourites

Luck of Lucien Luck of Lucien

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Link

Review

On the DL

Tribe Vibes (sample collection) on the DL

Tribe Vibes Vol.2 on the DL

Tribe Vibes Vol.3 on the DL