The Tribe

In my very first post ever, ages ago, I made brief mention of my love for A Tribe Called Quest. I've been listening to them a lot of late, so I figured it might be time to drop a couple of their tracks.

Anyhow, so it was the Beasties that turned me on to the Tribe, via 1994's "Get it Together" which featured Q-Tip. I remember researching Q-Tip, discovering Tribe, and listening to a few of the 30-second clips you can get on Amazon. From the intro to "Check the Rhime", track 1 on Anthology, I was sold, and went out and bought the album.

I've been returning to the Tribe periodically ever since. While their rhymes aren't always stunning, Q-Tip and Phife Dawg have a great, contrasting flow--Tip with his smooth sexuality, Phife with his more in-your-face charisma. And then there are the beats, courtesy of the third member of the Tribe, Ali Shaheed Muhammad. His pioneering use of jazz and soul samples provided a more laid-back groove--a perfect match for Tip and Phife (though Tip in particular). It's hard for me to imagine Q-Tip being nearly as successful if he'd been rapping over Run-DMC-style beats.

So below are a couple of tracks for your enjoyment. There's the classic "Award Tour," which you should now already, and then there's "Electric Relaxation," probably their sexiest track, and then "Excursions," which really drives forward with its repetitive, bouncy bass line. Enjoy.

A Tribe Called Quest - Award Tour (YSI) (filesavr)
A Tribe Called Quest - Electric Relaxation (YSI) (filesavr)
A Tribe Called Quest - Excursions (YSI) (filesavr)