“Can I kick it? (Yes, you can!)” – A Tribe Called Quest
In the hip-hop community, A Tribe Called Quest is seen as one of the classics. As an outsider, looking into the rap community and genre, the group is easy to identify when thinking about rap from the 80’s all the way into the 2000s.
The Tribe is known for their unique samples and features, but also for their intelligent and minimalist approach to music. In 1989, listeners around the world were introduced to members Q-Tip, Phife Dawg, Jarobi White and Ali Shaheed Muhammad through the Tribe’s debut single, “Description of a Fool.”
Description of a Fool is full of lyrics that delve into stories of people who are, well, fools. The second verse tells the story of a man who is “really psychotic,” who beat his ex-girlfriend and caused scenes in public. Q-Tip lays down these lyrics, in both narration as well as criticism.
In short, he reminds the listener to “stay afloat on the reality boat,” or to simply not do things that would make one look foolish, as well as “only a fool as described by the Tribe,” would act out in these ways.
Following their single debut in ‘89, is their first album “People’s Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm,” in 1990. This album had no features at all, however many of the songs sampled acclaimed artists we still talk about today. For instance, “Footprints” has a sample from “Sir Duke” by Stevie wonder, as well as “Think Twice” by Donald Byrd. Or the most popular song from the album, “Can I kick it?,” samples “Spinning Wheel” by Lonnie Smith and “Walk on the Wild Side,” by Lou Reed.
The album’s critical acclamation has gone on as one of the best debut album reviews that I’ve seen. Entertainment Weekly gave the album an A- and even New Music Express gave the album a nine out of 10. Ian McCann was the one writing NME’s review, and he summed up the Tribe’s work beautifully.
“This is not rap, it's near perfection. Q Tip and the crew are jazzy with a capital zee.” – Ian McCann
The Tribe found themselves releasing music in the time of the “D.A.I.S.Y” AGE, an acronym coined by rap trio De La Soul, standing for “da inner sound y’all.” De La Soul members define the D.A.I.S.Y AGE by the unique blend of samples and sounds they created on their debut album, “3 Feet High and Rising.”
This age in music is commonly juxtaposed with what rap was thought to be at this time, which was the basic idea of “gangster rap,” a sound coined most commonly by Dr. Dre, Tupac, Snoop Dogg and the like of others. Coining “a sunnier style of rap,” according to Posdnuos from De La Soul, allowed rap to become more fun and for rappers to tell stories outside of the “gangster” aesthetics.
The Tribe commonly collaborated with De La Soul members, most notably Trugoy the Dove on their single “Award Tour.” They’ve even recorded a collaborative song, which was released on March 7 of this year, titled “Clear Lake Auditorium,” which holds the song “Sh.Fe.MC’s (feat. A Tribe Called Quest).”
“A Tribe Called Quest, represent, represent.” – A Tribe Called Quest
The influence of the Tribe doesn’t go unnoticed at all; in fact, most listeners can catch the inspiration that not only the Tribe passed along, but also that of De La Soul. For instance, alternative rap group The Pharcyde takes heavy inspiration from both groups.
Their debut album “Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde,” came out in 1992 and featured tracks with jazz samples, intros, outros and skits. However, most importantly, the album featured something most common from the D.A.I.S.Y AGE of music: skits.
It’s evident that The Pharcyde had fun with their music, releasing playful songs like “Ya Mama” and skits like “Quinton’s on the Way.” Once again, this debut album was one of the more highly acclaimed debuts in the rap genre.
Even today, the Tribe and their debut album have been credited with inspiring major artists and producers we know today, like Pharrell Williams and J. Cole, who both have remixes of songs on this album. They’ve both credited the Tribe with inspiring their artistry.
I mean, you can hear it all over J. Cole’s music, he loves a jazz sample, or even a song that tells a story. The same thing goes for Pharrell. He credits Bonita Applebum to be the song that made him realize, “music is art.”
“A life filled with fun is what I love.” – A Tribe Called Quest
In the time of “gangster rap,” or “mumble rap,” the Tribe found a way to make rap their own and still have fun with it. Whether it be through samples or clever lyrics, the Tribe continues to leave an impactful sound on the hip-hop community.
Of course, their timeless lyrics and artistry go unmatched in the rap game today. Though, properly celebrated and credited with inspiration, A Tribe Called Quest will go down as one of the most essential rap groups. Whether you enjoy loud music, soft music, new music or old music, the Tribe has something for everyone.
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Brychelle Brooks, junior majoring in public and professional writing with a minor in information systems, has been with The Auburn Plainsman since August 2023. She previously served as the Campus Reporter and Opinion Editor. She is currently serving as the Newsletter Editor.
