Reviews (page 10 of 14)
I'm sorry to say that I traversed my journey with early hip-hop albums, of which this is a pretty good example. It's a cool and well produced album and I enjoyed every single track in isolation. It just gets a little too repetitive for me to fully engage with for the whole album. Mix a few of these tracks into a DJ set or at a swanky bar and I'm all for it. I won't be sitting down and listening to this album again though.
Good record, well done Tribe.
Great lyricism and flow. I enjoyed "Check the Rhime," "Jazz," and "Scenario" the best
what a great album!
Started off really promising and I thought I’d this going to be an hip hop album I can really like? Sadly it went down hill from there. Still, probably better than most in the genre and the opening track is truly excellent
I love tribe so much but I struggled to find this one as revolutionary as everyone else calls it. Fun listen still but wasn't home run
Some great beats. Lyrics range from amazing to downright bad. It feels dated but that only takes away from it a bit. It was enjoyable though finishing it felt like homework. I’m torn but I’ll give it 3 stars due to impact and the beats alone
Was alright, about what I'd expect of hip-hop in that era
Some of the lyrics and rhymes that crack me up. However, the beats feel repetitive throughout the entire album. A bit boring for me but oddly calming to listen to?
Funky and addictive!
good
Decent. After a few more listens I'd probably 'see the light'
Yeah, it was fun. Stand-outs - Check the Rhime - Jazz (We've Got)
I was reluctant to press play, TBH. I enjoyed it more than I expected. It was a lot funkier than I thought it would be. I totally understand why it's a classic and I'm glad that I listened to it especially since it's not an album that I would have chosen on my own. This is a very good early 90s hip-hop album. I understand why it's on this list. The lyricism was less "Rapper's Delight" than I expected -- and that was welcome. 🥁 I _noticed_ the tight drumming on this one and found myself wondering "....wait....is Questlove associated with 'A Tribe Called Quest'? Is that how he got the name?" It turns out his name is inspired by the group.
Great album. Definitley 90s hip hop. Love the bass. Beats got a little repetitive after halfway through. But again, that is the 90s. Great lyrics. 7.25/14, 71.96%
05-06/03/26
I liked this one. Refreshing to hear rapping that uses other words than slurs or something related to sex. The beats and music were also to my liking. Would I listen to this volunteraly again? Maybe not but definitely wouldn't mind listening to this if it comes up from playlist or something. Best track was Check the Rime.
Jazz con rap me gusta! Sonidos muy claros, pegadizos. Un 8 🙌🏼✨
Good hip-hop album with jazz influences. It's smooth and cool and doesn't sound dated. My previous album was MC Solaar which I liked even more so this gets a 3+.
Album No. 0171 on my list. I’m not rally all that much into hip hop (I think I’m really starting every review of a hip hop album like this now). Hence, I had never heard of either A Tribe Called Quest or their album “The Low End Theory”. If I’m not mistaken, this is the highest rated hip hop album on this site. Unfortunately, I’m not really sure that I get what the fuzz is all about. This is not really a bad album and I 100 % get why this is considered a hip hop classic. But I found it rather solid than really great, I think. There are some cool lyrics here, there is a solid flow; to my limited knowledge, this is really classic early 90s hip hop at its best. That being said, none of the songs really stood out to me, and I found that there is a little lack of dynamic on this. Anyway, I’ll add “Excursions”, “Jazz (We’ve Got)”, and “Scenario” to my playlist, the latter being a solid collaboration with Busta Rhymes. 3/5 stars.
нє, ну качає, прикол але я таке не слухаю 🥀 може, почну йоу
This was the first hip hop album that I've listened to and although it is not really my type of music, it was pleasant enough.
Quite cool and easy to listen to but, like a few other hip-hop albums on this list, it felt very samey. After the first few songs, I felt like I'd heard all the album had to offer.
interesting rap album. kinda had a jazzy vibe without any sampling.
данный альбом - сплошной рэп, но, несмотря на это, некоторые треки оказались довольно неплохими. хотя тексты мне вообще не понравились, в инструментале есть моменты, за которые зацепилось ухо. ну и +1 звезда чисто из-за Q-Tip'a
For me it's kinda basic but maybe legendary album. Liked some tracks, but overall it's a 3-star album. Enjoyed some jazz instruments.
I really enjoyed the drum and bass combo that drives the groove of the album. Very clean tones, very satisfying to bop to. The focal element of the album is the rapping and word play. I have a hard time focusing on lyrics in music, but the bits and pieces I picked up swayed back and forth between clever word play and discussion of sex, drugs, and money. I noticed I started to get bored the deeper into the album I got. I attribute that my personal difficulty focusing as time went on, and the drum and bass groove, while nice, eventually lost its novelty and got repetitive. All in all, solid album! I think I'd enjoy it more broken up and sprinkled throughout a playlist than listening to the album front to back.
few songs were good
Nice and good
Tiene muy buen ritmo,no soy fan del rap y no suelo escucharlo,pero acepto que son buenas canciones
Good older rap with a nice musical interludes.
pretty good
One of the quintessential hip hop albums. It combines jazzy elements, with great rapping to conform a really interesting listen. Would slightly prefer 'Midnight Marauders' but this vastly improves upon their debut. 8/10 [KEEP]
Good
Day 189 Wasn’t blown away but fine as background music. Highlights Check the Rhime Skypager
It’s pretty good (I’m assuming better for its time) but I am left confused by the intention of the song “infamous date rape” like is it supposed to be satire? If so it didn’t really land that way with me, so had to knock it down for that. I think overall it’s solid but I wouldn’t find myself listening to it again (and this is coming from a rap/hip hop enjoyer)
Great text but I never was a fan of this type of beat
It’s great album. I didn’t know the band so it’s new for me and i like to listen to new things. This album is not incredible but is worth listen.
7/10. Some really good beats and samples in here. Kinda relatable subject matter too
love the sound, flow sounds a little simple compared to modern rap I've heard but I wonder how much I'm missing in terms of linguistic nuance. Didn't like Butter too much due to the lyrics just boasting of disrespecting women. Liked 'Verses from the Abstract', a lot more. Like the flow on 'Show Business' it's a bit faster paced and fun. I wonder if the choice of order is relevant. Does this tell a character narrative? Infamous Date Rape?? Can't tell if it's ridiculing this instructional method for how to court a sexual partner and the 'risks' of being falsely accused. If it is I feel it may be too subtle for me to catch. Liking 'Everything is Fair'
This was perfectly fine and though not my preferred genre, easy to listen to.
Alternative hip hop at it's best.
I'm having a hard time with this one because it's very good, undeniably important, influential, etc, but it's pretty dated. Most of the old school rap that holds up is the stuff that doesn't take itself super seriously, and this one takes itself pretty seriously.
GOING IN: No strong feelings LISTENED WHILE: decorating FAMILIARITY: New to me SKIP RATE: Played it straight through REPLAY VALUE: Deffo play again DISCOVERY CURVE: Warmed up nicely ALBUM ARC: Pretty even, consistent VERDICT: Fair enough BODY'S VERDICT: Decent head wobble FAVOURITE TRACK: My Rating: 3
Rap-jazz fusion! Interesting, but all the songs blended into one another. I can see why this made the list, though.
There’s not enough variation here to keep it interesting. They are very laid back and not bombastic like The Beastie Boys (which I like more). Overall, it’s alright.
05/02/2026 I can appreciate it, but it's not really me scene. Spotify listeners: 4.8 million
calssic
hmm…new
A good 90s hip-hop rap listen.
𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘰𝘸 𝘌𝘯𝘥 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘰𝘳𝘺 is minimalist, smooth, and deeply rooted in jazz — a blueprint for laid-back, thoughtful hip-hop. The interplay between Q-Tip and Phife Dawg is sharp, and the production has that warm, upright-bass pulse that defines the album’s whole aesthetic. Still, as much as I admire its influence and clarity, it doesn’t fully grab me on a personal level. It’s a cool, intelligent record, just not one I’m eager to revisit often.
It’s hip-hop. I don’t really like hip-hop, but this is fine. I don’t remember a thing about it, I’m never going to listen again, but I didn’t hate it.
Not really my style but not offensive 3
The only track I knew was Scenario. I didn't know that track is credited with launching Busta Rhymes' career - neat! I like Tribe because the backing tracks are groovy/jazzy and they _don't_ do the gangsta rap thing. It's like easy listening rap, in a good way. I think if it had ~2 more hits, I would mark it an easy 4.
Ville give det 3.5 giver mig nostalgi følelse og romantiseret idé om at være ung i new york i 90'erne :))) ville jeg komme tilbage til det? not sure
Heart usually sinks when a rap album appears on here but actually this one was on the right side of rap I can listen to without losing the will to live
Core hip-hop album, absolutely influential, and in the lexicon of the genre it feels like it spends a significant portion of its run time on takeoff and never really catches its wind.
Hmm. It's not bad but it's not really good either. I mean sure why not it's nice at first but 40 minutes of the exact same drum pattern well... it's kinda long. I can see why it's liked but i personally didn't enjoy it after the first 3 songs.
Not something i thought i'd like as I'm not a huge fan of hip-hop, but it was pretty decent. I'd probably listen to it again but its not something i was obsessed with. The lyrics were nice and probably my favourite part of the whole album. My favourite songs were infamous date rape or verses from the abstract.
Pretty good. I liked the vibe
man this album is such a vibe, dropped while i was in college and really takes me back not something that i really feel like listening to anymore, for some reason q-tips flow just feels too specific to a moment and its weird listening now. still, the way it hit in its time was epic
I actually quite enjoyed this one; whether that's because I've had an aneurysm in my sleep, or if A Tribe Called Quest are genuinely a high quality example of hip hop, I should probably get myself checked out just in case. It felt far less one-note and monotonous than much of the hip hop that I've dunked on so far - it's far more "vibey" and moody owing to its atmospheric depth, more varied and palatable vocally with an accomplished flow to the lyrics being delivered, and it takes less of an "in your face" approach where you can almost tune out from the vocals if you so choose. When I did find myself focusing on the lyrics, there wasn't too much cause for concern in that department either, with some interesting, abstract concepts being explored. I'll be chucking this into my "hip hop that I don't mind" playlist, which doesn't get too many runouts, but serves as an occasional reminder that it's probably not the genre in and of itself that I take issue with - rather, the execution in many cases.
00:21am Slušala sam ga iz dva puta i iskreno kida hahaha Na prvo slušanje sam htjela površno preći preko cijelog albuma jer nikad nisam slušala ovaj žanr ranije, na drugo sam našla tekst uz pjesme i većinski nemam blage veze o čemu pjevaju al’ je bilo baš dobrih stihova i strofa pa sve u svemu svidio mi se album. Nemam pojma ko su Q-tip i tamo neki Muhamed i Fajf al imaju dobar bit i mnogo mi se sviða taj osjećaj kao da živim u Kvinsu, Nju Jorku, imam vrećaste farmerice do poda i najbolje drugarice su mi Tamika i Shaika iz bloka
Good for background noise
"GRAAH! RAH! LIKE A DUNGEON, DRAGON!"
Some of the songs sounded the same, but they were all good.
It was not bad, I liked some of the songs. I think for me if I like the album or not depends on the lyricism. Some of the songs had that some didn't. I wouldn't really give it a 3 because it is a bit better so probably a 3,5 in reality
Нигеры на плотной читке, но меня все равно не отпускает мысль что музло состарилось
Stripped down rap. Jazz samples. Clever, easy to understand lyrics. Not gangster rap. Not my usual genre but I liked it.
Infamous date rape and scenario are my favorites. Love the beats but the album is just a bit dated for my liking.
fav tracks: butter, vibes and stuff, everything is fair also not really my type of music, but I can appreciate it for its significance. it is really good, just not what I would ever reach for to listen to on my own. glad I heard it regardless because they're legends.
I enjoyed this album listen from A Tribe Called Quest! I feel like this is music that I can just vibe and chill to while listening. Overall, this was a solid hip hop and rap album that I would vibe to again in the future!
pretty solid but not my fav
sort of cool, appreciated how influential it's been
fun lil old hiphop album. way more listenable than i thought it would be. might even add into a playlist? songs seemed a bit too similar to eachother though, a definite favourite didn't really stand out
Not my personal style but groovy and enjoyable at times
Easy listening, the last half of the album shines with Check that Rhime and Everything is Fair. Very enjoyable and laid back however none of it particularly screams at me to listen to again and again.
Can see why it is considered a classic, but shows its age. Middle section got a bit repetitive, but ending picked back up. Great beats, enjoyed as a whole. Favorite song: Verses from the Abstract Ideal listening setting: mellow Sunday morning doing house chores Would I Relisten: no
not my vibe
it took me a couple songs to really get into it, not my usual, but pleasantly surprised. overall, it was a good listen. 3.5/5
A fine early 90s rap album.
I don't think I 've ever heard a hip hop album b4 but this is fire lol not my usual pick, I will prolly forget or listen when I am at the gym, drivin (dream) or when I want to feel like a gta character 7 out of 10
Heavy heavy beat, but a bit more repetitive than I recall the previous TCQ album (Peoples Instinctive Travels) and consequently I don't like it as much. But still better than the usual hip-hop offerings
Not my thing but listenable. Musicianship and a bit of jazz thrown in. A decent album.
7.2
I had listened to many of these tracks before. They have a unique and cohesive sound that was influential to the underground. But, it's not amazing to me. Its lyrically gimmicky at times and musically repetitive at others.
the instrumentation is good but the vocal delivery sounds like most other early 90s rap
not really my thing, super interesting beats and lyrics but I don't tend to like hip hop and rap so there's only so much I can like it
Very good, reminds me of 2pac
Digging the vibes, good workout music
Primeiro albúm que estou a ouvir como parte deste desafio, gostei. Devia ouvir mais de A Tribe Called Quest. Neste aqui tanto o tema de abertura como o final são bangers, a minha favorita é capaz de ter sido "What?".
Can I kick it? Not this one, but not bad. Good jazzy grooves and funky drum beat, but a bit uninspiring overall.
Kinda catchy even though I don't like rap
ok. Not really my thing.
I appreciate the vibe but this has never been my thing.
I find this so horribly monotonous. It gives me anxiety. But I'll give it a three because google says they pioneered jazz/rap...which would explain why I find it so irritating.
Even though I'm a big hip-hop fan and enjoy quite a few albums of the genre from that time, I haven't fully connected with this one. Mainly because I found it repetitive at times, however, I did quite like the production and the jazz influences in some tracks, as well as how well it's mixed and how clearly the individual vocals are distinguished. Fave tracks: Infamous Date Rape, Check the Rhime, Everything Is Fair, Scenario.
same as their other sounds
It's not really my genre but I kinda loved the song excursions I'll try listening to more songs by them
the stomach bug came back... anyway, i think the album is alright. a bit monotonous, but i don't listen to rap at all so maybe that's just how it is and i just don't like rap.
Someday I may appreciate rap music. I’m working on it. The rhymes are pretty good on this one but the beat is relentless. I added “Butter” to the Generator playlist.
Life is strange 2 reference, enjoyed it but overall not my thing
this is good, up until now the only thing i knew busta rhymes from was halloween resurrection
I like these they are old school with good rhymes etc
This feels like an album that I need to give repeated listens - the key to everything is the lyrics, and there are some that I just can't catch on the first pass. Love the classic jazz samples that provide the backbone, especially when the rappers call them out ("Ron Carter on the bass"). Lots of great historical music references packed into "What?" as well. And was that Busta Rhymes dropping a D&D reference ("Rawr! Rawr! Like a dungeon dragon")? This is one of those cases where as a first-time listener I think "This sounds like every other hip-hop album," but I'm told it was so groundbreaking that every other hip-hop album - or at least a lot of them - sounds like this. Fantastic wordplay and performances, just not the kind of thing I listen to often.
Ensimmäinen kuuntelemani hip hop-levy ja sellaiseksi aika hyvä. En vain ole tämän genren suurin ystävä, mutta biitit kuulostivat hyviltä ja joitain vaikutteita jazzista kuului myös.
have listened before objectively very good. i don’t see myself coming back to it often. could soooo see this changing tho fav: rap promoter
This wasn't necessarily my cup of tea when it comes to rap — I tend to prefer having a lot more to the backing track — but I can see why it's so influential.
I'm not a fan of a lot of hip-hop, but I quite liked this. I like the more minimal beats. Nothing really stand out though so I'm keeping it at a 3.
5/10
Not as good as their other album. Ends so strong though
Thoughtful rap lyrics
Nice album, easy to listen to.
Points for a Busta Rhymes feat
Considering I am not into Hip Hop/ Rap I quite enjoyed this much as I did their other album on this list.
Cool rhymes
ouais pas mal. y’en a des vraiment biens, y’en a des trop longues. gg
awesome lyrics
Erinnert mich an das erste Fanta4-Album
classic hip-hop
Solid rap album, but nothing more and nothing yes. Good flows and average beats. Other people saying this is somehow an ambitious "jazz hiphop" record? Either the occasional chord that is beyond a triad qualifies an entire album as "jazz hiphop" or I listened to a different album.
Clearly very talented artists and a well made album. Not my style of music though
This has to be a grower, I was disappointed with this one on a first listen but I should love it.
I knew A Tribe Called Quest for the hits and it turns out that those hits I knew aren't on this album. Still this is quite pleasant. The beats are what I would call 'old school' (my theory is that people's definition of 'old school' depends on when they started listening to hiphop, in my case that's the nineties). Boombap-ish drums. Jazzy samples. It's got the same looseness as the hits I was familiar with but musically it's a bit more understated. It's still quite playful but decidedly less flashy. I can see why it didn't really break through in my little corner of the world back then but happy to have a chance to spend some time with it now.
Good stuff! A lot of very similar stuff but I didn’t mind it. Lot of cool beats. On the upper tier of hip hop this list has given us. Would give a 3.5 if I could
These guys just exude cool. There wasn’t anything here I was super wowed by, but I really enjoy their rhymes and their beats.
Tykkään kuinka hyvin levy "swengaa" alusta loppuun ja tuntuu että ollaan siellä jossain nykyhipidihopin alkulähteillä taas pelailemassa korista ja skeittaamassa. Ei tää kyllä huono oo ja ansaitsee jopa myöhemmin uuden kuuntelukerran
Ihan jeppis levy. Hyviä biittejä ja selkeää räbäytystä. Vähän ehkä itseään toistava, mutta ei silti ehtinyt kyllästyä.
Fun album, some good tracks. Highlights: "Vibes and Stuff", "Jazz (We've Got)
Good tunes but not my style :).thx
Lyyrisesti ehkä parempi kuin nusab osalta, mutta hyvähkö levy. 3/5.
Its a fine rap album. But I'm not wowed.
24 hours after grinding through Dr Dre’s gangsta rap, A Tribe Called Quest offered a much more engaging experience. The musical atmosphere is much more refined and spacey; the lyrics are live-and-let-live in outlook. I liked the clarity of the diction too. If I had a disappointment it was that - with the odd exception - the lyrics weren’t super-clever or thought provoking. I’m glad to have heard it, though.
Bit repetitive but a few good tracks
Cool production, nice flow. A bit repetitive-sounding, though, but it's alright.
Rap écoutable pour une fois
Fun, good beats, takes me back.
Yep, this is hip hop. Nothing revolutionary, but I guess you had to be there for it to have an effect.
Better than most hip-hop albums. Notably lacking in violence and misogyny, very refreshing.
Just ok
Solid rap album. Might listen again? Tough to say.
Really interesting to hear Busta being showcased.
These guys helped start Busta Rhymes' career, but were also heavy influences on Kanye's career. So I'd call that a wash
Yes yes yes
Old School Rap. Not my thing.
Good, wouldn't listen to it again probably but it was a enjoyable listen.
I do still really like this but as a whole it doesn’t do a lot for me anymore. 🤷🏼♂️
Second TCQ album off this list. Sweet beats.
Good beats, monotone vocals, trippin.
#150/1001. My wife said that this is hip hop she understands, and that is a great compliment from her. For me it falls somewhere in the middle, not super innovative, not terrible. The flow and the beats are again good, and there is a bit less ghetto and anger, which for me is a plus. But still a 3.
Appreciated the old school beats and jazz influences but it did get a bit repetitive.
Old School corny rap Funky beats Decent flow Quite basic rhyming
keine ahnung, gehört, irgendwas empfunden aber dann wieder vergessen und irgendwann war das Album zu Ende. Hat keinen bleibenden Eindruck hinterlassen, wie ein nicht riechender Furz
Angenehmer 90er HipHop
Slightly too slow for me. 3.
Really good
Solid, cool album :)
Great sample and lyrical storytelling. Stand out track 'what?'
No es para mi
Great grooves. I wasn't listening to the words. Gets kinda repetitive.
Pretty familiar with this legendary hip hop album , the rhyming is a bit out dated and the instrumentals low on layering but there’s quite a few classic tracks
Somewhat well-aged.
So often i see it on some lists where people highlight the best albums and have tried multiple times to appreciate it ans Triba called quest, but it's just not for me. Also the jazziness is not really helping it. 🥲
Like, fun , funky even. Nice downtempo 110 something bpm.
A real bassist! Otherwise... more rap.
Everyone loves Paris because it is so beautiful. But it is just a nice building repeated thousands of times. This album is the Paris of hiphop albums, a good song repeated a bunch of times. I went in with high expectations and didn't enjoy it as much as I hoped I would.
It’s good but also the same sound on repeat
Je pense que c'est très bien mais je ne m'y connais pas assez en rap pour bien juger.
A decent album
Lots of bands sample, but these guys are masters of inclusion
I'm not super well versed in older hip hop/rap but liked this album much more than I expected I might. Smooth and flowy with jazz undertones.
Songs kind of all sounded the same but I was happy enough
Great listen to fu my old hip hop. Doug E Fresh
cool 90's rap, enjoyed the sound, didn't listen much to lyrics tho, so might have missed alot
Liked the funkiness but after a while it felt like all the songs sounded the same. The last song was ending on a high note for sure.
I'm not a fan of this music genre, so an album has to have something really special for me to appreciate it. While this album is obviously very well produced and executed, it didn't have anything that made me want to seek it out again.
I dug the groove and old school style, but it got pretty samey.
a "classic" hip hop sound, in the sense that when i think of hip hop, i think of verses and beats like this.
Enjoyable record with bouncing instrumentation (those basslines!), solid hooks, and good wordplay that work at both a lyrical and rhythmic level. Easy to see why this album would make it onto a list like this, given the style that oozed from every track and the timeless production. The dated cultural references, lack of cultural alignment to my experience, and thus my tastes mean this doesn't quite rate highly for me. However, I wouldn't turn my nose up at listening more, and I'm glad to have been exposed to the album. 3.5/5
solid consistent vibe, lots of lyrics for the mood I am in
In an era when there was all kinds of East-West coast conflict posturing and beefing between hip-hop artists, groups like Tribe distinguished themselves by name-checking other artists they admired and staying out (and above) the fray. These guys were in it for the love of the form. There was no childish diss track drama so prevalent in a lot of commercial hip-hop. Tribe opted instead to elevate their peers, highlight their friends, and build community as part of the Native Tongues collective. Although 2 Live Crew were considered hip-hop's premiere party record producers, every house party I went to where hip-hop was played in the 90s I heard A Tribe Called Quest. I owned every other Tribe record on vinyl besides this one. We open with "Excursions", featuring the organic sounds of an upright bass, no doubt a nod to their admiration for the work of jazz pioneer Charles Mingus. Tribe's aesthetics always leaned more towards jazz than the funk inspirations of many of their contemporaries, and if you ask me, it was definitely one of their strengths. Other highlights include: "Show Business", which gives a classic production style evoking Eric B and Rakim. Any track that talks shit about the music business and bites the hand that feeds is an automatic banger in my book. "Butter" drops a buzzy synth bassline and lyrics flipping the macho-bravado where the player gets played for a change. In "Vibes and Stuff", despite the beats being great, giving props to the Zulu Nation—and Afrika Bambaataa specifically—has unfortunately aged like milk, given what an unredeemable p.o.s we would later discover Bambaataa to be. Wah Wahhh. "Scenario", a hyped up fast-paced multi-lyricist word salad jam, has been rocking good-time house parties since forever and needs no further explanation. A total hammer drop to close us out. The influence of this record is undeniable, aside from it being included in the 1001 Albums book. The eponymous and legendary experimental hip-hop and electronic DJ night at the Airliner in LA in the mid aughts was named directly after this record. If you liked waiting in lines, you could hear The Gaslamp Killer, Tyer The Creator, Flying Lotus, and occasional drop-ins by Thom Yorke on the 1s and 2s at that spot. Nicki Minaj references "dungeon dragons" in "Roman's Revenge" with lines and delivery lifted directly from Busta Rhymes' verses in "Scenario." Being repeatedly verse-checked by a superstar rapper 35 years later holds some weight for sure, even if it is a Harajuku Barbie. Before we put these dudes on a pedestal as bastions of so-called "conscious" hip-hop, however, we would do well to look at the whole picture. These guys were not exactly heroes. The Low End Theory had the song "Georgie Porgie" cut from the album by Jive Records due to its unbelievably homophobic lyrics. And this was no garden variety narrow-minded heteronormative quip nor a random homophobic slur, either; I've read the lyrics and they are totally repugnant. I can separate the art from the artist, but not when the art itself is horrible. Here's hoping these fellas evolved, as the years wore on, because there was never any indication in later career work or interviews addressing the disgusting sentiments they expressed in this unreleased song. Two-thirds of the group's association with 5% and Nation of Islam organizations, however, give cold comfort that their attitudes in this regard changed. Deserving of a 4.5, but knocked down to 3 because this story of the hate track they tried to hide does tarnish the fuck out of an otherwise decent album. The cover art is fantastic, incorporating the band's fixation with the ladies with an Afrocentric color scheme that would make Marcus Garvey proud. The organic painterly textures suggest African body paint, but punctuated with a bright juicy blacklight effect that feels at once tribal and futuristic. The hand painted typography gives the whole thing an earthy feel that matches the music's aesthetics that favor live instrumentation over relying too heavy on samples and synthetic sounds.
Weird
Tämähän oli vaihteeksi ihan leppoisaa hipitihoppia. Hyviä biittejä ja melodioita.
Ihan kivaa maalailua!
This record makes you think that pagers and arsenio hall would have a longer impact than they did.
I liked this! ‘What?’ was an excellent, excellent song, big fan of a line about threesomes and a line about laws not being equal one after the other.
Rated each song on a scale of 1-3, meaning the highest score possible would be 42. Ended up with a score of 33 which is a ratio of 78.5%. So that’s a C, or a 3 star rating. It’s ironically apt that the album is called The Low End Theory because the latter half of the album is way more interesting than the songs higher up on the track list.
Fun, easy to listen to and quite toe-tapping, without leaving that much of a mark. I think the other ATCQ album that we had felt a bit more substantial than this to be honest.
very jazzy hap-hop and connected these genres, laid-back, culturally and historically significant "Show business"/"Everything is fair"
Old school rap, not my jam but good enough, i like the instrumentals more than the lyrics
the kind of album where i like get it but i dont get it enough to love it love it. I know fantano sucks this album off constantly and i know it's culturally significant and people love a tribe called quest but like it's just pretty good kinda political rap to me i think
6/10 The beats...they're fresh... 8-8-2025
Sympathique à découvrir, mais qui n'a plus l'impact que ça pouvait avoir. Pas mon style de musique.
Great old school hip hop album 3/5 for me but I'm aware it's highly rated by those more into their hip hop than I, personally I prefer later American hip hop like Blackalicious, mos def etc
I love rap - but for some reason I really struggle with A Tribe Called Quest. I can't explain it in any way!
Some nice chilled vibes
I definitely like the earlier and more laid back hip hop more and this album ticks those boxes. Didn’t really get into the album much, found it a bit dull.
Yeag
I enjoyed the jazzy funkiness of this record, but reading the lyrics did make me laugh a couple of times. Particularly "Go get yourself some toilet paper 'cause your lyrics is butt". Also a round of applause for getting "a smidgeon" in, and extra cheers for rhyming it with "the pigeon". This already felt like a good time and then Busta Rhymes turned up right at the end, like the cherry on the cake. 3/5
cool 90s rap, nice and jazzy. Album is a monolith piece, u gotta listen to it fully. Progressive, sounds fresh even today. I liked da bass :D
I wanted to like this album, but I just didn't. It's fine, but I much prefer something like De La Soul or Jurassic 5.
Expected to like it more. But it got a bit samey near the end. Wasn't really paying attention anymore. I like the production and flow and would happily listen to a song or two in a larger playlist, but a whole album is too much.
Not really my genre but not unenjoyable
It's good but not really to my taste. 3 stars.
A Tribe Called Quest, småtrevligt men inte jättespännande.
I've heard this referred to as jazz rap. Glad to listen to this.
I really liked how vibey the music was while the lyrics spoke on so many important and progressive issues. It's not my personal taste, but I'm glad that they're on the list.
[3.00/5] Final impression: Hip-hop with a lot of great tracks, and a jazz twist throughout. Wish there was a little more variety. Listened to on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/album/1p12OAWwudgMqfMzjMvl2a]. Excursions - Referencing a "pager" instantly dates this album. Good opening track though. Buggin' Out - Nike brand drop streak: 2. Really like the vocals on this one. Weaker instrumentals compared to the opening track. Rap Promoter - Weakest track so far. Just when I thought this album might be getting repetitive, this track changes things up a bit and redeems things. *Butter - Sick opening instrumentals. Really like the backing track here. Wish the vocals and lyrics were stronger because I'm vibing really strongly with that instrumental. Chorus is bringing it back. Verses from the Abstract (feat. Vinia Mojica & Ron Carter) - Lyrically the weakest track so far. Track is not great overall. Show Business (feat. Diamond D, Lord Jamar & Sadat X) - Just alright. Vibes and Stuff - Liked the opening instrumental. Infamous Date Rape - Kind of feel like I'm in health class being taught no means no. Check the Rhime - Tracks starting to get a bit too similar. Still solid, but they're losing me. Everything Is Fair - Slightly better than the previous track, more interesting. Jazz (We've Got) - Liking the backing track here again. Similar to Butter. Catchy, good beat. Skypager - Good. What? - Not really vibing with this one. Scenario (feat. Busta Rhymes, Dinco D & Charlie Brown) - LP Mix - Just fine. Overall notes: There's a lot of references to the 90s here and because of that it doesn't age great. But the tracks are solid so if you close your eyes and time travel back to the 90s then it's great, and timely. Clearly historically significant, and the lyrics hold up pretty well. Everything is good here, but only a few standouts.
Pas trop ma came mais c'est sympa !
album de hip hop bem diferenciado, misturando com elementos de jazz, achei uma delicinha. 3,5
Nice.
Fun rapping, can't say I was overly enamoured by it.
7.5/10. I like the rap style of the 90s and it feels like storytelling.
-good rhythm -identical bass parts in some songs does what it's supposed to, but feels very repetitive instrumentally
Good background for things like folding laundry, washing dishes, or pre-cooking food prep. Pretty consistent energy throughout. Can't imagine being mad it's playing at social gatherings, but I'd be unlikely to request it. Lots of lines that sound quotable, but again, unlikely that I'd ever do so....and probably <25% chance I accurately recall the source when someone else does.
Great listen. Super smooth. Some great bars.
nice sound
Decent. I don't know what kind of sub-genre of hip-hop this is, but it is not my favorite. I need something harder.
I listened to this album in the morning and didn’t love it. I’m going to listen again today. I’ll give it 3 stars just in case.
Nice beats. Also the basslines were very good almost on every track. Lyrics was kinda bland almost every song had the same. Except Infamous date rape. So i would say overall a good album with clear jazz influence with the old bass sound. But kinda repetitive, many of the tracks sounded the same. Favorite song on the album : Vibes and stuff, Scenario. Least favorite song on the album : Everything is fair, Skypager.
Definitely a solid album that I have good memories of.
Not bad at all, but I can't really notice much variation throughout the album. In stark contrast to the Outkast album I got yesterday. Almost twice as long, but still seemed about the same length
It's not bad, but the beats are very much samey.
It was ok. I doubt I’ll be replaying it any time soon.
Hip hop really isn't my thing but this was an enjoyable Sunday listen. 3/5
solid, no notes
This is one of those albums I vaguely remember from college house parties. Before listening to this, all I could tell you about Tribe was Q-Tip was in it, and they had a lot more mellow tunes than the tough-guy guns'n'bitches bullshit of early hip-hop. I dig the chill vibe and the stronger basis in jazz, but still think Q-Tip's voice is the main reason to come back. Like most hip-hop, not my thing, but it's chill.
Ok, aight. I like qtip solo, tribe is goof too.
This album buries the lede. Scenario is fantastic and brings me back to being 12 years old. The rest of the album is fine but a bit repetitive from my perspective.
Not bad
Old school hip hop. Some good rhymes, but vocals weren’t the strongest. Drum track sounded like the same one was used on about every song. Was ok to listen to in the background, but nothing that blew me away.
Great production but rap has just evolved so much since then. They were jamming but I didn't really connect with it.
Very smooth, but also rather dull and repetitive to me. It's totally inoffensive as background music, but doesn't grab the attention
3.5 really. I’m partial to a bit of Jurassic five and Wu-tang clan but hadn’t listened to this. Pretty good hip hop. Not my fave genre though hence 3.5
In one of the weird coincidences that this list throws up, this album was masterminded by Q-Tip who also appeared on the De La Soul record that I listened to the other day. It also makes for an interesting compare and contrast - this album pulls to a tighter beat with the vocals higher in the mix, but then layers a jazzy feel on top of the core sound. Again, this is the sort of hip hop that I can get on board with.
2nd A Tribe Called Quest album! My second fav album, their debut is still superior. Still so cool though, I love their lyrics so much. 3.5 bc less my vibe as of right now but not a hate on them
I enjoyed the trip down 90s rap memory lane. Great bass lines/beat. Downloaded 1 song. I’d give it a 2.5 if that was allowed, but will round up to a 3
I'm not a big fan of rap but I definitely do like the old school style more.
Couple of really good tracks, I like the jazz influence hip hop used to have. Kind of monotone rapping of the lyrics, not much energy. Good album, not great.
Funky maar alles hetzelfde
Different than what I usually listen to, but a good beat.
Hip hop/rap. Stripped back/jazzy instrumentals. Lots of real instrumentation. Bass on Buggin Out sounds likes double bass, in the jazz tradition, interesting. Political side about blackness and black origins and Africa Verses from the Abstract has instrumentation reminding me of Ice Cube It Was a Good Day Some parts remind me of Crooklyn Clan Best track - Verses from the Abstract/What? 3 stars
Liked it.
Pretty much an entire album of low-key hip hop, which made it distinct from the other albums I've gotten from the same genre and era. It flowed in a pleasant way, too; the vocals and music paired well together and carried the vibe. I think I enjoyed the instrument production the most. For a type of music entrenched in using samples and digitally (or physically) manipulating existing media to create the compositions, this effort felt like the vocalists were in the same room as the musicians they were rapping over. It was almost like you were listening to it in a jazz club instead of a recording session. There were still samples, but they felt more organic than you get on other albums. It was a nice mix running behind the vocals. As for the raps, they also felt low energy. Comparing it to the other hip hop/rap albums I've had so far, it is far more subdued than Public Enemy, and basically a lullaby compared to Eminem's angry energy. It comes up short of Lauryn Hill's as well, although she did vary in emotional range more. I didn't dislike ATCQ's delivery here, but I'll say I found PE's energy to be more appealing for the style, topics, and era. My biggest issue with the album stems from the energy mentioned above. It just is a little too subdued for me to really appreciate as a whole work. Each part is pretty solid, but everything together kinda blends into each other a bit too much. There aren't many tracks that feel like they stand out or add something new to the mix. The most upbeat track was the last one on the album, which felt way too late to get that energy (then end the album). I think each song on it's own would be a good listen, but having them all in a row got old without more diverse vibes. I'll give it solid, but not much higher for the reasons given above. I think I might appreciate it more on a relisten, though I don't feel a strong pull to listen again. Overall: 2.6/5
I didn't expect another album from A Tribe Called Quest. Again, this was cool, but it only makes me appreciate Biggie more. Ready To Die feels decades ahead from this album, lyrically, melodically, rhyme composition.. and it's only three years apart. Anyways, this is good, but not an album i would listen many times over.
hip-hop isn't for me...
Already heard this.
surprised how much i enjoyed this! soooo 90s coded with the groove and the questionable lyrics about women personal faves: - excursions - butter
5/10…90er hip hop
"Listen to the knowledge being dropped over beats". I enjoyed this one
Good music to vibe to. A few standout songs but nothing groundbreaking. Songs transitions are good to listen to
This fell into my pit of "I don't really hear lyrics, so I miss a lot of what it's about". Having said that, Tribe are a solid band and this is a good album.
It was good a little bit repetative, I really liked the begining of the album though.
No notes
Sophisticated rap, great writing, wonderful grooves and Ron Carter to boot. Great listening to start my day.
Seria um ótimo álbum de hip hop... se fosse o primeiro que tivesse ouvido, tem umas músicas interessantes mas ainda escolheria ouvir Modal Soul do que esse álbum.
None of the Quest songs I knew. But its fine
dobar rep zanimljiv beat al nije moja šalica čaja
Maybe one of the best albums early 90s crew Hip-Hop has to offer. Sadly, I'm not a big fan of the genre and found it hard to enjoy any of it. 3.5/5
twas nice.
Pretty solid. Definitely see the cultural relevance.
Halt sehr typisch Hip Hop. Esch no loschtig wie Hip Hop halt ned ganz so miis esch onds ergnendwie au langwiilig esch. Trotzdem heds au rächt geili ond dör s eigentleche Moschter onvorhärsehbari Änderige was es irgendwie no spannend macht zom zuelose. Vorallem wenn's ned eifach e standard Gugemusig stil musig im Hendergrond esch (was aber im Grossfall leider so esch) chönd drom t Lieder au no geil si. Vergleiche met desem bisherige Rap Albom fendi aber Power in Numbers geiler.
As a kid during this time period I much preferred the bombastic beats and more aggressive lyrics coming from the west coast artists as compared to the more relaxed, jazzy sound coming from the NY mainstays and 30 years later…that’s still the case lol
I liked it, but it’s definitely not something you can just have in the background. The words demand attention. More for a car ride than just hanging out around the house.
super snazzy !
Versus from the abstract or what? is the best on this album, gonna give it low 3/high 2
Jazzy rap, takes me back to the times playing GTA San Andreas. Not my type of music but still a very high quality album.
There's a reason why this has the title it does: dat bass. And lyrics about butts. Q-Tip's and Phife's flows are instruments in themselves that add to the jazzy sound. It can get samey, but it was definitely influential. Highlights: "Buggin' Out" and "Check the Rhime" (nice interplay between Tip and Phife), "Show Business" (a bit harder including a couple of f-bombs, more like the New York sound that was popular at the time, features Lord Jamar, Sadat X, and Diamond D), "Scenario" (a classic posse cut)
Solid album. I prefer their album "Midnight Marauders" over this one but I do enjoy this one.
Not bad for a rap album.
Wel leuk Maar niet heel bijzonder Heb niet echt de concentratie om de tekst helemaal te analyseren maar de flow gaat wel dik Niet echt hitjes maar het is gewoon wel prima
I really like A Tribe Called Quests style, but I find that this album is a bit monotonous at times. When I hear these songs individually on a playlist I dig them more. Still a good album, standouts for me are Scenerio, Show Business, Jazz and Check the Rhime. 7/10
eh, my memory of this album is better than the actual album
Good jams and rhymes. Not my cup of tea though.
I think it was a bit samey. I initially thought a four but got bored on the back end. I think the beats and musicians are really good tho
Pretty decent I suppose, but didn’t really grab me and makes want to listen again. Quite repetitive I guess. Not really one I’d keep going back to.
Nothing special
Groovy and I need to read the lyrics next time
Love the old skool flow
Seminal stuff. Although there’s a bit too much business rap on here, I suppose it was vital to speak up at the time this was made. The last two songs saved it for me, like they were building towards the best they offered on this album.
If I was into hip hop at all I'd be into that.
I’m just going to be brutally honest, this album really didn’t do much for me. Let me put this disclaimer: I don’t really care for hip-hop. I might have said that in other reviews, but I think it’s relevant here considering this album’s reputation as a landmark for the genre. For fans of hip-hop, I can understand what makes this a classic. And truthfully, it’s not bad. One of the best things about 90’s hip-hop is the jazzy vibe it can illicit and this album basically pioneered that, from what I understand. It really is an easy album to chill to, especially on a nice drive home from work (which is how I listen to these albums). But here’s my problem: most of this album sounds pretty much the same to me. Like it’s hard for me to tell the songs apart, which makes it difficult to pick which songs I liked. Also, hip-hop tends to be a very lyric heavy genre. You pretty much have to pay attention to the lyrics in order to get really anything out of the songs. As someone who usually listens to the music more so than the lyrics, it makes albums like this hard to enjoy. Maybe that’s a reflection of my taste in music and how maybe I rely on choruses and hooks too much, but that’s just me. I take responsibility for not really jiving with this album. I acknowledge that this is a masterpiece to some and that it’s not really my thing. It’s just a little disappointing to get a highly-regarded album and realized it does nothing for you. Favorite track: Scenario Other hits: What?, Check the Rhime, Jazz (We’ve Got)
Rap Oldies not really my type. Felt a bit boring at the start. Butter got me groovin tho. Fun from then on out.
I thought I hadn't had much Hip Hop in my ToPlay list, so I dived into this when it came up. Enjoying it and after liking some tracks on first play (Buggin out) the other tracks might become just as enjoyable. The drum beats and bass are hypnotic on some tracks. It probably won’t stay on my regular player for long but at the moment it’s passing the time acceptably.
I really dig the strong jazz influences here, and the beats and flow is really solid. Some tracks feel a bit too similar to one another, but this is enjoyable hip hop for sure.
Not my first choice when listening to hip hop, but I like the vibe.
Like super outdated, but its aight
It's a lot of hip-hop in one go, but all really great
90’s rap pretty good
I haven't listened to much hip-hop, but I'd say this was a solid introduction. Reminded me a bit of the "talking blues" stuff made by Woody Guthrie and the like. I appreciated having multiple different vocalists. Still felt a little "samey" to me, as someone who doesn't tend to focus on lyrics as much. Favorite Track: What?
never heard of but pretty good hip hop. sampled a bunch.
Decent for a hip-hop album. I quite enjoy these guys compared to the obnoxious vulgar shite we get subjected to across this project.
Very good. Never heard them before this listen. A lot of very good beats. Catchy. Highlight - Show business.
I liked this
It's all right, but I've heard better hip-hop albums from that era
I don’t know. I thought it was ok but not really my thing.
Nice hip-hop I might revisit. Its still not my style but it worth existing Thought Miles was in the room for the song Jazz ! 3.5
Found myself getting a bit bored/uninterested while listening Had to remind myself that this album is 30+ years old and has influenced so many artists since
If you are a hip hop aficionado, you might like, or even love this, but as someone who is not into much hip hop it was a meh that quickly faded into the background. This is better than my usual reaction to a hip hop album which begins as a slow burn of dislike that eventually becomes an outright dislike and culminates with loathing by the end of an album.
Some bangers. Not a genre that for me is rewarded on an initial listen. Deffo think worth returning to though.