Reviews (page 9 of 14)
Awesome rap. 4
Love this album. I haven't listened to it as much as Midnight Marauders (my favorite tribe album), but this album is still super solid. Its not a usual front to back album for me but most of this album is probably still in my constant rotation of songs I listen to regularly. Excursions, Butter, Scenario are the favorites.
Fantastic.
Never really ever crossed paths with Tribe. I was aware of them but never really listened. I really enjoyed this.
Superior hip hop that grooves along, and no skits. A couple of bangers away from a 5. Best song Excursions
Incredibly influential album. This absolutely deserves a spot on the list.
I really enjoyed the bass and drum grooves on this album.
Awesome jazzy hip hop. Q-Tip is a cool cat, and this fuzzy-sounding record is nearly a 5 in my book.
It was one of the albums of all time
I am very much a hip-hop newbie (especially since I was a whole 2 years old when this album came out) so I am not very good yet at articulating what I like about different albums. I am really enjoying this one though, I recognized a few of the songs so I must have heard them I passing. I think my favorite part is the jazzy instrumentation behind a lot of the songs, especially the bass.
My first full listen to what's considered as an all-time classic album, and I can see why. Phife & Q-Tip have great chemistry and the beats are on point! favs: Check the Rhime, Jazz (We've Got), Verses from the Abstract, Scenario least fav: What?
I have heard of A Tribe Called Quest and I have heard of this album, although I think I may associate it with another band maybe? Nice flow, good beats and bass lines! Sounds like a double bass on the first two tracks. Samples are good throughout. Each member plays really well off the other, excellent lyrically. Fuck what you heard. 4 stars!
Way better than the first one we had.
This album is better than the first, tighter and better production. Not sure why they are both included, I think one album accurately represents them as there are not major differences between them.
so good from beginning to end. smart lyrics, interesting/creative form of each phrase
Excellent, jazzy rap. Fantastic beats on every song. The production is really crisp and clean. I was convinced there was a lot of newly recorded live instrumentation on this but looking at the credits, there doesn’t seem to be much. I’m impressed that the sampling is clean enough that the music sounds like a live band in the studio. The album also closes with “Scenario,” one of my all-time favorite rap songs and probably a top 100 song of any genre. Such a fun jam. Busta Rhymes’ verse is classic.
Super cool band and super cool album. I love the sound, and I can hear so much hip hop looking to this act as a foundational source of sound for the genre. I really dig the jazz influence and overall production. I love the flows specifically- they are really so pleasing to sit and focus-in on and also to have in your ear while relaxing and not so focused. I think listening to A Tribe Called Quest in 2023 will make me hear their influence in other hip hop and rap groups that are around today, like Kendrick Lamar is one that pops out as probably being influenced by this them. This album is an easy 4/5 for me.
Favourite tracks: Rap Promoter, Jazz (We’ve Got), Scenario
Enjoyed this a lot. Nice beats, but a few problematic lyrics that feel very much of their time.
Chill vibe, laid back and jazzy. Clever and fun. But perhaps just a touch too, how shall I say, consistent?, throughout. 3.5 rounding up for the album cover art.
Amazing hip hop album from the 90s and golden era. Countless tracks that are now classics. Love it.
Great stuff. Nice to chill out to or get some work done.
Chock full of classics. Didn't care for the android tour guide though. Four sticks of butter. 🧈🧈🧈🧈
Groovy
Awesome samples, great flows, classic 90's hip-hop record for a reason. 4.5/5
3.5
A distinctive jazz sound and creative rhymes make this a worthy listen. It's also a celebration of the dawn of the '90s!
I really dig this groove.
I enjoyed this! Interesting to listen to with some good rhymes.
I'm not a great Hip Hop fan but this is good. The stripped down jazz with full acoustic bass rocks along and Q-Tips intelligent clean rhythmic non sweary delivery is excellent. Will probably return. Excellent 3.75
Epic sheesh good already listen
beats and bars stripped down raw
Hadn't listed to Julian Cope before. This is decent.
P good would give 6,75 out of 10
Overall a really nice listen. The beats are extremely simple but still well produced and do the job that they’re supposed to. The jazz mixed in is really on point and subtle. Rhymes by both Q-Tip and Phife are quality as well. 8/10
This passed me by back in the day. This is the sort of hip hop I think I like, clever, jazzy, strong beat, funny, melodic.
A hip-hop classic from right before the genre got super gangsta. Smoothe flows, jazzy beats and thoughtful rhymes.
Really fu album that del8vers the kind of flow that I personally really vibe with in hip-hop, even if not all the lyrical content was up to current standards. ATCQ are undeniably makers of the game and I could listen to this era, this sound pretty much all day.
alto
4.0
Can see how so much came from this
Great record from both a lyrics and a beats standpoint. Just solid all around.
A classic rap album from the 90s that showed how awesome Tribe was. Their sound was influential and plenty popular for years to come. The jazz rap with the cerebral style rapping makes Tribe a unique rap group and one of the best. Low end theory is probably their most artistic album and some say their best. I find all three to be pretty equal as they each have their own strengths. Phife and q-tip are solid on this one together as they flow together as nicely as the jazz Instrumentals throughout. 7.8/10
Excellent album! Je crois que j'en avait jamais écouté avant! Un peu répétitif à la fin, mais excellent amalgame entre jazz et hip hop!
Thoroughly enjoyed the album as a whole. Despite almost exclusively listening to hip-hop, I've only tried one album from ATCQ before. I don't remember finding it very easy to listen to, so wasn't sure how I was gonna feel about this one. This album, however, was easy for me to get into. Will probably give some of their other albums a shot and also check out what a solo Q-Tip album is like.
What an insane vibe. Gives me nostalgia for a time I was not alive for. Super fun listen.
All things Go, sick, good stuff, a draw though?? Also that was kinda scary, also how do I feel about that? Front for bleachers, mediocre diner
Turner out I had listened to it before because hannah told me about it. Really quite like the vibe of it, low fi hop hop rnb.
4.5 stars. (My 5 stars would be reserved for Midnight Marauders)
Excellent album.
A lot to say. Really fun. It’s something that makes me want to google associated stuff… just not something I’ll likely stick on randomly.
Listens: 2 Enjoyed: Yeah The beats on this were something special. The two MCs complimented eachother excellently however I didn't personally connect with any of the lyrics. I'm going to give this another try though and delve into their back catalogue
While I don't knowbas well as other how revolutionary it was for hip hop, I had a lot of fun with this record, Q-tip and Phife are obviously very talented MCs and the beats were killer, a couple of the tunes were not as memorable but that's me trying to not be too lenient on what's a five star. A great record
Hard for me to rate a hip-hop album as I don't know much about it - I'll definitely need to give it more time once I go through more rap albums. For now, I really enjoyed the minimialist jazzy beats and double bass. It made other instrumentals stand out more and allowed for more focus on the lyrics. I loved the first song - Excursions, both intrumentally and lyrically, I think it's one of the best openings to any album I've heard so far. Overall, 3.5/5 for me personally, +0.5 for the cult status this album has due to its apparent significance to the genre.
Awesome mix of hip hop and jazz with some killer tracks. Ends incredibly strongly with Scenario.
Tribe Called Quest are an iconic staple in the 90s hip hop era and this is just another example of their incredible work
Well I quite enjoyed that. Intelligent and intelligible raps that are generally NOT shouted at you. The understated raps are accompanied by further understated instrumentation that sound like REAL instruments. Generally pretty stripped down to a drum beat, again sounding like REAL drums, a nice bass line and subtle washes of keyboard or guitar or horns. The feel is more jazz that hip hop I would say and the spare arrangements sometimes put me in mind of beat poetry. And best of all 14 tracks clocking in at just over 48 minutes with only three songs at over 4 minutes, this album and the individual songs do not over stay their welcome as most rap albums I've heard do. I'm really tempted to give it 5 stars but it does suffer a bit from a samey ness. I really liked it though and would search out rap that is similar in style. I'm definitely going to listen to they're other albums. If anyone reads this and knows other similar bands, hit me up. exliontamer1977@gmail.com. 4.5 stars
Groovy
Decent. Laid back background music. Very early 90s basement beats and jazz samples. Incredibly early 90s rhyme schemes. Flows well, bit repetitive with very basic looped drums
good beat
Love how the tension builds throughout the album. The music seems sparse at first, just vocals and beats, but it allows the background/additional sounds (guitar, synth, horns, etc.) to stand out when they occur. Lyrics are pure poetry.
Unexpectedly nice
This is one of those albums I had been meaning to listen to for ages and it somehow didn't happen. I can't say I was disappointed, I had always liked the individual songs that I had heard and I have always thought that Q-Tip was great. Ultimately I really enjoyed it but not enough so to give it a 5 yet. I think I'll have to relisten a few more times to decide if it is a 5 to my ears. It's certainly worthy of it for its influence but I just can't personally give it one quite yet. Really good album.
Very, very good.
Pretty nice sound. Good vibes for working.
Q-Tip is too smooth. No major critiques, slightly repetitive.
Tribe is always a good choice to chill out!
Great album, I have been a big fan of A Tribe Called Quest for awhile but have never listened past songs like Scenario and Can I Kick It? I think the first few songs are a bit slow but it picks up towards the end. Some of my favorites: Bugging Out, Vibes And Stuff (fav), and of course Scenario
Awesome to hear
slay
Liked this one a lot. I’ve always enjoyed the groove and lyrical creativity that 90s hip hop brings, and I feel like it’s epitomized here. Great flow and I also liked the political commentary. I’d listen to this again.
-Heard of A Tribe Called Quest but never really listen to before - Can see the influence they've had on hip-hop and rap, think of artist like Quelle Chris -Butter: like This song -nice relaxed flows, feel good, and good political commentary -Verses from the Abstract: like the jazz beat and feel - Show Business: really good, the problems with record deals and taking advantage of young poor artist, still relevant today. ahead of its time -Check the Rhime: sick funky beat, good flows -Everything is fair: cool fun beat, like a lot -What?: super funky beat, one of favs -Scenario: one of fav, has brown cow line so if GOATed Overall: The influence on modern music is very apparent, fun, passionate, upbeat and honest music. not afraid to experiment and start conversation on 'taboo' topics. Fav Tracks: -Scenario -What? -Check the Rhime -Everything Is Fair -Butter Least Fav: -Skypager? - not a lot to dislike about this album, all very solid tracks
Easy listening clean hip hop.
cool track in fairness, it got me thru work
Real good
Wow, great beat and rapping from A Tribe Called Quest.
good
chef's kiss
Transformational album for hip hop and jazz both. People have come close to deifying this album and for good reason. It's great to listen to, cause the verses are clever, the beats are solid, and the instruments are live; including the DJ. Subject matter is a little all over the place is my one criticism of the album, it listens more like an experiment than an album. Overall fire though.
This was way more jazzy than I was expecting and it’s so good.
Influential instrumentals and one of the smoothest MCs to do it, Q-Tip and Co. just dance over these beats
Punchy and funky, great album. Well ahead of it’s time
Welcomed change of pace from the previous few albums. Love the lo-fi vibe of this album, the jazz samples and the smooth flows. Really enjoyed from start to finish. One of the best closing tracks of all time.
Now this album is what's up. Happy to see it pop up. Excursions - great opening song. I'm already in a better mood. I love their cadence. Instantly recognizable as a Tribe song, in a good way. So smooth. But then it all kind of blends together by the end. Still enjoyable. Busta coming in growling was something though.
These guys were singing about real life at the same time that others were telling stories about the "gangsta" lifestyle. I listened to them in the beginning but they didn't resonate with me. Maybe it was too real. I get it now. It all feels like "The Wire" to me. I feel like the album played a little slow then they really found their voice. Legends.
LOVE ATCQ. Really the first rap group that I ever really good into. This album is always considered a classic, and while I really like it, I still prefer a few others slightly. Scenario is an absolute banger. 4/5
love TCQ, not my favorite album of there but still pretty great
I’ve only had two rap albums so far and one of them was the other tribe called quest album so I guess it’s a bit of a shame that i’am getting this quite early on… I like how a tribe called quest opens their album with excursions by basically introducing the kind of music you’re gonna get for the next 48 minutes and in both openers the beats have slowly built up as they go along. The depressing bass groove works perfectly backing bugging out it’s a very good song already the album is slightly darker than the last album which is good. Rap promoter is good very cool beat and the lyrics are on point it’s just a little short to be fair. But the flow into butter is amazing another song with a great rhythm I love that it’s a song about finding love great 1,2 punch of tunes! Verses from the abstract is good, the sex verses are a bit awkward to listen to but it doesn’t matter much as it’s so well written and put together. Show Business is a banger it’s probably one of the more aggressive/fast paced tribe called quest songs by a tribe called quest which works really well as I think a song with this speed was what this album was lacking! Vibes and stuff is good it has quite a “loungey” sound to it that works perfectly but I don’t think it’s one of my favourites from the album. The infamous date rape is great a bit short song but the lyrics are solid I guess. Check the rhime is one of those songs with a top groove but it doesn’t really tell a story ( something I usually like about a tribe called quest) as it’s just Q tip and phife saying how great they are for the most part. When it’s not saying “ everything is fair when you’re living in the city” everything is fair is a good maybe filler compared to some of these songs but still good. Jazz ( we’ve got) does again have a very repetitive chorus but it’s much faster than the last songs chorus so it works it’s just a top song. It flows perfectly into skypager its a shortie but still great. What is a little funky song great groove but not the most substance. I think scenario is going for a close with a banger thing which would work because it’s certainly one of the album’s best but i don’t think it works as the closer. Yeah this is another 4 for them it doesn’t reach the heights of the last album ( which I also gave a 4 to) but it’s more consistent and I’am glad it’s not all skits and interludes.
Mixing jazz with rap was a good call.
what is cereal without milk what is a bat without echolocation what is my mamma if she ain't fat what is rubber is it don't have no hose and what is this album if I don't rate it _shrugs_ it's was pretty gud.
Hip hopzao nask
Intelligent hip hop
idrember
Not much to say but I like it
Great beats, really well mixed, laid back vocals - a really effortless listen, just one to enjoy!
good . Loved the beats and all the lyrical references to the industry
“On the point Tip – Yea, all the time.” A little leaner and straight-up funkier than first record, but not quite as chill, fun or boldly creative. Awfully strong all the way around, especially or a second outing so soon after the first, speaking to the Tribe’s high professionalism.
Excursions es una joya.
Moreish. I'm going back in.
I like the vibes and the flows.
"We've got the jazz. We've got the jazz. We've got the jazz..." They proudly chanted this in the intro of "Jazz (We've Got)", one of the album's highlights and a personal favorite. And they didn't yelled it like an extroverted MC in a night club, like most rappers do, but they almost whispered it. That's what this album is. With such a laidback sound and a minimal/more subtle use of vulgar words/topics, this is a easy listen. Very easy for a hiphop album. They used the jazz elements professionally, creating a light and easy atmosphere. The rapping is fine, and the lyrics admired for it's "social awareness", whatever that means. It is no surprise that this is one of the most respected albums in hiphop. It can draw anyone, whether they like jazz or rap or something not as harsh as gangsta rap. A classic. . . . So why does it sound monotonous at some point? Well, perhaps because it appears that the tracks are centered around a variation of a single drum machine beat.
I was little surprised that this album was from '91 because the sound of the album is distinguishable from other hip-hop at that time. It sounds like older hip-hop as the beats are not as complex and the lyrics slower too. It was a good album. Not sure I would listen to the whole thing again. It is not a 4 but it is better than a 3. I will round up.
Very fun to listen to!
Already listened to it
Another Tribe album! 2 in 3 days. Another phenomenal album. Love this jazzy hip hop. Not quite as much as their first album but still great stuff.
a vibe
4/5 8/03/2022 Such a good hip-hop album that doesn't follow the ghetto rap group stereotype. I really really enjoyed it and just love 90s hip hop music, and its the perfect example for it.
East Coast hip hop. Jazz rap. "Minimalist" sound - drums, bass, jazz samples, and lyrics. Great lyrical chemistry.
Sounds like it was made today. Not gonna make it fully into my rotation but close.
this is definitely one I will listen to again. i felt cool having this on my spotify
The beats, the lyrics, the feel, just a great album. Hip hop’s seminal albums
Cool jazzy rap with the standard and likeable 80s drum beats (even though it was 1991). Enjoyable and not nasty aggressive hip hop.
אלבום ממש טוב מאוד נהנתי
Really enjoyed the album. solid 4.3
The album is a lyrical masterpiece. Each song has different story-telling, poetry, and the free-styling element of rap music. Despite its poetry and smart rhymes I don’t find myself listening to this later. It’s more of an album to appreciate as a gold piece of art in a museum. Unless you memorize lyrics and hooks easily, you will need to take extra time to understand each song’s content, meaning, and true value. Many people have mentioned the jazz infusion in some of the songs. I personally don’t think the jazz elements did much to influence the album except for a few songs. But that does not take away from its quality.
pretty decent hip hop
Cool old school hip hop
Takes half an album to get going, but very good when it does.
Любопытно.
Tribe Called Quest is great. Hip hop hall of famers. And "Low End Theory" is a seminal work in hip hop history. But it's strengths are also it's weaknesses. It's so chill and smooth and laid back, but sort of to its detriment. Much of this album sounds the same, without much to differentiate one song from another. Until you reach the last two tracks. "What?" feels very fresh, packed with tons of references and the wittiest lyrics on the album. The album then ends with "Scenario," one of Tribe's biggest hits. It should have opened the album instead of concluding it, but either way it's inclusion hurts everything else by comparison. Nothing else had the energy that "Scenario" had. When it comes to alternative, more mindful hip-hop, Tribe Called Quest might be legendary, but the other album we've rated from this subgenre - Jurassic 5's "Power in Numbers" - is much better in my view. I'm giving this a 3.75, and rounding up because 3 stars doesn't capture the skill and artistry at play here, even if it doesn't reach its potential.
This album feels like I’m hanging out in Central Park listening to Q-Tip, Phife Dawg and their crew wax lyrical about life’s issues. Some dude could be playing the plastic bucket drums and someone else beat boxing and all would be right. Who knew a great hip hop album could be made without curse words? Rhetorical question…a lot of people, but it’s refreshing. I remember back to the Pretentious-Ass’s comment that Dr. Dre killed hip hop. And this is the type of album I assume P-A thought was killed. I could use more musically to pique my interest. I know they stripped it down to focus on the lyrical message, which I get. However, I would personally be more into the lyrical message with some more layers to the music. It would be nice if there were more hip hop around like this today. Maybe there is and I just need to search harder.
Overall, the bass lines and jazzy rap hit right. Lost me on a couple songs. Really serves as a time capsule to 1991 in so many ways. The Busta feature on Scenario is a standout favourite for me.
🎤 check 1 2 what is this!
Excellent classic 90s hiphop/rap. Qtip rules.
It's a vibe, songs kinda mesh together. First one and last two are the best songs.
Always a classic
Overall pretty enjoyable, never really listened to old-school legends of rap and hip-hop like this. First song was kind of weak but it picked up with the second. Standout song was definitely Butter. I thought the jazz samples were awesome. Lyrically interesting but the constant AABBCC rhyme scheme was grating at times. I know this was kind of earlier work but I hoped for more variation. Overall glad I listened.
Still a great album
Been a long time since I listened to this. Love the double bass - such a distinctive sound it gives to the album. There's more misogyny than I remembered. 🤨 I guess there's less than a lot of acts were putting out at around that time, but still... Fave track - "Buggin' Out" for that double bass goodness. "Scenario" was great too...
Really cool, but another album where no one track jumped out at me. I could see me going back for multiple listens and becoming more familiar with each track though
Conocía su super éxito que está en otro disco, pero este me ha parecido muy divertido. Puro Rap y Hip-hop de los 90. Hay canciones muy buenas: "Verses from the Abstract", "Show Busisness", "Jazz (We've got)", "Skypager" o "What?". Un disco de 4 estrellas al que volveré.
Solid album
This album is crisp as hell - minimalist beats and bass lines that take no prisoners coupled with dense bars that range from abstract to narrative gems. Deserves more than a few replays for sure
Pretty good. Not my style so prob won’t listen to again
Que gran sonido de esta banda. Había escuchado muy poco de ellos. Me gustó la ondita hipnótica y repetitiva del disco en general. Fav: jazz (we got it)
Buenazo. Me entretuvo y me gustaron los beats, la mezcla a veces con otros sonidos, otros tonos. Fluye bastante bien, a gusto. Entre mis favs: "Buggin' Out", "Show Business" y "Scenario". 8.5/10
My introduction to the seed that will seemingly eventually grow into rap, and you know, actually very good.
I'm embarrassed to say I never actively listened to A Tribe Called Quest until 2016 when We Got It From Here... Thank You 4 Your Service came out. I think I like We Got It From Here, better than this album. But I also think it's an album that would grow on me more and more each listen.
pretty good. not really any standout tracks that you'd put on as for a quick hit. if you want to listen to this then you basically need to put the whole album on.
Noteworthy. He led the way in early 90s hip hop. Another one I like
Jazz hip hop very cool
Guilty for not giving TCQ more of a chance earlier in life but blessed for being able to experience this classic with fresh ears. Starts strong, Ends strong. Middle is a little weaker.
Album art:3
Good stuff
Bra album. Bra beats och lyrics. Kanske några låtar för många på albumet. Bästa låtar: Check the Rhime Butter Show Business
Great classic hip-hop. A little jazzy. Great lyrics, good beats. Solid all around!
enjoyed it and will be back
Digg it
I worried they’d all sound the same after the 3rd song. But to be fair there’s a few good songs after the first half.
Hard to imagine that hip hop didn’t sound like this before A Tribe.
Another one that I listened to and wrote something about, but I don't remember what. I know I liked the album enough to give it a 4, mostly for the sound.
hip hop it do make serotonin 4/5
One of the most chill and relaxed hip hop albums I've heard so far. Very fun and vibey. Ultimately a little dated sounding, but not in a bad way; just missing some of the high-density rhymes and flows of later rappers that really attracts me. Biting and funny lyrics though!
false
Great time
Not typically my cup of tea but enjoyed it more than I thought I would
sounds dated. but in a good way.
I liked it.
Wow! First time I have heard this and thought it was just fantastic!
Probably one of my favorite hip-hop albums
This sounds so much like the 90s, I can see how this is the roots of rap and how at the time had a very street sound and lyrics. Has some interesting bars.
Was pretty cool, but it isn’t my type of music, however was a very nice experience:)
not bad, even if the style is not my jam
Hey, a rap album I actually liked! I thought this album was actually really solid, and I think a big part of that is as a musician I would enjoy playing along to this. Some really fun beats and baselines that are, like, actually real and not just electronic
I really enjoy jazz rap, and my earlier adventures into a tribe called quest hadn’t stuck, but I have a feeling that this one will
Thanks Tribe, very cool
Starting with a strong one
I love the references to pagers and watching Arsenio Hall on channel 9
I love this album. One of my all time favorite hip hop albums. No one can flow like Q Tip.
I love the Scenario but I hadn't heard much of this album. It was really good.
Finally some hip hop
Honestly? It is GREAT. High relistenability.
Both the flow and the music are great, lyrics are also quite good. I love the jazz samples used in it.
Fav song: Check the Rhime Cool album Obviously a classic
Dug it
Hip hop ok!
Classic 90s rap album.
Really good album. Great rhymes and flow.
Classic hip-hop beats. Good stuff
Great music, but not for work.
good rap, just like JF used to like... traitor!
Good shit
Good!
Great hip-hop.
i already listened to this it's great
30/09/2020 Sat in room when the water went out and phys got cancelled. Really enjoyed this album and was excited for my first hiphop piece. However, some of the album has not aged well at all, although it was part of a genre defining movement at the time. Songs like 'infamous date rape' in particular are not an easy listen. Tempted to give a 3, but because I am so aware of the position ATCQ have in hiphop, and the general influence of this album, I feel inclined to give a 4. Sugar Hill Gang/Grandmaster Flash influences run through the blood of this album.
1991: Check the Rhime, Scenario, Excursions
Old school hip hop perfection.
Good rapping vocals are on point and it has a decent beat. Nice lyrics however it just feels dated and very samey the samples dont change much so was a little disappointed.
Un sonido que no baja en ningún momento y con algunas variantes que le dan gran riqueza. Llevadero pero nutritivo, así de simple.
Pretty chill, not a bad song on there
I'm not one to judge hip hop, this was alright, but maybe not something I'd revisit. 3*
I liked this album. I've heard of a Tribe Called Quest but never sat down and listened to it. I'm not sure if I would listen to this again though, mostly because this sounds is so familiar that I feel like I've heard to this entire album before because the production and flows have been reused by the music downstream of this album that it has influenced.
Solid work, but most of it sounds much the same to me.
3/5 - Just does very little for me, but I know it did a lot for others.
This album has the ability to transport whoever’s listening to early ‘90’s Brooklyn (or wherever). Feels like a good representation of the genre
This works great as background music. i really liked the genre and might check out more from A Tribe Called Quest. But i found this to be too slow and unmemorable for me.
Eu até gostei mas to em dúvida com as letras, daria um 3.5
Great hip hop album. Scenario is an all time song.
Definitely respect the vibe. Early underground hip hop is a blind spot for me. That I would like to change someday.
Ok, way too repetitive. Bought back memories of De La Soul
The cloudy weather made this album walk genuinely cool and refreshing, so much so that I extended my walk to finish the entire album before heading back inside. I had a trio of odd factors to consider going into this album; my positive reception to their first album, the critical acclaim given to The Low End Theory as one of the great hip-hop albums, and knowledge of Georgie Porgie, the song cut from the album by the label on account of being too homophobic even for a 1991 hip-hop audience. Needless to say, this is a lot of pressure to place on a single album. I was immediately struck by the heavier, deeper jazz sound of this album, taking the general "peace and love" vibe of People's Instinctive Travels but giving it more depth and maturity. For the most part, The Low End Theory earns its reputation, and I can hear the album which has garnered so much acclaim and influence over the last few decades of the genre. However, there are quite a few moments which leave me feeling a little soured on the album. It's a little funny to have gotten this album directly after Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde, because they each feel like they're demonstrating misogynistic behaviors in opposite directions. Where Pharcyde featured "ironic" threats of violence against women and a general immaturity in its lyricism, Tribe leans in the opposite direction, making various claims about supporting women by slut-shaming and criticizing "artificial beauty" like weaves and dyed hair. And then there's Infamous Date Rape, a completely misguided and baffling song. I have seen this track praised for shedding light on the horrific problem of date rape, at a time when the subject was barely being discussed. However, this song does no such thing; what purports to be a song about date rape can, in actuality, be boiled down to "if a girl doesn't want to have sex with you, she's probably on her period", and "be careful having sex with a girl because she might accuse you of rape afterwards". Not only are these somewhat incomplete discussions of sex and consent in the first place, they completely dodge any discussion of the actual issue the song is named for in a way that feels a little gross. And even though it never made it on the album proper, I still can't help but think of the song Georgie Porgie, which would have been on this album if not for label interference. The artists' vision of this album would have taken a break from their generally progressive and peace-loving views to preach unabashed hatred and disgust at the concept of gay people, and that knowledge does undercut some of the seriousness in the rest of the album. Homophobia has long been an issue with hip-hop, and I'm not claiming A Tribe Called Quest are unique in their views on the subject, but it is uniquely disappointing in their case because they: 1. are otherwise very forward-thinking for the time, and 2. expressed that homophobia not merely in throwaway lines here or there like most other rappers at the time, but in an entire song dedicated solely to that hatred. This does not ruin A Tribe Called Quest for me; I still believe they were generally a source of good in the hip-hop scene, even if a little misguided at times. And maybe I'm just coming to it a little late, but when taken as a whole, The Low End Theory's up and downs leave it as an album I find to be good, not great. Highlights: Excursions, Buggin' Out, Rap Promoter, Verses from the Abstract, Show Business, Vibes and Stuff, Everything Is Fair, Jazz (We've Got), What?, Scenario (LP Mix)
Seth - Beats feel organic & lively albeit sometimes hard to distinguish between tracks. Early east coast vibes, yet this feels like a bridge from the hip-hop days of the early to late 80s to the next gen 90s boom bap east coast rap. I genuinely feel though this album was not made for white guys in their 30s. Logan - Whole lotta nothing, bopping my head just along to the beat. I could tell the music had a message, but the message seemed to be over my head ie infamous date rape track. It felt experimental, not in a bad way. S - 3.5/5 L - 3/5
Not a huge fan of old school rap, all songs generally sounded very similar to me: Top songs: Scenario
actually decent. normally 90s rap is cheesy, but this held up
A nice new percpective on rap. Most of the lyrics are high vibrational.
sick beats, but some lyrics were distracting. I enjoyed the second half better
some calm luh flows also nice jazz influences
Overall Rating - 3.07/5 (6.14/10). Pretty solid old-style hip-hop. Slick flow over a good beat.
Groovy, tekstas tho visą laiką apie moteris.
Hört sich irgendwie jedes Lied gleich an aber für zwischendurch nicht schlecht.
3.5
Some good rhythm and beats 🥁
Highly overrated.
Nao e a minha cena mas acredito que seja bom
My rating 3.2
I was pleasantly surprised at this album. I’m not usually someone to be keen on rap music, with jazz and hip hop in the mix it creates this unique sound that I thoroughly enjoyed. I also bopped my head to a lot of it. However, it became repetitive which means there was no specific song that stuck out to me. If I heard this music I would like it but I wouldn’t go immediately to add it to my playlist, which is why I would rate it a 3/5. I definitely need to make a hip hop playlist so that I can listen to the songs again
Does it get anymore classic 90s rap than this? Pure lyrical poetry. Some of these rhymes are a littttle goofy though—“What is a party if it doesn't really rock? What is a poet? All balls, no cock.” Not quite a 3, not quite a 4. Fav: Verses from the Abstract, Vibes and Stuff
This is a very 90s record, for better or worse. The production is excellent, the flow is right, but I had to stop paying attention to the lyrics a few tracks in. Still, worth a listen.
This is the Stringer Bell of rap: not smart enough to hang with the philosophers but not hard enough to run with the boys on the street. Tribe tries to show his bona fides by listing off names of rappers no one remembers 30 years later (and name dropping Arsenio Hall 3 times isn’t a flex). Then he conflates vocabulary for intellect. But his lyrics have no particular insight despite having more syllables. Kendrick Lamar is a much better option for that. Altogether the tracks move along pleasantly enough, which for rap might be more of a bug than feature. It should be more challenging. The album was heading straight in to a half-hearted 2 stars until Busta Rymes jumps in with 90 seconds left on the last track. He brings all the energy that was missing and lifts the whole album on his shoulders up to a 3.
Rap promoter to butter transition was smooth like butter Wow butter more like peak I’m half way through the album now though and it’s getting kinda old WOAHHH CHECK THE RHIME finally something different! We GOT the jazz!!
Not really my style, but it was pretty nice. Reminds me of songs I hear on a stop sign during a roadtrip.
Very fun album. Scenario is a a classic and a great way to end the project.
An album I’ve only listened to once.
6/10
3/5
Mire laidback rap compared to the monstrosities I've had recently. Listenable
not exactly a huge fan of hip hop especially in this era of my life however i think the beats and the flow is pretty great, would've been interested in this had i been listening a few years prior
I like the classic 90s vibe as a background vibe. Not mad in any way
Album n.5 I dont really listen to a lot of rap but this album had some good songs on it. The lyrics where harder to follow by meaning but I think I got the gist of it. Again not really my thing so half of the songs didnt really land for me. favorites where: buggin out, vibes and stuff and check the rhime. I rate it 3,3
Not a huge fan of rap, but this is kind of relaxing. I love the album colours and the psychedelic neon art. Certain songs are super cool lyrically. Wouldn’t listen to the whole album again I think just because I might just forget about it.
Typ najs hip-hop, men inte min smak
I enjoyed this more then de la soul or cypress hills.
Pretty good old school hiphop
I liked this overall, even if there weren’t standout tracks for me. All the songs kind of blend in to each other, but are all good
I still don’t know how to talk about hip hop, so here here are my general thoughts on the album. He has good flow! I think the instrumental was slightly lacking. It was very samey throughout. Scenario is obviously a great track! I didn’t realize it was on this album. 3/5 ⭐️, some enjoyment, but I didn’t really pick anything out I loved about it. 135/1089
3.5
I mean, the greats, but I can't pick out one tune I would listen to on its own. Still, I love how much of The Abstract's lyrics are "Yeah, I'll play your show if you pay us."
great album favs were Vibes n Stuff and Jazz
1. Excursions 3/5: beat is cool, bars are hard just not a fan of the delivery. I like the audio bites throughout the chorus. 2. Buggin' Out 3/5: beat is cool again, snare is hard. Still just don't like the delivery from this era. 3. Rap Promoter 2/5: i like this beat less than the others, same complaints as before, bars are hard just don't like the delivery. 4. Butter 4/5: beat is crazyyyy, and delivery is cool has more character, chorus is so sick. can't imagine relistening tho, only thing i find myself latching onto is the beat. 5. Verses from the Abstract 2/5: I can't tell if im listening to a clean version or they just stop talking when they cuss, it's aight, can't really complain about anything but also not finding anything i latch onto. 6. Show Business 4/5: Beat is hyppeee, can hear people like Terror Reid being inspired by this, whoever is rapping at 2:20 is tough, kinda get bored of everyone else after a few bars, i really really like this beat tho. 7. Vibes and Stuff 4/5: Best beat so far, can also hear a snare that i use that's probably ripped from this song lmao, chorus is cool too, get a lil bored but big vibe on this song. 8. Infamous Date Rape 4/5: ???, i like the beat again, same as before not too big on delivery but not finding myself getting as bored w this song 9. Check The Rhime 3/5: beat cool, it's so much better when they rhyme off each other. im bored again. 10. Everything Is Fair 3/5: amen break *.* same as every song, cool beat, not too big on delivery, gettin a lil bored as the song goes on. 11. Jazz (We've Got) 3/5: they've got jazz, chorus is tough, ye. 12. Skypager 3/5: s in skypage stands for sex, i like these shorter songs more, feels like more is happening in a shorter period of time, makes me appriciate it more. 13. What? 2/5: i can't stand this beat LOL, I like their delivery when the bpm is faster, silence bar is crazy haha. 14. Scenario 5/5: banger song, beat is so crazy, i think with more people on this makes it that much better, the delivery from back then they kinda just stick with it without switching flow, this song having different people kinda fills that gap you don't end up just wanting to hear the next guy get on. Busta Rhymes is so fucking good actually carries on this song. Overall: It's cool, i feel a little out of touch with it given my age, can appriciate what it probabaly did to hip-hop and the inspiration people have taken from this. Just maybe didn't age that well, just kept finding myself getting bored of the guy spitting waiting for something else to happen in the song. All the beats are sick just this era of delivery i really am not a massive fan of. 3.2/5
These guys are really good.
I can respect what they're doing, it's just not my bag. It's good "sitting on the deck with friends" social background groove but after two goes it didn't hook me to actually play it ever again
Mid
Continuation from the previous album, same same, not my cup of tea.
Very nice jazz elements to the beats and rapping is great
Extremely solid jazz rap stuff, roots of which you can hear even today
Too rap, not my genre
Not my jam, but not bad.
Not my type. A classic rap album
yo yo yo im here to say, that this album is just ok.
Funky - love the flow and the double bass
They changed hip hop for sure. Lofi jazz beats. Intelligent lyrics. The only thing is the very repetitive delivery on this album. Every song has the same cadence and Delicery style. It gets tiresome very quickly.
I’m not much of a hip hop fan, but I do enjoy the old school ‘90s rap like this. Still not something I listen to on the regular, but it’s decent.
i had a good time
old school rap was just better
i get this is the original jazz sample album which influenced hiphop forever but it doesnt do it for me......the samples and production gets really boring and generic after a while i do recommend We Got It From Here cos it blends samples with live instrumentation which is more my style....i really love that album but low end theory...not that much
Enjoyable
A good album, I liked Buggin' Out and Butter the most.
1st album
Excursions - 3.5/5 Buggin' Out - 3/5 Rap Promoter - 3/5 Butter - 3.5/5 Verses from the Abstract (feat. Vinia Mojica & Ron Carter) - 3.5/5 Show Business (feat. Diamond D, Lord Jamar & Sadat X) - 4/5 Vibes and Stuff - 3.5/5 Infamous Date Rape - 3/5 Check the Rhime - 3/5 Everything Is Fair - 3/5 Jazz (We've Got) - 3/5 Skypager - 3/5 What? - 3/5 Scenario (feat. Busta Rhymes, Dinco D & Charlie Brown) - 3/5
Not really my style, but they have a reaaly good vibe
nice thoo
Its a rap jaz album that good but i would came back to it often
Favorite Track: Jazz
Always innovative this early album from the tribe suffers from lack of focus. Songs like check the rhime and scenario are magnificent and swaggering but there is not enough. Not their best work but still there are bits and pieces to enjoy
Endlessly chill and groovy. I really like the live instrumentation on this and Q-Tip's is just so smooth and pleasant. Light and approachable, but still very artistically sound. Key tracks: Everything Is Fair Jazz (We've Got) Scenario
Solid album....would listen again
3.75
Très bon, mais un peu répétitif et daté
Nice, short funky rap album. Like the instruments with raping. Pretty same all the time. 3/5
Love the jazzy production but some of the tracks start bleeding together especially in the middle. The hand-offs and dialogue btwn the different Tribe members are as charming and funny as ever on this album though. „Scenario“ bangs like nobody‘s business and Busta Rhymes‘s feature in particular rules. „The Infamous Date Rape“ is an embarrassing track to look back on; Phife‘s verse in particular rehashes the same fears that op-eds of the time harped on. Loved „Excursions“ and „Skypager“ though.
me gusto, buen sonido
Le pongo 3 estrellas porque al de los Rolling Stones de Sticky Fingers le puse 4. Al principio, apenas puse la primera canción pensé: qué estoy escuchando? Porque es un género que no escucho nunca, y si no fuera por este proyecto nunca me hubiera enterado de la existencia de esta banda. Pero al final me terminó gustando. Son canciones con buen ritmo, para escuchar algo distinto. No guardé ninguna canción en mi biblioteca pero lo disfruté, y eso es lo que me gusta de haber empezado esto: de entrar en contacto con música nueva para mí, pero que fue importante en la historia de la música.
American rap!!! 2000s
Bastante diferente a lo que oigo normalmente, me gusto que toda la musica se siente muy colorida y es un respiro divertido a la ai moderna
Didn’t do much for me but in fairness I’m also not necessarily a hip hop/rap lover and I also didn’t actively dislike it too much. I liked the first track a lot and the lyrics seem cool.
Holly - I liked it. Would need a relisten because I wasn’t concentrating. Liked what I heard. 3/5 Sophie - would also need a relisten. I liked the vibes. Is it meant to be one big song? 3/5
This was fun! I liked this more than most of the other 90s rap on the list so far. And it seems like they're less interested in getting money and screwing bitches, so that was a nice change of pace too. 6/10
rapaz n é meu estilo n, mas é bem massa e bem produzido
i don't really listen to hip hop as much as i used to, but still appreciate it. i did like the album, especially the beats and flows, but it didn't blow my mind or anything. would give it like a 3.5 if i could.
Not fully my style but good vibes
7/10
3 fine
Nice, but not impressed.
Mostly pretty good, but losing a star for that date rape song.
Good
ta bueno, pero el boom bap despues de un rato cansa y se siente repetitivo. quizas con mas escuchas me acostumbre y me termine gustando mas
Very early 90’s hip hop. I’ve definitely heard of A Tribe Called Quest, but I don’t really know a lot of their songs. I had heard the last song on the album, Scenario, before. I liked it, but nothing really stood out. They had some interesting pop cultures in their songs. Their rapping is very clear and you can hear/understand all the lyrics.
me gusto la vibra pero siento que todas las canciones son iguales. al final me aburrio un poco por eso
Nice sax on Butter. The instrumentation is quite good on most songs. I guess the rap is decent. It fits.
Good some great tracks not rlly my thing
A smooth groove all the way through
This felt VERY progressive for 1991. The hip-hop showcased on this album sounded more like the hip-hop that would start to emerge around the middle of the decade...A Tribe Called Quest was absolutely ahead of the game. Early 90s hip hop can sometimes sound dated in some ways or another, but even by 90s standards, this holds up fairly well!
Very good start, I love Hip-hop, but this album was very same-ish with no standouts. Some of the lyrics were fun and fresh, I like the 90s vibes a lot, also. The overall idea of "progress" as the center theme of the album, as well as some progressive ideas, were up my alley. Very little sexism, but not nonexistent. I have to say that some rhymes were very simplistic but the beats were nice to listen. I'd rate it a 5.5/10.
buen hiphop, todas las canciones suenan igual
Two stand out tracks on an otherwise same-ish album that music has moved on from. Would've been a 5 at the time of release.
good
suffering from SSS (same sound syndrome) on this one for a handful of the songs. I've never really listened to hip hop music often, but the album opener really hooked me right into the album with the thought out bars and bass line. The songs that feature something different like a featured artist or instrument are great. Favs: What?, Scenario, Excursions, Abstract
Very cool vibe and groove throughout. Some funny lyrics, and a good album to mark or do work. Not sure there’s any big song that pops. Just solid.
90s hip hop taking in a wide array of inspirations and musical influences, interesting social commentary and clever wordplay that requires some further thought to scratch under the surface. The high energy beats contrast with the sometimes heavy lyrics, but then the interplay of rapper and MC is also there throughout. I appreciated it without hugely enjoying it.