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A Tribe Called Quest was an American hip hop group formed in
Queens Queens is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Queens County, in the U.S. state of New York. Located on Long Island, it is the largest New York City borough by area. It is bordered by the borough of Brooklyn at the western tip of Long ...
,
New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
, in 1985,Q-Tip
Red Bull Music Academy. Accessed on January 4, 2019.
originally composed of rapper and main producer Q-Tip,Exclusive: Q-Tip Interview
MOOVMNT.com. Retrieved on June 25, 2017.
rapper
Phife Dawg Malik Izaak Taylor (November 20, 1970March 22, 2016), known professionally as Phife Dawg (or simply Phife), was an American rapper and a member of the group A Tribe Called Quest with Q-Tip and Ali Shaheed Muhammad (and for a short time Jarob ...
, DJ and co-producer
Ali Shaheed Muhammad Ali Shaheed Muhammad (born August 11, 1970) is an American hip hop DJ, record producer, and rapper, best known as a member of A Tribe Called Quest. With Q-Tip and Phife Dawg (and sometimes Jarobi White), the group released five studio albums ...
, and rapper
Jarobi White Jarobi White (born July 1, 1971) is an American hip hop artist, chef, and a founding member of alternative hip hop group A Tribe Called Quest, alongside members Q-Tip, Phife Dawg, and Ali Shaheed Muhammad. He left the group after the release ...
. Members of the
Native Tongues The Native Tongues were a collective of late 1980s and early 1990s hip-hop artists known for their positive-minded, good-natured Afrocentric lyrics, and for pioneering the use of eclectic sampling and jazz-influenced beats. Its principal me ...
collective, the group is regarded as a pioneer of
alternative hip hop Alternative hip hop (also known as alternative rap) is a subgenre of hip hop music that encompasses a wide range of styles that are not typically identified as mainstream. AllMusic defines it as comprising " hip hop groups that refuse to confor ...
, influencing numerous hip hop and R&B musicians. The group's debut album, ''
People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm ''People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm'' is the debut studio album by American hip hop group A Tribe Called Quest, released on April 10, 1990 on Jive Records. After forming the Native Tongues collective and collaborating on sever ...
'' (1990), established them as a critically acclaimed act, earning the first five 'mic' rating in ''
The Source ''The Source'' is an American hip hop and entertainment website, and a magazine that publishes annually or . It is the world's longest-running rap periodical, being founded as a newsletter in 1988 by Jonathan Shecter. David Mays was the ma ...
''s history. In 1991, the group saw commercial success with its jazz-infused second album, '' The Low End Theory'', which heavily shaped alternative hip hop in the 1990s. It was followed by the similarly successful and influential '' Midnight Marauders'' (1993), and '' Beats, Rhymes and Life'' (1996), which topped the ''Billboard'' 200. In 1998, the group disbanded shortly before releasing its fifth album ''
The Love Movement ''The Love Movement'' is the fifth studio album by American hip hop group A Tribe Called Quest, and their last album released during group member Phife Dawg's lifetime. Released on September 29, 1998, by Jive Records, it is a concept album, explor ...
'', but in 2006, the original members reunited and toured sporadically for the next seven years. In 2016, the group released its sixth and final album, '' We Got It from Here... Thank You 4 Your Service'', which received critical acclaim and became its second album to top the ''Billboard'' 200; it featured posthumous contributions from Phife Dawg, who died eight months before its release. A Tribe Called Quest was the most commercially successful act in the Native Tongues, with all six of its albums certified either gold or platinum. John Bush of
AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...
called them "the most intelligent, artistic rap group during the 1990s". Kris Ex of ''
Pitchfork A pitchfork (also a hay fork) is an agricultural tool with a long handle and two to five tines used to lift and pitch or throw loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves. The term is also applied colloquially, but inaccurately, to ...
'' regarded them as "one of the greatest acts that hip-hop has ever produced". In 2005, A Tribe Called Quest received the Founders Award at the '' Billboard'' R&B/Hip-Hop Awards, and two years later, the group was honored at the 4th VH1 Hip Hop Honors. In 2017, the group was awarded the
Brit Award for International Group The Brit Award for International Group is an award given by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), an organisation which represents record companies and artists in the United Kingdom. The accolade is presented at the Brit Awards, an annual cele ...
.


History


1985–1990: Formation, Native Tongues, and ''People's Instinctive Travels''

Q-Tip (Kamaal Fareed) and
Phife Dawg Malik Izaak Taylor (November 20, 1970March 22, 2016), known professionally as Phife Dawg (or simply Phife), was an American rapper and a member of the group A Tribe Called Quest with Q-Tip and Ali Shaheed Muhammad (and for a short time Jarob ...
(Malik Taylor) were childhood friends who grew up together in the
St. Albans St Albans () is a cathedral city in Hertfordshire, England, east of Hemel Hempstead and west of Hatfield, north-west of London, south-west of Welwyn Garden City and south-east of Luton. St Albans was the first major town on the old Roman r ...
neighborhood of
Queens Queens is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Queens County, in the U.S. state of New York. Located on Long Island, it is the largest New York City borough by area. It is bordered by the borough of Brooklyn at the western tip of Long ...
,
New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
. Initially, Q-Tip performed as a
battle rap Battle rap (also known as rap battling)Edwards, Paul, 2009, p. 25. is a type of rapping performed between two or more performers that incorporates boasts, insults and wordplay. Battle rap is often performed or freestyled spontaneously in live ...
per, under the name MC Love Child, occasionally teaming up with
Murry Bergtraum High School The Murry Bergtraum High School for Business Careers is a public secondary school in New York City. It is located in Lower Manhattan, adjacent to the Brooklyn Bridge and City Hall. Bergtraum offers business-oriented courses to prepare students for ...
classmate
Ali Shaheed Muhammad Ali Shaheed Muhammad (born August 11, 1970) is an American hip hop DJ, record producer, and rapper, best known as a member of A Tribe Called Quest. With Q-Tip and Phife Dawg (and sometimes Jarobi White), the group released five studio albums ...
as a rapper and DJ duo. In 1985, the duo began making demos over Q-Tip's pause tape beats. Phife Dawg later joined them, though he didn't become a full member until neighborhood friend
Jarobi White Jarobi White (born July 1, 1971) is an American hip hop artist, chef, and a founding member of alternative hip hop group A Tribe Called Quest, alongside members Q-Tip, Phife Dawg, and Ali Shaheed Muhammad. He left the group after the release ...
joined; the group dubbed themselves "Crush Connection" and later "Quest". The group's final name, A Tribe Called Quest, was coined in 1988 by
Jungle Brothers Jungle Brothers are an American hip hop trio composed of Michael Small (Mike Gee), Nathaniel Hall ( Afrika Baby Bam), and Sammy Burwell (DJ Sammy B). Known as the pioneers of the fusion of jazz, hip-hop, and house music, they were the first hi ...
, who attended the same high school as Q-Tip and Muhammad; that year, Q-Tip made his first recorded appearances on Jungle Brothers' songs "Black Is Black" and "The Promo". Shortly after, A Tribe Called Quest, Jungle Brothers, De La Soul,
Queen Latifah Dana Elaine Owens (born March 18, 1970), known professionally as Queen Latifah, is an American rapper, actress, and singer. Born in Newark, New Jersey, she signed with Tommy Boy Records in 1989 and released her debut album '' All Hail the Qu ...
and
Monie Love Simone Johnson or Simone Gooden (born 2 July 1970), better known by her stage name Monie Love, is a British rapper, actress and radio personality from London. Best known for her singles during the late–1980s through the 1990s, Monie Love curr ...
formed the
Native Tongues The Native Tongues were a collective of late 1980s and early 1990s hip-hop artists known for their positive-minded, good-natured Afrocentric lyrics, and for pioneering the use of eclectic sampling and jazz-influenced beats. Its principal me ...
collective, known for their like-minded
Afrocentrism Afrocentrism is an approach to the study of world history that focuses on the history of people of recent African descent. It is in some respects a response to Eurocentric attitudes about African people and their historical contributions. It ...
, positivity and eclectic sampling. In 1989, Phife Dawg made his first recorded appearance on the song "Buddy (Native Tongue Decision)", the remix of De La Soul's single "
Buddy Buddy may refer to: People *Buddy (nickname) *Buddy (rapper), real name Simmie Sims III (1993–Present) *Buddy Rogers (wrestler), ring name of American professional wrestler Herman Gustav Rohde, Jr. (1921–1992) *Buddy Boeheim (born 1999), Amer ...
". A Tribe Called Quest hired
Kool DJ Red Alert Frederick Crute (born November 27, 1956), known professionally as Kool DJ Red Alert, is an American disc jockey who rose to fame on WRKS 98.7 Kiss FM in New York City and is recognized as one of the founding fathers of hip hop music and cultur ...
as their first manager. In early 1989, the group signed a demo deal with
Geffen Records Geffen Records is an American record label established by David Geffen and owned by Universal Music Group through its Interscope Geffen A&M Records imprint. Founded in 1980, Geffen Records has been a part of Interscope Geffen A&M since 1999 and h ...
and produced a five-song demo, which included future single "
I Left My Wallet in El Segundo "I Left My Wallet in El Segundo" is a song by American hip hop group A Tribe Called Quest, released as the debut single from their first album, ''People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm'' (1990). The song contains a sample of "Funk ...
". Geffen decided against offering the group a recording contract, and the group was granted permission to shop for a deal elsewhere. After receiving lucrative offers for multi-album deals from a variety of labels, the group opted for a modest deal offered by Jive Records. Jive was then known as an independent rap label that partly owed its success to building the careers of artists
Boogie Down Productions Boogie Down Productions (BDP) was an American hip hop group originally composed of KRS-One, D-Nice, and DJ Scott La Rock. DJ Scott La Rock was murdered on August 27, 1987, five months after the release of BDP's debut album, '' Criminal Minde ...
and
Too Short Todd Anthony Shaw (born April 28, 1966), better known by the stage name Too Short (stylized as Too $hort), is an American rapper and record producer. He became famous in the West Coast hip hop scene in the late 1980s, with lyrics often based on ...
. Later that year, the group released their first 12" single, "Description of a Fool". Their debut album, ''
People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm ''People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm'' is the debut studio album by American hip hop group A Tribe Called Quest, released on April 10, 1990 on Jive Records. After forming the Native Tongues collective and collaborating on sever ...
'', released on April 10, 1990, was marked by a playful lyrical approach and light-hearted content such as safe sex, vegetarianism and youthful experiences. The music was an eclectic mix of jazz, funk, soul and rock samples. The album was met with critical acclaim; ''
The Source ''The Source'' is an American hip hop and entertainment website, and a magazine that publishes annually or . It is the world's longest-running rap periodical, being founded as a newsletter in 1988 by Jonathan Shecter. David Mays was the ma ...
'' rated it five mics, becoming the first album to receive the magazine's highest rating. ''
NME ''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming, and culture website and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a 'rock inkie', the NME would become a magazine that ended up as a f ...
''s review stated that "This is not rap, it's near perfection." The album only gained momentum after the release of the singles "
Bonita Applebum "Bonita Applebum" is the second single from A Tribe Called Quest's debut album '' People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm''. The song contains samples of "Daylight" by RAMP, "Memory Band" by Rotary Connection, and "Fool Yourself" by ...
" and " Can I Kick It?", eventually achieving
gold Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au (from la, aurum) and atomic number 79. This makes it one of the higher atomic number elements that occur naturally. It is a bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile met ...
certification in 1996.


1991–1993: ''The Low End Theory'', ''Midnight Marauders'', and commercial success

A Tribe Called Quest's second album, '' The Low End Theory'', was released on September 24, 1991, with "
Check the Rhime "Check the Rhime" is the first single from A Tribe Called Quest's second album ''The Low End Theory''. The song was written by group members Phife Dawg, Q-Tip, and Ali Shaheed Muhammad. It was recorded at the legendary Greene St. Recording stud ...
" as the lead single; the song largely established the lyrical interplay between Q-Tip and Phife Dawg. Until then, most of the group's songs had only featured vocals by Q-Tip, but Q-Tip encouraged Phife Dawg to increase his participation despite his recent
diabetes Diabetes, also known as diabetes mellitus, is a group of metabolic disorders characterized by a high blood sugar level ( hyperglycemia) over a prolonged period of time. Symptoms often include frequent urination, increased thirst and increased ...
diagnosis. Musically, the album fused hip hop with the laid-back atmosphere of jazz, particularly
bebop Bebop or bop is a style of jazz developed in the early-to-mid-1940s in the United States. The style features compositions characterized by a fast tempo, complex chord progressions with rapid chord changes and numerous changes of key, instrumen ...
and
hard bop Hard bop is a subgenre of jazz that is an extension of bebop (or "bop") music. Journalists and record companies began using the term in the mid-1950s to describe a new current within jazz that incorporated influences from rhythm and blues, gospe ...
, combined with a minimalist approach to production that stripped the sound down to vocals, drums and bass. Mixing engineer
Bob Power Bob Power is an American Grammy Award–winning and multi-platinum record producer, audio engineer, composer, arranger, performer, and music educator. Early life Power was born in Chicago, moved to Rye, New York, then moved to St. Louis, Missou ...
played a major role on the album, as he was tasked with removing surface noise and static that is typically heard on hip hop songs sampled from old vinyl records. During the recording sessions, White left the group to pursue a career in culinary arts, and they hired
Chris Lighty Darrel Steven "Chris" Lighty (May 8, 1968 – August 30, 2012) was an American music industry executive. He co-founded Violator, a record label, management and marketing company, which represented hip hop and R&B artists such as Busta Rhymes ...
as their new manager after signing to
Rush Artist Management Rush Communications is the company owned and founded by the hip-hop pioneer Russell Simmons. It is one of the largest African American owned media firms in the United States. Rush continues to draw on its roots in hip hop, targeting young consume ...
. Lyrically, the group focused on a range of social issues, from
date rape Date rape is a form of acquaintance rape and dating violence. The two phrases are often used interchangeably, but date rape specifically refers to a rape in which there has been some sort of romantic or potentially sexual relationship between ...
("The Infamous Date Rape") to
consumerism Consumerism is a social and economic order that encourages the acquisition of goods and services in ever-increasing amounts. With the Industrial Revolution, but particularly in the 20th century, mass production led to overproduction—the supp ...
("Skypager"), while also criticizing the hip hop industry on several songs. Guests on the album included
Leaders of the New School Leaders of the New School was an American hip hop group based in Long Island, New York. History The crew was composed of Uniondale, New York, natives Charlie Brown (born Bryan Higgins on September 19, 1970) and Dinco D (born James Jackson on No ...
,
Brand Nubian Brand Nubian is an American hip hop group from New Rochelle, New York, composed of three emcees ( Grand Puba, Sadat X and Lord Jamar), and formerly three DJs (DJ Alamo, DJ Sincere, and DJ Stud Doogie). Their debut studio album, '' One for All' ...
,
Vinia Mojica Vinia A. Mojica (born March 14, 1970) is a singer-songwriter from Queens, New York City, United States of America. She is best known for her collaborations with the Native Tongues collective and other hip hop artists. Life and career Her recor ...
and Ron Carter, who played
double bass The double bass (), also known simply as the bass () (or #Terminology, by other names), is the largest and lowest-pitched Bow (music), bowed (or plucked) string instrument in the modern orchestra, symphony orchestra (excluding unorthodox addit ...
on the song "Verses from the Abstract". Additional singles included "
Jazz (We've Got) "Jazz (We've Got)" is the second single from A Tribe Called Quest's second album ''The Low End Theory''. The original material sampled in the song was provided by Pete Rock, and was then recreated in a similar way by Q-Tip.
" and "
Scenario In the performing arts, a scenario (, ; ; ) is a synoptical collage of an event or series of actions and events. In the ''commedia dell'arte'', it was an outline of entrances, exits, and action describing the plot of a play, and was literally pi ...
"; a live performance of "Scenario" with Leaders of the New School on ''
The Arsenio Hall Show ''The Arsenio Hall Show'' is an American syndicated late-night talk show created by and starring comedian Arsenio Hall. There have been two different incarnations of ''The Arsenio Hall Show''. The original series premiered on January 3, 1989, ...
'' led to greater popularity. Leaders member Busta Rhymes attracted attention with his verse in the song, which led to him launching a successful solo career. ''The Low End Theory'' received widespread acclaim from critics. ''The Source'' gave the group its second consecutive five mic rating, praising their "progressive sound" and "streetwise edge", also noting that "Those who questioned Phife's microphone techniques on the first album will swallow those doubts as he practically steals the show on this one." The album peaked at #45 on the ''Billboard'' 200 and was certified gold on February 19, 1992; it reached
platinum Platinum is a chemical element with the symbol Pt and atomic number 78. It is a dense, malleable, ductile, highly unreactive, precious, silverish-white transition metal. Its name originates from Spanish , a diminutive of "silver". Pla ...
status by 1995. In the aftermath of their success, the group contributed the song "
Hot Sex "Hot Sex" is a single by hip hop group A Tribe Called Quest. It was released in 1992 on the soundtrack for the film ''Boomerang'' and was later featured on European editions of the group's third studio album ''Midnight Marauders'' one year later i ...
" to the soundtrack for the film ''
Boomerang A boomerang () is a thrown tool, typically constructed with aerofoil sections and designed to spin about an axis perpendicular to the direction of its flight. A returning boomerang is designed to return to the thrower, while a non-returning ...
'' in 1992.
Conrad Tillard Conrad Bennette Tillard (born September 15, 1964) is an American Baptist minister, radio host, activist, politician, and author. Tillard was in his early years a prominent minister of the black nationalist organization the Nation of Islam (NOI) ...
, then known variously as the Hip Hop Minister and Conrad Muhammad, became a fixture in hip-hop in 1993 after he arranged a meeting and a truce in a feud between rising bands
Wreckx-N-Effect Wreckx-n-Effect (originally Wrecks-n-Effect) is an American new jack swing group from Harlem, New York City most known for their No. 1 Rap songs, "New Jack Swing" & their multi-platinum hit " Rump Shaker". History Wrecks-n-Effect was founded i ...
and A Tribe Called Quest, that Tillard said threatened to turn
Harlem Harlem is a neighborhood in Upper Manhattan, New York City. It is bounded roughly by the Hudson River on the west; the Harlem River and 155th Street (Manhattan), 155th Street on the north; Fifth Avenue on the east; and 110th Street (Manhattan), ...
into a "war zone." A Tribe Called Quest released their third album, '' Midnight Marauders'', on November 9, 1993. The lead single, " Award Tour", became the group's highest charting single and helped to land the album at #8 on the ''Billboard'' 200. The production, still rooted in jazz, was a return to the eclectic sounds found on ''People's Instinctive Travels'', with a more prominent funk influence, including grittier drums. The voice of a "tour guide", on the intro and at the end of several tracks, added further cohesion to the album. ''Midnight Marauders'' saw improved lyrical interplay between Phife Dawg and Q-Tip, as evidenced on the singles "
Electric Relaxation "Electric Relaxation" is the second single from A Tribe Called Quest's third album ''Midnight Marauders''. It contains a sample of the song " Mystic Brew" by jazz organist Ronnie Foster. The track was featured as the opening theme song for The WB ...
" and "
Oh My God Oh My God, O My God, Oh My God! or Ohmigod may refer to: * the first words of the Act of Contrition, a Christian prayer * a common phrase frequently abbreviated as "OMG", often used in SMS messages and Internet communication, and sometimes euphem ...
"; the popularity of "Electric Relaxation" led to it becoming the opening theme song for the sitcom ''
The Wayans Bros. ''The Wayans Bros.'' is an American sitcom television series that aired on The WB from January 11, 1995, to May 20, 1999. The series starred real life brothers Shawn and Marlon Wayans. The series also starred John Witherspoon and Anna Maria Hors ...
'', from 1995 to 1996. Topics on the album include police harassment ("Midnight"), religious faith ("God Lives Through"), hip hop ("We Can Get Down") and use of the word
nigga ''Nigga'' () is a colloquial and vulgar term used in African-American Vernacular English that began as a dialect form of the word ''nigger'', an ethnic slur against black people. The word is commonly associated with hip hop music and Afri ...
("Sucka Nigga"). Guests on the album include Large Professor, Busta Rhymes and
Raphael Saadiq Raphael Saadiq (; born Charles Ray Wiggins; May 14, 1966) is an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer. He rose to fame as a member of the multiplatinum group Tony! Toni! Toné! In addition to his solo and group ...
(credited as Raphael Wiggins). The album received widespread acclaim from critics. ''
Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cul ...
'' called the album "as fresh as their first", while ''
Melody Maker ''Melody Maker'' was a British weekly music magazine, one of the world's earliest music weeklies; according to its publisher, IPC Media, the earliest. It was founded in 1926, largely as a magazine for dance band musicians, by Leicester-born ...
'' stated "A Tribe Called Quest have expanded their vision with a lyrical gravitas and a musical lightness of touch that has hitherto eluded them across a whole album". The album was ranked #21 by ''
The Village Voice ''The Village Voice'' is an American news and culture paper, known for being the country's first alternative newsweekly. Founded in 1955 by Dan Wolf, Ed Fancher, John Wilcock, and Norman Mailer, the ''Voice'' began as a platform for the crea ...
'' in that year's
Pazz & Jop Pazz & Jop was an annual poll of top musical releases, compiled by American newspaper ''The Village Voice'' and created by music critic Robert Christgau. It published lists of the year's top releases for 1971 and, after Christgau's two-year abs ...
critics' poll. ''Midnight Marauders'' became A Tribe Called Quest's fastest-selling album; it was certified platinum on January 11, 1995, only 14 months after its release.


1994–1995: Intermission and the Ummah

In 1994, at ''The Source'' Awards,
Tupac Shakur Tupac Amaru Shakur ( ; born Lesane Parish Crooks, June 16, 1971 – September 13, 1996), also known as 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper. He is widely considered one of the most influential rappers of all time. Shakur is among the b ...
performed his song "Out on Bail", interrupting A Tribe Called Quest as they accepted the award for Group of the Year; it was later found that this apparent act of disrespect was accidental. That summer, the group performed as one of a handful of hip hop acts on the Lollapalooza tour, among acts such as
The Smashing Pumpkins The Smashing Pumpkins (also referred to as simply Smashing Pumpkins) are an American alternative rock band from Chicago. Formed in 1988 by frontman and guitarist Billy Corgan, bassist D'arcy Wretzky, guitarist James Iha and drummer Jimmy Ch ...
,
Stereolab Stereolab are an Anglo- French avant-pop band formed in London in 1990. Led by the songwriting team of Tim Gane and Lætitia Sadier, the group's music combines influences from krautrock, lounge and 1960s pop music, often incorporating a repetit ...
and
The Verve The Verve were an English rock band formed in Wigan in 1990 by lead vocalist Richard Ashcroft, guitarist Nick McCabe, bass guitarist Simon Jones and drummer Peter Salisbury. Guitarist and keyboard player Simon Tong later became a member in ...
. While on tour, keyboardist
Amp Fiddler Joseph Anthony "Amp" Fiddler is an American singer, songwriter, keyboardist, and record producer from Detroit, Michigan. His musical styles include funk, soul, dance and electronica music. He is probably best known for his contributions to the ba ...
introduced Q-Tip to a young producer from
Detroit Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at th ...
named
Jay Dee A jay is a member of a number of species of medium-sized, usually colorful and noisy, passerine birds in the Crow family, Corvidae. The evolutionary relationships between the jays and the magpies are rather complex. For example, the Eurasian ...
. At the suggestion of Q-Tip, Jay Dee later joined him and Muhammad, forming a production unit known as
The Ummah The Ummah was a music production collective, composed of members Q-Tip and Ali Shaheed Muhammad of A Tribe Called Quest, and the late Jay Dee (also known as J Dilla) of the Detroit-based group Slum Village. Occasional members included Raphae ...
(
Arabic Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic languages, Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C ...
for "the orldwide
Muslim Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abrah ...
community"), in which each member produced songs individually and received a songwriting credit for their work. The Ummah handled the production of A Tribe Called Quest's next two albums. During this period, group members contributed to several notable outside projects with production and guest verses. Phife Dawg, who rapped on "Oh My God" that he owned "more condoms than
TLC TLC may refer to: Arts and entertainment Television * ''TLC'' (TV series), a 2002 British situational comedy television series that aired on BBC2 * TLC (TV network), formerly the Learning Channel, an American cable TV network ** TLC (Asia), an A ...
", made an appearance on the song "Intro-lude" from that group's album, ''
CrazySexyCool ''CrazySexyCool'' is the second studio album by American girl group TLC, released on November 15, 1994, by LaFace and Arista Records. Following the group's record deal, they released their debut album '' Ooooooohhh... On the TLC Tip'' in 1992 ...
'', in 1994. That year, Q-Tip produced the single "
One Love One Love may refer to: Music * One Love (record producer), Timothy Sommers, American record producer, half of the duo Kinetics & One Love * ''One Love: The Bob Marley Musical'', a 2015 stage musical Albums * One Love (Blue album), ''One Love'' (B ...
" from
Nas Nas (born 1973) is the stage name of American rapper Nasir Jones. Nas, NaS, or NAS may also refer to: Aviation * Nasair, a low-cost airline carrier and subsidiary based in Eritrea * National Air Services, an airline in Saudi Arabia ** Nas Air ( ...
' debut album ''
Illmatic ''Illmatic'' is the debut studio album by American rapper Nas. It was released on April 19, 1994, by Columbia Records. After signing with the label with the help of MC Serch, Nas recorded the album in 1992 and 1993 at Chung King Studios, D&D Re ...
'' and appeared on the song " Get It Together" by
Beastie Boys Beastie Boys were an American rap rock group from New York City, formed in 1978. The group was composed of Mike D, Michael "Mike D" Diamond (vocals, drums), Adam Yauch, Adam "MCA" Yauch (vocals, bass), and Ad-Rock, Adam "Ad-Rock" Horovitz (voca ...
, from their album ''
Ill Communication ''Ill Communication'' is the fourth studio album by American hip-hop group Beastie Boys, released by Grand Royal Records on May 31, 1994. Co-produced by Beastie Boys and Mario Caldato, Jr., it is among the band's most varied releases, drawing from ...
''. In 1995, Muhammad co-produced the single "
Brown Sugar Brown sugar is unrefined or partially refined soft sugar. Brown Sugar may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Brown Sugar'' (1922 film), a 1922 British silent film directed by Fred Paul * ''Brown Sugar'' (1931 film), a 1931 ...
" from
D'Angelo Michael Eugene Archer (born February 11, 1974), better known by his stage name D'Angelo (), is an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer. He first garnered attention after co-producing the single "U Will Know" ...
's debut album of the same name, and Q-Tip produced three songs for
Mobb Deep Mobb Deep was an American hip hop duo from New York City. The duo consisted of rappers Prodigy and Havoc. They are considered to be among the principal progenitors of hardcore East Coast hip hopEdwards, Paul, 2009, ''How to Rap: The Art & Scien ...
while serving as a mixing engineer for their album ''
The Infamous ''The Infamous'' (stylized as ''The Infamous...'') is the second studio album by the American hip hop duo Mobb Deep. It was released on April 25, 1995, by RCA Records and Loud Records. The album features guest appearances by Nas, Raekwon, Gho ...
''. The group contributed "Glamour and Glitz" to '' The Show: The Soundtrack'' that year, before returning the following year with their next album.


1996–1998: ''Beats, Rhymes and Life'', ''The Love Movement'', and breakup

'' Beats, Rhymes and Life'', the group's fourth album, was released on July 30, 1996, supported by the singles "1nce Again" and "Stressed Out (A Tribe Called Quest song), Stressed Out". It was recorded during the turbulent East Coast–West Coast hip hop rivalry, with the tracks "Get a Hold", "Keeping It Moving" and "Baby Phife's Return" referring to it. The Ummah's production style, a minimalist R&B and jazz-infused sound, was a departure from the group's previous albums. Jay Dee, a big fan of A Tribe Called Quest, contributed five beats to the album, including both singles. Lyrically, the album featured a less playful, more philosophical approach by the group. Consequence (rapper), Consequence, Q-Tip's cousin, and an aspiring rapper, was present on six songs. Phife Dawg later stated that this period was when he began to lose interest in the group: The album debuted at #1 on the ''Billboard'' 200 and went gold before the end of the year; it was certified platinum in 1998. Critical reception was divided, but mostly positive; ''Rolling Stone'' called the album "near-flawless", while ''The Source'' awarded it four mics. ''Melody Maker'' felt that it provided "both their best and worst thus far." It was nominated for Grammy Award for Best Rap Album, Best Rap Album and "1nce Again" was nominated for Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group, Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group at the 38th Annual Grammy Awards, 1997 Grammy Awards. In 1997, the group was featured on the Fugees single "Rumble in the Jungle (song), Rumble in the Jungle", alongside Busta Rhymes and John Forté, from the ''When We Were Kings'' soundtrack. They also appeared on the soundtrack ''Men in Black: The Album'', with the song "Same Ol' Thing". In Europe, they released ''The Jam EP'', which included the aforementioned song, "Mardi Gras at Midnight" (featuring Rah Digga) and two songs from ''Beats, Rhymes and Life'', "Get a Hold" and "Jam". That year also saw the first reunion of the three Native Tongues groups since 1989, when Jungle Brothers invited A Tribe Called Quest and De La Soul to guest on "How Ya Want It We Got It", a song from their album ''Raw Deluxe (album), Raw Deluxe''. A month before ''
The Love Movement ''The Love Movement'' is the fifth studio album by American hip hop group A Tribe Called Quest, and their last album released during group member Phife Dawg's lifetime. Released on September 29, 1998, by Jive Records, it is a concept album, explor ...
'' was released on September 29, 1998, the group announced that it would be their final album. The group cited their frustration with Jive as a significant factor in the breakup. The album, which was centered on the theme of love, was promoted by the single "Find a Way (A Tribe Called Quest song), Find a Way", a song that "innocently wonders about the point at which friendship spills over into sex." Musically, the album saw the return of The Ummah's stripped-down production style from ''Beats, Rhymes and Life''. Guest appearances by Busta Rhymes, Redman (rapper), Redman and N.O.R.E., Noreaga helped to balance the subdued tone of the album. ''The Love Movement'' was certified gold on November 1, 1998, just over a month after its release. Critical reception was mostly positive; ''Rolling Stone'' remarked that "the mature, accomplished niceness of ''The Love Movement'' proves that the Tribe still have the skills – they're just short on thrills." The album was nominated for Best Rap Album at the 41st Annual Grammy Awards, 1999 Grammy Awards.


1999–2005: Solo projects and brief return to recording

Under the management of Violator (company), Violator, Q-Tip launched a successful solo career, which saw two Billboard Hot 100, ''Billboard'' Hot 100 hits, "Vivrant Thing" and "Breathe and Stop", and the release of the gold-certified album ''Amplified (Q-Tip album), Amplified'' in late 1999. The album featured production by Q-Tip, Jay Dee and DJ Scratch. Despite receiving mostly positive reviews, the album was criticized by the hip hop community for its mainstream sound. The most notable of Q-Tip's critics was Phife Dawg, who took his former partner to task on his solo album ''Ventilation: Da LP'', released in 2000. The Hi-Tek-produced lead single, "Flawless (Phife Dawg song), Flawless", contained the lines "Go 'head, play yourself with them ho-like hooks / sing ballads if it's all about the Maxwell (musician), Maxwell look". ''Ventilation'' included production by Jay Dee and Pete Rock. Teaming up with two other artists from former groups,
Raphael Saadiq Raphael Saadiq (; born Charles Ray Wiggins; May 14, 1966) is an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer. He rose to fame as a member of the multiplatinum group Tony! Toni! Toné! In addition to his solo and group ...
of Tony! Toni! Toné! and Dawn Robinson of En Vogue, Muhammad's next project was Lucy Pearl. The group scored two hit singles with "Dance Tonight (Lucy Pearl song), Dance Tonight" and "Don't Mess with My Man (Lucy Pearl song), Don't Mess with My Man", from their Lucy Pearl (album), self-titled album, which was certified gold a few months after its release in 2000. Following a dispute between Saadiq and Robinson, the latter left the group and was replaced by Joi (singer), Joi; however, this new incarnation would only last for the remainder of touring. In 2001, Q-Tip changed directions and recorded ''Kamaal the Abstract'', an album which saw him in the role of singer and bandleader. Unlike his work with A Tribe Called Quest, or his previous solo work, ''Kamaal'' was constructed around live music and abstract song concepts. Arista Records refused to release the album, doubting its commercial potential, resulting in Q-Tip leaving the label.Q-Tip on finally getting his second album out
''
Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cul ...
''. Accessed on April 20, 2017.
The following year, he recorded the song "What Lies Beneath" for the ''Soundbombing III'' compilation, in which he responded to Phife Dawg's comments on "Flawless". In 2003, Q-Tip and Phife Dawg put aside their differences and A Tribe Called Quest briefly returned to the studio, recording the song "I C U (Doin' It)", featuring Erykah Badu. It was intended to be the first single from the Violator compilation, ''V3: The Good, The Bad & The Ugly'', however, the album was not released. Undeterred by the shelving of ''Kamaal the Abstract'', Q-Tip recorded ''Open'' in late 2003, planning to release it the next year. It featured contributions from André 3000, Common (rapper), Common and D'Angelo. However, his label, DreamWorks Records, got bought out by Universal Music Group, which eventually led to ''Open'' also getting shelved. On August 27, 2004, A Tribe Called Quest headlined the Street Scene (San Diego music festival), Street Scene music festival in San Diego. Muhammad focused on developing a stable of artists, most of whom were showcased on his debut solo album, ''Shaheedullah and Stereotypes'', released later that year. In 2005, the group received the Founders Award at the '' Billboard'' R&B/Hip-Hop Awards in Atlanta.


2006–2013: Reunion and touring

In 2006, the group reunited as a touring band, in part, to help Phife Dawg with his mounting medical expenses. They co-headlined that year's Bumbershoot festival in Seattle and performed several sold-out concerts in the U.S., Canada and Japan. The group also appeared on the 2K Sports Bounce Tour, promoting the ''NBA 2K7'' video game, with a Dan the Automator remix of their song "Lyrics to Go" appearing on Dan the Automator Presents 2K7, the game's soundtrack. According to Phife Dawg at the time, A Tribe Called Quest planned to release an album, as they owed Jive one more in their six-album contract. Speaking about the possibility of a new album showing up that year, Phife Dawg said: In 2007, A Tribe Called Quest was honored at the Hip Hop Honors#4th VH1 Hip Hop Honors (2007), 4th VH1 Hip Hop Honors, with a tribute performance by Busta Rhymes, Common, Lupe Fiasco and Pharrell Williams. The group was named the headlining act for the 2008 Rock the Bells tour. That year, Phife Dawg received a kidney transplantation, kidney transplant from his wife. In late 2008, Q-Tip released his long-awaited second album, ''The Renaissance (Q-Tip album), The Renaissance'', on Universal Motown Records. After being shelved for seven years, ''Kamaal the Abstract'' was finally released in 2009, on Battery Records (hip hop), Battery Records. The group co-headlined the 2010 Rock the Bells tour. Phife Dawg planned to release his follow-up album, ''Songs in the Key of Phife: Volume 1 (Cheryl's Big Son)'', that year; however, his health issues delayed the release of the album. The group was the subject of the 2011 documentary, ''Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest'', directed by Michael Rapaport. In 2012, Q-Tip signed to Kanye West's GOOD Music label and prepared the release of his new album, ''The Last Zulu'', which later became heavily delayed. At the 2012 BET Hip Hop Awards, the group took part in a tribute performance for former manager Chris Lighty, who had recently died. In 2013, the group performed at a handful of select festivals throughout the summer, including Wireless Festival, Yahoo! Wireless in London, Splash! (festival), Splash! in Germany, OpenAir Frauenfeld in Switzerland, and in Los Angeles. In November 2013, two of the four New York shows for West's The Yeezus Tour, Yeezus Tour featured A Tribe Called Quest as supporting acts. According to statements made by Q-Tip at the time, these were intended to be A Tribe Called Quest's final performances.


2015–2017: ''We Got It from Here'', death of Phife Dawg, and final tour

On November 13, 2015, A Tribe Called Quest reunited to perform on ''The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon''. That day, the group reissued ''People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm'', in commemoration of its 25th anniversary. The reissue included remixes by Pharrell Williams, J. Cole and CeeLo Green. In addition, they participated in an AMA on Reddit, where users asked the group questions. On the night of their ''Tonight Show'' appearance, the same night of the November 2015 Paris attacks, terrorist attacks in Paris, the group felt "charged" and put aside their differences, deciding to record a new album, '' We Got It from Here... Thank You 4 Your Service'', in secrecy. Muhammad was unable to attend recording sessions for the album, as he was producing the Luke Cage (soundtrack), ''Luke Cage'' soundtrack with Adrian Younge at the time. Phife Dawg died on March 22, 2016, due to complications relating to diabetes. The album was incomplete when Phife Dawg died, but the surviving members continued to work on it following his death. That August, Epic Records CEO L.A. Reid revealed that the label would be releasing a new A Tribe Called Quest album in the near future. ''We Got It from Here... Thank You 4 Your Service'' was subsequently announced in October, with a release date of November 11, 2016; it became the group's second album to debut at #1 on the ''Billboard'' 200. The day after its release, the group appeared on ''Saturday Night Live'' and performed in front of a mural of Phife Dawg. ''We Got It from Here'' featured guest appearances by André 3000, Kendrick Lamar, Jack White, Elton John, Kanye West, Anderson Paak, Talib Kweli, Consequence and Busta Rhymes. Promoted by the hit single "We the People.... (song), We the People....", which opposed Donald Trump's Donald Trump 2016 presidential campaign, presidential campaign, the album received widespread acclaim from critics. Lyrically, ''Rolling Stone'' believed that the group "maintain the attitude of the Bohemian everydude funkonauts" that inspired many prominent hip hop artists.
AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...
praised the album's "visionary and pleasingly weird production", which drew from several different genres and sample sources. Speaking with '' Billboard'', Q-Tip revealed plans for the group to do a final world tour, to promote the album and honor Phife Dawg, before permanently disbanding. It was also announced that a new Phife Dawg solo album, ''Forever (Phife Dawg album), Forever'', mostly completed before his death, would be released in the near future; the album was released in 2022. On February 12, 2017, A Tribe Called Quest performed alongside Anderson Paak, Busta Rhymes and Consequence at the 59th Annual Grammy Awards. Later that month, the group won the award for best Brit Award for International Group, International Group at the 2017 Brit Awards. On May 22, 2017, ''We Got It from Here'' achieved gold certification, making all six of the group's albums Recording Industry Association of America, RIAA-certified. The group performed at a number of festivals throughout the summer; they performed their final concert on September 9, 2017 at Bestival in Dorset, England. After disbanding, a short film for the album's opening track, "The Space Program (song), The Space Program", was released on March 29, 2018 and billed as the group's final video.


Legacy

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...
critic John Bush called A Tribe Called Quest "without question the most intelligent, artistic rap group during the 1990s", further stating that the group "jump-started and perfected the hip-hop alternative to hardcore hip hop, hardcore and gangsta rap." At a time when James Brown break (music), drum breaks and P-Funk basslines dominated hip hop production, the group successfully bridged the gap between jazz and hip hop, incorporating
bebop Bebop or bop is a style of jazz developed in the early-to-mid-1940s in the United States. The style features compositions characterized by a fast tempo, complex chord progressions with rapid chord changes and numerous changes of key, instrumen ...
and
hard bop Hard bop is a subgenre of jazz that is an extension of bebop (or "bop") music. Journalists and record companies began using the term in the mid-1950s to describe a new current within jazz that incorporated influences from rhythm and blues, gospe ...
samples and recording with double bassist Ron Carter. The group's production influenced their contemporaries, thus changing the sound of hip hop; Dr. Dre produced his highly regarded debut ''The Chronic'' after being inspired by ''The Low End Theory'', and Pete Rock stated, "There were times when I would walk into a record store and see Tip sitting on the floor with his glasses on, going through albums, looking for beats  ... I was like, 'This guy is serious.' Being around [the group] made me step up and become even more serious than I was." Lyrically, A Tribe Called Quest has been regarded for addressing many social issues through Q-Tip's philosophical viewpoints and Phife Dawg's everyman perspectives. ''People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm'' influenced several hip hop artists; Scarface (rapper), Scarface asserted that it "really made me want to rap", and Pharrell Williams expressed that it was "the turning point [which] made me see that music was art." Kierna Mayo, former editor-in-chief of ''Ebony (magazine), Ebony'', said that ''The Low End Theory'' and ''Midnight Marauders'' "gave birth to neo soul, neo-everything. ... That entire class of
D'Angelo Michael Eugene Archer (born February 11, 1974), better known by his stage name D'Angelo (), is an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer. He first garnered attention after co-producing the single "U Will Know" ...
, Erykah Badu, Maxwell (musician), Maxwell, and Lauryn Hill—and moving on to André 3000, Kanye West, and Talib Kweli—everything that is out of left field, left of everything begins with Tribe." The group has also been credited for helping launch the solo careers of Busta Rhymes, J Dilla and Consequence (rapper), Consequence.Beats, Rhymes And Life was A Tribe Called Quest's commercial peak—and first misstep
''The A.V. Club''. Accessed on April 2, 2019.
In 2003, ''The Low End Theory'' was ranked 154th on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, ''Rolling Stone'''s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. In a revised 2020 list, its ranking moved up to 43rd, and ''Midnight Marauders'' was added to the list at 201st. In 2022, A Tribe Called Quest was nominated for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and ''The Low End Theory'' was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Recording Registry.


Members

* Q-Tip – vocals, production (1985–1998, 2006–2013, 2015–2017) *
Phife Dawg Malik Izaak Taylor (November 20, 1970March 22, 2016), known professionally as Phife Dawg (or simply Phife), was an American rapper and a member of the group A Tribe Called Quest with Q-Tip and Ali Shaheed Muhammad (and for a short time Jarob ...
– vocals (1985–1998, 2006–2013, 2015–2016; died 2016) *
Ali Shaheed Muhammad Ali Shaheed Muhammad (born August 11, 1970) is an American hip hop DJ, record producer, and rapper, best known as a member of A Tribe Called Quest. With Q-Tip and Phife Dawg (and sometimes Jarobi White), the group released five studio albums ...
– turntables, co-production (1985–1998, 2006–2013, 2015–2017) *
Jarobi White Jarobi White (born July 1, 1971) is an American hip hop artist, chef, and a founding member of alternative hip hop group A Tribe Called Quest, alongside members Q-Tip, Phife Dawg, and Ali Shaheed Muhammad. He left the group after the release ...
– vocals (1985–1991, 2006–2013, 2015–2017)


Discography

Studio albums * ''
People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm ''People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm'' is the debut studio album by American hip hop group A Tribe Called Quest, released on April 10, 1990 on Jive Records. After forming the Native Tongues collective and collaborating on sever ...
'' (1990) * '' The Low End Theory'' (1991) * '' Midnight Marauders'' (1993) * '' Beats, Rhymes and Life'' (1996) * ''
The Love Movement ''The Love Movement'' is the fifth studio album by American hip hop group A Tribe Called Quest, and their last album released during group member Phife Dawg's lifetime. Released on September 29, 1998, by Jive Records, it is a concept album, explor ...
'' (1998) * '' We Got It from Here... Thank You 4 Your Service'' (2016)


Awards and nominations


''Billboard'' R&B/Hip-Hop Awards

, - , rowspan="2", 2005 , A Tribe Called Quest , Founders Award , , -


Brit Awards

, - , 2017 Brit Awards, 2017 , A Tribe Called Quest , Brit Award for International Group, International Group , , -


Grammy Awards

, - , rowspan="2", 39th Annual Grammy Awards, 1997 , ''Beats, Rhymes and Life'' , Grammy Award for Best Rap Album, Best Rap Album , , - , "1nce Again" , Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group, Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group , , - , 41st Annual Grammy Awards, 1999 , ''The Love Movement'' , Best Rap Album , , - , 54th Annual Grammy Awards, 2012 , ''Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest'' , Grammy Award for Best Music Film, Best Long Form Music Video , , -


''The Source'' Awards

, - , rowspan="2", 1994 , A Tribe Called Quest , Group of the Year , , -


Filmography

*''Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest'' (2011)


Apparel collaborations

*In celebration of ''People's Instinctive Travels'' 25th anniversary in 2015, Stussy worked with A Tribe Called Quest to create a line featuring hats, sweaters and t-shirts of classic photos, lyrics and their iconic logo. *Teaming up with longtime collaborator Pharrell Williams, the group partnered with Billionaire Boys Club (clothing retailer), Billionaire Boys Club to make "The Space Program" capsule in 2018. *Paying tribute to the rap group, Vans made a line of footwear in 2018, in honor of their album artwork and lyrics.


References


External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Tribe Called Quest, A A Tribe Called Quest, African-American musical groups Alternative hip hop groups Brit Award winners Hip hop groups from New York City Jive Records artists Epic Records artists Musical groups established in 1985 Musical groups disestablished in 1998 Musical groups reestablished in 2006 Musical groups disestablished in 2013 Musical quartets Native Tongues Posse Musical groups from Queens, New York Musical groups reestablished in 2015 Musical groups disestablished in 2017 1985 establishments in New York City