Motivators - A Tribe Called Quest

         Loves this track since the first time I heard it. A good reason to like Beats, Rhymes, & Life, a really cool album with interesting production, often overlooked, but not seen as a disappointment like The Love Movement. One of the best directions they took was adopting Consequence onto this LP. He works well with the Tribe, staying strong on the tracks. This is also when The Ummah was formed, and the late and great J-Dilla joined the Tribe with production. This track is simply a nice vibe, with a bit more boastful lyrics than we might have seen on People's. However, you come to recognize style differences through their discography, but only you can decide to experience that, so we'll get to the track.
         Now for anyone who read my very first posts, which would be concerning Late Registration, a lot of qualities I stressed where Kanye's emotions and tones he used to add more to the music. Well in this song you see Consequence very effectively changing his pitch which just makes his verses so much more powerful than ever. His voice is just such a unique tool, and when you are considering the vocals of the Tribe you know how original this track will sound. The reason I love this track is mostly because of Consequence. He basically steals the show with his rhymes and brings the energy to the track! With great wordplay as well!
          You will notice the production is much different from other albums. It leans a bit more away from the jazz and rawer sounds, they keep it fresh with some funky sounds, and amp things up with some less natural sounds. You hear that gentle flow of the keyboard in the background. And I don't know much about drums specifically, however in the wise words of Waju, "but I'm trying to learn!". My point being, J Dilla is a god of a producer, but I really don't know how hard that stuff is. All I know is the drums sounds great, never heard bad drums really. The cutting on the track is mad ill, along with that small taste of guitar riff! As you can see, while their style has changed, the Tribe has definitely not fallen back. Go for a taste of Beats, Rhymes, & Life. It is a damn good album! 

No Regrets - Intro - Lorisoul

              I recently mentioned I had been exposed to the underground. Well this is one of my favorite albums since the instrumental dig I had earlier in the fall. Lorisoul is a very interesting rapper to me, and I love him and this album for many reasons. I said A Tribe Called Quest had taught me to appreciate everything in music, and Lorisoul brought me the next step up. At first since he was underground, I had my doubts and worries. However, he didn't fail me in any way. Here's why.
               What I love about Lorisoul is that he is so real and down to earth, and in every track he brings more and more inspirational lines that connect to me on a personal level that I had never reached before hand. They are just more direct than other messages in the deep emotional tracks I have listened to. While I at first thought his actual rhyme skills were half decent, he is on point all the time! You just gotta stop comparing everybody to your number one rapper. Which after the message I get, means the song will have even more value. He flows nice and ride with the beats, never feels off to me, and his rhymes can be simple or complex, but much like the Tribe he keeps it light and never comes off with swag rap, which is something I never hope to hear in my continued mining of the hip-hop that is underground.
                The album brings a lot but I'll get to that in the closing. The beats are always amazing, produced by Fellowship contributor, Rythmatical! A lot of sick beats that are jazzed up and mellowed down, perfect for Lorisoul's style, and the keys! My god this guy is a sick nasty motherfucker on the keys. He can do any simple loop tune it right with the drums and Lorisoul is ready to go. Truly inspiring stuff for a young guy like me to listen to, seeing as how these guys are around 20 by now, or so I believe.

No Regrets (Intro)

               

                  And for the intro track we get a nice feeling for Lorisoul. Rythmatical catches my ear with the keys and that boom bip beat you can really feel. From there I am hooked, and I love every second of it. Lorisoul introduces himself, his album, and Rythmatical, and all his friends. And I am proud to say I am now a reporter.

                   

Jazz, Doo-wops, Soul

And from there we are kicking it. Lorisoul explains what he is about. He has been focusing on his techniques, trying to finally "work on being dope now". And be resurrected as a "Lorisoul", and perhaps my favorite line.

We got the realness, everybody bump this

Like Jay-Z in his prime, they be feelin' it

Pure bliss right there. Of course they have the realness! And that comment about Jay-Z was 100% truth. Lorisoul continues to explain his story and where he has come, how he finally found his flow, which is a message of hope to others who aspire for greatness. As Lorisoul may have been in the game 5 years, he just found his sound, finding himself, "call it finding nemo". It shows that not everyone can chase there dreams so quickly and not have persistence. As I know that if I want to chase something it could be years before it goes anywhere, and Lorisoul shows proof in perseverance which gives us all a beam of hope into the skies. It tells us to stick with it. Who knows, that one bar may have saved thousands of dreams.

                  And Rythmatical kills it with this simple tune. Changing it up at the very end, with that high strings of notes at the very end. Gives it a feel of class, jazz, and oh such great soul. He brings simplicity in music to a higher elevation in beauty, one such height I have never witnessed with my own to ears. Simply amazing right here, at this point I was excited to hear the rest of the album.

People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm - Closing

         This album came as a sweet surprise to my library of hip-hop music. I was building a collection of Kanye West for sure, and a was getting classics from other artists, which consisted of the debuts of Biggie, Nas, and Jay-Z. Ha in fact that was about 90% of the hip-hop music I had. Very little obviously, but that certainly doesn't take away from the importance of the People's LP. It was just such a shift, as I stated before once I heard "Can I Kick It?" I was hooked! A light take on rap that I had never experience before, and now appreciate more than ever. As I fully understand what it means to have a diverse taste in hip-hop, and to appreciate any style that is dope and keeps it real.
          More specific to People's it really is separate from all the other Tribe albums. Being its debute, it was just so fun and kicked such good vibes, even more so than their other albums, while that is hard to say, as all the albums are fun, that is simply a given. Except that People's just even a different sound than later LPs, especailly before the Ummah became involved, more specifially J Dilla. At this point it was just Tip and Ali. Specific tracks that separate People's from the others are "I Left My Wallet in El Segundo", "Mr. Muhammad", and "Can I Kick It?". Really all the tracks would seem odd if placed on the other albums. That is why I found it so necessary to review this particular album, as it would give me a good start to reviewing the Tribe's material.

So what really did stand out to me on this LP?

• The vibe created from the lyrical content, that was consistent throughout the album.
• The Production that brought more funk and jazz into my Hip-Hop.
• The incredibly smooth flow of Quest, and their style of rap. They brought such a unique style to their lyrics and did it without the rapid delivery I had seen beforehand. Which as I stated made me question their skills at first. I'll address the issue on the bottom however.

What was new to me?

• All of the above really. Like I said, this really was just a new experience all together.
• As well as the greater focus on trading lines. As Phife Dawg and Q-Tip do a great job of doing.
• The first album I had that was really a group, everything else was simply single artists with features on their album. The album had not one feature actually! Unless you were to count DJ Cool Red Alert, well he certainly did give "Pubic Enemy" a hell of a lot more value! 

People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm is a incredible album. 

The most important thing, it has taught me a lesson musically. Which brings me to the style of the rap. Yes, the rap was much different than what I had heard before from anyone. It sounded weak to me, simply because of the speed of the rap, which at that time meant to me that they couldn't flow well like other rappers.As you well know, they flow damn awesome! However at the time of me first getting it, I was quite ignorant of what flow actually was. Yet, since I loved it so much, I learned to really love music for what it is. This was an A Tribe Called Quest album, which had made it so hard to classify it's quality, as I had nothing to compare it to. But that was also the beauty of it! It let me take it for what it was, leaving me uninfluenced by any outside sources. In some cases, People's was the most pure experience musically, while at the closing track, I was the only judge of the album, being it was so obscure and not popular on the net at all. Taught me to except different music qualities, and as long as the music is pure and takes some talent, you should always appreciate it, even if you will never listen to it.

And at this point I almost have all the Quest albums! Just gotta get there last one! Been a long process reviewing this album, could've gone smoother of course.

Ham n' Eggs - A Tribe Called Quest

I don't eat no ham n' eggs, cause they're high in cholesterol 

          Ham n' Eggs is a hell of a track. This one is just the perfect idea of what the Tribe should make, perhaps I have been saying that for each track. But damn this is the perfect embodiment of Quest, it just is exactly who they are! For goodness sake there is no greater innocence than rapping around the food you love, and just jammin' out! A very funky beat to go with this light subject matter, which is yes! Ham n' Eggs, and all there other foods that the Tribe snacks on when they are questin'!
           The rhymes are quite addicting. Sure they may tops from Phife and Tip, but I'll be damned if I can see another 2 MCs go in on a track about breakfast and kill it. Not necessarily with speed, but just how they flow. That is one thing in particular I have noticed from the Tribe, there flow is remarkable. It is ridiculous how catchy some of the lines are. For example you got Tip:

Chicken for lunch, chicken for my dinner, chicken chicken chicken imma finga lickin' winner

Can't express how much flavor is in that line, disregarding puns, I am dead serious, these guys are just too damn smooth. Throughout they bounce back on and off with various foods, all based around pretty healthy stuff, which just makes it all the better. It is like you already got guys rappin' about breakfast food, and they emphasize healthy snacks, just really separates Tribe from the rest of the scene. Even using some humor in there lines. Phife and Tip:

Phife: Why, just the other day, I went to Grandma's house

Q-Tip: Smelled like she conjured up a mouse

The production is also quite interesting. Produce by Ali Shaheed Muhammad as well as Kareem Fareed, they really weld to the words of the 2 MCs. The funk of the guitar and the bounce of the drums just gives the track so much life and really get you groovin'. Then they just Tip just yells out: "BRIDGE!!!" then it just breaks down from there and we get a really dope tune to split the song. That and all the group vocals just makes me wanna jump right in, and surely I do every time. In fact someone on Youtube had commented once, "every true Tribe fan needs to make breakfast to this at least once". Damn how true that is, I would love to blast this as I am scramblin' eggs or something! Woo, while I have yet to do this, it will be on a bucket list somewhere, I assure you that.

They really killed it on the vibe. They came here to write a fun track about food, and add a lot of flavor musically, you can just feel it in the production! An amazing track on People's for sure! Maybe the lightest songs they have out there, they don't make anything like this anymore. But that is why we have the song in the first place.

• "Nappy Dugout" by Funkadelic (from the 1973 album "Cosmic Slop")
• "We've Gotta Find a Way Back to Love" by Frieda Payne (from the 1973 album "Reaching Out")

Mr. Muhammad - A Tribe Called Quest

         This is always a chill song for me. Just sorta something to kick back to, with that funk and delicate chorus. And we get another nice feature from Phife, whom we don't see enough on this LP unfortunately. You can really just kick it back to this track. Just Tip and Phife speaking of there friend, whom I assume is Ali Shaheed Muhammad. You can really feel that positivity on this track from just so many elements, from the soft beat to the chorus that just has that soothing melody.
          Another track where the Tribe takes it easy, with very simple word play, nothing special on the track, lyrically. Just another good message, basically giving a shot out to Ali. Phife verse raps my favorite verse on this song.

But I don't give a damn (word), rhythm's are the thing (huh)

Rhythm's have the key (huh), rhythm's make you swing (hah)

If you don't like it (no), you can pucker up (hoo)

You listenin' Mr. Quayle (yeah), if you're hiding just give up (hoo)

I'm a rhythm monster (wild), who's out on a prowl (yeah)

Muhammad gives a hoot (hoot) like Woodsy the Owl (yeah)

Comprende my Compadre? (uh huh) kid you want some more? (word)

Muhammad push the button, sample sing the score (ooh)

"I don't give a damn, rhythm's are the thing" Yes indeed. That is just what music does for me, and man it is good! Just makes you wanna tell people to shut up and just kick it back with the music. And the Woodsy thing I always love, another tight rhyme from the Tribe with that easy fun vocabulary we love. That is the good shit!

        The beat is just something that drew me in from the 1st listen, and has captured me since. From that catchy "ba de da, ba de da" or the other vocals that I still can't decipher. It is all good and the little instrumentation before the start of each verse is a nice touch. As for the samples, man more to come:

• "Brazilian Rhyme" by Earth, Wind & Fire (from the 1977 album "All N All")
• "Electric Frog (Part 1)" by Kool & The Gang (from the 1971 album "Music is the Message")
• "Vertical Invader" by Weather Report (from the 1972 album "I Sing the Body Electric"

EML Update: Music Overload

           Recently I have been on a music overload, still am in fact. My library has doubled in 2 months, in the almost 2 years I have been getting it. Getting 11 full albums, and then 10 mixtapes. I made a list of it and it came out to be a day worth of music out of the 2.2 days I have. So not only have I been really busy with school and regular life, man music has been crazy. I was just happy to have time today to make the previous post and this little update.
            The reason I got so much is really because of the albums I bought. Usually I never get that many. I got all sorts of stuff, just on the 10th I got 5 more albums. Ha usually I never do that to myself, but I don't always have an opportunity to buy music when I want it, so there I go.
The 11 Albums:

• Nas's Street's Disciple
• Ben Kweller's Sha Sha
• Wu-Tang Clan's Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)
• Common's Be
• The GZA's Liquid Swords
• A Tribe Called Quest's Midnight Marauders
• Daft Punk's Discovery
• Mos Def and Talib Kweli are Black Star
• A 3 Disc Set of Nat King Cole: Unforgettable
• 2nd Disc: Hit that Jive
• 3rd Disc: Jivin' With Jarvis

I have had a good time with Street's Disciple, 36 Chambers, Be, and Midnight Marauders. All of those I have given close listens, Be and 36 Chambers probably feeling the most complete. Street's Disciple was actually a great attempt at a double-LP as it is hard to master those as just a solo rapper. Midnight Maruaders was awesome, and I gotta give that one another go sometime. Liquid Swords has been orphaned, and I hope to adopt it again once again! As I really haven't listened to it. 

The latter 5 albums I have acquired just on Monday. Discovery is amazing, have listened to it fully multiple times, but never in one go, as I have fallen asleep. D'oh! 

Nat's stuff still gettin' into it, and Black Star is still waiting!

The 10 Mixtapes.

• Mac Miller's The Juke Box 
• And the High Life
• Nas's Illmatic Demo Tape
• Biggie's Demo Tape
• A collection of Nas's Unreleased
• Nas's The Lost Tapes 1.5, all remixes produced by Cookin' Soul
• 9th Wonder's The 144 -144 Instrumentals from 9th Wonder that are simply amazing. 5.4 hours of content on that bad boy! That is what has kept me so busy.
• Aer's Water on the Moon
• Mac Miller's I Love Life, Thank You
• and another Nas collection, of remixes, unreleased, and collabs. Pretty sick.

Only really listened to The Juke Box, which was honestly terrible, except for the tracks I liked were quite amazing, Big's demo tape was short but decent, 9th Wonder's stuff is absolutely amazing, and The Illmatic Demo Tape is by far amazing, it is like discovering a 2nd Illmatic. Everything else still needs some attention.

So yeah quite the music kick. 

I hope to do some finishing tracks to People's if I have time, and then go on with random tracks for awhile. Perhaps do a cover of 9th's material and give an overview. Doesn't mean I am back for a post every other day, but I hope to do at least 10 a month ha ha. 

Can I Kick It? - A Tribe Called Quest

Perhaps the Tribe's theme song, this is what they are all about.

            The first song I heard from the Tribe, or that I knew was by them anyways. This is what would spark my fascination with these guys, everything about this style was great. The best part? It was new to me, and I that make it that much more exciting. Hearing some smooth old school track just hypnotized me. I had never heard something so fun, uplifting, and just neutral. The rhymes are just so great to sing along to, as each one after another puts a smile on your face, giving you the idea that no matter what, you can most certainly kick it.
            The beat starts off with the nice acoustic piece, and then that little clang in the distance. Then Ali really brings it in with the scratching, simultaneously with the drums. Just a beautiful sound and really relaxes you. Then it breaks down to just Tip and the nice beat. He puts so much into his verse, really gotta break down this verse.

Gettin measures on the tip of the vibers

Rock and roll to the beat of the funk fuzz

Wipe your feet really good on the rhythm rug

If you feel the urge to freak, do the jitterbug

Ha, I'm telling ya, the word choice is just so perfect. Q-Tip just makes everything sound so nice and easy. Really tells me to just relax and cool out. And this is why this song stands as a model to the Tribe.

Come and spread your arms if you really need a hug

Man, when do you hear a rapper say that? Now I don't take this so literally, I look at the line a bit differently. What this says to me is, the Tribe is hear for you with their music. A hug makes you feel good, and that is just what the music does 

A lower plateau is what we're above

If you diss us, we won't even think of

This is what helped me likes these guys even more. Ignoring the negativity and staying modest. Like people for what you do, and stop with the hatin'.

Then comes the break, man did Mr. Muhammad make this sound good. Scratching it up, with some of the sampled vocals in the background. All the elements in the chorus come together to add some real funk to the beat, then breaking back down for Phife to step up. Nice to see Phife, at this point I was longing for him to appear on a track since Push It Along. 

Can I kick it? To my Tribe that flows in layers

Right now, Phife is a poem sayer

At times, I'm a studio conveyor

Mr. Dinkins, would you please be my mayor?

You'll be doing us a really big favor

Boy this track really has a lot of flavor

When it comes to rhythms, Quest is your savior

Phife makes it obvious that he is here to give you some rhythms, and to me he is right. Quest really was a savior when I needed some rhythm in my music library.

Doesn't matter if you're minor or major

Yes, the Tribe of the game, rhythm player

As you inhale like a breath of fresh air

Some lines that give me reassurance, and some that have a lot of truth. When I mentioned modesty up above, this is the line that hit me. Phife tells me that no matter where you stand with skill or popularity you can enjoy the music, words that should be preached far and wide. Everyone is accepted to feel what the Tribe has to offer, which is a breath of fresh air, as he goes on to say. Well man Quest was just the fresh air I needed.

Samples, woo lots of them today:

• "Walk on the Wild Side" by Lou Reed (from the 1972 album "Transformer")
• "Hard Times" by Baby Huey (from the 1971 album "The Living Legend")
• "Sun Shower" by Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band (from the 1976 album "Dr. Buzzards' Original Savannah Band") aka Kid Creole
• "You Sexy Thing" by Hot Chocolate (from the 1975 album Hot Chocolate)
• "The Way You Do the Things You Do" by David Porter (from the 1970 album "Gritty, Groovy, & Gettin' It")
• "Soul Con-certo" and "Fried Okra" by Charles Wright & the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band (from the 1967 album "Hot Heat and Sweat Groove")
• "What A Waste" by Ian Dury and the Blockheads
• "Spinning Wheel" by Lonnie Smith (from the 1970 album "Drives")

           A message that is so utterly important. A lot to get from this track. You really have to like Quest to understand this track. An average listener would just take it for what it is, a smooth track, with positive vibes. Put really explore the meaning, and you might just find something greater. I think that is one thing I will always appreciate with the analyzing of music. The message I find really gives me instructions on a whole scale of life. Which I why I will always enjoy exploring music libraries. Until next time.

Bonita Applebum - A Tribe Called Quest

you gotta put this track on

        Man is this track smooth. Taking it a couple notches down from Pubic Enemy, and letting us relax, taking a breather. The beat is just really funky during the break, and even smoother during the verses. At first I didn't think much of the Tip's verses, yet now I just appreciate how great the track is. Not taking it fast, not spilling out word after word. As I said, just let's us kick it back, easing our mind right along the album. Kind of genius track order now that I think about it.
        I have basically explained Tip on this track, but some of the wordplay is actually quite crazy at times. He knows what he is doing on this track, because he doesn't wanna break the flow off the beat. Instead of tons of words in each rhyme, he replaces those lesser quality words with some of the greatest 1 liner's ever!
So, some genius rhymes:

38-24-37 (uh, uh, uh!)

You and me, hun, we're a match made in heaven

Satisfaction, I have the right tactics

And if you need 'em, I got crazy prophylactics

Not much to work with, but I'll be damned if I have ever heard something so crazy on a song. Probably the first song in a rhyme were I hadn't heard the word before. In fact, all the "ooohss" and "ahhs" actually make the line more effective. Similar to the use of a laugh track on sit-com. When the crowd laughs, we find it funny. Thus the urge to be awestruck by that line even more.

          The production is top notch. Produced specifically by Ali Shaheed Muhammad. With the piece of funk right before each verse. Then we got the light keys that add that soft feel to it. And I love the guitar during the chorus, has just the right tune. Not any scratching or mixing on this track though, but that is just fine. A nice simple beat to go along with. I believe in one of my older posts I explained the importance of the variation between complexity of the music, from track to track, not the rapping/singing mind you. 

• "Daylight" by RAMP (from the 1977 album "Come into My Knowledge")
• "Slave to the Rhythm" by Grace Jones (from the 1985 album "Slave to the Rhythm")
• "Soul Virgo" by Cannonball Adderley (from the 1971 album "The Price You Got to Pay to Be Free")
• "No Deposit, No Return" by Roy Ayers and Wayne Henderson (from the 1978 album "Step in to Our Life")
• "Memory Band" by Rotary Connection (from the 1967 album "Rotary Connection")
• "Fool Yourself" by Little Feat (from the 1973 album "Dixie Chicken")

Woo lots of samples here. Majority of the beat is from RAMP. Which is actually an awesome song all by itself!

Pubic Enemy - A Tribe Called Quest



         Such a jumpy track. One that blends all sorts of good qualities together. From the rapid power of this song, to the funny stories and clever rhymes, and all the humor in between, whether it be from the character of Red Alert or just the overall theme. After all, there has got to be some laughs erupting when talking about STD's in such an interesting way. Q-Tip and Red Alert take us on a nice trip, Q-Tip giving telling us the tales of several victims, if you will. Then Red Alert just adds to the fun, you can just tell they had a great time making this track.
         Q-Tip's verses on this are exceptional. He matches the beat perfectly, and adds his own creativity to the song. Making the song fun and interesting using all sorts of interesting rhymes to get his point across. While the beat is solid throughout, he keeps the first verse slow at the beginning. The really picks up the intensity in the second verse, sorta a perfect progression throughout the song. Taking a slow intro to a faster story, one that becomes more exciting. Laying out a good pacing for the whole song. Really becomes effective. The contrast between the two verses is just beautiful, makes the song more unique. By making the verses so distinguished, I find I love each one more. He tells several story, a girl at the club reporting to the doctor the next day. Then later on the story of a king, and his score with the other maidens, good lord this is just too silly.
         The production is absolutely great. Can't quite separate each sound from eachother. The Tribe did a great job producing on this one, adding that boom bip sound to it. While lacing some other qualities into it. Ali Shaheed Muhammad does a great job throwing in some scratches here in there, . The "doo doo dododo" sound is quite catchy. The drums just create some rumble that I absolutely love, adding that bounce to every other word. Gets the feet tappin' and the happy thoughts clappin'. Then the other element of fun is a Mr. Cool DJ Red Alert. With the "hup"s and all the wild tones in his voice, adds so much fun and innocence in his voice. Certainly a style that I can appreciate, as he is just so funky, fitting in right with the beat. If this song doesn't have rhythm, I don't know what will.

The Glorious Samples:

• "Bounce, Rock, Skate, Roll" by Vaughan Mason & Crew (from the 1981 album "Bounce, Rock, Skate, Roll")
• "Pity for the Lonely" by Luther Ingram (from the 1972 album "I've Been Here All the Time")
• "Communication Is Where It's At" by Billy Baron and His Smokin Challengers
• "Do the Funky Penguin" by Rufus Thomas
• "D'Ya Like Scratchin'" by Malcolm McLaren & The World Famous Supreme Team

Such a fun jam, with some humor and style I hadn't seen yet, and still appreciate now.
Also the post picture, is a mix for the song, I will provide the video below. As it is somewhat obscure on the internet.

Up next, we take a smooth ride...

I Left My Wallet in El Segundo - A Tribe Called Quest

          Short post for this one. This track is just a fun one to listen too. The story of Q-Tip getting his wallet back, and there road trip to get on the way back. Just listen on this one, that is all you have to do. Sit back and just enjoy it. A delightful little tune, and just entertaining for the story. So listen to here how the Tribe's journey to El Segundo went.

Footprints - A Tribe Called Quest

         Walk home!

         That hasn't been the first time I have heard that. Anyways, the song doesn't actually have much to do with footprints. However, that isn't what matters. Q-Tip takes the show on this one, definitely an impressive rap performance on this track. The beat lures you in with the brass and then changes it up, with the occasional sound of marching, which is so very appropriate.
          Q-Tip has many clever lines on this track, and some that promote different ideas. Some more difficult to analyze than other, and when you wanna just take a break from that you most certainly can. Some things that stuck out at me in the lyrics:

If you're a megastar, worth will buy you a car

I'd rather go barefootin, for prints I will be puttin

all over the earth if we can get there first

Now that we are in it, footprints are bein printed

So fi you recognise em, you can try to size em

They'll probably be the ones with the size not fryin

Boy you can feel the realness in those lines. The comparison made between your "barefootin'" and driving is effort. Is much harder walking, but the point he makes is that the Tribe's footprints: great works, achievements, will be left behind and remembered. Where the megastar will simply not have something to be proud of, and won't have much to look back on. Definitely a message to all fake artists. 

Catch the track, track by track, get a map to track a trail

You will find yourself behind for a map does not prevail

See the levels peakin as the rhythms keep-a screechin

A Quest, oh yes a Quest, inside the jam I will keep preachin

the point, oh yes the point, because it's close but yet so far

The loudiness is ringin as we scoot across the star

We are bulgin, I'm indulgin in a rat-a-tat-tat

Those lines are just awesome! Such a strong flow from one of the best.

A chair is not a chair, a house is not a home

This line was particularly interesting. Now the chair part certainly got me stuck. But to say a house is not a home is a very special line actually. A house, is a physical structure, one you live in. However, while a house can be a home, that isn't always the case. A home contains value, whether certain memories or just somewhere that feels like home. Taking another stab at materialism and realness, Q-Tip tells us being rich isn't everything to life, always hold on to the true stuff that really makes life a wonderful experience.

             As for the beat man it is groovy, man that word just sounds weird to me. Anyways, they put a variety of drums in, and a few synths I think I can separate from the rest of the beat. And that nice brass piece with the marching felt quite real at the start, and between verses. Also that voice during the breaks is also quite interesting. The Tribe did there thing on this track!

• "Sir Duke" by Stevie Wonder (from the 1976 album Songs in the Key of Life)
• "Think Twice" by Donald Byrd (from the 1975 album "Stepping into Tomorrow")
• "Walk Tall" by Cannonball Adderley (from the 1969 album "Country Preacher")

After Hours - A Tribe Called Quest

  

          After hours it was cool

            And man was it cool. This is a perfect track for "after hours". So lethally chill, it is so very well suited to the end of the work day. Whether the lyrics hit you, taking you on a relatable trip of what you would do after hours, seeing friends, go shopping around town, or whatever you may do. Either way, getting out from school or work sometimes this is just the track to throw on! Q-Tip's lyrics on this one are just perfect, more of that playful word choice and does a great job setting the mood of this track. And oh yeah, the DJing from Mr. Muhammad, absolutely amazing! What an incredible mix.

            Q-Tip takes you on a cool journey. Sounds like he is describing a nice day-off. As the song progresses from morning back to night. With this, he sets up the perfect immersion to really help the listener visualize everything he says. I can see it now, the abstract and his friends discussing the "wars the famines and the crazy crimes". His voice just relaxes you and eases any stress. And carries you all the way to the beat.

            Absolutely masterful production. Had that nice funk feel, and the break between verses is just great. Really just so much going on, but when Ali starts DJing man it is just crazy, it is so smooth, yet so intense. Ha, definitely one of my favorite beats from them. Breaking from the "after hours it was cool" to the "beat beat to beat" or whatever is said, either way the vocals are a nice addition. And of course the samples!

• "Remember Who You Are" by Sly Stone (from the 1979 album "Back on the Right Track")
• "Crap Game" by Richard Pryor (from the 1976 album "Richard Pryor Meets Richard & Willie and the SLA")
• "North Carolina" by Les McCann (from the 1972 album "Talk to the People")

You might like some of those samples as well.

Luck of Lucien - A Tribe Called Quest

           This track was most definitely a change of pace. But the small interlude at the end of Push it Along gets me pumped for the song to start. Breaking from the beat right into something that sounds almost like a super-hero tune, of course maybe that is just me. A song that would seem to be intense at first, but that is only the  beat. The song is just tons of fun. From the flow of Q-Tip's rhymes, or the dialogue from "Lucien". Following the story of a french man, as Q-Tip goes to help him with him adjusting to America. This little story coupled with some light humor and a faster pace than most Tribe songs, this one is a classic.
           Q-Tip most certainly delivers fast on this one. He tells the story so well in this one, as you can visualize the whole journey this french man takes to America. Just a fun story to tell. The background vocals are from a man named, Lucien Revolucien. Q-Tip flows on this one without a flaw. Smoother than ever, bouncing right along with the beat.
           The beat is just classic. With a bassline cool as hell. And the drums giving it that fast sound. Then that breakdown during the breaks between each verse. Like I said it just has that superhero feel to it.

As for the samples:

• "Forty Days" by Billy Brooks (from the 1974 album "Windows of the Mind")
• "All You Need Is Love" by The Beatles (from the 1967 album Magical Mystery Tour) (the sampled portion is La Marseillaise, the national anthem of France, which The Beatles sampled themselves) 

Push it Along - A Tribe Called Quest

           This songs starts off quite weird. In fact I still wonder what the intro was all about. The first time I heard it I was actually disturbed believe it or not, it really just scared me more than anything. However, in no time the drums kick in, and then the bass plays. The beat is just so smooth and relaxing. Then Q-Tip introduces himself right off the bat. Now at first I would think that this guy just couldn't rap very well, however I was quite ignorant. Just because he wasn't talking a mile a minute doesn't mean he didn't have skill. However, by the 2nd verse I was in love with this song. There are different degrees of good rapping I thought to myself. And it is all in the flow right here. Different flows for different songs and styles. And this style was brilliant. Remember, I was still new to this style. And it grew on me, they were like butter on this track, and that would be the same story for every song they made.
           Another important part of their music is a lot of the imagery. Through their verses many lines just sound nice. They are very laid back, and so you are never lost in their verses. Everything is quite vivid, when Q-Tip mentions a glass of orange juice. Then Phife mentions chicken, sure it may seem silly. But they killed the verses. All this imagery just comes together, all these simple pleasures just coagulate into something positive. Nothing in their music is violent, and they never scream into the microphone. They did a terrific job. You will notice in other songs by them, that their verses contain lots of playful rhymes. It is so wonderful to take a break from all other artists, and cool off with the Tribe.
          The best quality is they don't try to number 1. They are just there to have a good time, which becomes refreshing after all these other artists trying to climb the charts, or make the most money. However, I don't enjoy listening to those artists, unless they make the good music I can listen to, than by all means. My point is, these guys are having a good time, and more people should to. Hell, the whole world should just chill out for awhile.

After the verses, my favorite part comes. The introduction to everyone, Jarobi, Ali Shaheed Muhammad, Phife Dawg, and Q-Tip. They start to chant, and it was just terrific. They were practically making music as they went, which was really just fun to hear. Feeling like you are in the studio is always a great way of immersing yourself in music, maximizing the enjoyment. At this point I was already in love with Quest, if you will.

Now for the samples:

• "I'm Gonna Love You Just a Little More, Babe" by Jimmy Smith (from the 1973 album "Black Smith")
• "Loran's Dance" by Grover Washington, Jr. (from the 1979 album "Reed Seed") 
• "Thank You (Falletinme Be Mice Elf Agin)" by Junior Mance (from the 1970 album "With a Lotta Help from My Friends")
• "Gonna Love You (Skit)" by J. Smith
• "Jagger the Dagger" by Gene McDaniels (from the 1971 album "Headless Heroes of the Apocalypse")

A good list to keep you busy I suppose, ha ha. Up next, the Luck of Lucien.

People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm

In this album review, I will be exploring all of tracks this album has to offer. 

Discussing the unique sounds throughout the songs, and exploring the style of rap the Tribe made me fall in love with. Mentioning any samples along the way, and hoping to discuss what every song has to bring to the table.

Just know that every song brings a smooth vibe and a smile to my face. A smile of pure happiness. These guys really know how to make life seem simpler, which is what makes the music so great. That is what I love about some music, the ones that make everything seem, just right.

            Before I go into the 1st track I would like to introduce A Tribe Called Quest. What the Tribe has done for me in hip-hop is incredible. The first track I heard from them was Can I Kick It? At this point I was still new to a lot of hip-hop and frankly, I still am. It must have been last year, when I heard it, it was just so smooth. The lyrics from both rappers; which at that point I couldn't distinguish; were so light and heart-warming. I had never heard such a sound in hip-hop. It just sort of amazed me, and I had to find out more. After months of youtubing, I finally bought there first 2 albums. 1990's People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm, and 91's The Low End Theory. These two albums would continue to amaze me as everything was still quite new to me. I find once I get hold of the album the songs stand out to me more than a video on the internet would. And at this point, I have the next 2 albums from the Tribe. In my library, they have become a favorite of mine. Everything that I hear from them is just beautiful. Whether it be that there lyrics are always clever and playful, or that the beats are always in my taste. Sure I love all sorts of instrumentals; loving the soul beats from J Dilla and Kanye West; but Q-Tip and Ali did some great work. Every beat just has that taste of funk and jazz, which is great to listen to with such fun lyrics. My point is, the Tribe has such positive vibes that I hadn't seen yet in hip-hop. This has made them my favorite hip-hop group. Still new to Wu-Tang if that explains anything. In fact my friend Stevie recommended this album from other works I selected to review. So without further a due, let's Push it Along and explore People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm.