The leader of Native Tongues, a school of jazz-inflected hip hop and one of the most popular and artistic rap groups of the 1990s. A Tribe Called Quest was without doubt the most creative and intelligent rap group of the 1990s. They created the alternative to hardcore and gangsta hip-hop and were a major catalyst in the movement. They resisted the macho rap music was built upon and instead focused on abstract philosophy, message tracks, and philosophy. Although the “suckaMC” theme was not completely ignored in hip hop, Tribe faced many black issues, including date rape and the use of the term nigger. All of these issues outweighed the occasional game of the dozens. Quest was just as strong musically. They drew inspiration from De La Soul’s jazz-rap revolution and built tracks around laid-back sounds instead of the jam-packed James Brown fests that so many rappers had created a small business. A Tribe Called Quest, which included Q-Tip and Ali Shaheed Muhammad and Phife, debuted in 1989. Their debut album was released one year later. The Low End Theory, their second album, was simply the best and most fluid hip-hop album. However, they grew closer to their more difficult contemporaries in 1993’s Midnight Marauders. Their influence on the alternative crowd was evident on 1994’s Lollapalooza Tour. However, Beats, Rhymes and Life, 1996, showed the group’s dedication to the streets and the underground. Although A Tribe Called Quest was founded in 1988, Q-Tip (b. Jonathan Davis), and Phife were both Queens natives. Q-Tip met DJ Ali Shaheed Muhammad at high school. The trio started performing together after they were named by the Jungle Brothers, who attended the same school. A Tribe Called Quest made their recording debut in August 1989 with the single “Description of a Fool”. Although Q-Tip had previously appeared on many tracks on De La Soul’s 3 Feet High u0026 Rising, and later on Dee-Lite’s “Groove Is In the Heart”, Q-Tip was not a regular guest on these tracks. A Tribe Called Quest was signed to Jive Records in 1989 and released their first album, People’s Instinctive Travels u0026 the Paths of Rhythm one year later. Tribe, much like De La Soul, listened to more jazz than ’70s music for their sample base. “Can I Kick It?” Lou Reed’s “Walk on the Wild Side”, which was a classic, was taken and made hip-hopable. Their debut album was solid, but their second album, The Low End Theory, exceeded all expectations. It is still considered the greatest hip-hop album of all time and remains a classic. The Low End Theory featured several tracks that were credited to hip-hop friends. A Tribe Called Quest also supported the rap community by releasing 1993’s Midnight Marauders. The booklet insert and album cover featured the faces of over 50 rappers, including the obvious choices like De La Soul and Jungle Brothers. A Tribe Called Quest was the mandatory rap act on Lollapalooza Festival’s 1994 lineup. They had a quiet 1995 marked by Q-Tip’s production jobs. Their fourth album, Beats, Rhymes and Life, was released in 1996. It featured Consequence, Q-Tip’s nephew, and Jay Dee (aka J Dilla) as the producer. It was nominated in the Best Rap Album category for a Grammy and went on to achieve platinum status. The group had already announced that 1998’s The Love Movement would be their last album and that it would be their last. Although each member went on to pursue their own careers with varying degrees success, the call of the group was strong enough that they reunited several times over the years. They headlined the Rock the Bells concert 2004. They also toured extensively in 2006 and 2010. They were featured on the Rock the Bells tour of 2008 and 2010 and performed a number of shows together in 2013. Although Q-Tip said at the time that the group would not be performing together again, they reunited in November 2015 to perform on The Tonight Show. This was in conjunction with the 25th anniversary reissue of People’s Instinctive travels and the Paths of Rhythm. Phife, a Tribe founder and a recipient of a liver donation for many years, died in March 2016. He was 45. Q-Tip later announced that the group had completed a new album. On the night of their Tonight Show appearance the original four members decided to forget their differences and get back into recording. Sessions were held at Q-Tip’s home studio. Guests included Busta Rhymes and Elton John. Although Phife died before the album was completed, Q-Tip was still able to complete it. It’s All Here… Thank You 4 Your Service reached the top of the American charts in late 2016 and gained attention from a new generation. All music
