A Tribe Called Quest: biography

This article will explore the career of the rap group A Tribe Called Quest. It will detail their most important albums and songs, and will explore their impact on hip-hop in the early 1990s and throughout the rest of the decade. It will also explore their breakup and potential for reunion.

Beginnings

Q-Tip and Phife Dawg, both schoolmates in New York City, eventually teamed up with fellow band members Jarobi and Ali Shaheed Muhammed. It was significant that they were given their name by the group The Jungle Brothers - the latter represented a style of hip-hop that the group would come to be a figurehead of. Jarobi left the group for good in 1990. By then, A Tribe Called Quest were an established part of the Native Tongues Posse, a loosely affiliated group of artists who produced soulful, politically-aware hip-hop music. Their landmark second album The Low End Theory (1991) firmly established their credentials, and they followed it up with the equally excellent Midnight Marauders in 1993. By this time, songs like Can I Kick It had made them firm favourites on the East Coast.

Career

1988 - Group formally named by The Jungle Brothers
1990 - People's Instinctive Travels and The Paths Of Rhythm released. Jarobi leaves group shortly after
1991 - Landmark album The Low End Theory released
1991 - Single Scenario, featuring Leaders Of The New School, is released. Helps to launch the career of Busta Rhymes
1993 - Follow-up album Midnight Marauders released
1996 - Beats, Rhymes and Life released
1998 - The Love Movement released. Group splits and members embark on solo careers with varying degrees of success.
2004 - Group reunites briefly at Rock The Bells festival.

Achievements

- A Tribe Called Quest have at least two undisputed classics under their belts: The Low End Theory and Midnight Marauders. These two albums helped to establish both the sound of the Native Tongues movement and the general state of East Coast rap as a whole. - Singles from the albums such as Scenario, Can I Kick It?, Bonita Applebum, Electric Relaxation, Award Tour and more remain fan favourites to this day. - Q-Tip also went on to help establish the career of J-Dilla, a Detroit producer who is considered one of the best beatmakers of all time. Dilla died in 2006 from Lupus.