A Tribe Called Quest

A Tribe Called Quest is an American hip-hop group of the 1990s, formed in 1988. The group is composed of rappers Q-Tip and Phife Dawg, and DJ/producer Ali Shaheed Muhammad. A fourth member, rapper Jarobi White, left the group after their first album but occasionally tours with the group. They released five albums during their ten-year career, three of which were very highly acclaimed, and disbanded in 1998. In 2006, the group reunited and toured the US. All the members of the group practice Islam.

Biography

1988 - 1990: People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm

Q-Tip and Phife had grown up together in Queens, and met Muhammad in high school. The group's name was coined in 1988 by George Clinton, who exclaimed "A tribe called Quest" upon meeting the group then named Quest. Soon after, the group began performing live and recording on a local label. The group became a part of the Native Tongues family, a Hip-Hop artist collective famous for the socially-conscious and positive messages it delivered in its music, and whose membership included Tribe collaborators including the Jungle Brothers, De La Soul and the Leaders of the New School.

At the time of their inception, A Tribe Called Quest was notable for their decision to sample from eclectic sources, primarily jazz, while other records of the time were heavily relying upon James Brown samples. They made their studio debut in 1990 with People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm. This album was critically acclaimed and led to a strong fan following, especially following the release of their highly successful third single "Can I Kick It?".

1991 - 1993: The Low End Theory and Midnight Marauders

The group's second album, The Low End Theory (1991) was a massive artistic success, appearing on several best of the year lists. Their lyrics focused on abstract and social issues such as the word "nigger", date rape and consumerism. Musically, the group helped pioneer the jazz rap style (along with groups such as Gang Starr and De La Soul). It is considered one of the most important hip-hop albums to date.[1] The Low End Theory was followed by another commercial success, Midnight Marauders (1993), which also gained positive reviews.

1996 - 1998: Beats, Rhymes and Life and The Love Movement

Beats, Rhymes and Life (1996) and The Love Movement (1998), the group's final two albums, featured production by The Ummah and were less well-received than their predecessors. Following The Love Movement, the group disbanded. Q-Tip and Phife Dawg went on to pursue solo careers, while Muhammad founded the R&B group Lucy Pearl.

2006: Reunion

In 2006, the group reunited and performed several sold-out concerts in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. A Tribe Called Quest was a co-headliner at the 2006 Bumbershoot festival in Seattle, but have not announced any plans to release a new album. The group is also appearing in 2K Sports' Bounce Tour promoting the NBA 2K7 game and remix of their song, "Lyrics to Go", which is included in the game.

Music samples

Discography

Albums

Compilations

Other Appearances

• 'Peace, Prosperity, & Paper' from the High School High Soundtrack
• 'Glamour And Glitz' from The Show Soundtrack
• 'Same Ol' Thing' from the Men In Black soundtrack.

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