This week we go back to the summer of 1991 when A Tribe Called Quest released their second LP, The Low End Theory. Q-Tip and Phife Dawg spit verses seemingly over jazz inspired tracks that pleasantly overwhelm the sonic senses for the better. In complete contrast, to current canned beats fueled hip hop that dominates the air waves. You’re not gone getter a smother MC other than Q-Tip, whose mellow, smooth and intelligent lyrics over beaty jazz samples help create an infectious vibe for the summers of the early 90s.
Starting from the gorgeous cover, with those vibrant lines of green and red that silhouettes the human anatomy to one of best hip hop production ever made. The production was different from that of some other hip hop that was ruling the air waves; the production was low-key bass-heavy, and non-descript compared to that of fast tempos and menacing funk beats based production. The LP is perfect to vibe to, from, “Check the Rhime”, where Q-tip presaged the music industry, “Industry rule number four thousand and eighty, Record company people are shady”. The album was loaded with gems such as consumerism theme “Skypager”, and the great work of art in the collaboration with Leaders of the New School, “Scenario”. Then there is “Jazz (We’ve Got)”,”Verses from the Abstract and “Show Business (featuring Diamond D, Lord Jamar and Sadat X, all that rounds great LP to vibe too from the park benches to the rooftop.
A Tribe Called Quest – Scenario