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If A Tribe Called Quest had stopped with their first album, People's Instinctive Travels And The Paths Of Rhythm, they'd still be regarded as a seminal hip hop act. For one summer in 1990, alongside the strains of Madchester, the streets resounded to the sound of 'Can I Kick It?' and 'I Left My Wallet In El Segundo'. The laid back style of Q-Tip and Phife Dawg over the jazz sampleology of Ali Shaheed Muhammad, along with the daisy age raps of De La Soul, almost single-handedly defined the alternative rap scene, where intelligence and musical nouse replaced guns, hos and bragging. So when they followed it up with as close to a perfect album, The Low End Theory, their place in history was assured.
Low End! pushed the jazz connection even further with a sparse but not quite minimal selection of grooves built around some exquisitely chosen upright bass samples, and in the case of 'Verses From The Abstract' actually utilising the real-time skills of legend Ron Carter. Remember that this was in direct contrast to the West Coast G Funk about to explode onto the scene. Like its predecessor it combined humour with insight to show the world that 'rap' needn't be equated with the worst aspects of the American dream. Q-Tip and Phife's posse flows were, by this point, honed to perfection, with most tracks seeing them bounce off each other like some funked-up game of table tennis.
Amidst the self-deprecation there was some serious stuff as well with issues of misogyny ('The Infamous Date Rape' and 'Butter') and rap's descent into brutalism ('Rap Promoter', 'Show Business') being addressed. But overall this is another feel-good mix of smart grooves and the wittiest rhymes this side of Noel Coward. It also introduced the world to the bizarre mind of Buster Rhymes ('Scenario').
Acclaimed as one of the best 100 albums of all time by Rolling Stone, The Low End Theory remains one of hip hop's defining moments and deserves to be in everyone's record collection. Probably now more than ever! --Chris Jones
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
This album was released in '91 during the rise of the West Coast and G-Funk. New York Hip-Hop was really in the shadow of NWA, Ice-T and Ice Cube's Death Certificate. It would take something powerful to happen in New York to get some recognition. That's what The Tribe provided.
In a time when G-Funk was rap, Q-Tip gave us an album of jazzy beats and incredible flow alongside co-lyricist, Phife. The album opened with the a high base beat of Excursions, where Q-Tip showed how he flows with the beat as if it was a part of him. Phife steps up on the second track "Buggin' Out" with the introduction verse. Q-Tip and Phife both offer amusing, experienced stories of youth on tracks like "Butter" and "The Infamous Date Rape". Every other track on the album is first class, but I'll let you all discover the genius.
The great thing about this album is that in a Hip-Hop world that was quickly forming a hardcore gangsta theme A Tribe...managed to give us a completely original production style and lyrics that were easy to listen to and with a light-hearted attitude towards the world. Even today the album is a breath of fresh air in a rap scene that's plagued with commercial drivvle and entire albums dedicated to a rapper's rims on his car. This album is Top 5 of all time, if you want to hear great true Hip-Hop, Turn off the motherf***in radio (like Ice Cube) and get this album immediately.
In a time when G-Funk was rap, Q-Tip gave us an album of jazzy beats and incredible flow alongside co-lyricist, Phife. The album opened with the a high base beat of Excursions, where Q-Tip showed how he flows with the beat as if it was a part of him. Phife steps up on the second track "Buggin' Out" with the introduction verse. Q-Tip and Phife both offer amusing, experienced stories of youth on tracks like "Butter" and "The Infamous Date Rape". Every other track on the album is first class, but I'll let you all discover the genius.
The great thing about this album is that in a Hip-Hop world that was quickly forming a hardcore gangsta theme A Tribe...managed to give us a completely original production style and lyrics that were easy to listen to and with a light-hearted attitude towards the world. Even today the album is a breath of fresh air in a rap scene that's plagued with commercial drivvle and entire albums dedicated to a rapper's rims on his car. This album is Top 5 of all time, if you want to hear great true Hip-Hop, Turn off the motherf***in radio (like Ice Cube) and get this album immediately.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Got to love Q and Phife! I grew up hearing and watching them as well as our other forefathers of hip hop. One thing that makes an album good is the ability to be so complex that one can listen to it over and over and never get bored with the songs such as theirs. If you dig the Roots, Digital Planets, Black Eyed Peas, or any other hip-hop group that has the slightest tinge of jazz to it, you have "The Low End Theory" to thank. Ali Shaheed Muhammed fuses up-beat hip-hop with funky jazz, and must of felt real good when he was finished. But it's not like this album was simply influential and not essential, or that it's solely revolutionary in one sense and not able to stand on its own in others.
All through the album the beats are deep and the bass is funky without being overbearing. There are a few tracks that are less than superb, but the album is still great. "Buggin' Out," "Butter," "Rap Promoter," "Rhymes and Stuff," "Jazz," and "Scenario" are all perfect. All these tracks either have your heads nodding, hips shaking, and minds working. The way the music matches Q-tips rhymes flawlessly always astounds me and Phife's lyrics keep the beat going.
Q-Tip and Phife are two of the most skilled lyricists and MCs of all time, and their vocal contributions to Ali's beats do nothing but enhance them. This album stands out as their finest. For those who do not listen to hip hop, this would be an excellent choice for a "symbol" rap album. I know few who have failed to be satisfied, and most are mesmerized. As for rap fans, none should be allowed to call themselves a hip hop head if they do not already have this laying around your rack/desk/or shelf.
All through the album the beats are deep and the bass is funky without being overbearing. There are a few tracks that are less than superb, but the album is still great. "Buggin' Out," "Butter," "Rap Promoter," "Rhymes and Stuff," "Jazz," and "Scenario" are all perfect. All these tracks either have your heads nodding, hips shaking, and minds working. The way the music matches Q-tips rhymes flawlessly always astounds me and Phife's lyrics keep the beat going.
Q-Tip and Phife are two of the most skilled lyricists and MCs of all time, and their vocal contributions to Ali's beats do nothing but enhance them. This album stands out as their finest. For those who do not listen to hip hop, this would be an excellent choice for a "symbol" rap album. I know few who have failed to be satisfied, and most are mesmerized. As for rap fans, none should be allowed to call themselves a hip hop head if they do not already have this laying around your rack/desk/or shelf.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Cant believe this has had only 5 previous reviews. in my mind the best hip hop album ever released. Smooth, articulate rythym and poetry.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
A classic
A classic of hip hop. For those who are a fan of the genre, this is a must have! Great lineup of tracks.
Published 8 months ago by Luis
hhhi
One of the first "real" hip hop albums I listened to and it continues to sound fresh after all these years. Read more
Published on 16 Oct 2007 by 77
Stone cold CLASSIC!
Quite simply, one of the best hip hop albums ever made, and certainly *the* high point in Tribe's career. Read more
Published on 15 Mar 2006 by James the King
Low end theory
Its a brilliant example of old skool hip hop. Some classic songs here, which must have influenced thousands of rappers today....
i strongly recomend it!!!
but it
i strongly recomend it!!!
but it
NOW!!!
Published on 24 April 2005 by "mike63956"
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