A Tribe Called Quest- Check the Rhime

Jam: Check the Rhime
Good to jam when: Feelin' fresh


A Tribe Called Quest - Check The Rhyme - 1991 - Jive from DJ Upperkuts on Vimeo.

Back in the mid-eighties Q-Tip, Phife Dawg, and Ali Shaheed Muhammad set out to form A Tribe Called Quest. Little did they know, this quest would dominate the music scene of the 90's and eventually lead them to be a tribe known for having a substantial influence on the hip-hop music that we listen to today. These are the guys who inspired huge rappers of our generation, like Kanye, Common, Busta Rhymes, and Pharrel. On a list of 25 Best Rap Groups of All Time, these guys were listed number four. While many have never even heard of them, they are best known for their classic hits Can I Kick It? and Bonita Applebaum. In Bonita Applebaum, you can find the original opening beat from Lauryn Hill's classic Killing Me Softly song that would not have been a hit without the snag. And you know that "Raah, Raah, like a dungeon dragon" line in the Nicki Minaj Roman's Revenge song? The credit also goes to them. 

If you have any interest in 90's hip-hop, I highly recommend checking out the documentary just done on them titled, Beats, Rhymes, & Life: Travels of A Tribe Called Quest to get the full story. 

Feel free to freshen up your library with a free download of The Low End Theory album here  and get a feel for where our hip-hop originated with a playlist of some of A Tribe Called Quests' classics down below. 

Q-tip, Phife, and Ali