Diggin in the Cassettes: 93 'til Infinity

Souls of Mischief is a four man rap group from Oakland, CA. They are a part of the larger rap collective Hieroglyphics. They released their debut album on September 28, 1993, in a simply unbelievably good year for rap music.

Prof Thug's Diggin in the Cassettes Vol. 7

Souls of Mischief - 93 'til Infinity

Signed by all four members when I saw them on the 20th anniversary tour. 

Souls of Mischief is made up of A-Plus, Opio, Phesto, and Tajai. Hieroglyphics is made up of Souls of Mischief, Del tha Funky Homosapien, Casual, Domino, Toure, and Pep Love. Individually and as a group they have released many critically acclaimed albums starting in the early 90s. Del is probably the most successful and famous with his early hit single "Mista Dobalina" and his work with the Gorillaz, but Souls are a close second with their single (and album) '93 til Infinity. They are also one of my favorite groups ever, based mostly on this album.

Souls came out at a time when West Coast gangster rap and G-Funk were dominating the charts. They never shied away from their West Coast roots and proudly repped Oakland, but they sounded nothing like the popular West Coast acts of the time. They filled a niche in the west coast: lyrical, boom bap hip hop. They were much more aligned with groups like Freestyle Fellowship than Tha Dogg Pound.

The beats revolved around a live bass and obscure jazz and funk samples. There were more typical samples (The Doors, Charlie Parker, Curtis Mayfield) mixed in, but they didn't flip the samples like other groups were doing. They also sampled lyrics from Oakland rap legend Too Short, as well as East Coast legends like EPMD, BDP, and Gang Starr. Their sound, and their influences, were universal.

The lyrics had complex internal rhyme schemes, also unlike most popular West Coast rap at the time. They rapped about the art of rapping, girls, weed, books, and their lives in Oakland. They definitely talked about the violence around them, and had some story rhymes that centered around violence, but they mostly rapped about violence from an observational perspective, they weren't gangbanging.

What stands out most about Souls is their charisma and the chemistry between the rappers. They are all very talented on their own, but their collective ability to weave in and out of verses together put them in the upper echelon of rap groups. I can't think of any four person groups that worked so well together. I truly believe they should be mentioned among the best rap groups ever, and once again it's mostly because of their incredible debut.

I was obsessed with this album. It had a big impact on me at 13 years old. I loved their style; laid-back, never flashy but very cool, the type of guys you'd want to hang out with. I loved all the pop culture references and clever wordplay. I loved the beats. I loved the Heiroglyphic symbol; I used to draw it all over my notebooks and I even wanted to get it tattooed at one point. They definitely had a Tribe vibe that spoke to me, but they had a little more of an edge.

I can still listen to this album all the way through and enjoy it as much as I did the first time I heard it.
Join me!

Let 'Em Know produced by Domino

The album opens up with a simple but funky bassline, setting the tone for the entire project. Then the dj scratches, a sampled voice comes in Tell me just what you know, and Opio's high pitched voice starts flowing. As the song progresses, the beat keeps adding different elements.

There are references to the X-Men, Star Wars, and Gladys Knight.  After Opio rips his verse, he passes the baton to Tajai who continues the sprint of wordplay. There's a simple hook where each member says a slight variation of "Yeah I let you know" as a jittery horn plays.

Then it's right back to what feels like a race, with A-Plus on the third leg and Phesto bringing it home for the gold. Constant forward momentum. This is rappity ass rappin at its finest. Just clever bars, pop culture references, geographical references, and rapping about rapping. They all have a slight variation on flow and delivery and voice, but they work perfectly together. Unlike, say, Wu-Tang, where each member has drastically different styles to bring to the table, forming one unit like Voltron, Souls work so well together because of their similar approaches. It's probably why they don't have great solo output, though.

Live and Let Live produced by Domino 

Another great bassline and the fish scale thing we used in grammar school! Very rare instrument in hip hop. There's also a fantastic horn sample on the chorus, and when the second verse starts, those cool piano keys start up.

It's a somber beat, especially during the chorus, which fits the theme of the song. The guys are examining life and death in their neighborhood. They are not prone to violence but they will defend themselves. Awareness is key in their neighborhoods. Tajai explains: "I love humans, they hate me, I'd love to live and let live but..."

A-Plus sums up the song's theme on the last line: "I don't like it but I guess that that's the way it has to be, Live and let live but then you're dead before you're blastin me."

They weren't gangsters, but they weren't suckers either. They were Oakland through and through.

That's When Ya Lost produced by  Del the Funky Homosapien

This was the second single of the album. Here they are just talking shit about other rappers. It's a very uptempo head-nodder. They all rap quickly but it's not exactly double-time. It's right in the pocket of the beat, and it's intelligible, just very fast.

Their confidence seeps through every song. At times it could be considered cocky (what great rappers aren't cocky?) but they are also very much at ease. It's a cool, calm confidence. Plus it seems like they are really enjoying themselves, like they were made for rapping, and rapping together.

Sometimes their voices are hard to distinguish, but to me, that kind of makes the group dynamic even more cohesive and complete.


A Name I Call Myself produced by Del the Funky Homosapien 

This beat is a little slower, with a classic drum break and many different psychedelic samples coming in and out. It's definitely a Del production. 

This is braggadocio, somewhat misogynist rap. The guys go back and forth talking about girls and their sexual prowess. The name they call themselves is "The Man." 

A-Plus states: "I hit it, I did it, I admit it, I never quit it, yes I knock the boots like I was Riddick (Bowe)"

Here and on a few other songs the end breaks down into them just bullshitting as the beat fades. It creates an atmosphere of inclusivity; you as a listener are hanging out with these guys as they rap around the kitchen table drinking 40s. 

Disseshowedo produced by Domino, Jay Biz

Great transition into this song. You know how important transitions are to me.

It starts off with some scratching and cutting, a sorely missed aspect of modern rap. Then of course there's a great bassline. Then another horn sample on the chorus. Like many of their songs, there was a simple chorus. Here the guys just repeat, "Diss is how I do it, I do it I do it." It represents an era where rappers didn't really need a melodious hook or somebody singing the chorus, they could just repeat a phrase, or isolate a 4 bar stanza in the verse and repeat it. Somehow, it really worked, and these simple choruses could be just as catchy as anything Drake ripped off a more talented artist.

What a Way to Go Out produced by A-Plus 

Yet another funky bassline. This is a great story song. Phesto describes a kid who wants to join a gang. As an initiation, he has to kill someone. His anonymous victim turns out to be his little sister.

A-Plus then describes a guy who thinks he's all that and gets killed. It becomes even more powerful with a self referential line: "I call myself the man." It's a clever way for A-Plus to acknowledge that he can be guilty of the same arrogance that gets this guy killed.

Tajai raps from the perspective of a guy acting tough and showing off for his friends. It's similar to the first verse, but instead of killing his sister, he ends up getting arrested, and he hasn't learned a thing. He's in jail but at least he's no punk! It's like an early version of Chappelle's "When keeping it real goes wrong."

Opio closes out with a verse about a guy who has sex with a busted condom ("Broke on the first stroke, I shoulda waited") then gets HIV and dies.

I said it before, and I'll say it again: RAP DID MORE TO PREVENT HIV/AIDS THAN REAGAN AND GEORGE HW BUSH COMBINED.

Never No More produced by A-Plus 

This starts with an ill horn sample and drums, then the bass slides in.

All four group members get their own verse to decimate sucker mcs. Then they join in on the simple chorus: "never no more, never no more, never will a sucker score, never no more." This was another single, although I'm not sure why. It's dope, but definitely one of the weakest songs. It's just a great 90's album cut (or should have been an album cut) that displays their excellent rapping abilities.

FLIP THE TAPE!

93 'til Infinity produced by A-Plus 

Whooooo! Here it is. The song that has allowed the group to continue touring for more than 20 years.

It starts off with Tajai talking to us over the bassline of all basslines, welcoming us in to this incredible world of females, inspiration, blunts, and sunshine.

The beat is legendary. That bassline, plus these keys with an echoing effect that sounds like it's coming back and around. The chorus is a perfect representation of early 90's hip hop choruses: a simple repeating of the phrase, "this is how we chill from 93 til." The song as a whole is a perfect representation of the Souls' sound: dope raps, cool samples over an awesome bassline, and a simple, catchy chorus.

Each rapper weaves in and out of the verses like a fast break, dishing it off to their teammates with ease and grace.

As I was listening, my tape hit a snag and wobbled in and out for a few seconds. I almost panicked, but it returned to normal. Weird. But that's what you get with cassettes. Retro!

The accompanying video is almost as classic as the song. I'd always wait for it on Rap City. It truly captures the vibe; hanging out with friends, circling around the same hangouts like the studio or the woods or the ball courts. Like the song itself, it speaks to a simpler time in hip hop; yet at the time, it was anything but simple. People forget that music like this was not dominating the airwaves. You had to catch it on that 90 minutes of Rap City or maybe the hour of Yo! MTV Raps. College stations might play it a couple times a day, but that was it. People complain that there's nothing good on the radio these days, but there never really was! It wasn't really until Snoop and Biggie blew up that radio started to play hip hop. Kiss 95.7 wasn't playing Souls of Mischief. Also, not all 90s hip hop was this good. It took a lot of talent to make this simple formula work well.

So a song like 93 til Infinity seems simple on the surface nowadays, because so many people have tried to replicate the formula, but at the time it was groundbreaking and unique and beautiful. It still is.

Limitations produced by Jay Biz 

This is just a solid beat with the guys rapping about how dope they are, how much better they are than other mcs, and what they'll do to wack mcs. It features a verse from Casual, a highly underrated Oakland legend, as well as the legendary Del, the godfather of Hieroglyphics, on the chorus: "Mcs should know their limitations, their limitations."

Simple. Classic.

Anything Can Happen produced by A-Plus 

This is another story rap, with a little darker vibe. Tajai's voice is even deeper than normal. He tells a story about seeing his man get shot and killed. His mother was also injured. He vows revenge, but needs his friends to help him. This is where the rest of the guys come in.

They all tell a different section of the story. They come together to plot and act out revenge on the killer. It would make for an excellent Netflix series. Most of the time Souls spit punchlines and battle raps, but when they decided to tell stories, they proved they could hang with the best.

So they end up killing the guy, and now he knows "anything can happen!" The beat cuts, which creates a great transition to the next song...


Make Your Mind Up produced by Del the Funky Homosapien 

...where Guru's voice cuts in take ya time recline and make ya mind up. This sample, combined with some scratches and cuts and a voice saying "yeah," becomes the chorus.

This has a cool brush drum sound making it excited and jittery like drinking a few too many cups of coffee. The guys kick intricate rhyme schemes and wordplay, switch up their flows mid-verse, and as usual,  rap rap rappity rap their asses off.  There's never a time where their flows don't match the beat, and there are no forced flows or metaphors. Everything always feels natural.

Batting Practice produced by Casual 

This'll get ya all riled up. This is braggadocio rapping at its finest over a bass heavy track and everybody on the hyped up chorus yelling "its like this yall, its like that yall, i swing a Hieroglyphics baseball bat yall!"

These quick horns come in here and there along with a lot of different sample elements. They did a lot of sample meshing throughout their songs, keeping the beat fresh for the entirety of its 3-4 minutes. Here, several samples come in during the chorus, so with everyone yelling, it feels like a cacophony of sounds, which adds to the adrenaline rush.

Tell Me Who Profits produced by Domino 

This track slows things down and brings up some serious topics. They are looking at society and individuals trying to make it.

A-Plus starts off talking about how fake people can be. He sums it up by saying: "Let me be me, and I'll let you be you." Great advice.

For the 2nd verse, Opio and Phesto go back and forth, debating whether they should go the straight route to make it or resort to crime.

In the last verse, Tajai raps about a gangster putting his life on the line for his boss. He compares that to how the government fucks over regular people. The working man always get screwed.

After each verse, the rapper/rappers handle the chorus. They all put a slight twist on the answer to the question: "Tell me who profits?" It's a well constructed song with some genuinely thought-provoking insight.


Outro produced by Domino

This is a classic trope of 90s hip hop albums: the shout-out closing song. It features a dope beat with the artists just bullshitting and shouting out friends, family and other artists. It was cool way to end things, and I'm sure people loved hearing their names on record. It was also way for groups to show who they liked as artists, maybe even make some connections. Sometimes I felt like the beats were wasted on these skits. Like, that's what liner notes were there for, no? But it does create a proper "conclusion" to an album, which meant something during a time when albums were cohesive projects. Some went on for far too long, but that's not the case here. This provides a mellow vibe to end the album, and a platform for the guys to show that a lot of people had input and influence on the work.

This album holds up remarkably well, much better than some of the more popular albums of the era. It's an album that, quality-wise, could have came out this year, but it's sound and style is defined by, and helped define, the era in which it was born. To me, this is an absolute classic.

5 THUGS out of 5

I Love You All...Class Dismissed

Diggin in the Cassettes: Stakes Is High

I wanted to keep the Native Tongue vibe going here. Unfortunately, this is the only De La Soul cassette I own. Fortunately, it is one of if not the best De La album.

Prof Thug's Diggin in the Cassettes Vol. 6

De La Soul - Stakes Is High

Signed by group members Posdnuos and Trugoy (Dave).

A Tribe Called Quest and De La Soul are inevitably compared because of their Native Tongue association, as well as their similar vibes and the eras in which they came to prominence. Tribe was my first favorite rap group. For whatever reason, it took me a little longer to appreciate De La Soul. I immediately loved their first major single, Me, Myself, and I, but for some reason, I didn't get their first two albums (I was a broke kid. That was the reason). I loved all the singles from their first two classic albums, and my friend had Buhloone Mindstate, which I listened to so much I might as well have owned it, but the first De La album I actually owned was their fourth full length.

I eventually bought all their albums. 3 Feet High and Rising and De La Soul is Dead are undeniable classics. With the help of legendary producer Prince Paul, they defined the sound of the D.A.I.S.Y. Age on the first album, and then declared the death of that era on their second. Their humor, and their stance in opposition to anything overly popular, defines their sound. Besides showing the industry that you can be yourself and still make quality, commercially viable music, they also invented the rap skit (for better or for worse). Originally, these skits were groundbreaking; they were funny but they also established a theme throughout the albums. Now, however, the skits drag those albums down a little. Maybe it's because the world moves at a faster pace, or I'm more impatient, or maybe I've just heard them too much, but whatever the case, they don't hold up. They were groundbreaking, sure, and the albums are still classics, but it can be difficult to listen to them straight through.

Their third album, Buhloone Mindstate, could easily be considered a classic, too. Their sound evolved (as it does with every album they release). It was more straight up jazzy, smoother, and more focused than their previous albums. The skits were kept to a minimum but the humor was still present. The biggest fault I have with it is that they took some shots at other Native Tongue affiliates, which made me sad. Fortunately they made up on this album.

De La's consistency and longevity is unmatched in hip hop. When they came back in the 2000s with their Art Official Intelligence series (Mosaic Thump and Bionix) they managed to reinvent their sound again. I consider these two albums classics, too. We bumped the shit out of those albums in college. Their last two albums, The Grind Date and ...and the Anonymous Nobody are the only weak spots, and even those are high quality material.

I don't know which album I like best. It's similar to how I view De La and Tribe: on any given day, my preference changes. That says a lot.



Stakes is High was released a day after my 16th birthday, on July 2, 1996, the same day as Nas' It was Written. That's a damn good day for hip hop in a damn good year for hip hop.

Those two tapes dominated my summer. Both represented a change in sound for the artists. Nas went more commercial and "gangster" and De La pushed back against the commercialism in hip hop. This was their first project without the input of legendary producer Prince Paul. The three members of De La mostly produced it themselves, so the beats are a definite departure, although they maintained a similar formula (classic drum breaks, James Brown samples, etc.). I love Prince Paul and he was a huge factor of the unique sound and legendary status of the first 3 albums, but his absence made the album a lot tighter and more focused. It lost a bit of the absurdist humor, but I think it helped them grow and take their sound to the next level.



It is most similar to Buhloone Mindstate, but instead of looking inward as they did throughout that album, they look more outward at the world, and the culture, around them. This album was a little angry and disillusioned at times, though ultimately it remained hopeful. The overarching theme here was the declining state of rap...in 1996! Man, they had some high standards. It wasn't really the music itself they were mad at, it was really the commercialization of hip hop culture and the lack of integrity a lot of artists showed. Many people consider 1997 to be the year that corporate radio changed the hip hop industry permanently for the worse. There was less diversity of sound on the radio, and independent or even just slightly weird acts were not getting much play. That was when radio pushed more crossovers with other genres, in particular R&B. De La had a lot to say about the current state of affairs, and the things they complained about just became more prevalent as the years went by. De La the Prophets.


Intro

The album starts with clips of people describing where they were when they first heard Boogie Down Production's Criminal Minded.

Then the all right! sample comes in and we're off. There are some classic drums and kicks and Posdnuous begins with the same line as his opening line on the previous album (Channeling!) but he slightly changes it at the end. They were always very self referential. It establishes a connection between albums, and creates a distinct universe in which their songs exist.

Pos drops some great bars De La Soul is here to stay like racism for a minute then Dave does the same. As well loved as they are, I think their lyricism is still underrated. Dense wordplay, crazy pop culture references, humor, intelligence. If they were solo artists, maybe they'd get more recognition as lyricists, but because they work so well together it's hard to judge them separately.

Pos also says Stick to your Naughty by Natures and your Kane which Treach took as a diss. Apparently Treach jumped Pos, and later 2Pac got into the beef because he took offense to one of their lines and was also friends with Treach. I never knew about any of this. I always thought it meant "stick to" them because they are much better than the wack rappers he was just describing. I was so innocent.

The song ends with Dave screaming, which is also a reference to the last album in a way..

Supa Emcees


A great Slick Rick sample, a simple drum track, an organ sample, and great rappers always make for a good song.

The theme of the album continues to develop here. They are disgusted by the lack of creativity, originality and authenticity in hip hop. Their beef is mostly with the industry and society overall, but they also hold individual rappers accountable for the decrease standards. They don't call anybody out by name but they challenge any and all rappers to do better.

Generally, everything they did had more reason for it than simply sounding good. They were calling out wack rappers using a sample of one of the greatest rappers ever saying "MC" over and over. Levels.

On this album, they layered in various samples expertly. On their first 2 albums, some songs felt like distinct, individual samples on top of one another. It was cool, but sometimes the beats felt haphazard.


The Bizness


This is a great beat with veteran, yet still young, MCs at the top of their game. This would probably be considered a "rappity ass rap" song these days, but this shows why that phrase is so silly when used as a pejorative. Rappity ass rap songs can be great when they feature rappers who can rappity rap their asses off!

Common sets his verse off with Do you wanna be a emcee? All the guests' contributions fit perfectly with the themes of the album; guests didn't just jump on a song and rap some words, their appearances meant something. Unfortunately, Common has a bizarre homophobic line about Greg Louganis and his "gay ass," so it's not the greatest contribution, but his verse is solid besides that. It was always interesting seeing Common growing into the GAP wearing Hollywood actor, LGBTQ supporter that he is today, considering some of his grimy earlier work.

The beat switches and they shout out their friends in the business. A Tribe Called Quest yo they nonstop. I always liked hearing who my favorite rappers liked. It made me feel good when I liked them, too, and sometimes it put me on to new artists.

Then there's a short clip of a verse from Down Syndrome, a song that appears later on the album. This serves as a skit, a transition, and a preview of what's to come all in one. It also cuts off on Pos' line not from the PJs yet I still got something to say, which leads into a song about where he is from. Brilliant.


Wonce Again Long Island


What the hell do you wanna be when you grow up?
I wanna be a supa emcee

(W)once again, referencing another song on the album and pushing the theme of "emceeing."

It's got a simple drum track with that cool bow bowmp bowmp sample. Pos shouts out his birthplace and describes his experiences as an 18 year old kid entering the business, finding wild success, then falling somewhat out of the limelight.

He shouts out Tip and Phife and spends most of the song calling out wannabes and wack mcs. He just rips it for a couple minutes straight then shouts out some neighborhoods in Long Island. Solid track.


Dinninit produced by Spearhead X


Dinninnit. Yo! Hey hey hey.

This is a great party jam/head-nodder. It opens with the soft piano keys. It's got the warbling high pitch noise (like a melodic swarm of mosquitoes) that rises and falls throughout the song. It's got the call and response to the ladies and the fellas. Their voices never get too loud or aggressive, they are just floating on the beat. It feels like a Saturday in the summer and everyone is drinking Arnold Palmers after eating barbecue and playing softball all day. It's a mellowed out grown folk party.

It's so real when we come thru 
sunshine be on my sidewalk when we come thru!

Word.


Brakes


After a short instrumental break the beat starts in with another Slick Rick sample. This song has a bunch of samples from classic rap songs and many common hip hop breaks. And of course it's got the Kurtis Blow sample that sounds like these are the boooyyyy here.

The beat has the high pitch bells ringing over the boom bap drums and James Brown's The Funky President, one of the most utilized samples in rap. It's a nice throwback/ode to the past.

Mostly they just rap about rap and the "breaks" they caught to eventually make it in rap. They also talk about things plaguing many communities at the time. A mother gets mugged by a crackhead son. That's the brakes that's the brakes! It's a cold yet realistic play on Blow's iconic song. Instead of the breaks in songs, that's the breaks in life. They always discussed the flaws of their own communities, and society at large, but they never came off as preachy or angry. Their the old men on the porch yelling at the kids but making everyone, including the kids, laugh while doing it. They are lamenting the harsh realities of life, but they are ever hopeful and appreciative With the blessings of the great we took it from state to state, Cause we landed on the good foot and got our biggest break and that's what differentiates them from many "conscious" rappers. They were conscious when that meant talking about real issues rather than the "super woke" preachy rappers and conspiracy theorists that have come to define the term now.


Dog Eat Dog


This is a nice low-key jam. Dave sings the chorus. There's the dog barking sample. Like many of the songs, there's the weird sounding organ sample or something (I call it the bowmp bowmp bowmp) that directs the beat. I say weird but it's awesome.

This album really foreshadowed Tribe's Beats, Rhymes & Life, released later that year, discussing similar frustrations with the music industry.

The song ends with a record scratch, as if it's being pulled from the turntable. They had all these little flairs in songs and in between songs that provided more cohesion than the skits from earlier albums, and they just sound really cool.


Baby Baby Baby Baby Ooh Baby


This is hilarious, but also somehow a jam. It helps that it features the Jazzyfatnastees.

Just in case you weren't sure what was going on, the intro at the beginning should give you a clue as to their intention:

Ohh there go that bullshit again
You heard that shit?
That's that bullshit from the other day
They done took the Buffalo Girls beat and changed it all around
They playin themselves!

They were making fun of popular R&B songs that used an old school rap song (or break) for the beat and randomly threw on a short verse from Popular Rapper of the Day. It reminds me of their House music parody (Kicked out the House) on De La Soul Is Dead. They are making fun of a certain trend, but they are also taking part in that trend and making it dope.

At the end it has Fat Man Scoop closing out the song, as if he's a DJ on the radio playing this pop record. It effectively frames the song and sets it apart from the rest of the album.


Long Island Degrees


Yet another ode to their hometown. "Pleasant" is a good way to describe this song, with its breezy samples and lacksadaisical singing. I listened to this tape at the beach a lot as a kid, and songs like this were perfect for a sunny day in the sand.

The two verses start off similar. Dave says: It's strong island for real, where the critters run wild, The prefix is 516, the top of the dial. To start his verse, Pos says: It's strong island for real, the diagnosis is supreme, The prefix is 516, where microphones fiend. This technique created cohesion in the song and showed the dynamic between the two. They were the definition of a true rap group; a lot of groups are just solo rappers coming together, and their verses feel disconnected. The songs feel disjointed because there is no real chemistry. That's never an issue for De La.

Dave raps I got questions about your life if you so ready to die. They were never afraid to call out the biggest stars and trends. It's not even really dissing Biggie, but it's definitely a shot at thug mentality. Regardless, it's an honest question, and you can tell the guys really care about their peers and the culture.

A skit at the end features some hillbilly talking about why he hates rap music: There's no music in it. It's just niggers talking. Besides highlighting the ignorance of many people's opinions on rap, this is interesting because De La themselves criticize rap the entire album. They seem to be using this clip to compare types of criticism: valid vs ignorant. This asshole's opinion is not uncommon, and I would imagine De La disagree with it because they always defend the value of rap; the thing is, they want rap to be better. They know it can be so much more. This is a way to say "we're criticizing hip hop, but it aint like the way #yall do it." Then the tape is silent for almost a minute. I know that's to "preserve continuity" but it makes for a powerful end to side one. 

Flip the tape!


Betta Listen


Great opening track to side 2. It's amazing how they took the format into consideration when sequencing the album.

It starts with the vocal sample that makes up the hook Listen all ya fellas, give her good loving. There's a cool little piano sample. Dave talks about getting dissed by a girl, and Pos tells a story about him actually getting with a girl. He raps from her perspective at times, talking about the struggles she deals with as a woman. It's basically a description of how to respectfully pick up a lady and have consensual sex. Hip hop feminists! Again, they set themselves apart from many rappers and trends.

The skit at the end gives insight into why they stay so grounded: the third member, Maseo. He is pissed at something someone said to him. He gives the group a harder edge (he shows that again on the next album with U Don't Wanna BDS). Even though he doesn't rap on this album, his presence is always felt.


Itzsoweezee (HOT)


This was their most successful single from the album. This video was everywhere. Dope beat, a cool trumpet/tuba-like sample during the hook, and an excellent chorus If money makes a man strange, we gots to rearrange that! Add great verses from Dave and you have a perfect rap song; one of my faves on the album and their entire discography.

With this song we can see more clearly how their attitude and sound influenced that of Tribe's 4th album. De La always gave commentary on the culture and industry; they usually used satire to mock it, but as they evolved, they gave more direct critiques. However, the main intent was to make great songs, so even though the lyrics are cynical at times, the beats still make your head nod, you can sing along with the choruses, and you can rap along without being depressed. I always rap When's the last time you had happy days? and it makes me smile even though it's a dark line.

Dave directly calls out the Mafioso/drug kingpin rap phase that blew up after Raekwon's Cuban Linx album:

Them Cubans aint care what yall niggas do
Columbians aint never ran with your crew (Nas started calling himself Nas Escobar that year...)
Why you acting all spicy and sheisty
The only Italians you knew was icees 

I love that line. And verse. And song. So damn good.

There's a little instrumental to close out the song that leads right into...


4 More co-produced by DJ Ogee


Their third single, with the legendary R&B group Zhane. This should be called A Roller Skating Jam Named 4More.

I wasn't a fan of this type of song at the time (neither were they!) but I loved this regardless. They were masters at calling out industry tropes, like mixing R&B and rap, and then using those same tropes better than anyone else.

There's a lot to like about this song: the telephone dial beat that somehow works despite telephone dials being the most annoying sound effect in the world, Zhane, and great lines all over the place, like Got a way with women so i get away with yours. It's more grown man player rap.

This is a sipping lemonade in a hammock on a Saturday afternoon in the Summer album. It's a "yeah we know we got bills and we know there's some fucked up shit in the world but we're gonna make love and enjoy ourselves when we can" album. So. Damn. Good.


Big Brother Beat produced by Skeff Anselm


Then they go and introduce me to Mos Def?? Man, I don't know how much more I can love this album.

Another great transition. The sequencing of the albums I've covered so far really make me miss tapes. I know not everybody paid such close attention to sequencing in this era, but these guys sure did. Then digital music killed off what CDs had already injured; only a few artists (Danny Brown comes to mind) really put any thought into sequencing anymore.

This has a similar tempo as the previous song but with a harder beat. There's a great bass line under the drums, with lot of great sound effects, plus that beep...boop boop boop sound like a heart monitor that maintains the pace of the song. This is a straight butter hit right here.

On the first verse, the guys go back and forth with a few lines each. On the second verse, Mos starts, then Pos comes in, then Dave, then Mos closes out the verse. He even leads the chorus. Basically, he owns the song. I had no idea who this dude was, out-rapping these legends on their song, but he became an immediate favorite.


Down Syndrome



The drums start low and build up. There are cool piano chords, lots of different noises, and various samples throughout. It's a really cool beat, and Pos and Dave just rip #barz with no hook, just the Keep on singing. Keep on sannggin sample.

The end of this song has possibly the best transition on the album. Pos raps Gotta rip it from the start when the beats come in...in...in, as his voice trails off, the beat cuts off and the first notes of the next beat start up immediately. Masterful sequencing.


Pony Ride


Just stop taking me for a riiiiide. This is another great chorus to sing along to.

The opening keys lead into a back and forth scratch that becomes the foundation of the beat. The scratching creates the groove for the entire song, like a warped bassline. It's really wild.

A few times, like when Truth Enola starts his verse after helping with the chorus, the scratching drops out and bells come in, making it sound like an entirely new beat, just the same drums. Overall, one of the more unique beats I've heard.

In a skit at the end, a homeless man talks about his struggle living on the streets, and how he wavers between optimism and depression. When he's done he says, "Stakes is high" and...


Stakes Is High co-produced by Jay Dilla


The horns start up, we hear some guys playing dice, then the infamous vibe...vibration.

As playful as they can be, they take this rap shit seriously. The stakes are high in these turbulent times, and people are too busy shaking asses and smoking blunts to realize the impact they are having on the culture.

Pos declares every word I say should be a hip hop quotable and he proves it on this song:

Man, life can get all up in your ass, baby, you betta work it out
Let me tell you what it's all about
A skin not considered equal
A meteor has more right than my people
Who be wastin' time screaming who they've hated
That's why the Native Tongues has officially been re-instated (this line made me really happy)

Somehow, Dave matches him bar for bar. I shouldn't be surprised though, that's what they always do. He talks about some of the things he's sick of and drops this observation of the state of society:

I think that smiling in public is against the law
Cause love don't get you through life no more

This is a direct attack on the industry and standard rap tropes. And it was the first single off the album! It wasn't a commercial success (which makes sense since it is so anti-commercialism) but everyone I knew loved it.


Sunshine


It starts with the great Commodores sample hiiiigggggh on sunshine!

The chorus is just a bunch of dudes singing, not trying too hard, simply grooving. They reference the album title and explain their mission to move your mind and soul with perpetuated ease. They understand the stakes of this industry and this world, but they are not joining the rat race. They are gonna keep doing what they've always done.


The beat has an old school, melancholic vibe; our Saturday in July has come to an end and we look forward to the sun rising again tomorrow. It's a great closing track.

It ends with a guy saying "when I first heard 3 Feet High and Rising, I was" and then it cuts out.
It mirrors the beginning of the album (closing the circle) and the implication is that De La Soul's first album was as important and influential as Criminal Minded. I agree, and I also think this album deserves a lot more appreciation and respect as the classic that it is.


5 THUGS out of 5


I Love You All...Class Dismissed. 

Diggin in the Cassettes: The Love Movement

Tribe's last album (until recently!) is probably their weakest, but it is still endlessly playable and better than the majority of rappers' entire discographies.

Prof Thug's Diggin in the Cassettes Vol. 5

A Tribe Called Quest - The Love Movement

Released on September 29, 1998, this was one of the last cassettes I ever purchased.

This album continued their sonic evolution; it is most similar in sound to their last album, again featuring the laid-back, jazz-oriented beats of The Ummah, but it was not as gloomy in tone and message. It is a return to their lighter, more playful themes and lyrics. As the title implies, the focus is on love and positivity.

Unfortunately, there was a serious tension just underneath the surface. In the documentary about the group, they discuss how Q-Tip and Phife's friendship was falling apart. At one point Tip claims about their last album: "How we gonna name it The Love Movement when there was no love anymore?"
I thought I would be able to pick up on that fractured relationship while listening to it now, but on wax, their chemistry was still intact. It's true that something was definitely off about this album, but there is no noticeable friction between the two, and it is still an excellent album. The songs aren't as memorable as previous efforts, but as always, the beats and lyrics provide high quality hip hop. There's more guests than usual, Consequence has disappeared, and the music is a little more traditional boom bap rather than the jazzier, groovier jams of their earlier albums, but those aren't bad things. They just make it feel less like a "pure" Tribe album. However, if this was a debut, it would be undoubtedly labeled a classic. And looking back, it is a remarkable closing act.



One issue that shouldn't affect the album but undoubtedly does is the album art. Gone are the red, black, and green characters and creative art. It's a simple white cover with plain, grey lettering and what look like small zodiac symbols at the bottom.

The inside is gray with white lettering.

Super bland. Now let's take a closer look at that inside cover:

Yup. That's the group doing their best Kobe in LA Times Magazine impressions. Tip is barefoot. Ali Shaheed seems to be wrapped in a towel and wearing sandals. Phife looks like he's staring at Ali's sandals, about to roast him (WHAT ARE THOOOOOOSE?!) but then he remembered that he's wearing white jeans. This looks like some New Age, adult contemporary shit.

I'm being a little harsh, but this was a marked departure for the group. On the other hand, this was right after the start of the "Jiggy era." with the shiny suits and ultra commercialism. So in a sense, they still bucked the trends of the modern music scene, they just did it in a mature, adult way. That's not as much fun, sure, but it's real, and that is pure Tribe.

Their musical themes similarly grew; their focus on love is understandable and commendable. They lost the aggressiveness of the last album, maybe because they, like many of us, were heartbroken at the deaths in rap. Or maybe they got a better record deal. Or maybe they knew this was their last album (until now!) and they were relieved. Whatever the case, this has a much more positive outlook than Beats, Rhymes and Life.

I was devastated when I learned this would be their last album, but it did encourage me to see them on their "farewell tour" at the Palladium in Worcester. Slum Village even opened for them! I had just heard about them; they were being called the torchbearers for the Native Tongue sound. Sadly, two of their members (Dilla and Baatin) have since died, along with Phife of course. It was an incredible show and I'm glad I got the chance to see them all.

Let's get into the movement!

We could all use a little more love these days. And Crown.

Start It Up


Terrific opener, but what else did you expect on a Tribe album? It opens with a quiet, spooky voice saying I hope yall ready...are yall ready? Then the bass and drums kick in. It's a serious head nodder and a great adrenaline boost. Q-Tip's verse has a staccato flow that emphasizes the first word of each bar on the drum kick. It's definitely a different vibe. Maybe it's his off-kilter flow or the off-kilter drum pattern? The drums hit you in the chest, and combined with Tip's emphatic jabs (get it off your chest, say it "Tribe Called Quest!") it makes me want to get up and throw elbows. Besides maybe Scenario, I never really felt that with Tribe music.

Tip introduces the movement for love and encourages people to get off your ass and let's start.

An important message that resonates today.


Find A Way


This is the album's lead single and lone video. It has a light, airy organ (or maybe harp?) sample playing throughout over Dilla's deep bass and drum kicks. The chorus has a great melody and it's easy to sing along with. Now you caught my heart for the evening, kissed my cheek moved in you confused things. It's real playful and pop-ish, like an updated Bonita Applebum.

This set the tone of the album. As the album art suggested, it's kind of adult contemporary rap, but not nearly as corny as Father MC or PM Dawn.

Phife and Tip each take a turn with the chorus at different parts of the song, and they deliver verses with typically great wordplay. It was an excellent lead single and apparently accomplished its goal, considering the album reached gold status a month after its release.

Da Booty


Tip starts off with a silly riddle about, well, booty. The chorus is simply Da booty, da da booty, da boot Ta ay with Tip shouting in the background. 

There's all types of drums knocking: kicks, snares, bass. Definitely a huge Dilla influence.

Much like the last song, this is a good representation of the album as a whole: great drums, mellowed out samples, and playful raps.

Da booty...if you is a crook then you taking it!

The biggest difference on the album are the beats. They are a little more skittish, less of the straight grooves of the first 3 albums; instead of the feeling of constantly pushing forward, many of the beats feel like they are constantly starting and stopping. They push forward then pull back. It's also evident in their flows; they are more staccato than usual. Again, still really good, just different.

Steppin' It Up feat. Busta Rhymes, Redman


I said this for every album so far, but damn, the sequencing and transitions are ridiculously good. The first note of this song comes in right after the last note of the previous song, so it's a seamless continuation, like a different movement of the same symphony.

This is another hard knocking, deep bass, jittery drum gem. Busta Rhymes and Tribe is a hall of fame connection on its own, plus they throw Redman in there? My favorite rapper ever? Just unfair. Excessive. I wasn't ready for this collabo when it came out and I forgot how incredible it was.

This is undoubtedly a classic, but it has more of a typical Golden Era/Dilla vibe than a Tribe vibe, per se. That's one of the only drawbacks of the album: it has a less distinctive Tribe sound. That's where the disconnect is, and why it's not as memorable as their previous efforts.

Still, Redman ends the song with:

Whoo-whoo! Funk Doc gets the money, 
And best believe I went through more trees than Sonny
Me, Kamal, Busta Bus, Phife Dawg
Shittin, pussy niggas get Lysol!

...so it still has its share of memorable moments.

Like It like That


This is a solid jam for this album, but would have been average on previous albums..

It has a similar drum pattern as the last couple songs, but with a crazy reverberating sample on top. Tip kills it from the get go. Phife helps out with the chorus, a simple Do you like it? Then Tip responds, say yeah if you like it like that!

At times there's a cool echo effect on Tip's voice, which works well with the reverberating sample. The whole song has a psychedelic vibe. It has really good energy and Tip is on point for his two verses.

Common Ground (Get It Goin' On)


What you doin here...get from my face Tip raps while a kazoo sound effect plays in the background. This is a mediocre beat, with a somewhat annoying organ/keyboard groove throughout. The stuttering drums on this and some of the other tracks are not the greatest fit, either.

For the first verse, Tip raps a bar, then a group of voices reply on the next bar. When Phife does his verse, he uses the same flow, but instead of a group of voices replying, the kazoo replies. It's also somewhat annoying. The chorus is lackluster, too.

I still like it, but this might be my least favorite Tribe song.


Give Me feat. N.O.R.E.


Did I speak too soon? This is an interesting song. I didn't like it when I first heard it, mostly because of the chorus. Tip reinterprets I-Level and Boyz II Men, singing off-key Give Me...just Give Me... Nore Phife Dawg and Abstract. Tip sounds like he's the lead in a community theater musical. Plus, the chorus doesn't even really make sense.

But that's also kinda what makes it great? Like, a few glasses of Crown and I'm crooning right along with him, no cares in the world.

This was long before horrible singing was the wave in rap (Fetty Wap, Drake, Lil Yachty, Drake).  I was always a little thrown off by Tip's singing on the chorus, but it had an undeniable charm, too. It was inspiring: if he wasn't afraid to sing and sound like that, I could sing, too. Hello, future parody music video career.

Not to mention, Nore is always a top tier guest rapper, and he spits two verses here! Love Movement no doubt. 

There is cool scratching at the beginning and end, and everyone does their thing on the verses. Overall, it isn't the best song on the album, and it has a sound that's very distinct from their usual vibe, but it's one of the more memorable songs.


4 Moms feat. Spanky


I still dont know who the hell Spanky is, but this is a cool,  mellow, funky groove to play out side one of the cassette. On the first album, they'd let the end of songs play out for a while. It was a cool way to build atmosphere and create transitions. This serves a similar purpose but it is the first time they had a track that was strictly instrumental. I wish they did more of this, but I also kinda wish they rapped on this. They would've rode this groove beautifully; plus there's a great electric guitar sample near the end that could've come in real nice on the hook. But I digress.

Flip the tape!

His Name Is Mutty Ranks

Phife starts off side two in his infamous patois Live and direct! Live and direct! Do you know what live and direct mean?!?!

The beat has that dope little keyboard boop boop ba doop ba doop doop badoop da doop doop thing over classic hip hop drums. There's also that scratchy, almost echo-like effect on Phife's voice as he raps, making it sound like it's a live recording at the park.

After a typically great verse, he sings for a bit at the end say you not ready for this yet boy and it's over. A short and sweet, hard-hitting Phife solo. This was one of my faves for sure.

Pad & Pen feat D-Life


D-Life acts as the host, a la DJ Red Alert, and does the introduction and adlibs throughout. It continues with that live block party feel that was established on the last song. There's a reverberating, seemingly downbeat keyboard note played throughout, over a funky, upbeat groove. It makes for an interesting mix.

Phife and Tip go back and forth on their verses then handle the chorus together. The song is an ode to the art of hip hop and the importance of friendship.  My pad and my pen, the beat and the blend, the party won't end, so Keep gettin ends, Building with friends. It's hard to believe they were in turmoil.

As Phife says, though, Comedy can quickly turn to tragedy. Ain't that the truth.

Busta's Lament


This has a great start with the horns and drums, cutting in and out before the beat actually starts. It does that a few times throughout the song to emphasize a lyric or hook. The beat is really centered on that horn. It's a mellow head-nodder.

Phife and Tip have great verses, but the best part of the song are the several breakdowns.
After Phife's verse, the guys do a mini hook (Just) get it together, get it together (just) get it together. Then Tip does the chorus and there's another breakdown with the Busta yo yo yo yo sample. At the very end, rapper Know Naim (more like Horrible Name) gives a shoutout to the woooorrlld. It all comes together for a cool, laid-back jam.

Hot 4 U


This is another mediocre song. The rhymes are subpar; they are mostly just talking about girls and their own talents on the mic or in bed. Basically, it's just another day with Phife, anyway, although, to be fair, I'd give up a lot for just another day with Phife.

At certain parts, especially the chorus, there's this rising high pitched sound that keeps building and eventually peaks, then starts to come back down. It's kind of like a teakettle (making the song hot for you). There's also a cool xylophone sound during the chorus. Again, even the mediocre songs have many highlights.

Against the World


Back at you, right back at you.

This is dope. Me and you girl we go against the world. Yea the world.

This is another staccato beat. It makes you bop rather than groove. There's all sorts of sounds: the brush drum shooka shooka shook shooka, the little keyboard (?) doot doot at the end of each bar, the female voice responding to the guys on the chorus, Tip speaking French.

This is a great example of their still potent chemistry. Tip and Phife exchange lyrics, often going back and forth on the same bar. Tip: Prominent. Phife: Dominant. Sometimes they even finish each other's sentences.

There's also the cool effect when they say Slow you doowwwwwwwwwn...and the whole song slows to a full stop, then starts back up when they say pick you up! Even on their most "mature" album, they were always willing to experiment with sounds and styles.

The Love


Tip talks to us at the beginning So many people right now motivated to do some bullshit for some bullshit ass reasons. But we bout to put it into a love perspective.

Then the chorus starts We do it all for the love yall! Whether white, black, spanish, aint a thug yall! Tip proves again that he's very much underrated when it comes to rap choruses.

This has a ultra-positive vibe and it's impossible not to at least somewhat enjoy a song like this. It's another laid back beat with more straightforward drums and a light, jazzy sample; some might even call it pretty. On the verses, Tip shouts out some adlibs and often doubles up on the lyrics, so it's like two Tips rhyming. It's a cool effect but it leads to the question: where's Phife? Maybe he felt it would be hypocritical to appear on a song about "doing it all for the love"? Or maybe I'm reading too much into it? There's always a few Q-Tip solos on every album, so I don't really know.

Regardless, this is one of those timeless Tribe album cuts that could have easily been a single.

Rock Rock Y'all feat Punchline, Jane Doe, Wordsworth, Mos Def


This has a cool guitar sample over the drums. It's mellow, but funky enough to be enjoyable for the entirety of the song, unlike many posse cut beats.

Rock rock yall freak freak yall to the beat yall it's unique yall.

It's no Scenario, but it's a cool posse cut and album closer, so there are definite similarities.

Punchline has a good opening verse with some solid...punchlines. Jane Doe is above average and spits a quick "lyrical miracle" type verse. Wordsworth is next, and he does this interesting rising octave to falling octave in his bars. He's got some funny lines as well. Tip follows up with a typically solid verse, and then the closer: MOS DEF! This was one of the first times I heard him and I was an immediate fan.

They chant the chorus again and the song fades out. The song, and especially the chorus, is a throwback to block parties and the early Golden Era of rap. As usual, it seems simple on the surface, but there are a lot of layers to peel back. They are referencing old school rap while introducing the new school of rappers, closing out their careers by repping the history and passing the torch. Beautfiul.

Then there's 6 minutes of silence to preserve continuity. Cassette technology, baby!

If you had the CD, on the other hand, your lucky, keep-up-with-modern-techonology ass got all these bonus tracks:

Scenario Remix (feat Kid Hood and Leaders of the New School) 

Money Maker

Hot Sex

Oh My God [Remix] 

Jazz (We've Got) (Re-Recording Radio) 

One Two Shit (feat Busta Rhymes)

Look at that! You think I wasn't pissed when my friend put in his CD and a damn Scenario Remix started playing?! I DIDN'T KNOW THE SCENARIO REMIX EXISTED UNTIL 1998! I was clueless about a remix to my favorite song ever for 7 years! That is my greatest fault as a hip hop fan.  This really forced me to reconsider my preferred media. I had no choice at this point. I got my first CDs and CD player later that year for Christmas. ATCQ and the cassette era were both over.

Damn. Really solid way to go out though.


4 THUGS out of 5


Alas, the era of the mp3 is here and a new ATCQ album has arrived! Rejoice!

I Love You All...Class Dismissed. 

Diggin in the Cassettes: Beats, Rhymes, and Life

I love this album. Released on July 30, 1996, it was A Tribe Called Quest's 4th album overall, and their 3rd best in my opinion. Their sound and content had increasingly gotten a little darker, but also more commercial in some cases. It reached #1 on Billboard, attained platinum status, and was nominated for a Grammy for Best Rap Album.

Prof Thug's Diggin in the Cassettes Vol. 4

A Tribe Called Quest - Beats, Rhymes, and Life

The album cover made it clear that this would be darker than previous albums. 

It is far from a perfect album, but the title is perfect for Tribe, and I personally consider it a classic.

The album was their first to feature work from The Ummah, a production group made of Q-Tip, Ali Shaheed Muhammad and Jay Dee aka J Dilla. Once again, Tribe's sound was able to evolve without losing the overall Tribe essence and feel.

I was in high school at the time, so the darker, more aggressive vibe worked well for me. The industry continued to dampen their spirits, and a grittier sound was more en vogue at the time, with artists like Mobb Deep, Wu-Tang, and 2Pac dominating the soundscape. Not to mention, this was released during the (largely exaggerated, but commercially profitable) East Coast vs West Coast feud. Songs about leaving your wallet in a diner just weren't gonna cut it.

There was still a sense of playfulness, especially on songs like Word Play and The Hop, but a lot of the joyfulness from the previous albums was nonexistent. A major theme of the album is pressure (The Pressure, Stressed Out); pressure from the music industry, pressure from their relationships, pressure from society in general.  It had been 3 years since their last album and things were different. Hearing that their relationship started to fall apart during this era made sense. Phife moved to Atlanta. Q-Tip's cousin was brought into the fold. It was a different vibe.

But it was still Tribe, and Tribe is always great.


Phony Rappers (featuring Consequence)

Another. Great. Opening. Song.

I'm pretty sure I used this as an opening song for one of my legendary HAYO mixtapes (if ya don't know, ya better assssk).

It has great energy. Tip starts talking about running into people who want to challenge him as an MC. It seems there's a sanitation yard full of trash talkers. Phife tells a similar story. Money please I get loose off of orange juice. They are showing their superior skills on the mic compared to all other rappers, but this is a much harder approach that they've ever taken. The beat is a little more aggressive than ever before, too.

The chorus comes in over those crazy, almost discordant keys. Phony rappers who do not write, phony rappers, who do not excite. phony rappers you know they type.phony rappers.

On the last verse Phife goes back and forth with this new cat. His voice is a bit high, raspy, and a little mush-mouthed. He can rap and it's a dope verse, but...who is he? Why is he here? It turns out he's Q-Tip's cousin, Consequence. Ok, cool. Adding another voice definitely altered the vibe a little, though.

At the end of the song there's a sampled voice that comes in with aclosing statement:

This feeling of embarrassment..This shyness and bashfulness…
If you take that out of the people then these people will do whatever they want to do
And that is the very definition of America. A people who have no shame and therefore do whatever they want to do.

Man, if that doesn't sum up America right now, I don't know what does....


Get a Hold


Drifting drifting drifting drifting....drifting back. suddenly. 

And then this song comes in to offer us hope...or maybe current events have cause me to imbue new meaning into the song. Either way, it's a great song with some great insight:

Your lust for the riches make a nigga feel sick
Down to his zealots, upchuck and then spit
Denouncing my beliefs, well then your wig get split

It's a really laid back, zoned out beat. Q-Tip is on his grown man shit. Respect me for that and let me do my thing...We all got faults don't ever front try to think that your perfect. 

He also mentions my record company be on some true jerk shit, and says We hitting, yo bust how we too strong to be broken, Occasional malfunction pressure time, we ain't joking.

Tip acknowledges that things have changed (in society, with the group) but that they are too strong to let it get them down. To deal with stress and pressure, they must take control. That feeling hangs heavy over this album.


Motivators

This is a more uptempo, upbeat song. Definitely more playful than the first two songs. Tip, Phife, and Consequences trade bars back and forth. They all join in on the chorus we be the number one motivators over a jazzy sample.

Q-Tip: Will yall fall off?
Phife: Will Laura fuck Urkel?

So yeah, they're never too serious, thankfully.

Consequence also has a great pop culture reference While you be frogging like Bud-wei-ser and later shouts out Queens and various famous athletes, proving that he really did fit with the Tribe vibe. 


Jam (featuring Consequence)


As always, there's fantastic sequencing on the album. The last song flows perfectly into this, another uptempo, funky beat.

There's a little phone call introduction, with 2 girls talking about what they are doing that night. Then the guys start in and tell a story about their day and a night spent partying. At the end of the song/night, they see a bunch of people about to get into a fight. They decide to exit the party when the cops show up. The song ends with the guys drunkenly talking and getting in their car to leave.

This lives up to its name. It has a great vibe. There's no chorus or hook, just a jazzy little breakdown between verses. It's real simple and mellow, but it makes me happy, and that's what a good "jam" should do.

Crew


This beat has a very J Dilla vibe to it. Q-Tip talks about beef between good friends (foreshadowing?).

It's just one verse of him confronting a friend who slept with his wife. At the end a scene plays out with Tip yelling at the guy and friends trying to hold him back. Tip keeps screaming and threatening the guy, then shots ring out.

To say this is a tad darker than previous Tribe songs is an understatement.


The Pressure


This is probably my favorite song on the album. It starts with some scratching and a simple bass line Dun dun dun. Dun dun dun. Dun. Then a bunch of samples start up, layered on top of each other. Such a banger.

Tip starts off with a typically great verse. Then Phife comes in every dog has its day but fuck that its my year. Wooo they kill this song! They didn't miss a step lyrically on this album. Listening to it now is so refreshing. So damn good.

We feeling pressures in here, you know we feelin pressure.

Just look at the album cover. It was the Tribe trying to find their place in a world of chaos. They were dealing with fame and success and adulthood and a changing music industry, trying to navigate through it all successfully.


1nce Again 

This was the first single. It was nominated for a Grammy for Best Rap Performance by a Duo/Group. I was very excited about the album when I first heard the single. It was incredible. It starts off with a little remix of their infamous Check the Rhime back-and-forth hook: ya on point Phife, once again Tip, watch me bust they shit. The same thing with a little more edge.

Then comes the ooooooh ya did to me once again my friend by Tammy Lucas. She handles the chorus later as well.

Phife kills a verse then Tip kills a verse then its back to the chorus. Then Phife kills a verse, Tip kills a verse, then they do the back and forth call again, then it ends on the chorus. Terrific song structure.

It's definitely a little more commercial than the typical Tribe song, but it never lost the Tribe feel. It had more singing than usual but they had singing before (Vinia Mojica). It also had dope rapping, scratches, great drums, and a couple samples, so it was just plain ol' good hip hop. It wasn't quite as good as previous singles, and it's a shame the Grammy's took so long to give them credit, but this is an undeniable classic.

Mind Power (featuring Consequence)


So funky....mmmmmm...so funky....said mmmmmmm.

There are many great sounds on this song, especially that great main horn sample. And I  love how the various horn samples come in and out through the song.

This is somewhat fast paced and all three have some great lines. Phife has a particularly hilarious verse here. He references the Berenstain Bears. He gives a shoutout to Linden Blvd and Ali Shaheed Muhammad. Oh, and just because the album is a little harder than previous ventures, they are not trying to portray a fake tough guy image. Phife claims:

Now, all that Glock totin' trash you talk will not prevail
It's stale, you'll either be dead or in jail
I keeps it realer than the logo on milk
Denouncin tough guy wannabes that look smoother than silk

It ends with Tip repeating Uh uh Mind power! then he states Kickin willy is good all throughout your whole hood but we gotta start with the spirit first yall.

As usual, Tribe was never overly religious or spiritual, but the idea of a spirit (that funk,that rhythm) that lives through their music is always a key theme. That spirit is always apparent in their lyrics, in their voices. It is the spirit that lives through their beats, rhymes, and lives.

The Hop


Damn this song is good. Another great transition. It starts with the deep bass boom boom boom boom and Tip exclaiming Yeah, move your body, inside the party, We 'bout to bring it to you kid like we never ever did.

Tip then starts his verse Inside the ghetto or in a sunny meadow I'ma make ya move whether women or fellow. 

You can't deny the rhythm, the spirit of the Tribe.

Tip handles the chorus You gotta do the hop, you move to the beat, you don't stop, Now everybody here, you do the hop. The groove can not be stopped dammit! Tip has some of the greatest rapped choruses in history.

Phife once again murders his verse, stabbing up the track like his name is OJ Simpson. You? You're freeloading like Kato Kaelin. He gives props to Das Efx, Method Man, and Megadeth. Word is bond I am the baddest. With verses like this, he was, man. He really was.

Its the hottest thang thang thang!

Keeping It Moving


Something for your ear hole so you can clean them shits out. From Q-Tip. Ha.

Tip addresses some people who thought he dissed the West Coast (I think it was Westside Connection, that awful Ice Cube side group that instigated most of the Coastal beef). I don't know what the exact reference is but Tip assures people that he's no west coast disser or damn ass kisser.

Tip exclaims Hip Hop...a way of life. On later versions, it says hip hop could never be a way of life. I always wondered why they added that, or if it was intended to be there originally. Anyways, Tip is essentially saying there is more to life than just rap, in an attempt to ease tensions between coasts. Positivity is the key in the lock, Put your hand on it, turn it to the right, ak. But he also reminds people that they are not to be messed with on the mic: Figure 4 your ass like Greg the Hammer. His references here are on par with Phife's best references.

He ends by giving shoutouts to other rappers, many from the West Coast. Pharcyde ya know we do it up. Hiero ya kow we do it up. 

He also says I aint got no time for shuckin and jivin, basically saying let's stop this song and dance/beef bullshit that the industry takes so much pleasure in. It's a powerful reference to black entertainers from the past who had to shuck and jive to please their bosses and white audiences.  

Baby Phife's Return


This is a very late-90s J Dilla sounding beat. There are lots of samples layered throughout the song. It was never my favorite; it's nothing too special as far as Tribe songs go, but it's good.

Consequence handles the chorus while Phife handles the lyrics.

Crushin MCs as if my name was Sargent Slaughter (how great is that?!)
Keep shit hotter...than a sauna
Or better yet, the hormones on your Christian daughter
Hey, I tried to warn her

An average Tribe song, so still better than most.


Separate/Together

The beats have started to get a little lackluster, but this is still a great song.

Tip starts off with some bars about wack rappers (another common theme on the album) and addresses male-female relations: So brothers hold your heads high when you get down, Don't violate these women cuz we need them around, It's all of us together, not the one without the other. He follows that with the chorus we got to do our do, not separate together, then sings a little melody about sticking together through hard times.

A short but sweet little jam.

What Really Goes On


A great, jazzy, mellow beat with the bump the bump the bump bump yall. This is another Q-Tip solo. With no Phife, or Consequence for that matter, combined with a similar beat as the preceding songs, there is a slight lull in the album. All of the songs are good, but it gets a little monotonous.

Now when I say the beats are a little lackluster, or the songs are monotonous. I only mean that in comparison to their previous albums. Honestly, this song (and the few songs before it) are better than most on their debut; however, immediately prior to this album, they had 2 of my favorite albums ever back to back, so it's a little hard to maintain that level. Plus, I was into a much bigger variety of hip hop at that time. It was hard to stand out in hip hop in 1996.

But I want to stress (ha get it!) that it's still a great song and album.

Word Play (featuring Consequence)


This was another of my favorites on the album. It reflects the changes from their prior albums (featuring Consequence, a little darker beat, more aggressive, battle-type rhymes) but it did those things better here than on most songs.

They address wack rappers, big themselves up, talk about how to properly rap, and rap the chorus together. It still manages to be a little more moody, so it's not all fun and games, but it's a return to the more playful tone they always did so well.

Consequence definitely adds a youthful vibe; maybe they felt they had lost a step and needed a shot of youthful vigor, or maybe they needed a third wheel to take some tension off their relationship. It just feels like they don't have the same chemistry as before. It's a little more serious.

Stressed Out (featuring Consequence & Faith Evans)

And this is the most serious of all. They address stressful situations they've been through and/or are going through, and Faith Evans sings the chorus.

The music industry had officially gotten to them, in a couple ways. I'm sure the label pushed for the R&B collaboration, and their years of dealing with the label at least partially inspired the theme of the song and album.

The album version has a lot of Consequence. The video version had Phife as well. Needless to say, I was a little upset when I watched the video and saw Phife spit a classic verse: Dunn-da-lie, dunn-da-lo, dunn-da-lie, dunn-da-lee, Me no look for trouble but trouble done follow me. Eventually I found a DJ Clue mixtape that featured the video version, so all was well with the world.

Faith sings us out as the beat plays on. I think "airy" describes it best. There's even what sounds like an organ playing throughout, so it's rather spiritual. The lyrics evoke that sense of spirituality as well we gonna make it, ya know we gonna make it.

Really good song but a definite departure from their previous work, on many levels. It had an obvious commercial appeal, featuring a popular R&B singer on the chorus, and a breezy, radio-friendly beat, while addressing serious issues like mental health.

As far as sequencing goes, though, it's a great way to end the album.


On it's own, this album is a definite classic. In the Tribe's discography, it's only their 3rd or 4th best. I can still enjoy it immensely, and it's superior to soooo much music out there, but their two previous albums set an incomparable standard. Regardless, I highly recommend giving this album your time.

4.5 THUGS out of 5

I Love You All...Class Dismissed.