Music Banter - View Single Post - Beats, Rhymes & Life: A Journey Into Hip Hop

dollarsandcents · 10-30-2009, 09:52 AM

A Tribe Called Quest - The Low End Theory
Released in 1991 (Jive)

Due to the name of the journal, I feel there's no better place to kick off this journey than with one of my favourite artists, A Tribe Called Quest. A hugely influential group in the genre, they formed in 1985 and were part of the Native Tongues Posse, a group of like minded hop hop artists in the late 1980's. Along with artists such as De La Soul and The Jungle Brothers, they pioneered a new brand of hip hop which was typified by jazz samples and culturally relevant intelligent and open-minded lyricism. ATCQ consists of Q-Tip, Phife Dawg and Ali Shaheem Muhammad, with a few other short-term members for certain albums. This core has remained the same through the decades into the present, with Q-Tip (rapper/producer) also possessing an impressive discography of smooth, laid back hip hop.

With such a amazing collection of albums, I could have probably chosen any of their releases, however I decided on their second album titled The Low End Theory. The album has a lid back swagger from start to finish, characterised by the jazzy beats and smooth flow of Q-Tip and Phife Dawg. The double barreled emcee attack works so naturally here, where in other groups this can often seem forced. A sort of tag-team interplay between the two exists, often trading short verses on similar themes. Lyrics are always thoughtful and refer to a variety of social issues at the time, ranging from date-rape to consumerism and trends in American society at the time.

I believe in general the main caveats which need to be satisfied for a successful hip hop album are the beats, rhymes and life. Production on the form of the beats/instruments, the content and lyrics which are coupled with this, which are influenced by life.. the experiences and issues which are put across by the music. I feel all too often these ingredients are haphazardly thrown together. It is very rare that all three are pulling in the same direction and I believe this is one of those records where it is most apparent, and what a joy it is! The smooth an laid back beats match the thoughtful issues at hand, portrayed by the almost lackadaisical delivery of the two emcees. All too often a huge production and loud beat (which may sound stunning alone) overshadows the lyrics, or even worse, a verse which tries to match or overcome a cluttered beat which creates an unsavory listening experience and overcrowded tracks. A balance is needed, these factors need to compliment each other. It's almost as if the beats and rhymes on The Low End Theory were never separated, that they are symbiotic and could not exist apart. It really is a joy to listen to, liquid hip hop in the golden era.

Standout tracks? Take your pick. There's a handful of track which are prime examples of great jazz hip hop. Look no further than Jazz (We've Got), the clue is in the name after all! Released along with Buggin' Out as a single in 1991 with a pretty cool video in and around New York. Uber smooth and with various jazz samples, it's almost indescribably cool. Absolutely timeless and as described above, the natural fusion of the beat and the lyrics has never been so clear. The interplay and comradery between Q-Tip and Phife is evident setting each other up for the next verse, a nice touch and maintains cohesion such as the end of the first verse of Jazz (We've Got).

I don't really mind if it's over your head
Cuz the job of resurrectors is to wake up the dead
So pay attention, it's not hard to decipher
And after the horns, you can check out the Phifer

They say a picture/video tells a thousand words, but I think checking out the YouTube video below really gets across the theme at the time. The final verse of Buggin' Out is delivered acapella and the video beings in black and white and eventually turns into colour as the track goes on. Relaxing and uplifting. Many people associate hip hop with violence, greed and lyrics glorifying guns, money and material living. It doesn't have to be like that. Hip hop can be low key, jazzy and intelligent, and ATCQ helped to pioneer this ethos, their music transcending time and remaining as relevant and on point as it was back in 1991.

In summary we are rewarded with a thoughtful, pensive and groovy album which has stood the test of time. Personally I believe many early hip hop albums appear dated when viewed now, which is certainly not the case with the full ATCQ discography. The jazzy and soulful production has influenced many and is the benchmark for this branch of intelligent and jazz infused hip hop.

I realise fans of hip hop will have probably heard this already but it seemed a great starting point. I didn't really want to jump in with some more obscure things until I'd got a few classic and influential albums out of the way, building a solid base to kick on from you might say. So check it out, play it loud and unwind to the jazzy vibes of one of the finest groups to grace the genre.

We got the jazz, we got the jazz. We got the jazz, we got the jazz..

10-30-2009, 09:52 AM	#5 (permalink)
dollarsandcents more tea vicar? Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: England Posts: 193	A Tribe Called Quest - The Low End Theory Released in 1991 (Jive) Due to the name of the journal, I feel there's no better place to kick off this journey than with one of my favourite artists, A Tribe Called Quest. A hugely influential group in the genre, they formed in 1985 and were part of the Native Tongues Posse, a group of like minded hop hop artists in the late 1980's. Along with artists such as De La Soul and The Jungle Brothers, they pioneered a new brand of hip hop which was typified by jazz samples and culturally relevant intelligent and open-minded lyricism. ATCQ consists of Q-Tip, Phife Dawg and Ali Shaheem Muhammad, with a few other short-term members for certain albums. This core has remained the same through the decades into the present, with Q-Tip (rapper/producer) also possessing an impressive discography of smooth, laid back hip hop. With such a amazing collection of albums, I could have probably chosen any of their releases, however I decided on their second album titled The Low End Theory. The album has a lid back swagger from start to finish, characterised by the jazzy beats and smooth flow of Q-Tip and Phife Dawg. The double barreled emcee attack works so naturally here, where in other groups this can often seem forced. A sort of tag-team interplay between the two exists, often trading short verses on similar themes. Lyrics are always thoughtful and refer to a variety of social issues at the time, ranging from date-rape to consumerism and trends in American society at the time. I believe in general the main caveats which need to be satisfied for a successful hip hop album are the beats, rhymes and life. Production on the form of the beats/instruments, the content and lyrics which are coupled with this, which are influenced by life.. the experiences and issues which are put across by the music. I feel all too often these ingredients are haphazardly thrown together. It is very rare that all three are pulling in the same direction and I believe this is one of those records where it is most apparent, and what a joy it is! The smooth an laid back beats match the thoughtful issues at hand, portrayed by the almost lackadaisical delivery of the two emcees. All too often a huge production and loud beat (which may sound stunning alone) overshadows the lyrics, or even worse, a verse which tries to match or overcome a cluttered beat which creates an unsavory listening experience and overcrowded tracks. A balance is needed, these factors need to compliment each other. It's almost as if the beats and rhymes on The Low End Theory were never separated, that they are symbiotic and could not exist apart. It really is a joy to listen to, liquid hip hop in the golden era. Standout tracks? Take your pick. There's a handful of track which are prime examples of great jazz hip hop. Look no further than Jazz (We've Got), the clue is in the name after all! Released along with Buggin' Out as a single in 1991 with a pretty cool video in and around New York. Uber smooth and with various jazz samples, it's almost indescribably cool. Absolutely timeless and as described above, the natural fusion of the beat and the lyrics has never been so clear. The interplay and comradery between Q-Tip and Phife is evident setting each other up for the next verse, a nice touch and maintains cohesion such as the end of the first verse of Jazz (We've Got). I don't really mind if it's over your head Cuz the job of resurrectors is to wake up the dead So pay attention, it's not hard to decipher And after the horns, you can check out the Phifer They say a picture/video tells a thousand words, but I think checking out the YouTube video below really gets across the theme at the time. The final verse of Buggin' Out is delivered acapella and the video beings in black and white and eventually turns into colour as the track goes on. Relaxing and uplifting. Many people associate hip hop with violence, greed and lyrics glorifying guns, money and material living. It doesn't have to be like that. Hip hop can be low key, jazzy and intelligent, and ATCQ helped to pioneer this ethos, their music transcending time and remaining as relevant and on point as it was back in 1991. In summary we are rewarded with a thoughtful, pensive and groovy album which has stood the test of time. Personally I believe many early hip hop albums appear dated when viewed now, which is certainly not the case with the full ATCQ discography. The jazzy and soulful production has influenced many and is the benchmark for this branch of intelligent and jazz infused hip hop. I realise fans of hip hop will have probably heard this already but it seemed a great starting point. I didn't really want to jump in with some more obscure things until I'd got a few classic and influential albums out of the way, building a solid base to kick on from you might say. So check it out, play it loud and unwind to the jazzy vibes of one of the finest groups to grace the genre. We got the jazz, we got the jazz. We got the jazz, we got the jazz.. __________________ My Blog: You And Whose Army? Last edited by dollarsandcents; 10-30-2009 at 12:33 PM.