Staff Pick: Amy
You know what, at age 48, I listened to Low End Theory in its entirety for the first time. I know, I'm not just late to the game, I missed it entirely. Q-Tip has moved on to a million other producer projects, word magician Phife Dawg is dead, etc. But Low End Theory will always exist as a perfectly constructed artform connecting the universe to all that you can do with jazz samples and drum breaks. It gifts the listener original rap solos, advanced rhymes, and style upon style upon style. The music is fresh, positive, in love with itself and having a lot of fun, even a mere 30 years later. In reverence to Ron Carter, there are few, if any, n-words or f-words on the album. It's just extremely pleasurable and finishes out with a great reward: guest rapper Busta Rhymes' delivery on What's the Scenario.
I painted a 3' x 3' acrylic painting of the cover for our store, and went down the rabbit hole. If you want more Tribe, check out Hanif Abdurraqib's book, Go Ahead in the Rain: Notes to A Tribe Called Quest.
PS: I just looked on Wikipedia, and this album is listed on just about every publications list of Top 100, Top 50, or Top 25 rap albums, essential albums, and all-time albums.
--Amy
New, sealed, double LP.
Track listing:
Excursions (3:53)
Buggin' Out (3:38)
Rap Promoter (2:13)
Butter (3:39)
Verses From the Abstract (3:59)
Show Business (3:53)
Vibes and Stuff (4:18)
The Infamous Date Rape (2:54)
Check the Rhime (3:36)
Everything Is Fair (2:59)
Jazz (We've Got) (4:09)
Skypager (2:13)
What? (2:29)
Scenario (4:10)