A Tribe Called Quest

Released: July 30, 1996

Featuring: Consequence

Songwriter: Q-Tip Phife Dawg Consequence J Dilla

Producer: The Ummah

Q-Tip:
One, two, what'cha wanna do
Three, four, cuz we're gonna give you more
Five, six, and we ain't the tricks
Seven, eight, and we got it straight
Nine, ten, cuz we make it blend
Eleven, twelve, never ever goin for self
Tribe Called Quest situation
Check it out

Q-Tip:
Power. People really get caught with this on different levels
Power controls your life
Money: The companion of the first. Some people tend to worship
And we know this ain't right

Phife:
Attitude (attitude) is how I get my point across
You can't call yourself an MC if you know that you're soft
Aggressive...is how the stage is approached. I burn MCs like toast
Cuz I'm the host with the most

Consequence:
Illin(illin) is what you do when you're assin
Whether it be you or all up in your fashion...
Cashin...it turns your people corrupt
It's six o'clock, yo, you gotta get your weight up

Q-Tip:
Sex(sex). Either a man or a woman
It's a gender, or when lovers get down
Froggin. When niggas try to play roles
But when they really need to put that shit background

Phife:
Miserable(miserable) is what your whole crew will be
If you're not original and you show no strategy
Heavenly...is how the track tends to flow
And if you don't know, tell em diggy said so

Q-Tip:
We livin this cuz it's deep in our bones
A Tribe Called Quest with this hip hop jones
So sit and analyze the lyrical spray
Cuz all it really is is word play(word play)(word)

Consequence:
Willie. That's what I kick to get this Millie on a lilly
Now, I'm baggin dimes like Chilli
Stress(stress). That's what I always go through
Cuz it's survival of the fittest on the 192

Q-Tip:
Knowledge. When the mind accept facts
On this plane of livin, knowledge be the key, black
Understanding. Gettin a grip on what's revealed
When shit be real, can't give understanding back

Phife:
Analyze. That's what I do to MCs
That be talkin bout they this and that, money please
Ego. I'm on my own jock skill
Cuz if I don't say I'm the best, tell me who the hell will

Consequence:
Cheeba smoke y'all. That's what I use to get high
When I'm in a rut and I don't know why
Try. Yo try again my friend
Cuz you can't see this MC representin Linden

Q-Tip:
Freestyle(freestyle). A true MC trait
And when you do it ill, niggas respect it as great
Yo, I gotta...(laughing)

Phife:
We livin this cuz it's deep in our bones
A Tribe Called Quest with the hip-hop jawns
So sit and analyze the lyrical spray
Cuz all it really is is word play(word play)

A Tribe Called Quest is to Hip Hop what Pink Floyd is to Rock ‘n’ Roll. With humble beginnings in Queens, New York, the group blossomed from the friendship of Jonathan Davis (Q-Tip) and Malik Taylor (Phife Dawg). Along with acts like Jungle Brothers and De La Soul—their comrades in the Native Tongues rap collective—they vitalized East Coast Hip Hop, setting the stage for the rise of mainstream and alternative hip hop alike.

Their style, a synthesis of avant-garde production and authentic lyricism, paved the way for the conscious and jazz rap movements. Alongside other upbeat artists like Digable Planets, Us3, and Guru, ATCQ opened up the world of afrocentrism to a wider audience.

MEMBERS

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Beats, Rhymes, and Life

From the album

Beats, Rhymes, and Life (1996)

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Word PlayA Tribe Called Quest

A Tribe Called Quest

Beats, Rhymes, and Life