A Tribe Called Quest

Released: April 17, 1990

Songwriter: Roy Ayers Edwin Birdsong Q-Tip Ali Shaheed Muhammad

Producer: A Tribe Called Quest

[Intro: Q-Tip]
Fool: defined in Webster's
Open up the book, read it read it
Turn the page, see what it says
Read it to me will you, please

[Verse 1: Q-Tip]
One who acts doltishly
So what? What does it mean to me?
That's you (how's that?) 'Cause of the way you act (huh?!)
Standin' on the corner sellin' jumbos (What you talkin bout?)
Scarin' your friends and also your foes
What's the matter wit'cha boy? (Ain't nothin' wrong with me, mother...)
You big galoot (huh?), you nincompoop (what?)
What's wrong wit' you? You can't compute (Yes, sure I can compute)
Don't fix your lips to tell me you can
Standin' on the boulie playin' pusher man
What you got to do with yourself? (why?)
Can't you be somebody else? (no)
Look at you described to a tee (huh)
You're a fool of many in society (crazy)
I know some more, I shall go on
And continue in the song, fooled the fool

[Interlude]
"Fool" - scratched by Ali Shaheed
(Man I don't know what you're talkin' 'bout callin' me a fool
I've been out here for twenty-some-odd years
Doin' my thing, I ain't no fool, man
You crazy or something?
I'm gonna stick this, right up your...)

[Verse 2: Q-Tip]
The girl I talked to she's sort of neurotic (yeah)
Her crazy ex-boyfriend is really psychotic (uh-huh)
Scares the girl by threatening her life (word)
Says "Girl, you're dead if you're not my wife" (oh, man)
Beats in her public, beats her in private
Tried it 'round me, almost a riot (what you gon' do?)
Said "Forget him, don't you know he's a loser
Who would love a woman turn around and abuse her?" (oh)
Only a fool as described by the Tribe
Here's another one who's on the fool vibe (okay)
Gonna make it short, gonna make it quick (why?)
For this situation makes me sick (oh)
See your brother man, with a female (yeah)
His crazy ego tried to show he'll prevail (aha)
In any situation lady luck's on his side (word)
Emotions run free, nothing he will hide
Why I remember one sunny day (yeah)
Took my cousin to the park, so we can play (yeah, park)
On the way, a couple resembled
The one I just described, everything assembled
Another young man walked in their direction (yeah)
Bumped him a bit, excused his imperfection (mhm hm)
But the man with the lady grabbed the other by the neck (mhm hm)
Demanded an apology and also respect (uh-huh, uh-huh)
The young man aggravated grabbed him back and smacked him
The girl just laughed and laughed and laughed at him (oh man!)
He felt ashamed for what he had done
It looked like a fool to everyone (Oh!)
These are three stories from the naked city (yeah)
Reality, is sometimes a ditty (yeah, uh huh)
Like Rod Serling from The Twilight Zone
Earth to your brain--is anyone home? (what you talkin' 'bout?)
I see ya there, tryin to make amends
Try to make some friends, but now my story ends (oh man!)
On the note, that I just wrote
Stay afloat on the reality boat (oh)
Slow down and think and take it cool
And try to avoid the description of a...

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

more tracks from the album

People’s Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm

From the albums

A Tribe Called Quest popular songs

Description of a FoolA Tribe Called Quest

A Tribe Called Quest

People’s Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm