A Tribe Called Quest

Released: September 29, 1998

Songwriter: Q-Tip Phife Dawg Ali Shaheed Muhammad

Producer: The Ummah

[Intro: Q-Tip]
Who that at the door? (Yo, Tip, it's her)
What you doin here, in front of my face? (repeat 3X)
You didn't want my...you didn't want it
So go somewhere where you are wanted
But if you want to, then you can come here
Come here, yo

[Verse 1: Q-Tip]
Have you ever met a woman that just took your breath?
(yeah uh huh uh uh, yeah uh huh)
So deep inside her life, she contemplated death
(damn she deep, give a fella the creeps)
Can't help but get attached to a woman like that
(true that, true that, true that, true that)
The contact was quite immediate, I had to attack
(Because you the man, yo, you know you the man)
We related and debated over food and tunes
Started out in September, now we entering June
(say word, say word, say word)
Simple night in the crib, no, it just won't do
(No, it just won't do, no, it just won't do)
Know why? Because she liable to start shit too wild for you
(wild for you, wild for...)
She wanna push my whip, buy diamond chips
And take on trips, conversin my flip
Gotta do her hair, take her out to the fair
Win a teddy bear, make sure you don't stare
At another one comin, don't be startin nuthin
Be a slave to her, don't be brave to her
Make sure that she's right, make sure that you're wrong
When she wants it, do it, make sure that it's long
If anyone wanna make it work it's me
(Phife Dawg, help me out, Phife Dawg, help me out)
But we gotta come to a common ground baby
(What you say, pop? What you say, pop? Help me out)
Any man, he can claim to be the one for you
(Say word, for you, say word, for you)
But put it straight to yourself and realize what's true

[Hook: Q-Tip & Phife Dawg]
And if it's me then let's get it going on
And if it's me then let's get it going on
And if it's me then let's get it going on
And if it's me then let's get it going on
Get it going on, let's get it going on
And if it's me then let's get it going on
And if it's me then let's get it going on
And if it's me then let's get it going on

[Q-Tip]
Phife Dawg in the break, is she more than you can take?

[Verse 2: Phife Dawg]
See, I'm not the one to be taken advantage of
And if you really think about it, I got nuthin but love
Now if your heart isn't in it, please let me know
There's no need to waste time, if it's no, then I'll go

[Hook: Q-Tip & Phife Dawg]
And if it's me then let's get it going on
And if it's me then let's get it going on
And if it's me then let's get it going on
And if it's me then let's get it going on
Get it going on, let's get it going on
And if it's me then let's get it going on
And if it's me then let's get it going on
And if it's me then let's get it going on

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.

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