A Tribe Called Quest

Released: September 24, 1991

Songwriter: Q-Tip Ali Shaheed Muhammad

Producer: A Tribe Called Quest

[Intro: Q-Tip]
It's a fly love song

[Verse 1: Q-Tip]
To the effect of nothing, effective fronting
Is what I don't allow so let me tell you something
I am a bonafide
Not too modest and not a lot of pride
Soon to have a ride and a home to reside
If my mama is sick I'm by her bedside
Used to watch the show on Channel 4 called Riptide
Wash my wears in Tide cause it's too damn cold out-tide
That's how the runnings go
If there ain't no dough then there ain't no show
So take your roly poly fat promoter (ass)
To the Chemical Bank, and get my cash
If you wanna see the people scream and laugh
You best Quest, you ask the Quest, you ask real fast
Cause I don't wanna see 'em, start bucking
Throwing chairs in the air while you be ducking
What what? Don't step to me with that
If you promoting a show make sure it ain't wack
Or else I'm leaving ("Let me tell you")
I'm leaving ("Let me tell you")
I'm leaving ("Let me tell you")
Your wack show

[Interlude: Q-Tip & Phife Dawg]
Yo man what's up with that?
Yo don't sweat me
C'mon, five hundred, that was the deal
C'mon man, don't try to play me out
We don't need you, sorry!
And the Abstract rapper says

[Verse 2: Q-Tip]
I want chicken and orange juice, that's what's on my rider
And my occasional potato by Ore-Ida
Don't forget my pastry make sure they're tasty
I'm not the type to be pushy or hasty
See I'm the type of bro that's reared in the ghetto
Took a few shorts before
Now the only ones I take are the ones that I wear
Ain't taking no shorts no more, now
Please act proper 'fore I call the CrimeStoppers
Don't dip on the dough, cause that's a no-no
Make sure you count your money real slow
Be alert, look alive, and act like you know
It's, the 90s, time to make moves
Not, the 80s, do away witcha womb
So what? You got a crew
I got one too, they're called the Brooklyn Zu
Don't break fool, let's be reserved and cool
We don't have to act like we in grade school
Just make sure that we're taken care of
And we'll do a fly show for ya bub, check it out

[Outro: Q-Tip]
Diggy dang diggy dang gi-dang gi-dang diggy diggy
Dang diggy dang gi-dang gi-dang diggy diggy
Dang diggy dang gi-dang gi-dang diggy diggy
Dang diggy dang gi-dang gi-dang diggy dig-

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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