A Tribe Called Quest: Beats, Rhymes & Life (2LP) [JIVE]

Why you'll love it

This US-pressed 2LP set spreads the album over four sides. It debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and went platinum.

This edition

• 2LP set
• Pressed in the USA
• Stereo mix

About the album

A lot changes in three years. After Midnight Marauders, Phife Dawg moved to Atlanta, Q-Tip converted to Islam, and the group folded its production into a new team, The Ummah: Q-Tip, Ali Shaheed Muhammad and a young Detroit producer called Jay Dee, later known to the world as J Dilla. Q-Tip's cousin Consequence joined on the mic, and the whole mood turned more reflective and serious.

The Ummah went minimal, with a sparse, bass-heavy sound that recalls The Low End Theory, and The Source praised them for using samples as instruments in themselves. Jay Dee's beat for lead single "1nce Again," with Tammy Lucas singing the hook, became a smooth R&B crossover, Faith Evans lends her voice to "Stressed Out," and "Keeping It Moving" and "Baby Phife's Return" show both MCs sharp as ever. Bob Power mixed it, keeping everything clear and warm.

Colin Larkin praised the group's highly evolved lyrics, tackling big subjects with more philosophy than ever. It's also the first Tribe album with Jay Dee's fingerprints on it, which in hindsight is a bit like finding an early sketch by a famous painter in the attic.

Also at Kops: more A Tribe Called Quest on vinyl · browse Hip Hop / R&B

Tracklist

Listen

On Jive, a reissue of the 1996 album.