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Track: Busta's Lament
Artist: A Tribe Called Quest
Album: The Love Movement

Artist Bio

A Tribe Called Quest Image

Name: A Tribe Called Quest
Spotify Genres: jazz rap, east coast hip hop, hip hop, old school hip hop
Followers: 2,381,724
Popularity:

68/100

Biography

A Tribe Called Quest was a critically acclaimed rap group comprised initially of [a=Q-Tip] (b. Jonathan Davis ― later changed to Kamaal Ibn John Fareed in the mid-1990s upon conversion to Islam ― 10 April 1970, New York, USA), DJ [a=Ali Shaheed Muhammad] (b. 11 August 1970, Brooklyn, New York City, USA), [a=Jarobi] and [a=Phife Dawg] (b. Malik Taylor, 20 November 1970, Brooklyn, New York City, USA; d. 22 March 2016, USA). The group formed in high school in 1988 in Queens, New York City, NY, where they started as part of the Native Tongues Posse, with [a=Queen Latifah], [a=De La Soul], [a=Black Sheep], [a=Monie Love], and the [a=Jungle Brothers], and were given their name by [a=Afrika Baby Bambaataa] of the Jungle Brothers. Following their August 1989 debut, "Description Of A Fool," they had a hit with "Bonita Applebum" a year later, based on a classmate from their school. Their most significant success came the following year with the laid-back "Can I Kick It?" demonstrative of their refined jazz/hip-hop blend. This release earned the first ever "5-star" award from Source Magazine. Q-Tip also appeared on Deee-Lite's August 1990 hit, "Groove Is In The Heart." While their debut, "People's Instinctive Travels And The Paths Of Rhythm," was more eclectic and even self-consciously jokey, "The Low-End Theory" (recorded as a trio following the departure of Jarobi) blended boom bap beats with carefully selected jazz, funk, and soul melodies. ATCQ was helped considerably by jazz bass player [a=Ron Carter] (who had worked with [a=Miles Davis] and [a=John Coltrane]). Tracks such as "The Infamous Date Rape" stoked controversy, while samples from [a=Lou Reed], [a=Stevie Wonder], and [a=Earth, Wind & Fire] were used frugally and intelligently. Q-Tip appeared in the 1993 movie "Poetic Justice" opposite [a=Janet Jackson]. ATCQ was awarded the "Group Of The Year" after the release of 1993's "Midnight Marauders" at the inaugural Source Magazine Hip Hop Award Show in 1994 before being moved off stage by the arrival of [a=2Pac] and his Thug Life crew, who were attempting to steal some publicity. It was later determined this was an accident on 2Pac's behalf. In 1996 "Beats, Rhymes And Life" debuted at number 1 on the Billboard album chart with highly evolved lyrics addressing issues with greater clarity than their past recordings. "The Love Movement," which debuted at US number 3 in October 1998, was another mature, stylish collection of material. However, it lacked the spark of their earlier works. ATCQ released "We Got It From Here... Thank You 4 Your Service" on November 4, 2016, nearly 18 years after "The Love Movement" album. While recording verses for the album and his solo album, Phife Dawg passed away on March 22, 2016. During its first month of release, "We Got It From Here... Thank You 4 Your Service" was greeted with critical acclaim and fan support. The group has been awarded the Founders Award at the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Awards and was honored at the 4th VH1 Hip-Hop Honors. In 2017, the group was awarded the Brit Award for International Group. In 2024, the group was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Source: Discogs

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Release: A Tribe Called Quest - Rock Rock Ya'll / Busta's Lament
Year: 1998
Genres: Hip Hop

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Source: MusicBrainz

LYRICS

[Phife Dawg]
Fuck the car-jacking, Phife Diggy is rapping
Got dawgs with love and plus dawgs that's packin
So what's the deal Captain, if it's time for some action
Watch me roll with hon, try to push her back
Which one of these niggaz, think they fuckin wit dis?
Put your money on Queens, yo these cats is pissed
Meanin hot green and stinky, see shorty there winkin?
Hit her off so hard, that her eyes start blinkin
Then massage her down, with the word serene
It's the Dawg For Pres, new star on the scene
And I'm here for the battle, right down to the letter
If it rains today, then it's a double-header
Range Beemaz and Benz, 1100's and Jettas
Phife Dawg for whatever, just get it together

(Just) get it together
(Just) get it together
(Just) get it together

[Q-Tip]
Just get it together
No matter the weather, or where you at
This is how we gon' do it, cause we keep shit fat
You gotta

(yo yo) do it (yo, yo yo) do it
(yo yo) do it (yo, yo) do it
(yo yo) do it (yo, yo yo) do it
(yo yo) do it (yo, yo) do it

* a lot of "yo" from Busta Rhymes *

[Q-Tip]
Didn't you read the news, did you heed the alarm
It was good overall, it said that we was the bomb
I'ma make the call, and I hope you respond
We the stars y'all, and everyone beckons far
You a star and you shining, I'm one and I'm rhyming
Let's get together, start intertwining
Yo you coming with me, somewhere where you can't see
with his bonafide joints, underneath the sea
Of confusion and glitter, nobody's a quitter
Try to front and get ripped, from your ear to your shitter
Gon' put it on harder than anyone did
It would benefit you to keep a wide open lid
Makin sho' shot shit, makin sure you shine
Takin shows for sure, takin hearts in time
Do it all for the rhyme, and the rhythm and things
When we do it we bangin, like we inside the bang
Ain't doubtin nobody, when we inside the jam
But I'm proud overall, and I know who I am
As the constellation gets brighter this writer's goin

(yo yo) do it (yo, yo yo) do it
(yo yo) do it (yo, yo) do it
(yo yo) do it (yo, yo yo) do it
(yo yo) do it (yo, yo) do it
* continues with variations *

[Know Naim]
Aiyyo, yo, this is Bebe LawdLawd
Bigga BeBeBeBe LawdLawd, from the Know Naim
Aiyyo we doin this, LP, to the world...

* a lot of "yo" from Busta Rhymes *