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Track: Keeping It Moving
Artist: A Tribe Called Quest
Album: Beats, Rhymes & Life

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: 2,384,920
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 - Beats, Rhymes And Life
Year: 1996
Genres: Hip Hop
Styles: Conscious

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Source: MusicBrainz

LYRICS

Q-tip:
Somethin for your earhole, so you can clean them shits out
It seems that some don't understand what I'm talkin about
How you get west coast nigga, from west coast hater?
I could never dis a whole coast, my time is too greater(true)
Yeah, we from the east, the land of originators
You also from the west, the land of innovators
The only difference of the two is the style of the rap
Plus the musical track, this beef shit is so wack
Let me let y'all brothas know I ain't no west coast disser
Another thing I'm not is a damn ass kisser
So listen to my words as I set things straight
I ain't got no beef, so don't come in my face

Keep it movin, yeah to the k.i.m.
Keep it movin, yeah yeah to the k.i.m.
I ain't got no time for schuckin and jivin
Keep it movin, keep it movin, yeah yeah to the k.i.m.
Keep it movin, yeah yeah to the k.i.m.
I ain't got no time for schuckin and jivin

Q-tip:
Hip hop...a way of life
It doesn't tell you how to raise a child or treat a wife
I verbalize over...rhyme friendly
That puts a listener in a frenzy, so pop me in your benzi
You dig it? get wit it or get your melon splitted
If you ever try to combat, sir walter moves the king
We got the illy team that doesn't even sweat the gleam
Or glamour, we'll figure 4 your ass like greg the hammer
Man, we rockin joints like the who or santana
Keep jams packed and hotter than havana
Positivity is the key in the lock
Put your hand on it, turn it to the right, ak
We doin daredevil dandies on these mics
Peace out to the whole hiero who's puffin on the hydro
Yeah dun, we movin how we like
Since the days of rockin hi-los, we keepin things on pyro, fire
As we move with zeal and desire
Now, the hip hop plan, hope you complier
Son, we havin tunnel vision but my sight is real real broad
Cuz I can't afford to miss that call
Makin moves, not movies, as get on the ball
And we keepin things covered like a female shawl
When I watch hockey, yo, I just look for the brawl
Quest, quest and you know we signin out y'all

Keep it movin, yeah yeah, to the k.i.m.
Keep it movin, yeah yeah, to the k.i.m.
I ain't got no time for schuckin and jivin
Keep it movin, yeah yeah
Keep it movin, yeah yeah, to the k.i.m.
Keep it movin, true dat, to the k.i.m.
I ain't got no time for schuckin and jivin

The pharcyde, you know we do it up, uh, you know we do it up, uh
The hiero, you know we do it up, yeah yeah, you know we do it up
Yeah, to the mobb deep, the infamous, we do it up, yeah yeah
You know we do it up
To my peoples know naim, yeah, you know we do it up, uh uh
You know we do it up
To my man dj quik, uh, you know we do it up, uh uh, a do, a do it up
To my man biz mark, yeah yeah, you know we do it up, uh uh
You know we do it up
To my man ike love love, you know we do it up, yeah yeah
You know we do it up
And my man extra p, p, you know we do it up, uh uh uh-uh, uh, uh up
I can't forget dr. dre, uh, you know we do it up
Mc eiht, uh, you know we do it up
Shelly mae, uh, you know we do it up
Muhammad, uh, you know we do it up (fading out)