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The Low End Theory

 
Album Review: The Low End Theory
 
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Low End Theory

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  • Artist: A Tribe Called Quest
  • Rating: StarStarStarStarStar
  • Release Date: September 24, 1991
  • Total Time: 48:03
  • Type: Contains explicit content
  • Genre: Rap

Review

While most of the players in the jazz-rap movement never quite escaped the pasted-on qualities of their vintage samples, with The Low End Theory, A Tribe Called Quest created one of the closest and most brilliant fusions of jazz atmosphere and hip-hop attitude ever recorded. The rapping by Q-Tip and Phife Dawg could be the smoothest of any rap record ever heard; the pair are so in tune with each other, they sound like flip sides of the same personality, fluidly trading off on rhymes, with the former earning his nickname (the Abstract) and Phife concerning himself with the more concrete issues of being young, gifted, and black. The trio also takes on the rap game with a pair of hard-hitting tracks: "Rap Promoter" and "Show Business," the latter a lyrical soundclash with Q-Tip and Phife plus Brand Nubian's Diamond D, Lord Jamar, and Sadat X. The woman problem gets investigated as well, on two realistic yet sensitive tracks, "Butter" and "The Infamous Date Rape." The productions behind these tracks aren't quite skeletal, but they're certainly not complex. Instead, Tribe weaves little more than a stand-up bass (sampled or, on one track, jazz luminary Ron Carter) and crisp, live-sounding drum programs with a few deftly placed samples or electric keyboards. It's a tribute to their unerring production sense that, with just those few tools, Tribe produced one of the best hip-hop albums in history, a record that sounds better with each listen. The Low End Theory is an unqualified success, the perfect marriage of intelligent, flowing raps to nuanced, groove-centered productions. ~ John Bush, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track TitleComposersPerformersTime
Excursions Jonathan Davis A Tribe Called Quest (3:53)
Buggin' Out Ali Shaheed Muhammad, Malik Taylor, Jonathan Davis A Tribe Called Quest (3:38)
Rap Promoter Ali Shaheed Muhammad, Jonathan Davis A Tribe Called Quest (2:13)
Butter A Tribe Called Quest, Ali Shaheed Muhammad, J. Taylor, Malik Taylor, Jonathan Davis A Tribe Called Quest (3:39)
Verses From the Abstract Jonathan Davis A Tribe Called Quest (3:59)
Show Business Skeff Anselm, Jesse Kirkland, Ali Shaheed Muhammad, Q-Tip, Lorenzo Dechalus A Tribe Called Quest (3:53)
Vibes and Stuff Malik Taylor, Jonathan Davis A Tribe Called Quest (4:18)
The Infamous Date Rape Ali Shaheed Muhammad, Malik Taylor, Jonathan Davis A Tribe Called Quest (2:54)
Check the Rhime Alan Gorrie, Roger Ball, Malcolm Duncan, Steve Ferrone, Ali Shaheed Muhammad, Owen McIntyre, Malik Taylor, Jonathan Davis, Jame Stuart A Tribe Called Quest (3:36)
Everything Is Fair Skeff Anselm, Ali Shaheed Muhammad, Malik Taylor, Jonathan Davis A Tribe Called Quest (2:59)
Jazz (We've Got) Ali Shaheed Muhammad, Malik Taylor, Jonathan Davis A Tribe Called Quest (4:09)
Skypager Ali Shaheed Muhammad, Malik Taylor, Jonathan Davis A Tribe Called Quest (2:13)
What? Jonathan Davis A Tribe Called Quest (2:29)
Scenario Ali Shaheed Muhammad, Trevor Smith, Bryan Higgins, Malik Taylor, James Jackson, Jonathan Davis A Tribe Called Quest (4:10)

Credits

Ron Carter (Bass), A Tribe Called Quest (Arranger), A Tribe Called Quest (Producer), A Tribe Called Quest (Main Performer), A Tribe Called Quest (Mixing), Skeff Anselm (Producer), Charlie Brown (?), Busta Rhymes (?), Pete Christensen (Engineer), Diamond D (?), Eric Gast (Engineer), Joe Grant (Photography), Rod Hui (Engineer), Gerard Julien (Engineer), Tim Latham (Engineer), Ali Shaheed Muhammad (DJ), Bob Power (Engineer), Bob Power (Mixing), Q-Tip (Vocals), Anthony Saunders (Engineer), Jamey Staub (Engineer), Sadat X (?), Lord Jamar (?), Tom Coyne (Mastering), Jim Kvoriac (Engineer), Dan Wood (Engineer), Dinco D. (?), Marc Singleton (Engineer), Zombart JK (Design), Phife Dawg (Vocals), Christopher Shaw (Engineer)
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Wikipedia: The Low End Theory
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The Low End Theory
The Low End Theory cover
Studio album by A Tribe Called Quest
Released September 24, 1991
Recorded 1991; Battery Studios
Greene Street Studios
Soundtrack Studios
(New York, New York)
Genre Alternative hip hop
Jazz rap
Golden age hip hop
Length 48:03
Label Jive/RCA Records
1418-J
Producer A Tribe Called Quest, Skeff Anselm
Professional reviews
A Tribe Called Quest chronology
People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm
(1990)		 The Low End Theory
(1991)		 Midnight Marauders
(1993)

The Low End Theory is the second album by A Tribe Called Quest, released on September 24, 1991 through Jive Records. With the pairing of Q-Tip and Phife Dawg's lyrics, at turns socially charged, abstract and concretely grounded in reality, with groovy jazz samples, the album includes guests Brand Nubian, Diamond D and Leaders of the New School, the original rap group of Busta Rhymes.

Contents

Overview

The beats are widely different from the about-to-explode G funk sound being pioneered on the West Coast, and shares more of an influence with East Coast artists. With dominant basslines and sampled jazz horn solos, The Low End Theory has a distinctive sound that met the high expectations after their critically acclaimed debut People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm. The Low End Theory includes instrumental work from several pioneering musicians, including upright bassist Ron Carter ("Verses from the Abstract"). The Low End Theory ranked #154 in Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, #32 in Spin magazine's "90 Greatest Albums of the '90s", and was the album of the year for Spex magazine (also #10 on the "100 Albums of the Century").[1] It also made it onto the unordered The Source's 100 Best Rap Albums by The Source, the "100 Essential Albums of the 20th Century" by Vibe magazine, and "Essential Recordings of the 90s" by Rolling Stone.

The Low End Theory became a watershed album in the history of hip hop music. The album established alternative hip hop as a definable genre, distinguished by aware, often abstract or political lyrics, and a light-hearted sense of humor, along with jazz and other unusual sampling sources. The Low End Theory transformed alternative hip hop, leading the way from the jazzy pioneers like De La Soul towards future artists like Common and The Roots. The song "Scenario" helped break future hip hop star Busta Rhymes into the mainstream, partially as a result of its popular music video on MTV. Some sources, such as Angus Crawford of mvremix.com, say that "Scenario" is the best posse cut ever.[2] Phife Dawg, who fans thought of as adequate but nothing special on the first album, greatly improved his style on this album. This amazing turn-around is highly respected in hip hop circles. Songs like "Buggin' out" and "Butter" showcased Phife's new confidence.

Topics include the music industry's exploitation of musicians ("Rap Promoter", "Show Business"), music ("Excursions"), date rape ("The Infamous Date Rape"), violence in hip hop ("Vibes and Stuff") and the beauty of jazz ("Jazz (We've Got)").

It was certified platinum by RIAA on February 1, 1995.[3]

In 2006, the album was chosen by Time magazine as one of the 100 best albums of all time.[4]

When the album was first brought to the studio heads, they hated the album and thought it was not very good at all. People such as Barry Weiss (the former president of Jive, now the Chairman of the Zomba Label Group division of Sony Music) told them that it would be a commercial and critical failure. However due to the label's faith in Q-Tip and the rest of the group, the album was released mostly unchanged and it has since achieved worldwide critical acclaim.

Track listing

All tracks produced by A Tribe Called Quest unless noted.

# Title Performer(s) Time
1 "Excursions" Q-Tip 3:53
2 "Buggin' Out" Phife Dawg, Q-Tip 3:38
3 "Rap Promoter" Q-Tip 2:13
4 "Butter" Phife Dawg 3:39
5 "Verses from the Abstract" Q-Tip, Ron Carter, Vinia Mojica 3:59
6 "Show Business" (co-produced with Skeff Anselm) Q-Tip, Phife Dawg, Lord Jamar, Sadat X, Diamond D 3:53
7 "Vibes and Stuff" Q-Tip, Phife Dawg 4:18
8 "The Infamous Date Rape" Q-Tip, Phife Dawg 2:54
9 "Check the Rhime" Phife Dawg, Q-Tip 3:36
10 "Everything Is Fair" (co-produced with Skeff Anselm) Q-Tip 2:58
11 "Jazz (We've Got)" Q-Tip, Phife Dawg 4:09
12 "Skypager" Q-Tip, Phife Dawg 2:13
13 "What?" Q-Tip 2:29
14 "Scenario" Phife Dawg, Charlie Brown, Dinco D, Q-Tip, Busta Rhymes 4:10

Singles

Single information
"Check the Rhime"
  • Released: September 6, 1991
  • B-side: "Skypager"
"Jazz (We've Got)"
  • Released: November 27, 1991
  • B-side: "Buggin' Out"
"Scenario"
  • Released: March 13, 1992
  • B-side: "Butter"

Samples

  • "Excursions"
    • The Last Poets - "Time"
    • The Last Poets - "Tribute to Obabi"
    • Shades of Brown - "The Soil I Tilled For You"
    • Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers - "A Chant for Bu"
  • "Buggin' Out"
    • Jack DeJohnette - "Minya's the Mooch"
    • Lonnie Smith - "Spinning Wheel"
    • Michael Urbaniak - "Ekim"
  • "Rap Promoter"
  • "Butter"
    • Eighties Ladies - "Turned On To You"
    • Chuck Jackson - "I Like Everything About You"
    • Gary Bartz - "Gentle Smiles"
    • Weather Report - "Young and Fine"
  • "Verses from The Abstract"
  • "Show Business"
  • "Vibes and Stuff"
    • Grant Green - "Down Here on the Ground"
  • "The Infamous Date Rape"
    • Jackie Jackson - "Is It Him Or Me?"
    • Cannonball Adderley - "The Steam Drill"
    • Les McCann - "North Carolina"
  • "Check the Rhime"
  • "Everything is Fair"
    • Bobby Byrd - "Hot Pants... I'm Coming, I'm Coming, I'm Coming"
    • Funkadelic - "Let's Take It To The People"
    • Harlem Underground Band - "Ain't No Sunshine"
    • Willis Jackson - "Ain't No Sunshine"
  • "Jazz (We've Got)"
    • Five Stairsteps - "Don't Change Your Love"
    • Sly & the Family Stone - "Sing a Simple Song"
    • Freddie Hubbard - "Red Clay"
    • Lucky Thompson - "Green Dolphin Street"
    • Mountain - "Long Red"
  • "What?"
    • Paul Humphrey - "Uncle Willie's Dream"
  • "Scenario"

In Popular Culture

-The album is referenced throughout Kidz in the Hall's 2008 song "Drivin' Down the Block (Low End Theory)," which states, "Drivin' down the block/Low End theory tape's in/Playing number six/'Show Business' is my shit." The Song also samples Masta Ace Incorporated's "Jeep Ass Niguh," which states, "Low End Theory tape in; bass crazy kickin."

Charts

Album

Charts (1991)[5][6] Peak
position
U.S. Billboard 200 45
U.S. Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums 13

Singles

Year Single Chart positions[7]
Billboard Hot 100 Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks Hot Rap Singles Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales
1991 "Check the Rhime" — 59 1 28
1992 "Jazz (We've Got)" — — 19 —
"Scenario" 57 42 6 34

"—" denotes releases that did not chart.

Accolades

Publication Country Accolade Year Rank
The Arizona Republic U.S. 8 Albums That VH1 Missed 2001 *
BigO Singapore The 100 Best Albums from 1975 to 1995 1995 78
Blender Magazine U.S. The 100 Greatest American Albums of All Time 2002 53
Dance de Lux Spain The 25 Best Hip-Hop Records 2001 10
Ego Trip U.S. Hip Hop's 25 Greatest Albums by Year 1980-98 1999 2
Fast 'n' Bulbous U.S. The 500 Best Albums Since 1965 407
Juice Australia The 100 (+34) Greatest Albums of the 90s 1999 61
Kitsap Sun U.S. Top 200 Albums of the Last 40 Years 2005 151
LostAtSea U.S. 90 Albums of the 90's 2000 72
Mojo U.K. The Mojo Collection, Third Edition 2003 *
Music Underwater U.S. Top 100 Albums 1990-2003 2004 53
Paul Morley UK Words and Music, 5 x 100 Greatest Albums of All Time 2003 *
Pitchfork Media U.S. Top 100 Favorite Records of the 1990s 2003 56
Robert Dimery U.S. 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die 2005 *
Rock de Lux Spain The 150 Best Albums from the 90s 2000 128
Rolling Stone
(guest article by
Chris Rock)		 USA Top 25 Hip- Hop Albums [1] 2005 9
Rolling Stone U.S. The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time 2003 154
Rolling Stone U.S. The Essential Recordings of the 90's 1999 *
Spex Germany The 100 Albums of the Century 1999 10
Spin U.S. 100 Alternative Albums 1995 87
Spin U.S. Top 100 (+5) Albums of the Last 20 Years 2005 38
Spin U.S. Top 90 Albums of the 90's 1999 32
Stereophile U.S. Top 40 (+94) Essential Albums 2002 *
The Source U.S. The Source 100 best Hip-Hop Albums of All Time 1998 *
TIME U.S. The All-TIME 100 Albums 2006 *
Vibe U.S. 100 Essential Albums of the 20th Century 1999 *
Vibe U.S. 51 Albums Representing a Generation, a Sound and a Movement 2004 *
Zundfunk Germany The Best Albums of the 90's 2000 16
  • An asterisk (*) designates lists which are unordered.

Personnel

Main group members

Other musicians

Technical contributors

  • Skeff Anselm – producer
  • Pete Christensen, Eric Gast, Rod Hui, Gerard Julien, Jim Kvoriac, Tim Latham, Anthony Saunders, Christopher Shaw, Marc Singleton, Jamey Staub, Dan Wood – engineers
  • Tom Coyne – mastering
  • Joe Grant – photography
  • Bob Power – engineer, mixing
  • Zombart JK – design

References

  1. ^ http://hem.bredband.net/b135745/A830.htm more awards
  2. ^ MVRemix Articles and Features | The Best Posse Cuts of All Time | US and Canadian Underground Hip Hop - exclusive interviews, reviews, articles
  3. ^ http://www.riaa.com/gp/database/default.asp
  4. ^ The All-TIME 100 Albums
  5. ^ allmusic ((( The Low End Theory > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums ))). Allmusic. Accessed September 2, 2008.
  6. ^ Patricia Romanowski Bashe et al. (1995). The New Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll. Fireside, p. 1017. ISBN 0684810441.
  7. ^ allmusic ((( The Low End Theory > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles ))). Allmusic. Accessed September 2 ,2008.
  8. ^ Wax Poetic interview - Pete Rock - tribe.net
v • d • e
A Tribe Called Quest
Q-Tip · Ali Shaheed Muhammad · Phife Dawg · Jarobi White
Studio albums
Compilations
Solo albums
Singles
See also

This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)

 
 

 

Copyrights:

Album Review. Copyright © 2009 All Media Guide, LLC. Content provided by All Music Guide ®, a trademark of All Media Guide, LLC. All rights reserved.  Read more
Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "The Low End Theory".  Read more

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