Review Summary: A fantastic start to the career of one of the best hip hop groups of all time.
People's Instinctive Travels and the Path of Rhythm, is the stellar debut from A Tribe Called Quest. On the album, the group consisted of Q-Tip (as an MC/producer), Jarobi White, Ali Shaheed Muhammed (as a DJ/producer), and Phife Dawg (as an MC). However, the album was dominated by Q-Tip, with Phife Dawg having verses here and there, Jarobi crafting song concepts occasionally (although he left the group shortly after the album's release), and Ali Shaheed Muhammad helping with production. However, this isn't me negating the group's chemistry, as they all help a great deal.
The production on this album hasn't aged one bit, and the instrumentals are very well layered. With laid-back, upbeat instrumentals, the production fits the general atmosphere perfectly. Songs like "Footprints" and "Bonita Applebum" have some of the finest production hip hop has to offer, and are bound to put you in a good mood. Although lyrically the group isn't highly complex, their subject matter and sense of humor more than make up for it. Tracks like "Ham 'N' Eggs" demonstrate the album's upbeat feel. Along with their socially conscious lyricism, their flows are laid back, and fit the album very well.
People's Instinctive Travels is a classic album, and one of the best hip hop albums of all time. Each track sequences perfectly into the next, as interludes precede most of them. Although Tribe's following 2 albums received much more attention, I believe this one deserves just as much acclaim as those. This album is definitely one of the best albums to put you in good mood, for the group's sense of humor, as well as upbeat (and fantastic) instrumentals.
Ratings:
1. Push It Along: 5/5
2. Luck of Lucien (feat. Lucien Revolution): 5/5
3. After Hours: 5/5
4. Footprints: 5/5
5. I Left My Wallet in El Segundo: 5/5
6. Pubic Enemy (feat. DJ Red Alert): 5/5
7. Bonita Applebum: 5/5
8. Can I Kick It?: 5/5
9. Youthful Expression: 5/5
10. Rhythm (Devoted to the Art of Moving Butts) (feat. The Rhythm Kids): 5/5
11. Mr. Muhammad: 5/5
12. Ham 'N' Eggs (feat. The Rhythm Kids): 5/5
13. Go Ahead in the Rain: 5/5
14. Description of a Fool: 5/5
Best songs:
Bonita Applebum
Can I Kick It?
Footprints
Rhythm (Devoted to the Art of Moving Butts)
Push It Along
Weakest song: Ham 'N' Eggs
Production: 10/10
Lyrics: 10/10
Overall rating: 100/100
Grade: A+
