sign in sign up
<<
Home , Ali Shaheed Muhammad, A Tribe Called Quest, Phife Dawg

Album Of The Week: ’s We Got It From Here…Thank You 4 Your Service

A Tribe Called Quest’s We Got It From Here…Thank You 4 Your Service

In the hip-hop genre, A Tribe Called Quest’s musical abilities can’t be matched. With an Afrocentric vibe straight from the streets of City, the act became a central part of the genre’s “Golden Age” during the late ’80s and early ’90s. After their initial breakup in 1998, fans were bummed and when they got back together in 2006 fans rejoiced. Tribe’s first album in 18 years (and also their last), We Got It From Here…Thank You 4 Your Service, comes out at the perfect time, providing socially conscious lyrics and tracks that are anthems for a world in which tensions are mounting. It’s also a tribute to their late member who passed away in March.

Q-Tip, and Jarobi White are back with an instant album of the year candidate. They also incorporated an all-star cast of collaborators including , , Anderson Paak and longtime colleagues and , just to name a few. The album makes it seem like Tribe never left with tracks that are consistent with the group’s jazzy and conscious style. They also push the envelope a bit in terms of structure and variety. In an era where people are uncertain about the future of hip-hop (as well as the world in general), A Tribe Called Quest rises with an album that might just be part of what we need right now.

What does Tribe have planned after the release? Will they be going on tour next year? Will they perform for the people protesting all over the country? Who knows? What we can all agree on is that it’ll be exciting to see what they’ll do next. Let’s hope whatever they do is as monumental as this album. In the meantime, examine the beats, rhythms and rhymes in my top tracks off of the Album Of The Week:

An interesting take on the growing wave of xenophobia in the United States, “We The People…” conveys how we all are struggling while hate distracts us all from the bigger picture. The bass hits hard and the groove is infectious. “Dis Generation” has that trademark incredible jazziness. Busta Rhymes makes a stellar guest appearance on the track, and the guitar sample is pristine. “The Killing Season,” full of anti-establishment rhetoric, has Talib Kweli, and Consequence about police brutality and its effect on the black community.

A Tribe Called Quest just lit up “” on November 12 with live performances of “We The People…” and “The Space Program.” People have already called it one of the best performances ever in the program’s 41-year history. Let’s hope they embark on a tour soon and come through New England. Until they hit your friendly neighborhood music venue, grab a copy of We Got It From Here…Thank You 4 Your Service when it’s physically released on November 18. You can listen to it online after you read this, but you’d rather have something you can look at and feel before you press play, right?

Stream “We The People” via Youtube: youtube.com/watch?v=CMvj4nD7quI; A Tribe Called Quest’s Website: atribecalledquest.com/