The Low End Theory

A Tribe Called Quest | Format: Vinyl

Product Details

• Vinyl (November 12, 1996)
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Jive
• ASIN: B0000004Y8
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (184 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,291 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #37 in Music > Rap & Hip-Hop > Experimental Rap
  • #43 in Music > Rap & Hip-Hop > East Coast

Track Listings

1. Excursions

2. Buggin' Out

3. Rap Promoter

4. Butter

5. Verses From the Abstract

6. Show Business

7. Vibes and Stuff

8. The Infamous Date Rape

9. Check the Rhime

10. Everything Is Fair

11. Jazz (We've Got)

12. Skypager

13. What?

14. Scenario

Editorial Reviews

TracklistA1 Excursions 3:53 A2 Buggin' Out 3:38 A3 Rap Promoter 2:13 A4 Butter 3:39 B1 Verses From The Abstract 3:59 Bass - Ron Carter Vocals - Vinia Mojica B2 Show Business 3:53 Co-producer - A Tribe Called Quest Featuring - Diamond D , Lord Jamar , Sadat X Producer - Skeff Anselm B3 Vibes And Stuff 4:18 C1 The Infamous Date Rape 2:54 C2 Check The Rhime 3:36 C3 Everything Is Fair 2:59 Co-producer - A Tribe Called Quest Producer - Skeff Anselm D1 Jazz (We've Got) 4:09 D2 Skypager 2:13 D3 What? 2:29 D4 Scenario 4:10 Featuring - Leaders Of The New School

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

80 of 85 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "If it moves your booty then shake, shake it baby", June 21, 2003

By 

Wheelchair Assassin (The Great Concavity) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Low End Theory (Audio CD)

Well, here it is: after more than 250 reviews, my first ever of a rap album. And I can't think of one more deserving than "The Low End Theory." It's because of albums like this one that it pays to keep an open mind. Much like rock, hip-hop over the past decade (or at least its public face) has been largely a non-stop parade of mediocrity, but A Tribe Called Quest provided convicing proof of just how much potential the genre actually has. Instead of focusing too much on establishing a threatening image or blasting the listener's eardrums with mindless and overbearing basslines, Tribe married the seemingly contradictory poles of jazz and rap with more musicality and intelligence than anyone would have a right to expect. The uber-smooth Q-Tip and Phife spat out witticisms and allusions with a flow that puts the likes of DMX and Ja Rule to shame. The jazzy drums and bass in the background give the music a warm and organic feel, in sharp contrast to the canned beats that predominate in hip-hop (with a few exceptions) these days. Perhaps most importantly, the fourteen songs here are all irresistibly catchy. If you can't bob your head to tunes like "Excursions," "Buggin' Out," the aptly titled "Butter," and the concluding rave-up "Scenario," chances are you're way too uptight. Busta Rhymes's guest spot on "Scenario" even makes me want to get down, and there are few people out there more rhythmically impaired than I. "The Low End Theory" is a great reminder of how little things like fun and artistry could make for a great album. That's certainly a lesson that more people in every genre would be well advised to heed.

36 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Never too late, August 11, 2003

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Low End Theory (Audio CD)

Ok....I'm a fifty year old mother to 4 teenagers. I've stayed pretty "hip" thru the years, but always resisted rap or hip-hop. My son and I recently had a discussion about the genre and he suggested I start with the Tribe. Damn. I love it. Can't stop playing it.
It's the best sound I've heard in a verrry long time.
I'm new again. That's what music is supposed to do. Make the experience of sound new. Get it, all you old rocksters.

34 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A hip-hop classic indeed!, August 3, 2004

By 

H. Yu "smashnthrash" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Low End Theory (Audio CD)

I was in the local library one day. Looking through the CD section, I happened to come across Tribe Called Quest's CD "The Low End Theory". Since I never really listened to them (apart from watching their videos on MTV), I decided to check it out. All I can say is that I wasn't disappointed in the least bit! To sum it up, TLET is a very jazzy, bluesy CD with intelligent, playful lyrics and then some! In my honest opinion, Q-Tip is one of the smoothest (if not THE smoothest) MC's around! By that, I mean he is definitely as smooth as butter (his voice that is). Very glib and articulate too. Don't get me wrong, Phife Dawg is lyrically talented and on point as well, but I think Q-Tip stands out more. In general, TLET flows with both talent and a style unlike anything else I've heard. Now, I can see why The Source gave this CD five mikes! In any case, I've started listening to more hip-hop (preferably old school like Eric B. & Rakim and De La Soul but some new groups too like Jurassic 5 (love those guys!) and The Roots). This is coming from someone who mainly listens to alt-rock, punk, and indie!