Hip hop rap group on the quest for perfect rhythm

By David Pollard and Fred Hueschel

Hip hop has hit a new hype, but in a manner that is full of flavor and once you get a taste of A Tribe Called Quest you’ll be coming back for seconds.

The group’s new album titled “People’s Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm” reveals to the listener a different and refreshing new twist to hip hop. Although the album is different, it still stays close to the rappers devotion “to the art of moving butts.”

The album is full of fresh rhythms predominantly derived from the jazz influence. In their sampling, A Tribe Called Quest used a lot of horns and drums to give some of their tracks a real “cool jazz” feel.

Their music is still afro-centric, maintaining the beat and rhythm that rap is founded on. “Our name alone says straight where we come from,” said band member Q-tip.

The foursome is composed of Q-tip, Ali, Jarobi and Phife. The members came together because of their love for rap’s vibrancy and a determination to make their mark on music. Their first single, “Description of a Fool” was a vicious opposition to drug dealers, woman beaters and gangsters.

One of the group’s more popular hits is called “I Left My Wallet In El Segundo,” one of rap’s first Mexican flavored songs, and tells the story of a teenage roadtrip.

Another popular song which will soon be popular is “Push It Along” which is smooth but very rhythmic and danceable.

The 90s are the decade of funkadelic, of rap and roll, of the quest for the perfect rhythm.

That quest is being adequately pursued by A Tribe Called Quest. They “Push it Along” with night creeping rhythms punctuated by slick, shivering cymbal crashes clicking out the time like a pocket watch in a smooth, silk suit.

These boys have clearly got the time all day long on songs like “Luck for Lucien” which pants and chants to the tune of a wavering crescendo of funkadelic sound.

One thing these boys have a lot of is class. The horns in “Footprints” and Beatles in “Push it Along” are two examples of this sound.