A Tribe Called Quest’s Q-Tip was visibly (and audibly) heated in a series of Instagram videos he posted on Tuesday (November 28).
After the Grammy Award nominations were revealed and ATCQ’s last (and final) album, We got it from Here … Thank You 4 Your service was noticeably snubbed, the Hip Hop legend went off on the Recording Academy’s oversight.
In the first video, Tip mentions that people are pointing out this is the first year in Grammy history that no white men were nominated in the Artist of the Year category, something he evidently thinks is irrelevant.
“Y’all think it’s some sort of caveat because this is the first time that no white man is ever nominated in no major categories and shit,” Tip says. “We were the most black cultured group out. That’s all we stood on. That’s what we represented. This fucking album that we just put out — this last Tribe album — it stands with everybody else’s shit that’s up there. I don’t give a fuck.
“Respect to everybody who’s nominated and all that, but whatever, I’m speaking for mine,” he continues. “Sick of y’all Grammy fucking niggas. Fuckin’ get us to get out there and fucking perform last year and close that shit, and y’all don’t get us no fucking nominations?”
In a second video, he called out the Recording Academy for historically snubbing legendary artists, including Bob Marley, Marvin Gaye, Jimi Hendrix and Led Zeppelin. At the same time, he gives a major shout-out to the “GOAT” LL Cool J, who is being honored at the Kennedy Center next month.
“None of y’all rap niggas don’t say shit. Fuck that. Don’t say shit. Muthafuckin’ right I’m hot. The last fucking Tribe album. Y’all niggas don’t even give us no fuckin’ nominations? Y’all don’t even fuckin’ give Bob Marley a fuckin’ Grammy. Marvin only got fuckin’ one. Jimi ain’t got none and shit. Led Zeppelin … y’all niggas is corny.
“You know what, come over to the Kennedy Center in December,” he added. “We’re going to honor the GOAT LL [Cool J] and shit, and give him his fucking nomination and award and shit. Come see what the fuck we’re doing over there. Fuck y’all Grammy niggas. Fuck y’all.”
We got it from Here … Thank You 4 Your service was released in November 2016 to critical acclaim (HipHopDX gave it a 4.4 out of 5 in our review).
During the recording of the album, Phife Dawg passed away due to complications stemming from diabetes. Along with Jarobi White, Ali Shaheed Muhammad and Consequence, Tip carried the ATCQ torch on an extensive tour, which culminated at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colorado and marked the group’s final show in the United States.
This dude is so insecure with himself.. You were the “blackest” huh? Um…. Ok.
Calling him “this dude” tells me you’re not qualified to comment.
Was he supposed to say “this n-gger” instead?
You completely missed the fucking point. He’s right. They’re legends and this was their last real shot at a Grammy. Fuck the Grammys. They’re bullshit.
How is “fuck grammys” when they gave all sorts of hip-hop respect this year? Every body can’t be nominated all the time
So just because its their last album they should be handed a participation award like your fatass was given everytime you sucked in P.E sorry thats not the way the real world works man bet you dont even top $50K a year with that bitchass mentality lmao
#GrammysSoWhite #KillWhitey
ATCQ’s album was not good. That is all.
Youre right, it was not good.. its a GREAT album. Not necessarily saying best of the year, but definitely deserves at LEAST a nomination.
Just because their legends doesn’t mean their most recent average ass album should be nominated. It wasn’t anything special
Today’s wack as f–k industry only cares about the mumble and trap trash, you are clearly not playing a c o o n role Tip, therefore the Grammys don’t care about you.
That album was Phenomenal. That album got half the hood thru the Trump election cuz it dropped right after Trump got nominated. Str8 gems all throughout. “Melatonin” “Black Spasmodic” “Conrad Tokyo” “Enough”. List goes on. And Tip SNAPPED all throughout. AND he did all the beats. That album hasnt left the whip since it came out. Tell em Tip. “Fuck awards keep reppin Queens!”
STOP!!!!……Aint nobody in the hood bumping this album…Only snowflakes like album
Well then fuck your wack ass hood, because that album was dope from top to bottom.
Way to be a little bitch q tip god damn worse than a little 5 year old who wanted 2 candy bars but only got one what a bitch
Never seen Tip heated like this but he’s completely right.
I’m a huge Tribe Fan but this album wasn’t anything special. Last album doesn’t mean you deserve a accolades they have that already.
When will we wake up and stop begging these racist organizations to honor us its sad here in 2017 we still begging
Love TCQ but I’m sick of these dudes crying over a fuc–ng grammy really you make money off your music, you can tour and make even more money you’re considered a legendary group and you’re worried about a trophy that you know record labels are paying for. I don’t considered this a legit gripe, just because you feel you’re album deserve a nod doesn’t mean it deserve one, I thought the album was good, but not close to big krit, Bone thugs new waves, Meek Mill wins and loses, or Big Boi album. Too much complaining and crying in Hip hop
Hey Q Tip guess what? I would normally care, but I wasted my money just to see you at your FINAL performance in San Francisco at OSL. You no showed the event because you didn’t feel like performing. I literally do not care about your petty whining. Normally I would feel for you, but Phife Dawg was the heart of tribe. RIP Phife
Smh at black artists, never fucking satisfied….
If we really want to keep it real, given the pool of hip-hop albums that dropped, Thank You For Your Service didn’t have a chance compared to 4:44 and Damn, but, yes, Tribe should have been in the conversation.
Thank You For Your Service is by far a better album than 4:44. 4:44 is just so derivative and I don’t understand how anyone can empathize with the content on 4:44 with everything that Jay Z has done in his career.
“Who gives a f**k about a GODDAMN GRAMMY?”- Public Enemy
Let me be one of the few on here to say that I LOVE that last Tribe album and it definitely deserved a nomination. But c’mon Tip, it’s not worth the fight, the Academy only cares about wack new generation shit. Like Phife said “I never let a statue (award) tell me how nice I am!”…R.I.P.
TUPAC SHAKUR THE GREATEST RAPPER EVER TO TOUCH THE MIC NEVER WON A GRAMMY
GRAMMYS ARE RAN BY A BUNCH OF CRACKAS
EXCUSE MY FRENCH FAM
Honestly it would never even cross my mind to nominate Tribe if I were on the Grammy nominating committee. They usually just pick the cats from a given year that have sold the most, right? Past few years its been Kendrick, Drake, Eminem, and Kanye, with Chance the Rapper getting one last year. Tribe is not relevant like they were in the ’90s to the mainstream (when they got nominated for best rap album 2 different years), Tip, sorry for the truth bomb.
Actually what you said is far from the truth. The Grammys always pride themselves on awarding more artistic, obscure stuff. The biggest sellers don’t win that often. When I first heard that Tribe album I thought it would be Rap Album of the Year. It’s tight as hell.
You guys need to research before you type or speak. ‘The Grammys always pride themselves on awarding more artistic, obscure stuff’.. lol. Since when? Look through the rap album winners and you’ll find that you are speaking crap. Eminem has won 6 times. Kanye 3, Outkast 2, Kendrick, Drake, Wayne…. Yeah, real obscure stuff…
You right about that part. That’s not what I meant though. Should’ve been more clear. I wasn’t talking about actually winning the awards. I meant the Grammys pride themselves on awarding NOMINATIONS to more artistic, obscure stuff. Tip is complaining about even being nominated, not winning. Just like the nominated Rapsody and Tyler the Creator with Best Rap Album nominations this year.
I don’t think that’s true either though. Check the nominees from the history of the award. Maybe it’s true of other genres, I don’t know, but not hip hop. 99% of the nominees have been mainstream af. Even Tyler though, it’s a reach calling him obscure.
Well the Tribe album went gold, so that kinda kills your “biggest sellers” theory right there.
Why do we continue to worry about the Grammys. They should be irrelevant. They have no place in hip hop. Artists don’t need that weakvalidation. Just make music.
I thought “real” hip hop didn’t care for grammys.
My only question if they all corny and it don’t matter cause the greats got 1 or none…why does it matter in the whole scheme of things Q? Why you mad bro?
the video literally ONLY explains why…..
It’s rhetorical bro…
Album wasn’t that good. Overrated. Stick with their old work.
4:44 wasn’t that good. Way overrated. Jay Z should stick with his old work.
Nice one, parrot… 444 is closet to good jay than tribes album was to their classic albums.
closer*
I have 2 closets in my home.
4:44 sucked, Tribe’s album was better.
With everything that has gone on in American politics and around the world, Tribe’s album should have been nominated for a Grammy. It’s always been said that real hip hop artists don’t care about the Grammys. Of course they do. If you have a category for rap/hip hop then you need to acknowledge rap and hip hop. They base their nominations on sales which is why you end up getting bullshit artists/groups being nominated (Iggy, all the L’il idiots). Tribe album was one of the best of the year.
Well, the Grammys just allowed an antisemetic pos get nominated tip, what do you expects?
THEY DIDN’T MENTION IT BUT HE ALSO CALLS OUT 9TH WONDER FOR SOMETHING……..
I don’t know why he cares much. As he mentioned BIG artists never got a grammy, so he shouldn’t worry if he doesn’t get one. Those awards are not about good albums but about the most popular ones
It didn’t even crack my top 15 for Hip Hop within the last year. There were some really great songs on the album, but there were better albums out there. He’s making himself look bad. He should have just vented to those close to him–not publically.
The Grammys really fucked up ATCQ’s “Award Tour” schedule lol
If you think their album wasn’t anything special, then you’re either mentally slow or a troll. For me, this album was an artistic triumph.
I could care less 4:44, I think there is just a certain inertia around Jay Z when he drops something and everyone thinks its great but very few real people care. Look at Jay Z 4:44 tour, half seats are empty every night on his tour. The only song I can remember off of it is Story of OJ and that’s more for the video.