A Tribe Called Quest were officially inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame this past weekend, and helping them celebrate the special moment were a few old friends.
After comedian Dave Chappelle introduced the legendary group and Q-Tip delivered an emotional speech, an all-star ensemble of Busta Rhymes, De La Soul, Common, Queen Latifah and The Roots hit the Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse stage to pay tribute to Tribe by performing some of their classic hits.
AD LOADING...
With The Roots as the live band and Maseo on the ones and twos, Latifah kicked off the medley with a live rendition of āCan I Kick It?ā before Black Thought and Posdnuos joined her for āCheck the Rhime,ā trading bars like Tip and Phife, respectively.
Common then brought his signature soul to the party to perform āBonita ApplebumāĀ before Busta closed things out with a typically raucous rendition of āScenario (Remix),ā luring the Dungeon Dragon back out of his cave.
AD LOADING...
After the performance, Busta wrote on Instagram: āTHE BLESSINGS DONāT STOP SO YOU BETTER KNOW WE DEFINITELY AINāT EVER GONNA STOP!! IN CASE YOU DIDNāT SEE THIS MONUMENTAL MOMENT AS WE CELEBRATED TRIBEāS INDUCTION @rockhall LAST NIGHT LOOK AT HOW WE HAD TO PULL UP FOR OUR BROāS!!ā
Common also shared a behind-the-scenes video documenting the special night.
Q-Tip and Jarobi White accepted Tribeās induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and were accompanied by the parents of the late Phife Dawg, while Ali Shaheed Muhammadās wife attended in the DJās absence. (It is not known why he was not present.)
During his speech, White said to Tip: āI love your dirty drawls, boy. I love you to death. Thank you for your tutelage, support, the gift of this life. I wouldnāt be the same without all of my brothers. Iām really glad and proud to call you guys my big brothers.ā
AD LOADING...
Q-Tip used his turn on the mic to thank each of the crew membersā families, before getting chocked up as he added: āAnd rest in peace to our brother Phife Dawg, I wish you were here,ā at which point he took a step away from the mic to gather himself.
āAnd thank you to Dr. Emma Boyce, Grandma as we affectionately called her,ā The Abstract continued, āfor allowing us to come into the house and hit the basement. And one other name Iāll mention is definitely Red Alert, who is a famed New York City DJ who gave us the shot.ā
Phife Dawg passed away in 2016 after struggling with issues related to diabetes.
Tribe were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame alongside Mary J. Blige, Cher, Kool & The Gang, Ozzy Osbourne, Dave Matthews Band, Foreigner and Peter Frampton.
AD LOADING...
They are just the 13th Hip Hop act to join the prestigious club following the likes of JAY-Z, Eminem, 2Pac, The Notorious B.I.G., Missy Elliott, Run-DMC and Public Enemy.