Elevated to the status of gods thanks to their 1990s run, A Tribe Called Quest’s legacy amounts to a mostly pristine pinnacle in a youth-driven genre where elders are known to eventually disappoint. Thus, news of them stepping back up to bat within months of co-captain Phife Dawg’s earthly departure was met with concurrent excitement and skepticism.
Despite their catalog arguably lacking major missteps, the greatest concern about their latter day reunion was the possibility of technological advances randomly inserting the Five Foot Assassin’s ghost over beats he never physically rapped on à la 2Pac and Biggie’s posthumous works. Moreover, if a new album was done in secrecy, would Q-Tip and Phife’s once dynamic chemistry still exist 18 years removed from their originally planned finale, The Love Movement?
Keeping the spirit of Phife’s smugly dry sarcasm alive, the title We Got It From Here…Thank You 4 Your Service suggests A Tribe Called Quest was pursuing a full-fledged return to form before tragedy struck. Honoring their tradition of vocals building up to the opening drum, “The Space Program” is the first time an LP has begun with the two leads reciting in unison as if their brotherly bond was never in question. This different variation on their sound features day one enigmatic member (and sharp MC in his own right) Jarobi White whose first verses within the context of the group appear on We Got It From Here… A perfect summation of the crew’s nearly three-decade-long history, handclaps celebrate the memory of former Tribe producer Jay Dee amidst live instrumentation representing the visionary method Q-Tip begun applying with Kamaal/The Abstract, his first solo journey outside of straightforward Hip Hop.
Musically adventurous and genius yet humble in nature, Q-Tip has somehow always kept a timely finger on the pulse of where culture is and where it ought to be headed. His last release, The Renaissance arrived the day of Barack Obama’s first election, now We Got It From Here… confronts a society that’s abandoned hopes for a sensible democracy in favor of xenophobic celebrity Donald Trump’s rise to power. Though Kamaal Fareed’s universal appeal has never restricted him to a “conscious” label, “We the People….” sounds like an urgent harbinger of the apocalypse. An updated spin on Tribe’s formula, here a dark and heavy bass line runs alongside neck snapping drums as they attack systematic ills from reality television to gentrification and the GOP’s discrimination based around income, race, religion and sexual preference.
Rather than teaming back up to attempt the impossible task of replicating the Golden Age, with We Got It From Here… A Tribe Called Quest finds reenergized chemistry amongst long time familial peers. Back in good graces after a publicized 2011 falling out with his cousin Q-Tip, Consequence’s subdued appearance on “Whateva Will Be” matches the somber state of our present world. The street-oriented “Mobius” gives him greater shine, that is, until Dungeon Dragon variation Busta Rhymes steals the show as he’s historically done when in rare form. Forever indebted to his brethren for a career spawning appearance on “Scenario”, the unofficial member repays the favor in spades exchanging hasty West Indian patois with Phife on “Solid Wall of Sound” over a soft Elton John piano melody. “Dis Generation” is one of the greater highlights, a funky refreshing execution of Tribe’s goal to fuse the past and the future. A trance inducing reminder of their brightest moments, here their core members rap lines together in the vein of Old School rap crews, while Busta once again comes off more inspired than he’d openly admit to being in years.
Unintentionally bridging the mainstream and underground scenes before there was a rift for observers to gripe over, for this final hurrah A Tribe Called Quest welcomes respectable extensions of their lineage from both sides of the field. Reclusive legend Andre 3000 shows up to rouse the youth towards high self-esteem over a light galloping keyboard melody on “Kids…,” a joint effort that meshes vintage Outkast and Q-Tip’s experimentation in recent years. On a far less organic and natural note, 2016 MVP candidate Anderson. Paak’s singing takes up more than half of the allotted time on “Movin’ Backwards.” Also out of place, Native Tongue branch Talib Kweli and modern day reluctant hero Kendrick Lamar assume place filler roles on “The Killing Season” and “Conrad Tokyo” respectively.
Though A Tribe Called Quest’s sixth LP doubles as a public eulogy for Phife Dawg (with his life memorialized on “Lost Somebody” and “The Donald” where he reclaims the name from our unbelievably nominated 45th president), We Got It From Here….Thank You 4 Your Service is a reminder of why they’ve come to be so emphatically renowned worldwide. Routinely creating zen for true lovers of the art, Q-Tip and Phife function around inspiring humanity to push forward while sticking to their guns and never compromising to keep audiences interested. Through thick and thin, Tribe embodies the fully fleshed out idea of the Hip Hop their impassioned audience clamors for: work that’s soulful, thought provoking, and gripping enough to transport minds away from strife to another world sonically.
Fire Album!!!!
Not enough Prife. Also, sounded more like a Q-Tip album than a Tribe album. That good vibe/spirit was absent this time around. Whenever you hear tribe, it brings you a certain joy. More soft rock samples as opposed to jazz. However, without those expectations, I still say this is a solid effort.
Phife passed away while making this album, so “not enough Phife” is a form of criticism which ain’t reasonable.
And aside of that, Phife never was featured all the way through on any Tribe album.
I totally get that, but still a valid. It is a critique of the album, because no matter circumstances, that’s reality. But also a testament to his value. He kept tribe grounded.
True that, and had he been around longer, he would’ve gotten more verses on the album. And talking about verses: while I think that including Anderson .Paak & Kendrick Lamar is a solid given (it’s 2016, after all), I think it’s a missed opportunity as Tribe’s last album by not having cameos by for example De La Soul or a Dres to make this a 360 affair, instead of Kweli (always reliable, though) or multiple verses by Cons & Busta.
And I like the album a lot, but what I truly miss this album are those typically neck-snapping Tribe beats, like “Check The Rhime”, “Oh My God”, “Start It Up” or even a “Renaissance Rap”.
Straight classic
A Masterpiece!!!
nothing like tribe called quest. this album is a reminder of how hip hop used to be: it was all about the message and the artistry. this is a relic. i know it’s an amazing album. they always put out classic albums. never expected less from them. i can tell Q-Tip put that same level of energy on the production like he did with his last album. That album was excellent as well, Rest in peace, Phife.
Pure Dopeness!! R.I.P. Phife.
CLASSIC ALBUM. i miss this hip hop. BUSTA RHYMES RAPPING IN HIS OLD STYLE IS WTF FENOMINAL.
Although I have all of their albums, I’ve never been a super Tribe fan. This album is straight fire; something hip-hop really needs in terms of pure quality. Like their first album, I’ll be banging this for a long time.
I rank it between MM and BRL as the third best Tribe album
Now that’s HIPHOP!!!!!!!
Peace to Phife…He is still spiritually with his crew. DX owes Tribe another “.6” on the album rating to push it to 5. The album production is the most perfect blend of hip hop, rock, jazz, soul, funky rhythms, and modern music that I have ever heard. All of that on top of an album recurring, relatable, and relevant message highlighting racial tension in America. Nothing about cars, drugs, clothes, women, or money. Jarobi White’s ill and dope flows is the most shocking aspect of this entire album. Kind of makes us wonder how much more dope would previous Tribe albums have been with more Jarobi lyrics. Phife, Tip, Busta, Consequence, Kendrick Lamar, Dre 3000, and Talib are all in classic form and delivered lyrical heat. The album is seamlessly progressive to make it 5 years ahead of the current rap game. No track is wack, none are out of place, and are all dope. Music and lyrical content are coming at us at a rapid…AK-47 pace. This Tribe album is a hip hop classic in its purest form and is definitely album of the year.
Word to Jarobi!!! Inspired!!
kendrick kills his verse
I hate to say it but it’s tribe’s weakest album. The beats are just not there. I’m sorry to say this but tribe always moved the crowd with their tunes. This album is a self indulgent q-tip affair with no bangers on it at all. I’ve been with tribe since day one and I still bump award tour, find my way etc but this album is all expectation and no delivery. A sad end to one of hip hops finest. Sad to say this album is just not on point and is like a phantom menace or rocky 5 to the collection.
Kid Bean, you sleeping wake up! Qtip went in! Great supporting cast by busta, consequence and jarobi the wildcard with those lyricals. I still wonder if he took Phifes rhyme book
Daman, that’s the thing. I’ve been locked on tribe since day and this album feels all wrong. They always had those beats and the lyrical play was always on point but this joint ain’t saying one. It’s more like one of those Kanye experiments that nobody cares about. Trust me, I’m gutted and I’m trying to prove myself wrong but alas, like the last De La Soul project, this album will be forgotten real quick. I remain unconvinced.
Well, it’s April and people are still playing this album so I guess your opinion was wrong.
Ever heard that digital album that Jarobi and Dres made a couple of years ago? I think it’s called “Speed of Life”.
That was the first time I heard Jarobi rhyme. Kind of like a sleeping giant.
Kid Bean have you been down since “People’s Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm”? I’ve been a Fan since Q Tip was featured on Dee Lite’s -“Groove is in the Heart”. For someone who says they’re a Tribe Fan I’m shocked you said there’s no bangers on this album. Tracks like “The Space Program”, “We The People”, “Dis Generation”, “Kids”, “The Killing Season” and “Conrad Tokyo” are all dope. The album has a Vintage ATCQ sound but it still has a new twist to it too, maybe it’s the way they mixed the album. Has more of a live, raw type of sound to it. The only thing that sucks about this album is that Phife passed during the Recording process. But I’m grateful that all Four Members got back together and were vibing in the Studio like that used to. If you take this album in again you’ll see that it’s dope I think it’s even better then “The Love Movement” which was an album they didn’t even all record together due to Q Tip and Phife not being cool at the time. Dope Production, unique sound, dope flows, Vintage Tribe with a twist and features like Talib Kweli, Kendrick Lamar, Busta Rhymes, Consequence, Andre 3000 it’s kinda hard to go wrong. The only thing missing on this album was a Native Tongues Posse cut and a dedication track to Phife. With that being said ATCQ still remain as my favourite Rap Group.
RIP Phife Dawg, RIP J Dilla (ATCQ and the Ummah live on)
Actually scratch that “Lost Somebody” is a dedication track to Phife. The only thing missing is a Native Tongues Posse cut featuring let’s say Busta Rhymes, Queen Latifah, De La Soul, Jungle Brothers, Monie Love, Chi Ali or even Black Sheep etc. That would of been perfect but regardless the album is dope!!!! RIP Phife
Thank you for bringing back hip hop.
Dope just like De La’s.
Was lying in bed when I decided to browse iTunes for any new music, had to double take when I saw tribe in the pre orders, album is straight fire!
5/5
Did Ali Shared Mohammed have anything to do with this new tribe album ? Overall the album is nice!
all the scratches, plus writing credits on each song, and i read somewhere he helped Tip with the production of the album. But who knows….
Hi Butterworth,
I was thinking the same thing. Ali Shared Mohammed is the real beatmaker for tribe but I think Qtips ego forced their hand to give himself too much power and this is a result. A very weak tribe album.
Nah man, that really ain’t true: the album credits on their first three albums did read ‘Produced by A Tribe Called Quest’, but that was meant as to make it look like a group thing. In reality, Tip did almost ALL the beats on Tribe’s first three albums, with the exceptions of those done by Skeff Anselm and the beat to “Push It Along”. That supposedly is made by Ali.
Pretty sure Q-Tip does most of the beat making for tribe.
What? Are you for real? Ali is not the beatmaker for ATCQ
Such a treat of an album
4.5/5
best since Midnight Marauders
Tribe album fire, back to the good old days. Qtip back on his shit, love the production Qtip especially changing the beat up. Ego hard!!
Gave my thoughts on the album but forgot to give my rating. I’d give it Four Mics just like The Source days
RIP Phife Dawg
go oldschool source…. 4 albums
Dope…RIP Malik!!
Phenomenal and Much needed for the Culture
If this doesn’t get a 5 then what does? Hard to rate albums, but I’ll respect the 4.4. I agree with the sentiment below.. the production on this album is gorgeous, but I want more Phife. This album is incredibly emotional due to his death, the circumstances of society, and mostly Phife’s death. Their live performance on SNL made me shed a tear… gut-wrenching stuff. Love hip-hop, love this album. It definitely requires multiple listens with Tip’s rapid fire delivery and everyone’s bars, not to mention the intriguing beats on this album. The production feels new and old… timeless really.
GOATS
As someone who remembers when “Low End Theory” literally *changed the world*, this album is a worthy conclusion to one of the greatest hiphop careers on record. They actually pulled off the tough task of sounding like themselves without sounding dated, and I think they did it by very subtly tapping the wells of Funkadelic and dub reggae.
This tribe album was much needed! Thank you for your service!
This is not the first album to open with both frontmen rapping at the same time – Latyrx did that 19 years ago. As for the final ATCQ album? Sounds like an EP’s worth of demos and Q-Tip album-offcuts stretched across an hour. Busta Rhymes ruins this album. All the other guests fit in surprisingly well.
This is the first time it happened on an album by A Tribe Called Quest. Q-Tip opened Excursions, Phony Rappers, and Start It Up by himself. Phife opened Steve Biko
How do they sound like demos?
I love tribe. I’m an A1 day 1.. This album to me perfectly brought the greats back together for 1 last go. The production was crazy!!! Busta added that special native tongues family vibe to it and as usual came through & smashed like we know he could.. Bittersweet tho, missing Phife diggy, but I know he’s feeling it & was there in spirit as they put the finishing touches on the album. “No space program” is a definite reality to those of us still facing adversity daily in this crazy country. This is how you come through!!! This is HIP HOP!!!!
Busta and Cons blackout on Mobius
good album all these queens on one album… yes all these nikkas iz gey, but they sure do put together good music. tip and bussa are lovers… just imagine the time them and Elton john had together…(another queen)
hate that this is or might be the last album but its a nice sign off
Rating this album anything under 5 is a mistake.
Forgot to rate it.
Instant classic. Best Hip-Hop Album of the last decade. If you dont think this is a classic. Stop listening to Hip-Hop
This album is poor and wouldn’t get on my list of top 20 classic albums. We throw around terms like classic too easily these days. Tribe are a classic group, but this album is their weakest by a country mile and should never be considered a classic in any capacity. Atcq should have got little brother or 9th wonder involved to help them remember themselves. They got lost with this album.
Real old hip hop I hope some others follow it has been a long time since there has an album this good
yep….. Album is a legit 5/5
Love this album so much. Totally disagree w/ reviewer about the Paak and Kendrick features. Those songs are two of the best on the record, esp. Conrad Tokyo.
Fuckin crazy this album is straight fire. How this wasn’t the top rated album fucks with my mind
Ummm…. This dude rated Chance the Rapper coloring book album higher than this!?!?!
I mean that was a good album but not better than this album.
Nice album.
This album is underwhelming for Tribe standards. The content & the rhyming are great on the album. But sonically it’s a disappointing body of work. As great of a producer as QTip is, there is no texture to the sound on the album. In comparison to their best work…Low End Theory, Midnight Marauders…it’s a very overproduced body of work. The standards of Hip Hop are so low that fans are so desperate for something new to be great or classic, so they overrate & overhype things, but you’ll see in a couple weeks when the replay value is gone on this album.
Well, it won’t be a classic like Marauders, Theory and Instinctive travels, but it’s still a damn good album. Don’t agree about the produktion at all. Maybe you should give it another listen.
idk bruh define texture, cuz they are layers and layers of sampling, simple example is wall of sound
This ain’t 1996…..
You are spot on man. This album is weak. Too many people are getting caught up in the romanticism of ATCQ. Their legacy is epic but this album is poor by any hip hop standard. I don’t hear anybody bumping any of these tracks and the beats are wack. Truth be told, they need to go back to the midnight mauraders formula and get back to real beats. In the meantime, I’ll listen to Little Brother and Foreign Exchange and hope Tribe come back to correct this mistake of an album.
You know nothing
First half was dope af 2nd half slacked!!
Classic.
It’s just not good. Not because it’s new, but because it sounds wack.
Dumbest shit I’ve heard……
How does it sound wack?
Please kill yourself
great album, fantastic production
If you voted less than 5 you probably don’t like music.
seriously? Some of y’all motherfucker must be deaf to be rating this under a 4!
A straight classic.
Whoa… dudes actually rating this 2s and 3s? This is a minimum 5 album
yep!
Hella Dope !!!
Easily the album of the year.
5/5
Still listening to the damn album 24×7.
best ”hip hop” album i’ve heard in the last 5 years
without a doubt.
why arent people talking about this like they did kendricks last album??? kendricks album was great but this is a classic!
Dope.
Classic.
This album is an instant classic. It’s sad to think that this is will will their last.
No fucking way you rated Coloring Book from Chance over this Tribe Album. Jesse, are you fucking deaf and can’t read lyrics either? This is easily Hip Hop album of the year and probably one of the most important albums released this year.
classic
Greatest Album of The Year!
Easily the best Hip Hop album of the year.
This is AOTY and a legit 5/5.
As perhaps the biggest Tribe fan in the world, behind Busta Rhymes, I had very somber expectations of this album. The first time I listened to it, I quickly realized that this is what Hip-Hop has been yearning for (and somewhat unfairly expects from artists like Kendrick)…an ALBUM.
Take into context, Tribe’s body of work for a second…and you will quickly realize that this is a modern day version of People’s Instinctive Travels on the Path of Rhythm. They have literally come full circle as individuals and as a group. Q-tip and Phife in sync(Beats, Rhymes and Life), Jarobi finally stepping out of his shell, a mix of playful love ballads (Enough – Bonita Applebum), Tribal interplay with their features (a la Midnight Marauders), heavy earthy tones (a la Low End Theory), and polished tracks (Melatonin, a la Love movement).
I’ve never heard/seen of a group ever publish such a complete catalog. A true travel on the path of rhythm. A Tribe Called Quest is the gold standard for a group, doesn’t matter the genre. This achievement is epic beyond belieft.
5 mics, hip hop album of the year, and status as the greatest group of all time.
If this is Tribe’s last album it was a nice way to go out. No doubt 5/5.
Wow, great timing on this Album, too bad its the last. Tribe still sounds fresh after all these years.
Easily album of the year.
This album is so amazing!! OMG it is tuly gold, I have not been this inspired by an album in a while!!!!! SO GOOD!!!!!! peace and respect to TRIBE forever, and yes the kids listen to TRIBE TOO!! haha peace HIP HOPPERS!!!!
After a few listens I am finally able to sober rate the album.
I give it 3 out of 5.
Had fun listening to it but I am not planning to return to it while there are still five albums that represented that real ATCQ vibe out there.
Q-Tip’s singing made my ears bleed. Plus we don’t need no Kweli, Kendrick, Andre and Elton John (WTF) on a Tribe album.
The perfect ATCQ discography is no more, I’m sorry.
Dude, Elton John is sampled, not featured.
No, its not perfect; it has weaknesses which I noticed right away–maybe a little too much of Q-Tip’s ego, ego (and singing) run amok when Phife isn’t there to balance it in a way only he could…but this is still a true classic, pretty much buries anything else I’ve listened to being put out by this generation of hip hop. Nobody puts together an actual album like this anymore–its an act of extreme focus and dedication (and love) to even bother, in the digital era. There is so much realness here–I’ve already listened to this as many times as I ever listened to Love Movement, or Beats, Rhymes… or People’s Instinctive Travels, even if the group were at their peak then. I can’t think of the last album of any genre, from the past decade, that I can let play from start to finish with almost no desire to skip tracks. Each spin, I get something new out of this, and some “lesser” tracks have grown on me–I LOVE Movin Backwards, for example. Give it some time, come back to it. It feels like a long lost family reunion, a party, a eulogy, and a little bit of a protest. This shit isn’t just an album, it’s statement, a cultural event, and kind of a minor miracle in the era of one dimensional pop and nostalgia.
I mean… Easily one of the best hip hop albums this year. Don’t understand some the weird criticisms below but to each their own.
Still on rotate for me.
I wish all Hip Hop albums could be this good.
De la then Tribe…real hip-hop. Two solid albums. ‘Nuff said.
Too bad no more albums with original crew
Nothing but love for this album.
yep.. It’s nice to see a real hip hop albums shining.
Album of the year for me.
This easily my album of the year.
5/5 instant classic
BIG tune make da world go round
where dat lit shit wit da dab like thumpers
get off my lawn
Not even close. Album of 2016.
This was my album of the year.
HHDX you dudes are on crack. This is the album of the year.
Best album in pretty strong year for Hip Hop
Fuck HHDX
Love this album
This is my album.
Been waiting so long for a new Tribe album. Never thought it would happen but we have a gem.
Straight classic.
Did was the nicest album of 2016 especially kids with 3 stax 5 out of 5 in real life
Kids was the shit.
Actually really liked this album alot. Which was surprising because I had such low expectations when I saw some of the features. Probably the only classic album to come out of 2016.
Thank you ATCQ for reminding us what real hip hop is supposed to sound like.
I need this Album today. How is this not rated 5?
Best album of 2016.
My favorite album in the past year or so.
Shit. Needed this album this weekend. Fuck Trump!
After trying to get into this album I just have to accept that this album is poor and is a sad end to the tribe legacy. I can’t find anything to get me excited on this album and I won’t drop my standard or give tribe a pass even though I love their previous work. Sorry to say this but they nwwd to enlist the help of Little Brother or 9th Wonder to help them find their way, because these kids got lost on this joint.
Yeah, I don’t hear what you’re saying at all. In fact, I have the opposite opinion.
5 outta 5 for me. Anything less you probably just hate music.
easy 5/5.
This was the best album of 2016. It didn’t feel like a early ninties album, have some nice political statements, exemplary rhymes and beats. Also, some ingenious innovation, I think the Elton John/Joh White part was a bit of genius and a nice way of getting around sampling issues.
Can’t wait for the Grammy performance.
I glad this album came out. We needed a bit of balance in the Hip Hop scene when it comes to party/gangster/I am rich albums we were covered but its nice that this album feels like it has a message.
Grammy performance was the only one that really mattered. Its nice to see a Hip Hop group pushing an important message whn all these other acts are pussy footing around current issues
Thank you Tribe for releasing this Album we needed it
It’s nice to see the Tribe still shining. Ill album need to catch them live.
Been a huge Tribe fan forever got tickets to finally se them live.
Congrats on the Brit!
Beautiful stuff. This is like a Master returning after years of seclusion and training – even more refined, lean, affecting, emotional, powerful. This is hiphop to be honest – high level. How are “The Space Program, We he people, Dis Generation, Mobius, Black Sporiadic even allowed to exist as songs – they are monuments of hiphop
Better album than Damn.
Great album as good or better then damn.
WAY BETTER THAN DAMN. SECOND BEST ALBUM IVE HEARD IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS. SECOND ONLY TO JOEY BADASS ALBUM
Get it Tribe!
good cd