With such classic tracks as ‘Can I Kick It?’ and ‘Bonita Applebum’ forever lurking on our life’s playlist, The Garb Wire is excited to hear that A Tribe Called Quest has announced a special 25th anniversary edition collection of their classic debut album, People’s Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm. Out on on Friday November 13, 2015, the album will mark the debut release in a series of re-releases by A Tribe Called Quest over the course of the next few years. To celebrate the milestone, tracks will be remastered from original tapes by Grammy-Award winning engineer Bob Power and re-released with exclusive new remixes by some of today’s biggest hip-hop artists. More will be revealed in the coming weeks.
To see the original release return in this incarnation has been a humbling experience for rapper and ATCQ founding member, Q-Tip:
“I had this album in my head for years before I did it. Looking at it overall, to see the thoughts of a 16-year-old gain any kind of acknowledgement makes me feel like I have arrived”.
People’s Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm’s debut in 1990 signified the beginning of a young rap group’s career. Queens-raised friends Q-Tip, Phife Dawg, Ali Shaheed Muhammad and Jarobi White took the traditional hip-hop formula and threw it out the window. Alongside contemporaries De La Soul and the Jungle Brothers – all of whom would become known as the Native Tongues collective – their lyrical and musical influences were unlike any other hip-hop group on the scene. Whilst many built breaks around funk and vintage soul samples, ATCQ used samples of jazz and ‘70s rock. And instead of traditionally angry and confrontational vocal delivery, their verses were conversational, addressing socially conscious topics with a laid-back honesty and unconventional humour. Easily recognized for their unique approach to rap music by layering afro-centric rhymes atop jazz-infused soundscapes, ATCQ was largely responsible for the popularity of a new genre that dominated the East Coast sound of the early 1990s.
The group’s sophomore effort, The Low End Theory was considered one of the great albums in hip-hop history, however in recent years the anticipation for another album has been building. The Abstract Poetic, Five Foot Assassin, and Mr. Muhammad haven’t yet graced the studio for another record, but have instead hit the road again. Even today, the power of their music is still evident in their dynamic stage shows and the reception of their adoring fans.
Watch ‘Can I Kick It?’ here. Yes, you can:
The Garb Wire 