Get To Know H.E.R.

We’ve now come to the third album in our tour of A Tribe Called Quest, and the third of which is recognized as a bonafide classic. The name for this album, as explained in one of the interludes, is derived from the fact that they listen to most of their music at midnight and that they maraud for ears. People’s and The Low End Theory, while fantastic albums, weren’t exactly unarguable classics in my eyes (most people may disagree), so the point of today’s review is to see if their third “classic” will be able to hold up to those golden standards.

The Midnight Marauders Tour Guide, serves as the album’s intro and introduces the album to us as a sort of program that we are being led through. This woman will show up time and again after tracks, much in the same way Jarobi did on People’s except fortunately for us, these interludes are actually pretty interesting and most importantly, they’re short. As soon as the introduction is done, the
album jumps right into the Steve Biko (Stir It Up), the horns come in, and my headstarts bobbing. Phife and Tip trade verse after verse after verse and I’m effectively convinced that this is a great first actual song. The next song, Award Tour, features Trugoy of the fellow Native Tongue members De La Soul, and is one hell of a track. At first, I was sort of disappointed that Trugoy only got to do the hook on this, but soon I realized this track just fucking rocks either way. This makes it even more surprising that 8 Million Stories, the Phife solo track, holds its own despite being sequenced after it. The next track up is Sucka Nigga, in which Q-Tip discusses how he doesn’t like it when people use the word as a term of endearment (although he did so himself at Rock The Bells). I actually like this song a lot, although it really didn’t need to be a Tip solo joint, considering that he spits the same damn verse twice. Midnight  is yet another Tip solo venture (which really makes me wish they had a Phife verse on the last track) and it continues the trend of quality found thus far. However, I do skip it from time to time, not because it’s a bad track, but because usually I can’t wait for the next four tracks.

The next four tracks on this album are what I consider to be it’s centerpiece. It’s four excellent songs that just blew my mind the first time I heard them. First up is We Can Get Down, which is infectious as hell. However, this track pales in comparison to what comes next, because up next is Electrical Relaxation, which I’m totally convinced is one of the greatest tracks released in any genre ever. Seriously, if you’ve never listened to any Tribe song in your life, do yourself a favor and youtube this shit now. Anyways, following my personal favorite Tribe song of all time is no small task but Clap Your Hands is a great track that does the job correct. The beat changes up in subtle ways throughout the verses and the hook, and it’s really one hell of a listen. The next track features Busta Rhymes but don’t expect any of the ridiculousness that was found on Scenario. On Oh My God, Busta’s role has been reduced to simply the hook (probably to avoid any show stealing), but I have to say, there couldn’t have been a better choice for the job. Phife drops some of the best lines of his career and overall the song is pure unadulterated quality hip hop.

Keep It Rollin is a track that really suffers from the sequencing. It’s a good track, but it’s nowhere near as good as the four monsters that preceed it and because of that, for the longest time, I’ve skipped it. However, one day I had my iPod on shuffle when this song came on, and that day I decided to actually give it a proper listen and I realized that it was actually a great song, complete with a Large Pro guest appearance. The next song, The Chase Pt II, however would probably sound average pretty much wherever you sequence it. I think it’s just an alright song, and even though your interlude will tell you that it’s the end of the Midnight Marauders program, it’s not the last track and thank God for that. Or else we never would’ve got Lyrics To Go, which is a testament to great producing. That high note that you’re hearing in the background all throughout is actually a vocal sample from Inside My Love. It’s haunting and creates the perfect soundscape. The last track is God Lives Through and it samples Oh My God’s chorus, but that’s really the only thing it has in common with that song. Well, other than the fact that both songs are superb. God Lives Through is a monstrous track that ends the whole album well with 1 sick verse each from Phife and Tip.

The Good: Steve Biko, Award Tour, 8 Million Problems, Sucka Nigga, Midnight, We Can Get Down, Electrical Relaxation, Clap Your Hands, Oh My God, Keep It Rollin, Lyrics To Go, God Lives Through

The Solid: Midnight Marauders Tour Guide, The Chase Pt II

The Bad: N/A

While The Low End Theory was a practice in minimalism, Midnight Marauders is a whole new different beast, as the production on this is simply in your face, kick ass, high energy jazz. I honestly have no qualms with labeling this album as a no brainer classic. It is without a doubt one of the greatest hip hop albums I’ve ever heard and probably will ever hear in my life and you should be halfway out your door on your way to the nearest Best Buy to pick this up by the time you finish reading this sentence.

My A Tribe Called Quest Discography Ranking Thus Far

1. Midnight Marauders
2. The Low End Theory
3. People’s Instinctive Travels And The Paths Of Rhythm