Though the abstract rappers finally betrayed a few commercial ambitions for Midnight Marauders, the happy result was a smart, hooky record that may not have furthered the jazz-rap fusions of The Low End Theory, but did merge Tribe-style intelligence and reflection with some of the most inviting grooves heard on any early-'90s ap record. The productions, more funky than jazzy, were tighter overall -- but the big improvement, four years after their debut, came with Q-Tip's and Phife Dawg's raps. Focused yet funky, polished but raw, the duo was practically telepathic on "Steve Biko (Stir It Up)" and "The Chase, Pt. 2," though the mammoth track here was the pop hit "Award Tour." A worldwide call-out record with a killer riff and a great pair of individual raps from the pair, it assured that Midnight Marauders would become A Tribe Called Quest's biggest seller. The album didn't feature as many topical tracks as Tribe was known for, though the group did include an excellent, sympathetic commentary on the question of that word ("Sucka Nigga," with a key phrase: "being as we use it as a term of endearment"). Most of the time, A Tribe Called Quest was indulging in impeccably produced, next-generation games of the dozens ("We Can Get Down," "Oh My God," "Lyrics to Go"), but also took the time to illustrate sensitivity and spirituality ("God Lives Through"). A Tribe Called Quest's Midnight Marauders was commercially successful, artistically adept, and lyrically inventive; the album cemented their status as alternative rap's prime sound merchants, authors of the most original style since the Bomb Squad first exploded on wax.
Editor's note: Deez wrote such a solid review for this Tribe masterpeice back in July, that we decided to repost it for Tribe week. 1993 is considered by some hip hop enthusiasts to be the pinnacle of the new breed of hip hop. It broke away from the usually fun, braggadocio style of rap and moved [...]
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Q Tip says:"Industry rule number 4080 / Record company people are shady”And Blair says:The people who actually control the record business SUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Editor's note: Deez wrote such a solid review for this Tribe masterpeice back in July, that we decided to repost it for Tribe week. 1993 is considered by some hip hop enthusiasts to be the pinnacle of the new breed of hip hop. It broke away from the usually fun, braggadocio style of rap and moved [...]
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"Sterfish posted this track":http://mog.com/Sterfish/blog_post/98604 just a short time ago but I'm bringing it up again to ask y'all what the sample is in the song. Now in looking through the album liners, I see many samples credited, but not this one, even though it provides the bed for almost all the choruses (It's a guitar(maybe keyboard?)figure,starting about 15 seconds in)If you are a musi...
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There's been a lot of debate about the word. You know THE word. The infamous "N" word. Me? I use it. I judge it by the context it's used in. And in the following context, it's pure hilarity! This has got to be the funniest thing I've ever seen on South Park.
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Called Quest! Classic old skool jazz inflected rap. Could it get any cooler? Love me some Q-Tip with his smooth, sexy flow. "Electric Relaxation" is the song:
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Q Tip says:"Industry rule number 4080 / Record company people are shady”And Blair says:The people who actually control the record business SUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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See, and I was finished posting for today, but...let's talk about classics. I think I'll post the mp3 too. You've gotta have good sound quality to really appreciate how great this beat is.
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That's right, my hip-hop track today is a classic from A Tribe Called Quest. Midnight Marauders, the album that "Electric Relaxation" came from, remains my favorite Tribe Called Quest album if only because it's the first one I ever bought (I did eventually buy their first two, though). It's also the last of the “great” Tribe albums. The two albums that followed weren't bad but they looked a
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I haven't seen these guys around the MOS in a while:
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OK this is where I make and lose friends I think - Some of the folks that have liked my earlier stuff won't like this....but some will know it and love it....I enjoy hearing from both sort of person...
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Most of you probably know by now that Nas plans to title his new album "Nigga." Everyone from civil rights leaders to radio DJs have been debating Nas's decision. Inspired by this, I'm posting two tracks for Hip-Hop Thursday that speak directly to what I hope Nas will accomplish on his new album. First up, is a classic Tribe song that deals with the word:
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One of the best rap alubms I have ever heard
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Ahh! Midnight Marauders... an album that taught me soo much about music. Also, I guess you can say this introduced the Woo-Hah screaming eclectic yet rambunctious version Busta Rhymes after his break up with Leaders Of The New School. Damn, I miss back in the days
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My musical tastes always just switch back and forth between fast upbeat bitchy ska like Big D and hte Kids Table and streetlight and aquabats and all that, or laid back hip hop of the likes of A Tribe Called Quest and Ugly Duckling and Jurassic 5. There is no consistancy or reason why I feel like one over the other at any given time. Hip hop makes me feel relaxed and chilled out and gangsta, b...
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I know we had them on the old site before we migrated over to this site but with Tip's upcoming album, The Renaissance, on the way I thought we would put them up on here. Well as I have stated before, Q-Tip is one of my favorite rappers and Tribe ...
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| Title | Lyrics | Buy |
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| 1 Midnight Marauders Tour Guide |
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| 2 Steve Biko (Stir It Up) |
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| 3 Award Tour |
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| 4 8 Million Stories |
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| 5 Sucka Nigga |
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| 6 Midnight |
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| 7 We Can Get Down |
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| 8 Electric Relaxation |
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| 9 Clap Your Hands |
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| 10 Oh My God |
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| 11 Keep It Rollin' |
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| 12 The Chase, Pt. 2 |
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| 13 Lyrics to Go |
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| 14 God Lives Through |
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Click to purchase…
© 2006-2009 Mog Inc. All Rights Reserved
 "Midnight Marauders")
