A Tribe Called Quest HITS, RARITIES & REM

Producers: A Tribe Called Quest, The Ummah.
While universally recognized as the cream of the hip-hop canon, A Tribe Called Quest may somehow be underappreciated. Expert jazz-hip-hop fusionists, Native Tongue poets, College Radio darlings, proponents of the Afrocentric movement, rap hitmakers; it's actually rather incredible to think of all the paths they've trod, even more incredible to think that Q-Tip was still sleeping on a relative's couch after multiple major label releases. HITS, RARITIES & REMIXES perfectly chronicles the group's memorable, witty, subtly crafted oeuvre, mixing up the hits with a couple of remixes and sharp new tracks.
The hits aptly display the breadth of the Tribe songbook, from the inexplicable and brilliant western road ballad "I Left My Wallet In El Segundo" to the swinging party of "Scenario." The schoolyard rhymes of "Check The Rhyme" rubs shoulders with the straightforward lyrical chops of "Award Tour" and the stone groove of "Electric Relaxation." On the newly released tracks, Q-Tip and Phife trade off in classic style, balancing the playful with the gravely serious on "Mr. Incognito," while the Abstrac' relates a sly story on "The Night He Got Caught." HITS, RARITES & REMIXES handily documents the history of these prominent hip-hop innovators.

• Released: 6/17/2003
• RSD Release Date: n/a
• Genre: Rap/Hip Hop
• Rock & Pop: Pop
• Format: Vinyl