Tag: A Tribe Called Quest

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ATCQ – Electric Relaxation (T4PES X Nick AM Edit)

Don’t you hate it when something really exciting happens and you aren’t allowed to talk about it.  These are all things I will be able to share in the near future, I don’t like surprises but that’s the way it goes sometimes. Fuck it’s like the moment I turned 30 and things just started falling into place.  20’s were the “make mistakes but make sure you are also working hard at whatever it is you love to do.”  Get your heart broken, clean up the mess, pick yourself back up and do it all again until you hit 30 if you don’t have yourself more put together by then, please email me personally.  That’s some partial advice to those of you in your 20’s, don’t stress too hard just make sure you aren’t totally wasting your time, it’s the time in your life where you ARE a grown up (unless you are still living at your parents place) but you can still make mistakes and figure out who you really are.  I figured out I am one badass, strong, loyal, capable female, and there were a lot of hating, jealous, toxic humans trying to get in my way and put out my fire.  “Oh fuck no homie, I don’t play like that homie, move right along now homie and as I watch you kick that dust in your eye, while you’re pretending not to cry, but you know I am oh so high..You can’t help it.”  That was a little something I made up for you all on the spot, you’re welcome!

I’ve been excited to post this mix, a little Tribe with a good weekend dance feel, I’m diggin it.  Any type of old school feel mixed with some new school sounds is right up my alley.  Press play and do you friends, make it all count, even the shitty stuff!

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Music

A Tribe Called Quest – We The People

This track is appropriate for many different reasons, in fact the entire album is.  I can’t fully explain the emotions I felt in anticipation for this album or what I felt when I listened to it.  It’s everything I thought it was going to be and more, but who knows maybe I am biased because I have been a huge Tribe fan since I was a little girl thanks to the musical influences of my older brother.  “We Got It From Here…” is the 6th album from the group and features an array of amazing artists such as Kendrick Lamar and Elton John to name a couple, a lot of artists who are making a difference in this world with their lyrics, messages that have meaning in the here and now of history, love, hate, humor and a great memory of Phife.

So many meanings I could get into but we might be here for days and honestly I am so exhausted by politics right now that I don’t have the energy to get into it.  The personal meaning this album had for me (one of them) is that your family is your family no matter what the issues.  Family doesn’t have to be the folks you are blood related too.  Some of my closest family are people I am not even related too, but they are people that I know if I didn’t speak to them for years I could call them tomorrow and we would be able to reconnect like no time had passed. I think in this New Year one of the most important things to remember is anger doesn’t help us, fighting only sends us backwards…I literally just watched a kid dancing around in his living room across the street from my house as I write this, it made me smile.  Having a kid myself has allowed me to remember to just let go and just dance like no one is watching.  This world is so caught up in all the petty shit.

I pray to whomever is out there listening that my daughters generation can make this world a better place, a happier place, I think it’s possible.

Happy MLK Day.  “We The People..” has taken on a whole new meaning in this country, think about what it means to you?

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Music

A Tribe Called Quest – Excursions

A lot of people wonder why EMPT hasn’t rushed to become some sort of Pitchfork type deal. Business people from well-respected companies come to us with corny proposals and we turn them down. They look at the rebel kids like we don’t know what we’re doing because they don’t understand our intention. Why? First of all, it’s because we would never violate the love people have for us by exposing our audience to anything we didn’t think was the absolute best…

We think you’re a joke shove your hope where it don’t shine…” – Santigold

Secondly, in this world where everything and everyone is in a constant buy & sell pendulum Space Age Bachelor Pad Music is NOT FOR SALE.

Why do I say that ’cause I gotta speak the truth man,
Doing what we feel for the music is the proof man…”

Third, we just don’t care about poser related complications. EMPT has nothing to do with money, fame, ego, recognition, power or admiration but everything to do with expression of the selfless beings we aspire to.

It’s always been like that but now more than ever I find myself basing all my life decisions on that type of thinking. If we’re not careful the marketing complex can make us think material things are what dictate what we should do. I.e. I need a nice car so that means I need a great job. That’s false though and it should be the other way around. You should reflect internally on what it is you feel and base your decisions from the inside out…

You gotta make moves, never ever ever can you fake moves.”

Excursions is the opening track on Tribe’s The Low End Theory, one of the rawest, hardest, dopest and flyest Hip Hop albums you’ll hear. That line up there is the hook and in its simplicity lies a truth that is essential in the journey that is life. We all know the difference between real and fake but not everyone is willing to face the fear that usually leads to poser like decision-making. What’s worse than knowing you’re doing something fugazi and pursuing it anyway?

You must be honest and true to the next, don’t be phony and expect one not to flex…”

There are consequences to sell out activity. If you rob a store you must be prepared to go to jail because you either accept or understand the risk. If you fake moves you have to understand there are consequences for that too.

So as you go into your Friday, press play and let the abstract take over your mind with realness. Let that Art Blakey walking bass line take your deep into the cultural melting pot that is hip hop music. Let that Bob Power sound engulf you with rawness. Take am excursion to the boogie down and let Q-Tips anti-posing lyrics stick in your head. Stay true.

A Tribe Called Quest – Excursions