A Tribe Called Quest: Low End Theory

de la Soul are remembered as the premier Native Tongues posse. those rappers who got low-key. self-consciously thoughtful. and jazzy in the face of gangsta's hardcore threats. But A Tribe Called Quest may have been even stronger. especially on their excellent second album. the bass-thumping. heavily jazz-sampled the Low End Theory. According to the opening "Excursions." rapper Q-Tip's old man says the disc's jazz-rap "reminded him of bebop." and Q calls himself "prominent like Shakespeare." But if Charlie Parker had ever written poetic couplets and backed them with funky-drummer and Ron Carter-on-bass grooves this irresistible. he might have been as big as the Bard and Brother James combined. - David Cantwell.