During a recent interview, will.i.am expressed his thoughts on the ever-present Tupac or Biggie debate. The grammy award winner’s response no doubt shocked many hardcore hip-hop heads. The Black Eyed Peas founder stated, “That kind of music doesn’t speak to my spirit.” Â
Will.i.am answered while on an episode of Hip Hop Confessions. The host asked the rapper a question asked to every rap fan at least twice a week. Biggie Smalls or Tupac Shakur? Will.i.am intended no harm or ill will with his nevertheless controversial take. The rapper went on and clarified his previous statement.Â
The Explanation
He elaborated, “I’m such a Tribe Called, De La Soul fan that I don’t like Tupac and Biggie.” He later went on to praise Pac and referred to him positively. However, he added that while Tupac’s music helped people, especially those in the projects, he found solace in other artists. He explained to the host that he found his escapism through the works of the groups above, A Tribe Called Quest and De La Soul. To anyone familiar with his work, this should come as no shock. The happier and beat-driven work of the two groups find their way into will.i.am’s work.Â
The Bigger Question
Will.i.am’s words no doubt shock many rap enthusiasts; however, his claims raise an interesting question. When discussing rap greats, are the influences of Tupac and Biggie overblown to the point of detriment for other notable artists? Throughout this section of the interview, will.i.am name drops Tribe, De La Soul, Eric B. and Rakim, KRS-One, and Boogie Down Productions. All are influential rappers in their own right, but are they respected enough? It is a compelling enough question to ask. Certainly, Tupac and Biggie receive the most attention in discussing classic and historical greats of the genre. Perhaps it is time to offer recognition to those artists who spoke to the projects like Pac and Big, such as the ones mentioned in the interview.Â
It remains to be seen if the question raised by the interview will receive an answer soon. Much like the ever-present Biggie or Tupac question that started the whole discussion.
Fans will once more get to enjoy music from the Late Phife Dawg after his estate announced the release of his second studio album, Forever. The project is expected to drop on the 22nd of March. The announcement comes after the late rapper’s closest friend, DJ Rasta Root, shared the tracklist and cover art on Instagram.
The PostHumous album has 13 tracks with features from artists like Redman, Busta Rhymes, Darien Brockington, Dwele, and Illa J. That’s not all. There’s a special surprise: Phife Dawg’s mother, Cheryl Boyce-Taylor, is among the featured artists.
The family also announced they would be holding a listening session coupled with a Q&A at the Sound of Brazil (SOBs) in New York as part of their memorial for Phife Dawg. Tickets are available for purchase for fans who would like to attend. Peter Rosenberg is set to host the event.
Phife Dawg, born Malik Izaak Taylor, tragically passed away due to complications from Type â…¡ Diabetes. The rapper who was a part of the group, A Tribe Called Quest, was a fan favorite for hip-hop heads. In fact, he’d earned the nickname, Five Foot Assassin owing to his short 5’3 frame. The hip-hop group earned a nomination to the 2022 Induction to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame announced & revealed their list of nominees for their 2022 class. Fans are able to vote for which artist they’d like to see inducted into the Rock Hall this year. A Tribe Called Quest, Eminem, & Lionel Richie are new to this year’s ballot among the other talented names. Additionally, this is Eminem’s first year of being eligible for the accolade. While named after a completely different genre, it wouldn’t be the first time a Hip-Hop (or other genres) artist got nominated or inducted. You can see the full list of the 2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nominees below:
Criteria For The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction
Several different pieces of criteria need to be met for an artist to be selected for a nomination. First, their first release (album, single, EP, etc.) must’ve been at least 25 years from the current year to even receive a nomination. Fans can then vote for which artist they’d like to see inducted until April 29th. However, there’s also their international voting ballot filled with tons of established music professionals. They make selections based on things like influence, ability, quality of discography, etc.
Who Do You Think Will Win?
Since TheRock & Roll Hall of Fame announced their list of nominees for their 2022 class, let’s take a look at some potential artists that may win an induction. Eminem might be an easy pick since he’s arguably one of the biggest musicians alive, but other artists like Tribe or Rage Against The Machine may beat him based on the professional voter’s criteria. With that said, who do you think will get inducted into TheRock & Roll Hall of Fame this year? Read more of FM Hip-Hop’s featured articles today.
We got it from Here… Thank You 4 Your service(2016) by A Tribe Called Quest is a gift to Hip-Hop. As one of the greatest all-time Hip-Hop acts, their run between 1990 and 1996 is one of the greatest four-in-a-row album runs in the game. Tribe professionally disbanded before the 2000’s, after constantly changing the culture for the better. However, 18 years after their last album, The Love Movement (1998), they returned in 2016 with We got it from Here.  This was intended as a glorious comeback until tragedy struck.
‘We Got t From Here… Thank You 4 Your Service’ album cover designed by Richard Prince
The phenomenal Malik “Phife Dawg” Taylor, one of Tribe’s lead MCs, passed away on March 22nd, 2016, after a long battle against diabetes. Changing the album’s purpose from a comeback to a one-time revival, this project is Hip-Hop’s greatest swan song to date. With Phife coming up with the title and taking the purpose behind it to the grave with him, the other members decided it was a fitting title to describe their collective impact on the culture and Phife’s impact on their lives.
We got it from Here tackles a series of themes. Coming out in 2016, two days after Trump’s election, it is a political album. It speaks to everyone, addressing plenty of issues, worries, solutions, and raising all sorts of conversations. While Tribe is no stranger to these topics, they’re also synonymous with fun jams that celebrate life, love, and being yourself, and there’s plenty of that on here. Lastly, a good chunk of the album is dedicated to Phife’s life, given the 8 month period between his passing and the LP’s release.
“No matter the skin tone, culture, or time zone”
Q-Tip in “The Space Program” music video
From the first two tracks, it’s clear that Tribe was absolutely in their bag when making this. The Space Program is exactly how one would expect a new Tribe song to sound. While maintaining their classic style while incorporating fresh sounds, Q-Tip introduces the themes of minorities being unwelcome to the planet, calling for unity. This leads perfectly into the beloved We the People…Â As expected, this is one of the most politically charged songs on here, but it’s a total jam. You can picture Tip and Phife rocking out on stage, challenging hate head-on with confident grins.
The fourth cut, Solid Wall of Sound, is where Q-Tip’s production really breaks into the avant-garde. Sampling and featuring Elton John, this is one of the more unique rap songs you’ll hear. With that, it’s important to shed light on the godsend of a feature list. Beyond Elton, we get Jack White, Kanye West, Kendrick Lamar, Andre 3000, Talib Kweli, Anderson .Paak, Katie Cadet, Marsha Ambrosius, YEBBA, and of course, Consequence and Busta Rhymes. The chemistry between all is absolutely perfect between everyone. This is no accident, as Q-Tip demanded that every verse be recorded (and mostly written) together in the studio, making for perfect agreement between every verse, hook, and beat.
“Gatekeepers of flow, they are extensions of instinctual soul”
From “Dis Generation” music video
At track five, we get the impeccable Dis Generation. In a beautiful tribute to the new school, Tip, Phife, Jarobi, and Busta sail over a buttery guitar beat, trading bars back to back throughout. Shouting out the likes of Kendrick, J. Cole, Earl Sweatshirt, and Joey Badass adds new meaning to the album’s title, saying the culture is in good hands, and they’re ready to step back and watch.
On the flip side, the next song is Kids… On this long-desired collab between Tip and Andre 3000, the pair address the frustration of the younger generation, expressing skeptical disinterest from their point of view while also addressing the irresponsible lifestyle of the youth. This is the closest we’ll ever come to the forever-shelved “A Tribe Called ‘Kast” album.
Wrapping up the A-side of the album, we get Enough!! Die-hard Tribe fans will immediately recognize the sample flipping of their classic Bonita Applebum. On that note, it’s, of course, a song about sex while discussing striking a balance between work and relationship. It’s a very mature but super fun version of what they made as youngsters, strengthening the return vibe of the album
“If you don’t believe me, Tip, there’s truly life after death”
The B-side continues to push the sonic boundaries of not only Tribe but Hip-Hop music itself. The Keep it Thoro sample flipping on Mobiusis instantly classic, followed by the bouncy joy of Black Spasmodic. Black Spasmodic is not only Phife’s strongest performance on the album, but Tip’s verse was recorded after his passing, making for one of the more heartfelt cuts when looking past the playful instrumental.
Tribute to Phife in Chicago’s Logan Square
Lost Somebody is unmistakably about the five-foot assassin. While Jarobi and Tip are clearly heartbroken, they perform with accepting smiles, appreciative of the time they got with Phife. Their iconic brotherhood is immortalized, and it’s truly beautiful to see a fully-fledged tribute to the late great. The final song, The Donald, is yet another full tribute to Phife and a great way to wrap up the album.
“This is the last Tribe, and our egos hope that you felt us”
Before that final tribute, we get the fantastic Ego.  As modern a Tribe song as it gets, Tip spits over a unique Jack White guitar beat, shifting from stormy to jovial throughout. It’s a perfect penultimate cut before the unique ending while also serving as a conclusion of its own.
The brilliance of this album transcends what could be covered in a review. With Jay-Z’s 4:44, this is the best modern work made by a classic Hip-hop act. Slightly catering towards nostalgia while largely breaking down new barriers and advancing the sound, We got it from Here… Thank You 4 Your service is, without a single question, one of the best pieces of modern Hip-Hop. Rarely has an album been so mature, poignant, fun, heartfelt, and endlessly replayable. With The Low End Theory (1991), and Midnight Marauders (1993) under their belt, it’s not too controversial to say that A Tribe Called Quest matched their previous peaks when crafting this album. R.I.P. Phife Dawg forever.
We got it from Here… Thank You 4 Your service Rating: Platinum
A Tribe Called Quest Sold a Share from their Album Royalties through NFT
A Tribe Called Quest sold a percentage of royalties from their first five albums. A lucky owner, Stephen F, got %1.5 percentage of the band’s royalties from 1990’s People’s Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm, 1991’s The Low End Theory, 1993’s Midnight Marauders, 1996’s Beats, Rhymes and Life, and 1998’s The Love Movement.Â
The offer was posted on Royalty Exchange. Royalty Exchange is a platform for artists and investors to buy and sell royalty assets. The royalties themselves were offered as an NFT (non-fundable token); the price is Ethereum cryptocurrency. The starting price was $35,000; the deal closed at $84,765 (approximately 40.2 in Ethereum).
A screenshot of the NFT proposal
Last year, proposed royalties had summed up in $6,752. Stephen F would also get a similar amount of money yearly. What if Stephen F then wishes to resale the token? The buyer is to pay 10% of A Tribe Called Quest royalties upon the starting price ($35,000) to Stephen F. Finally, the artists and the NFT owner split the premium.Â
Be sure to check our article on Jay-Z and Roc Nation’s conflict with its co-founder over an NFT.
Busta Rhymes Unites Flipmode And The Conglomerate On New Banger
Salutations FM Trendsetters! Busta Rhymes been in the hip hop game for 30+ years. Within those years, he been a part of Leaders of the New School, to Native Tongues (the 90s rap collective with A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul and Jungle Brothers) to the Flipmode Squad. Then in 2008, the half Long Island native, half Brooklynite formed The Conglomerate, along with Flipmode associate Spliff Star. So as Busta Rhymes fans, we have to ask ourselves, what would it be like if the new artists he birthed on The Conglomerate was to gang bang on the track with the original Flipmode Squad. For the culture, Busta Bust answered the age old hip hop question last night, October 18th, with the release of a new track, in which has the whole social media in a frenzy right now! Busta Rhymes brings us “Flipmode Squad meets The Conglomerate“. A hip hop, boom bap filled track, provided by long time collaborator, DJ Scratch. Bars over bars, over snares and drums, mixed with a little drama from the keyboard functions. Warning: This track is only for the hip hop heads and longtime Flipmode Squad and Busta Rhymes fans. If you do not know why this is a historical alliance, then please exit, stage left.
Malik Tayor, the rapper known as Phife Dawg, hip-hop innovator with A Tribe Called Quest, died at age 45 Tuesday morning due to complications resulting from diabetes.
He suffered health problems in recent years according to sources who said he underwent a kidney transplant in 2008. Phife Dawg formed A Tribe Called Quest in the late 1980s in New York with his childhood friend Q-Tip. Taylor appeared on all five of the group’s studio albums, most notably 1991’s The Low End Theory and 1993’s Midnight Marauders, acting as the high-pitched, gruff vocal counterpoint to Q-Tip’s smooth, mellow flow. Though the group separated, Taylor always reunited with the group for live shows, in part, to help defray medical costs. “Even though I knew I had [diabetes], I was in denial,” Taylor said in a documentary. “I had to have my sugar. You have to accept it. If you don’t accept it, it’s going to kick your ass.”
Tributes to Phife Dawg rippled across social media early Wednesday, including a lengthy Instagram post by Questlove of the Roots. Many fans are reminiscing over this unfortunate loss. “Malik was our loving husband, father, brother and friend,” his family said in a statement. “We love him dearly. How he impacted all our lives will never be forgotten. His love for music and sports was only surpassed by his love of God and family.”
Good music. Dope clothes. Those are two elements of Hip-Hop that we simply can’t deny. From Kangol hats to Timbaland boots, Hip-Hop trends are forever evolving. Now Stussy, one of the largest urban clothing brands around, is partnering with A Tribe Called Quest for a super dope clothing line.
In honor of Stussy’s 35th anniversary, the brand decided to take things to a new level. With tees, crewnecks, hoodies and hats, the collection features a variety of printed T-shirts with imagery from the group’s past records and videos, accented with a selection of fleece and a handful of accessories.
If you live in the New York city area, you’ll even have the chance to meet the legendary artists. The New York chapter store will be hosting Q-Tip, Phife, Ali, and Jarobi on July 18th from 2-5 PM, on the same date the collaboration drops. The collection will be available for purchase at select Stussy stores as well as the brand’s website.
Malik Tayor, the rapper known as Phife Dawg, hip-hop innovator with A Tribe Called Quest, died at age 45 Tuesday morning due to complications resulting from diabetes.
