Media Artist Research ( Summer Task)

1. A Tribe Called Quest

2. Members
Ali Shaheed
Muhammad
Phife Dawg
Q-Tip
Jarobi White

3. Background
A Tribe Called Quest is one of Hip
Hops most legendary, beloved and
revered groups of all time and for
good reason. Easily recognized for
their unique approach to rap music
by employing jazz infused
soundscapes to Afro centric rhymes,
sans the jaded and often nihilistic
aggressive posturing associated
with hip-hop, A Tribe Called Quest
was largely responsible for the
popularity of a new genre that
dominated the East Coast sound of
the early 1990s.

4. Background / Record
Label
After receiving lucrative offers for multi-album
deals from a variety of labels, the
group opted for a modest deal offered
by Jive Records. Jive Records was then
known as an independent rap label that
specialized in, and owed its success to,
building careers of artists like Boogie
Down Productions and Too Short , as
well as an emphasis on longevity and
attention to grass-roots fan bases. Jive
Records was an American record label
under the RCA Music Group formed in
1981 by Zomba Records. Formerly
headquartered in New York City, known
for a string of successes with hip
hop artists in the 1980s, and also in teen
pop and boy bands during the late
1990s/early 2000s.

5. The Low End Theory
The Low End Theory was one of the first
records to fuse hip hop with a laid-back
jazz atmosphere. Ali Shaheed
Muhammad along with Q-Tip and Phife
Dawg showcase how rap was done
before commercial success influenced
many rappers' for example Kanye West
creativity.. (West has named Tribe as his
favourite rap group ever)
The Low End Theory helped shape
alternative hip hop in the 1990s. It
established the musical, cultural, and
historical link between hip hop and jazz.[

6. Music Videos analysis

7. A majority of A Tribe Called
Quests music videos involve
some features / methods which
allows the viewer to engage with
the clip. For example in their
music video “Find A way” they
had the song lyrics below the
screen for the viewer to sing
along with them . Furthermore,
they also use handheld cameras
and close-ups in their videos
which allows the viewer to feel
like they are in the scene and also
part of the group. In addition to
this optical illusions and futuristic
art is also used in their videos to
make the videos more appealing
and eye catching .

8. Influences: Fashion
A Tribe Called Quest has
allow influenced their fans
and artists today with their
fashion sense also especially
with vintage clothes from the
90’s era .

9. A Tribe Called Quests anomalous posture has changed the face and
sound of hip-hop and paved the way for future groups, artists,
producers and even fans to be unapologetic about their creative
expression. With or without future recordings, ATCQs legacy lives on
in the groups creative innovation that is recognized as a profound
contribution to musical history.

10. A Tribe Called Quests anomalous posture has changed the face and
sound of hip-hop and paved the way for future groups, artists,
producers and even fans to be unapologetic about their creative
expression. With or without future recordings, ATCQs legacy lives on
in the groups creative innovation that is recognized as a profound
contribution to musical history.