DOWNLOAD: “Excursions: Rarities and Remixes of A Tribe Called Quest” Mixtape
The good folks at UNDRCRWN drop a mixtape of Tribe rarites mixed by Mick Boogie. I have all of these already, but so should you. This also gives me reason enough to post the video to “On the Road Again (My Jimmy Weighs a Ton)” by the Jungle Brothers. It’s one my fav Q-Tip productions and on the vinyl is the version that features a verse from the Abstract. Tracklist after the break. [H/T Kari Cruz]
DOWNLOAD: “Excursions: Rarities and Remixes of A Tribe Called Quest” | Mediafire
VIDEO: Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of a Tribe Called Quest Trailer
Vodpod videos no longer available.
VIDEO: Beats, Rhymes & Fights: The History of A Tribe Called Quest
UPDATE, again: Let’s see how long the vid lasts this time…
UPDATE: The vid was here, I swear, but was removed. Will post as soon as (if?) it returns. Rap Radar with the save.
Since A Tribe Called Quest is arguably easily one of Hip-Hop’s most influential groups, Beats, Rhymes and Fights is a must see. By the trailer it looks like it’s not going to a sugarcoated affair either. Native Tongue devotee rejoice. Put together by NYC native and actor Micheal Rapaport aka Remy from Higher Learning and whatever his name was in Zebrahead. [Props to Potholes In My Blog via Nah Right]
Rare Joints: A Tribe Called Quest’s Lost Intro x Mos Def
Rock Rock Y'all
Back in ’98 I was Hip-Hop Music Director at WTJU in Charlottesville, Virginia. The nondescript position made me privy to treats like an advance copy of A Tribe Called Quest’s then last hurrah, The Love Movement. OG promo man Al Lindstrom had been servicing me with music from Jive Records for a minute so after a few pestering phone calls (e-mail? nah.) he sent me the CD advance, making me that ninja amongst my inner circle of Hip-Hop heads.
The proliferation of MP3 blogs has pretty much deaded proper advances for most major label releases. More often than not, the best you get is a watermarked copy with annoying commentary to discourage bootlegging or worse yet, the corny listening session where every ass kiss journo raves about how this is the album of the year.
The Love Movement “Intro” f/ Mos Def | Mediafire
The point of this inaugural Rare Joints post is that The Love Movement’s advance included the above intro track featuring Mos Def pontificating on the loveliness of ATCQ. The inclusion of the minute and change track probably wouldn’t have made the album’s initially lukewarm reception by fans and critics much better. But to its credit the The Love Movement has aged well in the ATCQ cannon, in no small part due to Jay Dee/J. Dilla’s sonic influence.
RELATED:
Video: A Tribe Called Quest Reunites for Phife Dawg’s Diabetes Benefit [Nah Right]
Video: Jay Electronica, Talib Kweli & Mos Def Perform @ The Knitting Factory [The Smoking Section]
Video: Q-Tip “Life Is Better” + All The Others
Video: Q-Tip “Life Is Better” + All The Others
Vodpod videos no longer available.
Props to the Abstract for dropping plenty of videos, that are actually worth watching, for songs from The Renaissance. The latest—”Life Is Better” featuring Norah Jones is above—all the rest are below the break.
Still mad that I conducted this extensive interview with Q-Tip and while it was supposedly being videotaped—by a cameraman, not the kid—the tape turned up blank. Yeah, same thing I thought.
Oh yeah, Kamaal the Abstract finally made it out.
Who?: Sir Ibu (of Divine Force)
"Holy War (Live)"/"Somethin Different" Yamak-ka Record (1987)
So one of my peeps hits me up like, and I quote, “Alvin, if you can find “Holy Wars” (1988?) by Sir Ibu, Supreme and Nefertiti in downloadable form, I’ll name my first born after you.” No need for all that since aiding others in the name of fresh Hip-Hop is part of my Personal Legend a la The Alchemist (not the rapper/producer).
Well, after some savvy Internet searching I have found the track (above) in question; it is truly a rare Golden Age of Rap gem. The name Sir Ibu will befuddle neophyte rap fans. Q-Tip gives him a name drop in his “Renaissance Rap” video (why it didn’t get its own track on his great The Renaissance album is still perplexing), but here is a little background… [continued after video]
Sir Ibu is one of the MCs in Divine Force, a rap outfit so obscure that the only substantial info I could find on them was usually around and about Ego Trip’s The Big Playback album [ahem, which I have on vinyl, sealed]. The aforementioned album is essentially the companion audio to the through Ego Trip’s Book of Rap Lists.
According to my findings—it was just a Google search…I’m saying, Lexis-Nexis is expensive—Divine Force originally consisted of Master Shykwan, Supreme M.C. and Ice Tee. Eventually Sir Ibu would replace Shykwan, who dipped to join the military, and Jizer got down as the group’s DJ. With the team now set, the group would release “Holy War” on Yamak-Ka Records in 1987. Interestingly, Yamak-Ka’s president was Melquan, who would shortly thereafter manage the Wu-Tang Clan’s GZA. Melquan subsequently secured record deals for the GZA and the RZA at Cold Chillin’ and Tommy Boy Records, respectively.
Sir Ibu would drop a joint called “I’m the Peacemaker” in ’89 via 4th & Broadway Records (the same label that released Eric B & Rakim’s Paid In Full). I can’t find much on Ibu after that. Another example of this almost forgotten MCs influence is on Ghostface’s “Mighty Healthy.” Mr. Starks interpolated some of Ibu’s bars on this early Supreme Clientele heater. Seems like Ibu did get a check for that tribute, though. (below)
Slang Rap Democracy 