Anyone else believe that A Tribe Called Quest is one of the most influential hip-hop groups in music history?

I have heard the name before but am not aware of the music.
Having said that, there is a very high likely hood that I have heard their music and not known it.

I shall find out.

Holly crap I have 13 songs. I will listen and get back to you.

LOL, ok bri..

Not exactly the “all knowing” answer your looking for I know but, eh, what the hell. I know Wu-Tang, Fugees etc.

Yes, Yes, YES!

I just saw them at Rock the Bells, and they are still amazing!

Run DMC?

I think that they are certainly pioneers, but as for influential in hip hop…I’d also have to throw in a vote for De La Soul and Beastie Boys…contemporaries of ATCQ, and both have had quite a bit more consistency and longevity.

Nevertheless…ATCQ and The Pharcyde are two of my faves from that era!!! As for producers, DJ Red Alert, DJ Premeire, Pete Rock & CL Smooth, Cool Keith?...Eric B. & Rakim, I could go on and on!!!

You got the right idea though brotha!

@snd De La Soul and the Pharcyde were also featured at Rock the Bells, Along with Nas, Ghostface and Rakim, Meth and Red and Mos Def. It was an amazing concert!

I always see Gang Starr left out of these discussions of early hip hop which is disappointing because they are probably my favorite.

I think a lot of people would agree with the original sentiment but I’m not sure I do. They were very influential for their time but hip hop has moved so far away from ATCQ’s style they’re almost irrelevant.

@Eambos-just looked up Rock The Bells-pretty crazy lineup!!!

@Camera-Guru and DJ Premier-Awesome…

Agreed. More that belong in the list…

Public Enemy? Afrika Bambaataa?

Not all of the new music sucks. Check out the Cool Kids, yo ;)

You know dude I’m old school. Spent my youth in that era. Tribe is definitely influential in Hip Hop. They made classic albums. Not all this “Thug, Killer, I’m rich-and-your-not BS”
I love Hip Hip and the Tribe’s albums mark periods of my life. I’ll never forget their music.

amen, needtoknow, amen.

90s hip hop is indeed the best: Fugees, TCQ, Public Enemy, Beastie Boys, et al.

I have the Tribe album Midnight Marauders and lemme tell u…that album is a classic!! I love Tribe and I definitely do not think that they were influential, simply because they had their own brand and their own style…that Queens swag and atmosphere was in that album. It was ahead of its time, it can never be emulated and there will never be another Tribe Called Quest. Because of this, I feel that they are definitely one of the best, but not necessarily one of the most influential.

What about JDilla? What about Madlib and the Stones Throw crew? What about Black Milk and Elzhi? What about Jake One? What about Jay Electronica? What about 88Keys? DJ Muggs & Planet Asia? J.Rawls? N*E*R*D*? The Clipse? hell even Kanye can put out a good one every now and then.

Tribe is most definitely one of the most influential hip-hop groups in music history…I think they helped bring hip hop to the mainstream… but don’t front on the new sound of today.

The new “sound” of today sucks.

To each his own… No doubt that the Goldern Era of Hip Hop has given rap music a strong foundation to build on—just like Kool Herc, Afrika Bambaataa, and Mele-Mel did when rap music was born. But hip hop is all about innovation… and real headz know that rap music, and hip hop culture, evolves. This new crop of lyricists and beatmakers are leading Rap’s Renaissance. The Puffy era is over, so get over it… It’s the Next Movement, and if you can’t flow with the future, then you’ll just end up gettin’ left in the past. seen.

I’m with m_dub. Don’t fight the flow…

it may be evolving and the flow may be changing, but what are the new lyrics? the new lyrics aren’t nearly as good. What made hip hip hip hop was the lyrics and their meanings, not this “get girls, money and cars” crap. At least with old school, they were more poetic and had deeper meanings.

Plus, now, all they do is recycle the same beats over and over again. With old school, everything was more jazzy and were just straight up mixed better. Nothing beats old school and never will (except the new stuff put out by some of the old school greats… nas, some snoop dogg, method man, redman, wu-tang, etc.)