HDD Summer Series #2: A Tribe Called Quest

The Tribe documentary comes out in a couple of weeks.  Apparently everyone involved with this flick is pissed off at each other, playing a game of he-said-she-said. Who cares! Here's hoping this comes to the TC. It's bound to bring back a lot of memories...

It's no secret, Tribe was the shit. I still remember the first time I heard of them--Yo! MTV Raps with Ed Lover and Doctor Dre, all day! The video was for "I Left My Wallet In El Segundo" and I knew immediately that I had to have it. I spent more than a few summer days walking the shores of Lake Bemidji and Nymore (what'up Nymore!) with a deuce-deuce of Mickey's in a paper bag, rocking People's Instinctive Travels and Paths of Rhythm or Low End Theory cassettes on my knockoff Walkman. This was well after Midnight Marauders was out on CD, but my broke ass still didn't have a CD Walkman. I had the pleasure of seeing them three different summers--Lollapalooza in '94, Smokin' Grooves in '96, and opening for the Beastie Boys on the Hello Nasty tour. You know, like, back before you were born and shit. 

And let's not forget Michael Rapaport has been down with hip-hop since way back. Zebrahead anyone? Shit, that man named one of his kids after Maseo from De La Soul.  It's comical to think about now, but that shit--white kids into hip-hop--was kind of controversial back in the day. And I can tell you from experience, it wasn't easy. (Shout outs to my old-school Bigfork "wiggers.") Anyone remember Chris Mullin shouting out Brand Nubian in 1990? I do. 

I also remember a living room, the smell of herb hanging heavy in the air, a ridiculous amount of blunts being passed, and "Jam" from Beats, Rhymes and Life on the stereo; everyone rappin' along, "It was a Friday afternoon in the middle of June/Heineken bottle caps and the aroma of boom...Then he introduced me to that hydro smoke/I took one toke/Yo, I almost choked."

Hellz yeah, I'm looking forward to this.