“Midnight Marauders” by A Tribe Called Quest
Another stone-cold hip-hop classic celebrates its 30th anniversary!
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Welcome to a new edition of the Daily Music Picks newsletter!
Today’s music pick celebrates the 30th anniversary of another stone-cold hip-hop classic, Tribe’s third studio album.
Genre: Hip-Hop, Conscious Hip-Hop
Label: Jive
Release Date: November 9, 1993
Vibe: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
After years of listening to their records over and over again, I don’t think Midnight Marauders is A Tribe Called Quest’s best album (their sophomore effect, The Low End Theory, gets the nod there). However, Marauders presents Phife Dawg, Q-Tip, and Ali Shaheed Muhammad at the nexus of what made them so unique as a trio. The mellowed-out sonics that draw heavily from jazz, soul, and 70s R&B are still here. The production is so pristine it puts other rap releases of the era to shame (not to mention most that have come since), but they tweak the formula to be funkier, catchier, and filled with drum grooves that, according to Q, will “tear your f****** head off.” Do they leave some of the hazier, more abstract elements of their previous records behind in favor of a more polished and (yes) commercial sensibility? Undoubtedly. But, with hit singles like “Electric Relaxation” and “Award Tour” (their highest-charting single ever), it’s clear the mission was accomplished with style and craftsmanship to spare.
All that praise, and we haven’t even touched the most impressive part of the album: the rapping. It’s easy to forget now, but Phife was only starting to come into his own on Low End. Before then, Tip had done much of the heavy lifting behind the mic. That’s far from the case here, as the duo wastes no time getting into a ZONE on “Steve Biko (Stir It Up),” sitting breezy, confident bars like, “Did not you know that my styles are top-dollar?/The Five-Foot Assassin knocking fleas off his collar.” To mention all the highlights on this album would be to basically read off a Tribe greatest hits playlist, so I won’t bore you with that. “Oh My God,” “Clap Your Hands,” and so on—if you’re a fan already, you know what’s up. If you’re new to the party, I recommend “Lyrics to Go” and “Sucka N****,” not only for their sharp writing but also for the experimental sampling technique used, particularly on the latter. Q-Tip slows Minnie Riperton’s voice down to such a degree that the ensuing drone becomes part of the track’s sonic fabric.
It's just brilliant stuff all around. Stream it. Buy it. Gift it to your friends and family if you truly love them. You’ll be doing the right thing.
👉 Don’t forget to click the album image to stream the album on your favorite platform 👈