It was September 24, 1991, that A Tribe Called Quest released their supreme sophomore LP Low End Theory on Jive Records. 25 years later, Wax Poetics celebrated its milestone anniversary.
To mark the anniversary, our homie Chris Read put together another seamless mix of classic album tracks, fresh alternative versions, original sample material, and illuminative interview snippets.
Listen up and enjoy!
Tracklist:
1. Chris Read – ‘Theme #3’ (Scratchapella)
2. A Tribe Called Quest – ‘Scenario (Remix Instrumental)’
3. Heatwave – ‘Star of a Story’ (Sampled in ‘Verses from the Abstract’) 4. Q Tip Interview Extract (Taken from the movie Beats Rhymes & Life)
5. A Tribe Called Quest – ‘Verses from the Abstract’
6. Grant Green – ‘Down Here on The Ground’ (Sampled in ‘Vibes & Stuff’)
7. A Tribe Called Quest – ‘Vibes & Stuff’
8. A Tribe Called Quest – ‘Jazz (We’ve Got)’
9. Five Stairsteps – ‘Don’t Change Your Love’ [Loop] (Sampled in ‘Jazz (We’ve Got)’) 10. Jimmy McGriff – ‘Green Dolphin Street’ [Loop] (Sampled in ‘Jazz (We’ve Got)’)
11. The Shades of Brown – ‘The Soil I Tilled For You’ [Loop] (Sampled in ‘Excursions) 12. A Tribe Called Quest – ‘Excursions’
13. Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers – ‘A Chant For Bu’ (Sampled in ‘Excursions’)
14. The Last Poets – ‘Time Is Running Out’ (Sampled in ‘Excursions’)
15. Dr. Lonnie Smith – ‘Spinning Wheel’ (Sampled in ‘Buggin Out’)
16. Phife Interview Extract (Taken from the movie Beats Rhymes & Life)
17. A Tribe Called Quest – ‘Buggin Out’ 18. Jack De Johnette’s Directions – Minya’s The Mooch’ (Sampled in ‘Buggin Out’) 19. The New Birth – ‘Keep On Doin’ It’ [Loop] (Sampled in ‘Rap Promoter’)
20. A Tribe Called Quest – ‘Rap Promoter’
21. Weather Report – ‘Young and Fine’ (Sampled in ‘Butter’)
22. Chuck Jackson – ‘I Like Everything About You’ [Loop] (Sampled in ‘Butter’)
23. A Tribe Called Quest – ‘Butter’
24. Gary Bartz – ‘Gentle Smiles (Saxy)’ [Loop] (Sampled in ‘Butter’)
25. Cannonball Adderley – ‘The Steam Drill’ [Loop] (Sampled in ‘The Infamous Date Rape’) 26. A Tribe Called Quest – ‘The Infamous Date Rape’
27. Jackie Jackson – ‘Is it Him or is it Me’ [Loop] (Sampled in ‘The Infamous Date Rape’)
28. Average White Band – ‘Love Your Life’ (Sampled in ‘Check The Rhime’)
29. A Tribe Called Quest – ‘Check The Rhime’
30. Minnie Riperton – ‘Baby, This Love I Have’ (Sampled in ‘Check The Rhime’)
31. Biz Markie – ‘Nobody Beats The Biz’ [Extract] (Sampled in ‘Check The Rhime’)
32. Lafayette Afro Rock Band – ‘Hihache’ [Loop] (Sampled ‘Check The Rhime’)
33. Funkadelic – ‘Lets Take It To The People’ (Sampled in ‘Everything Is Fair’)
34. A Tribe Called Quest – ‘Everything Is Fair’
35. Willis Jackson – ‘Ain’t No Sunshine’ [Loop] (Sampled in ‘Everything is Fair’)
36. A Tribe Called Quest – ‘Skypager’
37. James Brown – ‘Funky President (People It’s Bad)’ [Loop] (Sampled in ‘Show Business’)
38. The Fatback Band – ‘Wicki Wacky’ [Loop] (Sampled in ‘Show Business’)
39. Aretha Franklin – ‘Rock Steady’ [Extract] (Sampled in ‘Show Business’)
40. A Tribe Called Quest feat Lord Jamar, Sadat X & Diamond D – ‘Show Business’
41. Paul Humphrey – ‘Uncle Willie’s Dream’ (Sampled in ‘What?’)
42. A Tribe Called Quest – ‘What?’
43. Brother Jack McDuff – ‘Oblighetto’ (Sampled in ‘Scenario’)
44. Jimi Hendrix – ‘Little Miss Love’ [Loop] (Sampled in ‘Scenario’)
45. A Tribe Called Quest feat Leaders of the New School – ‘Scenario’
46. BONUS TRACK: Simba & Milton Gulli – ‘Scenario (Chris Read Rap Renaissance Remix)’
Artwork by Leon Nockolds