A TRIBE CALLED QUEST 'LOW END THEORY' 2LP

LABEL: Legacy VINYL RELEASE DATE: 11/12/1996 ORIGINAL RELEASE DATE: 1991 VARIANT: Black Vinyl 2LP de la Soul are remembered as the premier Native Tongues posse, those rappers who got low-key, self-consciously thoughtful, and jazzy in the face of gangsta's hardcore threats. But A Tribe Called Quest may have been even stronger, especially on their excellent second album, the bass-thumping, heavily jazz-sampled the Low End Theory. According to the opening "Excursions," rapper Q-Tip's old man says the disc's jazz-rap "reminded him of bebop," and Q calls himself "prominent like Shakespeare." But if Charlie Parker had ever written poetic couplets and backed them with funky-drummer and Ron Carter-on-bass grooves this irresistible, he might have been as big as the Bard and Brother James combined. - David Cantwell. TRACKLIST 1 Excursions 2 Buggin' Out 3 Rap Promoter 4 Butter 5 Verses from the Abstract 6 Show Business 7 Vibes and Stuff 8 Infamous Date Rape 9 Check the Rhime 10 Everything Is Fair 11 Jazz (We've Got) 12 Skypager 13 What? 14 Scenario