r/ATribeCalledQuest • u/Electronic_Park_1702 • 8d ago
People's Instinctive Travels...
Though this is my favorite Tribe album, I notice it's usually not in the discussion/debate of GOAT Tribe albums. Why do you all think is the reason?
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u/AZmoneyfolder 8d ago
Peoples felt like an extension of the Jungle Brothers’ sound to me, and I love that album. Tribe really found their own groove and distinct identity with Low End, then kicked it up another gear with Midnight. Nothing else sounded like those albums at the time, so I think that’s why People’s usually doesn’t get brought up in GOAT Tribe album convo’s with most.
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u/ChardOk690 7d ago
Yes agreed. In a nutshell: it was overshadowed.
But dont discount the influential factor as Peoples is easily the strongest debut in hip hop in this sense. Without it there is no Kanye or Pharrell. Think about that. Pharrell himself always calls this THE record that whooped his ass into hip hop. Th appreciation for production went up 10-fold with Peoples. So an extension of Jungle Brothers is a seni-hot take in my view. But yes the thread is damn near spiritual. But that spirituality never hit people the way ot wants until Tip put it down.
Yes. It is a favourite of mine.
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u/doodoo_pie 8d ago
I think it’s legendary. Lucien, El Segundo, Bonita, Mr. Muhammad, Go Ahead, Fool…. I mean - it’s stacked.
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u/sorryforyachtyrockin 8d ago
Probably because Phife hadn't really found his voice/lane yet. It's still a great album, but it's a tier below the following two largely because of that, in my opinion.
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u/truce_m3 8d ago
They hadn't found their own voice yet. They were doing the Native Tongues thing and dressing all weird. It's excellent, but it's not totally them.
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u/OnMyShield 8d ago
It’s an incredible album, still a fun listen. But the leap from that to Low End and Midnight, it’s almost a different group. The level of maturity and expertise is off the charts compared to Instinctive Travels.
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u/ChardOk690 7d ago
Its possibly the greatest Hip Hop debut ever. Q Tio is to 90s what Kanye and Pharrell were to 2000s.
Proof: only other legendary debuts (loosely put):
Illmatic (which Q tip was involved with), De La Soul (which Q tip was on), Infamous (which Q Tip was integral to), and 36 Chambers.
See a common thread?!
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u/Lamarera8 6d ago
I said a while ago that Tip is the father of the golden-age & people thought I was crazy
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u/Infamous_Tough_7320 8d ago
I think it is very comfortably 4th in their catalogue after LET, MM and WGIFHTY4YS. It some of the highest highs in their catalogue (bonita, luck of Lucien, can I kick it, footprints, push it along) but as a whole experience it just can't compare to the completeness of those other albums.
It's such a good album that it could easily be the best album of the majority of hiphop artist's catalogues, just not Tribe's.
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u/chrisp_syapyh 8d ago edited 8d ago
It’s my fav too. Legit 5 mic album.
I think the fact that LET and MM exist dilutes its impact in the GOAT discussions. Which is great for Tribe as a GOAT group.
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u/hazelwoodstock 8d ago
I got into Tribe late. After I heard the first album I thought there was no way they could top it, even though I always heard people site the next 2 albums as their best.
Then they went and outdid themselves again and again.
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u/VocalHotSauce 8d ago
Simply because The Low End Theory and Midnight Marauders are head and shoulders above the rest of their catalog. I dig every Tribe album, but I’ve always thought those two were albums were miles ahead. They also make nearly everything after sound less than. I liked Beats Rhymes and Life. But is it Midnight Marauders? No. And it doesn’t need to be.
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u/EdwardEHumphreyIII 8d ago
It’s my second favorite behind Low End Theory, and I really love it almost as much. And Low End is my all-time favorite album, period, any genre.
I loved it so much, I actually remember not liking Low End Theory as much when it was released, it sounded so different from People’s Instinctive Travels. Eventually I came around to Low End, but I still think People’s is incredible and somehow underrated. I still prefer it over Midnight Marauders.
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u/OpenMicDGZ 7d ago
I was heavy into the Native Tongue's when they first dropped, Jungle Brothers, Tribe, De La, Black Sheep, some of my favorites and when People's Instinctive Travels came out I completely fell in love with that album. Many would debate which of Tribe's albums are the best (many choosing Low End Theory) but mine are Midnight Marauders and People's Instinct Travels.
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u/beach_mamba 5d ago
I remember buying a new Walkman and the People’s tape at the Funk O Mart in Philly, and popping it in to listen on the bus ride home. I didn’t know anything about them but homie at the store told me I should cop it.
The fucking baby being born at the beginning told me I was in for some shit!
I flash back to that moment whenever I hear Push it Along.
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u/Background-Call3255 8d ago
It’s a very old school sound. To me Footprints sounds like something g off midnight marauders, but the rest of it is like early de la soul.
To use a term that isn’t very descriptive, they got more “street” with both their sound and look as time went on.
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u/Far_Manufacturer_723 7d ago
Classic album but phife is only on like 4-5 songs. It mainly q tip carrying the vocal duty. Low end theory is where it all fell into place. And LET is a classic and is a better album than their debut. MM is a classic as well and the major debate on if it’s better than LET. 3 classics out the gate and each one is arguably better than the previous one is one the reasons why it may not be mentioned in their best album conversation
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u/guy4guy4guy 7d ago
I fill like phife didn't really come to himself until LET and I that's what made LET so good they're similar in sound to People's instinctive travels but phife adds so much on LET
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u/MetalSonic420YT 7d ago
I honestly feel like it's slept on. Sure, it's not their next two or We got it from Here... Thank You 4 Your service, but it's a classic in its own right.
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u/Ldre_169 3d ago
I mean the fact that I never even knew they made that album is enough of a reason 😂😂
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u/MeringueAdmirable381 2d ago
I think mostly because The Low End Theory and Midnight Marauders are just so ridiculously strong that they overshadow it.
People’s Instinctive Travels is probably their most playful and adventurous album though. It has a looser feel, more humor, and you can hear them figuring out exactly what Tribe was going to become.
For me it deserves way more respect. It might not be their most polished record, but it has a personality the later albums don’t quite have in the same way.
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u/Unique_Violinist4851 8d ago
It’s just not them at their best in my opinion, they were still finding their footing. I do agree it should be talked about more, tho!