A Tribe Called Quest is undeniably one of the most important groups in the genre of Hip-hop. Their legacy speaks for itself and their influence can be felt in every corner of the genre. Their unique use of samples became the standard for their era and set a blueprint for New York City’s thriving Hip-hop scene. They are looked on as one of the first Hip-hop acts to incorporate jazz in such a prominent way, creating a unique style of the genre that would go on to define a generation. After four innovative albums, the trio of Q-Tip, Phife Dawg, and Ali Shaheed Muhammad were looking to hang it up. It was announced that the trio would complete one last album before retiring A Tribe Called Quest for the foreseeable future. What they didn’t expect was that this final album would be a creative renaissance and how hectic its recording process would become.
A Tribe Called Quest released their fifth album, The Love Movement, on September 29, 1998. The recording began back in 1997 but was interrupted when Q-Tip’s home and studio went up in flames. Tip’s entire record collection and any progress made on The Love Movement was lost forever after a house fire tore apart his New Jersey home. Whatever may have been lost in that house fire was quickly rebuilt with the help of Q-Tip’s production group The Ummah, which featured Tip and Muhammad from Tribe along with a recently discovered gem from Detroit, the late-great J. Dilla. Dilla’s DNA is all over The Love Movement, his mastery of the drum machine and syncopated style was heavily influenced by Tribe. Combining Dilla’s genius with the Tribe’s relentless creativity made for a potent swan song to this era of A Tribe Called Quest.
The Love Movement is exactly that, a concept album about the idea of love in all its shapes and forms. Tribe carried on their tradition of minimal jazz instrumentals for their fifth studio LP, adding Dilla’s magic touch only made their sound more infectious and unique. Moments like “Like It Like That” show the advancements Tribe made to their sound for this album, a wonky, droning drum pattern juxtaposed by a more vibrant and sharper drum pattern with the trio gliding over the awkward yet potent arrangement. Dilla’s contributions are heard immediately on the album’s first song “Start It Up”, arguably one of the best intros in Tribe’s discography while showcasing The Ummah’s natural chemistry. Lyrically, the trio’s storytelling hit a fever pitch. The way Tribe pushed the limits of a sound they created while still finding time to conceptualize and pen moving tales of love is a testament to their creativity and solidified their already storied legacy.
25 years after its initial release, The Love Movement still feels so refreshing and vivid. Despite a house fire, A Tribe Called Quest created a lasting album brimming with jazzy arrangements and expert lyricism. Tribe’s fifth album feels even more potent knowing it was the last one released during Phife Dawg’s lifetime, who passed away in 2016 just before the release of Tribe’s comeback LP We Got IT From Here… Thank You 4 Your Service.
