A Tribe Called Quest
The Low-End Theory
"The Low-End Theory" is the second studio album by American hip hop group A Tribe Called Quest, released on September 24, 1991, by Jive Records. The album was produced by group member Q-Tip and produced by group member Ali Shaheed Muhammad.
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"The Low-End Theory" is the second studio album by American hip hop group A Tribe Called Quest, released on September 24, 1991, by Jive Records. The album was produced by group member Q-Tip and produced by group member Ali Shaheed Muhammad. "The Low-End Theory" features socially conscious and abstract lyrics, and has been regarded by music writers as a pioneering album in alternative hip hop. The album's title refers to the concept of the lowest frequency of the human voice (the "low end") as the basis for hip hop's rhythms and melodies, and the album's lyrics explore themes of Afrocentrism, hip hop culture, and social issues.
"The Low-End Theory" was released to widespread critical acclaim and is considered by many critics and fans to be a classic hip hop album. It was included in the book "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die". The album spawned the hit singles "Check the Rhime" and "Jazz (We've Got)", and was certified gold by the RIAA on December 4, 1991. It has been described as a "landmark" and "seminal" album in the genre of hip hop.
The album's lead single, "Check the Rhime", was released on August 13, 1991, and became the group's highest charting single at the time, reaching number 57 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song's lyrics address the concept of "wordplay", and its use of the word "rhime" instead of "rhyme" reflects the group's interest in the African-American vernacular. The album's second single, "Jazz (We've Got)", was released on November 12, 1991, and became a hit on urban radio stations.
"The Low-End Theory" received widespread critical acclaim upon its release. Music critic Robert Christgau gave the album an "A-" and described it as "easily the most ambitious and accomplished record in the hip hop underground". AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine gave the album a five-star rating and called it "a landmark album that cemented A Tribe Called Quest's place in the pantheon of hip hop greats". In 2015, it was ranked at number 53 on Rolling Stone's list of the "100 Greatest Hip-Hop Albums of All Time".