LogFAQs > #957107775

44. A Tribe Called Quest Check the Rhime (1991)
from the album The Low End Theory

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1QWEPdgS3As

Key lyrics:
So play the resurrector and give the dead some life

A Tribe Called Quest played to their own rhythm. On Check the Rhime, the group is so chilled out that their delivery comes off as conversational. This laid back attitude grants a unique appeal the rhyming is on point, and the easy pace puts the wordplay at the center. To add to the positive vibes, this is a group more concerned with building themselves up than tearing others down; the second verse kicks off with Phife Dawg bragging about how nice he is, while he and Q-Tip spend much of the track checking in with each other. Yet they do not approach this track without a purpose. Their defense extends to the hip hop scene at large, biting back against commodification from record companies and MC Hammers pop take.

The backing samples are key in generating an energy the two rappers sidestep. Most essential is a horn-heavy instrumental section that kicks off the song and eventually backs the chorus, a short burst that doubles up on itself by adding bass halfway through. There is a fine line to balance between easygoing and lazy, and the funky rhythms push Check the Rhime to the right side. Q-Tip and Phife Dawg simply sound assured of themselves.

Check the Rhime is an effective counterpoint to a lot of mainstream ideas about hip hop. The Tribe avoids foul language on this track, but their rejection of pop appeal shows this choice is not for radio play. Their topics of celebration are markedly humble, yet they are still celebrating. This is a song that demands respect for the scene, to keep hip hop a place of expression for the otherwise disenfranchised.

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