The Low End Theory

Excursions

A Tribe Called Quest

Lyrics & Rhyme Analysis

End

227

Internal

149

Multi

338

Slant

Chain

Rhyme Groups — hover to spotlight

[Verse 1: Q-Tip]

Back in the days when I was a teenager

Before^✦ I had status and before^✦ I had a pager^✦

You could find the Abstract^✦ listenin' to hip-hop^✦

My pops used^✦ to say, it reminded him of Bebop^✦

I said, "Well, Daddy,^✦ don't you know that things go in cycles?^✦

Way that Bobby^✦ Brown is just amping^✦ like Michael"

It's all expected, things are for the lookin'^✦

If you got the money,^✦ Quest is for the bookin'^✦

Come on everybody, let's get with the fly mode

Still got room on the truckload of black boom

Listen^✦ to the rhymes,^✦ then get a mental picture^✦

Of this black man, and black woman^✦ fixture^✦

Why do I say that? 'Cause I gotta^✦ speak the truth, man

Doin' what we feel for the music is the proof, and

Planted on the ground, the act is so together

Bona^✦ fide strong, you need leverage to sever^✦

The unit,^✦ yes, the unit,^✦ yes, the unit^✦ called^✦ the jazz is

Delivering each year an LP filled^✦ with street goods

You can find it on your rack in your record^✦ store

If you get the record,^✦ say your thoughts are adored^✦

And appreciated, 'cause we're ever^✦ so glad we made it

We work hard, so we gotta^✦ thank God

Dishin'^✦ out the plastic,^✦ do the dance 'til you're spastic^✦

If you diss—it^✦ gets drastic^✦

Listen^✦ to the rhyme, 'cause it's time to make gravy^✦

If it moves^✦ your booty,^✦ then shake, shake it, baby^✦

All the way to Africa,^✦ A.K.A.^✦ the Motherland (Uh)

Stick out the left, then I'll ask for the other^✦ hand

That's the right hand, Black man

Only^✦ if you are noted^✦ as my man

If I get the credit,^✦ then I think I deserve it

If you fake moves,^✦ don't fix your mouth to word it

Get in the zone of positivity,^✦ not negativity^✦

'Cause we gotta^✦ strive for longevity^✦

If you botch up, what's in that [ass]

(What?) A pair of Nikes,^✦ size ten-and-a-half (Uh, uh, come on!)

[Chorus]

We gotta^✦ make moves^✦ (Words)

Never,^✦ ever,^✦ ever^✦ could we fake moves^✦ (come on, come on)

We gotta^✦ make moves^✦ (Words)

Never,^✦ ever,^✦ ever^✦ could we fake moves^✦ (Come on, come on)

We gotta^✦ make moves^✦

Never,^✦ ever,^✦ ever^✦ could we fake moves^✦ (Come on, come on)

We gotta^✦ make moves^✦

Never,^✦ ever,^✦ ever^✦ could we fake moves^✦ (Oooh)

[Interlude: Sample]

"Time, time is a ship on a merciless sea drifting toward^✦ an abyss of nothingness until^✦ it can be recharted for its own destiny

Time is an inanimate object^✦ paying and paying and paying for no justification for belief

Time is dancing, boogalooing-away all memories^✦ of past—"

[Verse 2: Q-Tip]

We gotta^✦ be a winner^✦ all the time

Can't fall prey to a hip-hop^✦ crime

With the dope raps and dope tracks we move blocks

From the fly girlies^✦ to the hardest of the rocks

Musically^✦ the Quest, is on the rise

We on these excursions^✦ so you must realize

That continually,^✦ I pop my Zulu^✦ [shit]

If you don't like it, get off the Zulu^✦ tip

So what can you do in the times^✦ which exist

You can't fake moves^✦ on your brother^✦ or your sis

But if your sis is a [bitch], brother^✦ is a jerk

Leave 'em both alone^✦ and continue with your work

Whatever it may be in today's^✦ society

Everything is fair, least that's how it seems to me

You must be honest^✦ and true to the next

Don't be phony^✦ and expect^✦ one not to flex

Especially^✦ if you rhyme, you have to live by the pen

Your man is your man, then treat him like your friend

All it is, is the code of the streets

So listen^✦ to the knowledge being dropped over^✦ beats

Beats that are hard, beats that are funky^✦

They could get you hooked^✦ like a crackhead junkie

What you gotta^✦ do is know the Tribe is in the sphere

The Abstract^✦ Poet, prominent like Shakespeare

(Or Edgar^✦ Allan^✦ Poe, or Langston Hughes,^✦ or...)

[Chorus]

We gotta^✦ make moves^✦

Never,^✦ ever,^✦ ever^✦ could we fake moves^✦ (Come on, come on)

We gotta^✦ make moves^✦

Never,^✦ ever,^✦ ever^✦ could we fake moves^✦ (Come on, come on)

We gotta^✦ make moves^✦

Never,^✦ ever,^✦ ever^✦ could we fake moves^✦ (Come on, come on)

We gotta^✦ make moves^✦

Never,^✦ ever,^✦ ever^✦ could we fake moves^✦ (Oooh)

[Outro: Sample + Q-Tip]

"—time is running^✦ out on black power^✦ advocates in the day and white thighed supporters at night

Every^✦ time you see them, they're chasin'^✦ some white woman^✦ with their tongue hangin'^✦ out

Time is running^✦ and passing,^✦ passing^✦ and running,^✦ running^✦ and passing,^✦ passing^✦ and running—"^✦

Excursions^✦

Technical Breakdown

7.3

Multisyllabic Rhymes9.5

Complexity of rhyme schemes (data-driven)

Internal Rhymes9.5

Rhymes within a line (data-driven)

Wordplay / Double Entendres5.0

Clever language, metaphors, punchlines

Cadence / Rhythm7.5

Flow variation and timing (data-driven)

Vocabulary Complexity5.0

Range and depth of words used (data-driven)

Delivery / Breath Control7.0

Performance and control

Computed Score7.25

Production

— A Tribe Called Quest

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Critic Analysis

RAPLEDGER BAROMETER™

Q-Tip crafts a nostalgic reflection on hip-hop's evolution with clever cultural references.

B+

9.5

Multisyllabic

9.5

Internal Rhymes

7.5

Cadence / Flow

Vocabulary

Wordplay

Delivery

Nostalgia-driven referencesMetaphorical imageryCyclical commentary on musical styles

Rhyme Architecture: Complex internal and multisyllabic rhymes with a consistent flow, enhancing the vivid imagery.

Strong cultural references

Cohesive narrative structure

Inventive use of internal rhymes

Limited double meanings

Predictable lines in spots

Some cliché phrases in context of era

User Scores

Notes

Strong multisyllabic rhymes and a smooth delivery.