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“font-family: Verdana;”>At a time when gangsta rap ruled the airwaves, thanks to Ice Cube, NWA and a syndicate of mostly West Coast rap groups, a network of New York rappers rose from the ashes of hip-hop’s roots and brought the fun back to the game.
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“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>New York
The Native Tongues (which included A Tribe Called Quest, De La
Soul, The Jungle Brothers and Queen Latifah) offered a much-needed
alternative to the gritty street sagas of their West Coast
counterparts.
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“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Their sound was a breath of fresh air with positive messages, funky dance music and even the all-but-extinct expression of genuine affection for women.
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“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>A Tribe Called Quest were without a doubt the most valuable players of Native Tongues and would go on to receive the bulk of the critical and commercial success, thanks to songs like “Check The Rhyme,” “Bonita Applebum,” “Can I Kick it” and other ground-breaking experimentation found on the group’s five albums.
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“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>By 1998 it was all over for Q-Tip, Phife Dawg and Ali Shaheed Muhammad. Thanks to creative differences and infighting, a group of high school friends who had influenced a generation had become a casualty of the music industry.
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“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>“It felt like my parents were getting divorced again,” actor/director Michael Rappaport told audiences of The Tribeca Film Festival just before the film premiered at the Borough of Manhattan Community College. “I really wanted to go back and find out what the story was.”
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“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>In his directorial debut, the acclaimed actor bought their story to the big screen with Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest. The film kicks off at the bitter end and backtracks for 25 years of making music.
“mso-bidi-font-style: normal;”>Q-Tip vs. Quest probably been a more appropriate title.
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“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>“He’s a [expletive] nut,” Jive Records executive Barry Weiss said of Q-Tip in the film.
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“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Rappaport illustrates the group’s influence through interviews with a host of artists, such as Mary J. Blige, Mos Def, Beastie Boys, Pharrell Williams, ?uestlove, Wu-Tang Clan, Ludacris and Common.
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“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>“A Tribe Called Quest was to hip-hop what The Beatles or the Rolling Stones were to rock & roll,” Rappaport said of his subjects.
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“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Rappaport opted to cover more life than beats or rhymes. Audiences get insight on the intimate details of fourth member Jarobi White’s personal decision to leave the group early on, Phife Dawg’s life-threatening battle with diabetes and Ali’s turmoil with being caught in the middle between Phife and Tip as the group reunites for 2008’s “Rock The Bells” tour.
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“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Money woes, health issues and the complications of the industry offer a reality check to those who believe (thanks to current rap stars) that it’s all bottle-popping’ and big money. But, somehow, the music falls by the wayside.
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“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of a Tribe Called Quest opens at the Tivoli tomorrow (Aug. 5) with special guest Phife Dawg. He will also host a special red carpet premiere party at Sol (4239 Lindell). Doors for the party at 9 p.m.
