Alright, I’m gettin’ back on my grind this year. It’s been a minute since I’ve dropped a sample collection, so I wanted to come back hard with one of my favorite groups of all time… A Tribe Called Quest. We’re switching up the format this time around though. In previous posts I would just post a 30 second snippet of the sample to just give you a taste. Well, because these have become so popular, I’ve decided to put up the whole samples for download. Many, many thanks to my man A.D. for helping me dig and compile this compilation!
The Low End Theory is the critically acclaimed second release from A Tribe Called Quest. Released on September 24, 1991, the beats are widely different from the then about-to-explode G funk sound being pioneered on the West Coast, and shares more of an influence with East Coast artists like Public Enemy. With dominant basslines and sampled jazz horn solos, The Low End Theory has a distinctive sound that met the high expectations after their critically acclaimed debut People’s Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm.
The Low End Theory became a watershed album in the history of hip hop. The album established alternative rap as a definable genre, distinguished by aware, often abstract or political lyrics, and a light-hearted sense of humor, along with jazz and other unusual sampling sources. The Low End Theory transformed alternative hip hop, leading the way from the jazzy pioneers like De La Soul towards future artists like Common and The Roots.
- “Tribute to Obabi” by The Last Poets
- Sampled for “Excursions”
- Produced by A Tribe Called Quest
- “The Soil I Tilled For You” by Shades of Brown
- Sampled for “Excursions”
- Produced by A Tribe Called Quest
- “A Chant For Bu” by Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers
- Sampled for “Excursions”
- Produced by A Tribe Called Quest
- “New Rags” by Jack De Johnette
- Sampled for “Buggin’ Out”
- Produced by A Tribe Called Quest
- “Keep On Doin’ It” by New Birth
- Sampled for “Rap Promoter”
- Produced by A Tribe Called Quest
- “Young & Fine” by Weather Report
- Sampled for “Butter”
- Produced by A Tribe Called Quest
- “I Like Everything About You” by Chuck Jackson
- Sampled for “Butter”
- Produced by A Tribe Called Quest
- “Gentle Smiles” by Gary Bartz
- Sampled for “Butter”
- Produced by A Tribe Called Quest
- “Star of the Story” by Heatwave
- Sampled for “Verses From The Abstract”
- Produced by A Tribe Called Quest
- “Upon This Rock” by Joe Farrell”
- Sampled for “Verses From The Abstract”
- Produced by A Tribe Called Quest
- “Wicky-Wacky” by The Fatback Band
- Sampled for “Show Business”
- Produced by Skeff Anselm & A Tribe Called Quest
- “Midnight Cowboy” by Ferrante & Teicher
- Sampled for “Show Business”
- Produced by Skeff Anselm & A Tribe Called Quest
- “Down Here on the Ground” by Grant Green
- Sampled for “Vibes & Stuff”
- Produced by A Tribe Called Quest
- “Is It Him or Me” by Jackie Johnson
- Sampled for “The Infamous Date Rape”
- Produced by A Tribe Called Quest
- “The Steam Drill” by Cannonball Adderley
- Sampled for “The Infamous Date Rape”
- Produced by A Tribe Called Quest
- “Love Your Life” by Average White Band
- Sampled for “Check The Rhime”
- Produced by A Tribe Called Quest
- “Baby, This Love I Have” by Minnie Riperton
- Sampled for “Check The Rhime”
- Produced by A Tribe Called Quest
- “Tales of KidD Funkadelic” by Funkadelic
- Sampled for “Everything Is Fair”
- Produced by A Tribe Called Quest
- “Ain’t No Sunshine” by Willis Jackson
- Sampled for “Everything Is Fair”
- Produced by A Tribe Called Quest
- “Green Dolphin Street” by Sonny Lester
- Sampled for “Jazz (We’ve Got)”
- Produced by A Tribe Called Quest & Pete Rock (uncredited)
- “Take My Advice” by Sly & The Family Stone
- Sampled for “Skypager”
- Produced by A Tribe Called Quest
- “Uncle Willie’s Dream” by Paul Humphry
- Sampled for “What?”
- Produced by A Tribe Called Quest
- “Oblighetto” by Brother Jack McDuff
- Sampled for “What?”
- Produced by A Tribe Called Quest
- “Give It Up” by Kool & The Gang
- Sampled for “Scenario”
- Produced by A Tribe Called Quest
- “Little Miss Lover” by Jimi Hendrix
- Sampled for “Scenario”
- Produced by A Tribe Called Quest
Download ATCQ: The Low End Theory [The Samples]
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
really really REALLY thanks kevin, good work man, this is one of my favorites albums of all time
DDD.
Thanks man. I couldn’t have done this without the help from A.D. though. We’re gonna have a lot more sample collections coming soon!
Yo Kev, never even thought about “diggin in the crates” before your coming to your site. I went ahead and did a little diggin of my own. I finished EPMD’s Back In Business today, one of the tracks was almost impossible to find (Damn rare Barry White). Anyways I put it up on sendspace, if you want ill give you the link and you can post it for everyone.
Definitely Diz, email me
That’s WTF I’m talkin’ ’bout Kev’!!!!
sweet….
props to you and a.d. then. Man, this samples are really nice, a tribe called quest used very nice samples on this album.