People's Instinctive Travels And The Paths Of Rhythm  by A Tribe Called Quest

The group A Tribe Called Quest was formed in New York in 1985. After five years and many changes in their lineup, Q-Tip - a key and constant member of the group from the beginning - and his crew released their first album entitled People's Instinctive Travels And The Paths Of Rhythm in 1990. The album came after many "no's" they had heard from record companies, which did not understand the type of hip hop they were playing. The success of De La Soul's 3 Feet High and Rising the previous year - who had emerged from the "body" of A Tribe Called Quest - changed the climate, allowing them to sign with Jive Records.

In the songs of People's Instinctive Travels And The Paths Of Rhythm, one finds a different spirit and a different approach either in the lyrics or the music compared to what was customary in hip hop at the time. A Tribe Called Quest offers a blend of gentle and rhythmic hip hop music without being shallow and flat. They humorously express their critique on social issues of that era. There were reviews at that time that considered the album to be one step before perfection. The production belongs to the whole group, but primarily to Q-Tip.

Without a doubt, the debut of A Tribe Called Quest left its mark on the New York hip hop scene in the early 1990s. The album initially did not have the commercial success one might expect, but slowly and steadily it has managed to reach 500,000 sales in the U.S. alone, where it went gold.