Fiends everywhere probably consider the prospect of a new A Tribe Called Quest album—with its promise to blaze yet another trail in enlightened, unabashedly innovative hip-hop—to be akin to hip-hip nirvana. Yet, after a decade of making their mark on the game of rap music, in 1998 the infamous trio of Q-Tip, Phife Dawg and Ali Shaheed Muhammad, stunned many by calling it quits and going their separate ways. And with their abrupt departure came a serious void that many rap acts have valiantly tried to fill, yet, no one has come close to occupying the place in our hearts and stereos that once belonged to the Queens, NY threesome.
On their double-CD The Anthology, remnants of what made Tribe so great—their fusion of jazz-influenced rhythms, the happy and horny vocals of Phife, the smooth, distinctive rhymes of Q-Tip—are collectively showcased in such a deliberate manner that the need for wet hankies may be necessary. Bangers like the gripping "Check The Rhyme," the witty "I Left My Wallet In El Segundo," and the buttery "Jazz (We've Got)," are forever imprinted as classics, while the syrupy tales of "Bonita Applebum," Electric Relaxation" and "Hot Sex" belong on everyone's Top 10 list of odes to lust. Also featured are exquisite collaborations of past such as "Scenario" (w/ Leaders of the New School and arguably one of the greatest posse cuts ever) and "Award Tour" featuring a memorable hook provided by fellow Native Tongue Trugoy of De La Soul. The only misstep on Anthology comes with the inclusion of Q-Tip's pop-friendly, solo venture "Vivrant Thing", a huge departure from ATCQ's roots, which really has no business being in this collection.
More than any other hip-hop group, ATCQ stayed ahead of hip-hop's ideological bent by tapping into its jazz heritage and being unafraid to tackle a wide variety of subjects (everything from date rape to vegetarianism to racism), all the while pulling out organic spirituals snugly fit for everyone's pleasure center. Yet, besides its walk down memory lane, what makes this compilation so interesting is the fact that only three of the 19 tracks featured on The Anthology come from the group's last two LP's—the disappointing Beats, Rhymes & Life and the overzealous The Love Movement. All in all, The Anthology still serves as a great testament to the playing field ATCQ was on during their heyday, as well as how much their original flavor will be missed.
– Cleon Alert