Beats, Rhymes & Life
In the main hall, hundreds of fans enjoyed the acclaimed but also controversial 2011 documentary together. Director Michael Rapaport - the actor and now popular comedy podcaster - made a creative detour to direct this film, focusing primarily on the interpersonal dynamics over the musical journey of the group. Things went awry in 1998, leading to the group’s disbandment. It wasn't until 2006 before the full group saw each other again. All of this was documented and presented in the film, which could also be ordered online by fans or those who missed the event. Below is a brief overview of the content in two paragraphs.
Music As A Connecting Bond
The documentary primarily showed how the Tribesmen met and started working together. A Tribe Called Quest consisted of emcees Q-Tip, Phife Dawg, Jairobi White and producer Ali Shaheed Muhammad. Brotherhood and music were foundations of this friends' circle on their way to the first album, which received the highest ratings ever given by Hip Hop critics. The single ‘Can I Kick It?’ launched the group’s career, and all members looked back fondly on this time. Their second album, ‘The Low End Theory’, continued the momentum with more hit singles. Emcee Jairobi White was absent from that point on, as he pursued his culinary dream of becoming a chef, though he remained involved with the group as a friend.
Funky Diabetic
From that second album onwards, Phife Dawg’s Type I diabetes began to affect him, and the documentary became a sequence of personal frustrations. The sicker Phife became, the more tension built between him and Q-Tip, while producer Ali Shaheed Muhammad watched his friends drift apart. Three more albums followed before the group disbanded in 1998, to great sorrow of both Phife Dawg and Jairobi White. In 2006, the men attempted another tour, but once again, things fell apart. “Only way we will be on stage together ever again is if we get in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame,” Q-Tip exclaimed in frustration. Ultimately, after a surgery for Phife Dawg in 2010, the group reunited for a series of performances and maintained contact. That is where the story of the documentary ended – but not the story of A Tribe Called Quest. Sadly, Phife Dawg never lived to see the 2024 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction.
Soul Of The Group
After the documentary, emcee Jairobi White – called ‘the soul of the group’ by Q-Tip – was welcomed on stage with loud cheers alongside DJ Rasta Root for a Q&A moderated by Trini Gladiata. After a few compliments about Amsterdam, the artist and chef dove into his emotions. Phife Dawg passed away in 2016 from his diabetes, shocking fans, but especially the group members. Jairobi shared that certain group members had remained in touch after 2008, and a reunion on Jimmy Fallon in 2015 rekindled their spark. The three emcees joined Q-Tip in the studio and began making new music – up until Phife Dawg’s passing. Producer Ali Shaheed Muhammad was unfortunately unable to attend those recordings and is therefore absent from the final album.
Phife Forever
Understandably, Jairobi and Rasta Root were visibly emotional answering questions about Phife Dawg. In addition to being a DJ, Rasta was Phife Dawg’s business partner and produced his posthumous album ‘Forever’ in 2022. Phife’s Instagram still features a photo of the two together, posted ten days before his passing. Jairobi thanked Rasta for how he had supported Phife in his life, which was met with thunderous applause from the room. The two described how Q-Tip and Phife Dawg gradually reconnected in the final months of Phife’s life. Jairobi explicitly added that the two had rekindled and resolved all their differences before Phife passed away. In fact, he had a bucket list which they completed – including taking Jairobi to a Knicks basketball game, Phife Dawg’s favourite team.
We Got It From Here
In 2016, A Tribe Called Quest released their final album, entitled ‘We Got It From Here… Thank You 4 Your Service’. That final Tribe album took on a different dynamic after Phife Dawg’s passing. The group retained the title that Phife came up with – without knowing exactly what it meant – as a final tribute to the ‘five-foot assassin’. According to critics and fans, it became a masterpiece. Jairobi was even personally thanked in the hall for his role in the group’s reunion. Smiling, he shared that comedian Dave Chappelle had visited their home and literally set the group to work, encouraging them to use the album as a process of healing. The result was the final - and according to some, the best - album by the Tribe.
Jarobi’s Picks
Other questions touched on Jairobi’s favourite lyrics, his current favourite rappers, and his advice to artists who, like Q-Tip and Phife, found themselves at odds. “You keep it real and work through these things like brothers,” the chef responded firmly. “Regarding new artists I like… I like Coast Contra, those dudes are fire. I like Tyler the Creator, Joey Badass.. I’m all over the place,” the emcee admitted. In turn, Jairobi asked the sincere question of what ‘that little plastic thing’ on our bottle caps is actually for. “It’s annoying as hell,” he continued with a smile. After a satisfying answer, host Trini Gladiata closed the session and the showcase from Jairobi and Rasta Root began.
New York Rap
With decades-long skill, DJ Rasta Root blended a set of 90s rap tracks together, occasionally dropping in a track by A Tribe Called Quest. The event turned into a DJ showcase where Jairobi White and Trini Gladiata occasionally fired up the crowd to sing along. After half an hour of toasting, Jairobi took to the decks himself for an exclusive mini-set. As the night drew to a close with around a hundred fans remaining, the setup shifted and Jairobi performed ‘Check The Rhime’ and ‘Scenario’ on stage. From that moment, the crowd truly lit up, as a thank-you for the last bit of Tribe that fans in the Netherlands could still experience.
Word to Phife
Jairobi and DJ Rasta Root took their time after the show to thank the remaining fans and sign their items. A beautiful evening at the Q-Factory, during a month that saw many iconic Hip Hop acts visit the venue. ‘Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest’ is a must-see for anyone wanting to learn more about the rap group, and an essential watch for true fans. The documentary only deepened the admiration for Phife Dawg – who now shines only in absence. All the more reason to put on his final album ‘Forever’ once more.
Geschreven in opdracht van Coast Contra, gepubliceerd voor Maxazine:
De Beats, Rhymes & Life van the Tribe in Q-Factory
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