A Tribe Called Quest is a critically acclaimed pioneering
Hip-Hop group form
New York City. Consisting of MC's
Q-Tip, Phife Dawg, and DJ Ali Shaheed Muhammad, their style has often been refered to as "Alternative Rap" due to the socially conscious subject matter of their songs. Formed in
1988, the band was part of the Native Tongues movement of the late
1980s and early
90s that emphasized Afrocentric lyrical themes,
Jazz-influenced beats and an eclectic use of
samples. The band's debut album,
People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm received a mixed reaction when it was released, but has eventually gone on to become a classic of the genre. After a number of highly successful albums, the group disbanded and
Q-Tip went on to have a brief solo career. The band reunited in
2006 to play the
Bumbershoot festival in
Seattle.