Review: Beats, Rhymes & Life -- The Travels Of A Tribe Called Quest

A Tribe Called Quest posing for a photo. A reluctant photo that no one wanted to take.

One of the most important notes I took in any of my photography lectures, years back, was making a connection with an artist. Finding art and an artist to invest oneself to, becomes more difficult as any medium grows. There is a high chance you could expose yourself to a lot of crap art and crap artists [subjectively speaking]. When I look at this documentary on A Tribe Called Quest, it reminds me about the many movements that occur in art. It reminds me of my youth. It also reminds me of my initial hate of the group.

As a bboy, the past ten years of my life have been dedicated to learning about funk and soul and where that music comes from. And subsequently, how hiphop came to be. Why is it important? In retrospect, hearing a group like Tribe sample and echo a sound that a select few are interested in, beyond a surface level, help me understand why a youth rebellion is always necessary. However, this documentary functions as a strong counterpoint towards the consistent labeling of misogyny, racism and homophobia stapled to hiphop culture.

When children make music, there is a higher chance that they will say something stupid. Some of it is hurtful and rage-filled -- offensive even. Occasionally, it’s oddly poetic. Seeing the effort Michael Rappaport went through in gathering as much information about the construction of A Tribe Called Quest and, eventually, The Natives Tongues -- it really confused me.

Here I was in one of the smallest theaters in Columbus, Ohio sitting in a room with eight other attendees inhabited. Opening night, no less. “Who is going to care about this?” I said to myself as the documentary opened with Pure Essence’s “Wake Up.” I send out a mass text message only to find out, that I wasn’t the only one across the States, enjoying the documentary and being one of few who were.

 
Most, if not all, relationships within the group are delved into with great detail. Yup, even Jarobi. Sorry, no J. Dilla. It very much is a 'core Tribe' documentary focusing, majorly, on the four members.

In this age of instant information access, I feel like a documentary of this caliber could be taken for granted. Considering most documentaries on musical movements and artist figureheads are constructed post-mortem*, It’s a bit surreal to see a middle-aged Q-Tip and and Phife Dawg talk about DJ Red Alert, being responsible for making them the popular name they are today. Only for the scene to jump-cut to DJ Red Alert reaffirming the point.

I think art speaks to us at different times in our lives. The good art says something different each time. I vehemently disliked A Tribe Called Quest when I was a child. As a result of the environment I grew up in, I was more of a Gangstarr-slash-N.W.A. fan. I think Tribe, for me, represented a change I didn’t want in hiphop. I liked my rap offensive, loud and as unfriendly as possible. Not to say that I don’t like hearing that now, but as you get older, you can only hear the word “faggot” so many times until, well, you feel all icky.

The Cosby-rap or alternative-rap phenomena [that I’ve dubbed], may not have been what many youthful ears wanted to hear at the time, but it was a necessary movement. This documentary reflects that and subtly introduces a historical context that places Tribe with many talented bands in history that were faced with creative problems. These problems would mark the band's demise.

 
Personally, I think most artists [especially musicians] express all they have to say within two albums. Tribe was one of few exceptions.

Problems, I feel, were dwelled upon too long. There is an element of the documentary that is primarily focused on the argumentative nature of the group. It’s almost a bit too Jerry Springer with, “who said what to whom.” But it works in regards to illustrating how this group functioned and how they fell apart, based solely on creative differences.

Don’t expect a twenty-minute aside on how James “Jay Dee” Yancey’s production was birthed out of Q-Tip’s inclusion of the legendary producer. There's a mention of several creative artists that you may have been more of a fan of, but that's it. I was impressed that Bob Power was apart of this documentary, because no one ever references a sound engineer. Hopefully the DVD will have bonus footage of the more nerdy aspects of the music that was being made at the time.

If there were any failing found in this “Beats, Rhymes & Life...” documentary, it would be that it was more life than beats or rhymes. I’m glad to know more about how one of the greatest groups in hiphop came to be, but the music they made could have been emphasized more. It was almost treated as a byproduct of their relationship -- or lack thereof. I'm still weighing if that's a pro or con. Maybe our creative endeavors should be seen as the offspring of the people and events that effect us most?

Here’s where I say, “if you’re a hiphop fan, go and see it!” However, I hate exclamation points in sentences. Hiphop has branched out to so many different avenues I’m not sure if that’s an apt statement. I think documentary fans will like it, because the research is beyond what is expected. The editing and pacing leans more on the sensational side, but keeps you interested to see if Phife Dawg and Q-Tip will come to blows**.

For me, this is mandatory reading. It made me appreciate a group that I viewed as a ‘bunch of softies’ when I was a kid. This documentary helps understand so much about music, socio-economic backgrounds and not to mention the nostalgia one feels after hearing one song from your youth. I’m hoping this review helps with getting, at least one person invested in a group that means more to this culture than, at one time, it meant to me. As of me writing this, it was probably ripped out of theaters. If it hasn't, bring friends. Make a party of it.

I give Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels Of A Tribe Called Quest...

Because Cosby-Rap has a face. It's face is Cosby.

The “Bill Cosby Sings” Award

*Post-mortem meaning, after the artist has died or after the music has become less popular. Sometimes both.

*Spoiler alert: They did.