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A Tribe Called Quest’s (ATCQ) sixth studio album, “We got it from here…Thank you 4 your service,” wasn’t supposed to exist.
The project was released on Nov. 11, 2016, through Epic Records after an 18-year hiatus. The hip-hop group had released what was believed to be its final, “The Love Moment,” in 1998 before disbanding shortly after due to relationship issues between the members.
However, during that period apart, the group reunited twice–first during Kanye West’s “Yeezus Tour” in 2013 and again on Nov. 15, 2015 to perform on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.” That televised performance ultimately served as the catalyst for the group to reconvene and begin crafting what would become its final album.
To me, the album stood as a final farewell–to supporters, to the music industry and most importantly, to Phife Dawg, born as Malik Izaak Taylor, who died during the recording process in March 2016. The fourth track on the second disc, “Lost Somebody,” tells the story of Phife Dawg’s life in a way that feels almost like an obituary set to music, honoring him and his presence within the group.
The album was created during the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign, as Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton vied for office. The second track, “We the People…,” functions as a pointed response to the rhetoric surrounding Trump’s campaign. Its gritty production underscores the urgency of its message.
When I first listened to the song, I felt the tension embedded in its sound–the guitar heavy and the delivery sharp. Pitchfork’s Jayson Greene described it as a “ferocious and driving song about intolerance and fear.”
My favorite song is “Melatonin,” the seventh song on the first disc and the one I knew before listening to the album in full. Initially, I was drawn to the vocal appearance by Yebba, but over time, I have grown to appreciate the song’s lyrical depth and production. The track also features writing and vocal contributions from Marsha Ambrosius of Floetry.
I connect with the closing lyrics, in which Yebba sings about sleeplessness and racing thoughts, questioning whether rest can quiet the noise. Beneath its surface, however, the song carries a heavier meditation on mental unrest and escape.
After listening to the full album, “Solid Wall of Sound,” the fourth track on the first disc became another favorite. The song samples Elton John’s 1974 track, “Bennie and the Jets.” One of the album’s strengths is its layered use of samples throughout. The eighth track, “Enough!!,” similarly stands out, incorporating the song “Folimagination” by Oliver Bloch-Lainé.
“We got it from here…Thank you 4 your service” was born from rekindled relationships, grief, collective unrest and the charged political climate of 2016. A decade later, its messages still resonate. I am grateful the members of A Tribe Called Quest found their way back to one another to create it because it feels less like a comeback and more like a necessary closing chapter.
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