#201 A Tribe Called Quest, 'Midnight Marauders' (1993)

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The best thing to come out of the last countdown for me was A Tribe Called Quest. A group that I was previously unfamiliar with that I quickly grew to love. This album fuses Jazz, Funk, Soul and R&B, alongside witty, socially conscious lyrics. The first actual song is a nod to South African anti-Apartheid activist, Steve Biko, who died at the age of 30-years-old in 1977 in police custody. The production on this record is impeccable and is on full display on lead single, ‘Award Tour.’ The album seamlessly weaves from song to song, flow as tight as the rhymes. A Tribe Called Quest is really the group that turned me onto Hip Hop, the group that opened my eyes and ears and this record really reiterates that.

The album would top the US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and came in at #8 on the overall charts, going on to sell a million plus records. This album ushered in the second Golden Age of Hip Hop and has been called a “masterwork” by critics. This record was a complete pleasure to listen to and is a new firm favourite.

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