Beats, Rhymes and Life

Beats, Rhymes and Life is the fourth album of the hip hop group A Tribe Called Quest. Released in 1996, it followed three years after the highly regarded and successful Midnight Marauders. This album is a departure from the joyful, positive vibe of the earlier albums and is regarded as the group's darkest album in content. It reached number-one on the Billboard 200 and Top R&B Albums charts.

Background

The album was also the first to feature production work from the Ummah a group that was composed of Q-Tip, Ali Shaheed Muhammad, and Jay Dee. One topic on this album was the Death Row vs. Bad Boy rivalry. This album also features Consequence, cousin of rapper Q-Tip, frequently on the album.

It was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rap Album in 1997 and contains a single titled "1nce Again" that was also nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group the same year. It was certified platinum by the RIAA on October 27, 1998, even though it was not regarded as highly as the group's first three albums.

The video version of "Stressed Out" has Phife Dawg rhyming on the second verse instead of Consequence. However, Phife's verse does not appear on the album.

In the song "Keeping It Moving," Q-Tip responds to the dis comments made about him on Westside Connection's song "Cross ’Em out and Put a K" by saying that comments...
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