The Native Tongues is a collective of late 1980s and early 1990s hip-hop artists known for their positive-minded, good-natured Afrocentric lyrics, and for pioneering the use of eclectic sampling and later jazz-influenced beats. Its principal members are the Jungle Brothers, De La Soul, and A Tribe Called Quest. The collective was also closely tied to the Universal Zulu Nation.
The New York City-based Native Tongues crew was a collective of like-minded hip hop artists who would help bring abstract and open-minded lyricism that addressed a range of topics—from spirituality and modern living to race, sex, and just having fun—to the mainstream. Together with the use of eclectic samples that would take on an increasingly jazzy sound, they would be pioneers of so-called conscious hip hop, alternative hip hop, and jazz rap.
Trugoy the Dove recalled: "The Native Tongues came about where, basically, we had a show together in Boston. [De La Soul], Jungle [Brothers] and we linked from there. We had a natural love for the art and a natural love for each other on how we put stuff together. So we invited [the Jungle Brothers] to a session, and when they hooked up with us, we happened to be doing "Buddy." It wasn't business; it wasn't for a check. It was just trading ideas and just seeing what you're doing. Bottom line, it was just having fun."
According to Q-Tip: "I remember Afrika [Baby Bam] called me that night, like, two in the morning. "Yo these kids, De La Soul, you gotta meet ’em! I swear we're just alike!" I went there, met them, and it was just fuckin' love at first sight. It was disgusting. In hip hop, it praises individualism. I think that's the main achievement of the Native Tongues. It just showed people could come together."
Fostered by Kool DJ Red Alert, the success of the Jungle Brothers would pave the way for De La Soul and A Tribe Called Quest; together, these three groups would form the core of the crew and continue the spirit of Afrika Bambaataa and the Zulu Nation. By 1989 they had been joined by Queen Latifah and the UK's Monie Love, and soon by the Black Sheep & Chi-Ali. Collectively, the members of the Native Tongues had a huge effect on the style and trends of hip hop during its most important period, the golden age of the late 1980s–early 1990s. A Tribe Called Quest and De La Soul's albums of this time are considered among the best and most important in the hip hop genre.
The song "Scenario" was the final track on the Tribe Called Quest album The Low End Theory and featured the fledging Leaders of the New School—Dinco D, Busta Rhymes, and Charlie Brown. This track simultaneously introduced and legitimized the concept of a new school in hip-hop music, and is arguably the most notable and significant single song of the era.
While featuring an extensive discography, the collaborations of the Native Tongues have been fairly limited: the collective never recorded anything under that name, and the number of notable crew cuts can be counted on one hand. The various groups grew distant with time, and, by 1993, De La Soul's Trugoy the Dove proclaimed, "That native shit is dead." The collective would, however, reunite in 1996 for the Jungle Brothers’ "How Ya Want It We Got It (Native Tongues Remix)"; collaborators in this period, such as Common, The Roots, Truth Enola, DJ S.T.R.E.S.S., Da Bush Babees, and Mos Def, could be seen as latter-day additions to the crew. In 1998 on A Tribe Called Quest's album The Love Movement, the last track ("Rock Rock Ya'll") features Jane Doe, Mos Def, Punchline & Wordsworth. Q Tip states near the track's end that "this right here is a family".
There are several collectives today—with overlapping membership—that can be seen as the spiritual heirs to the Native Tongues crew: the Spitkicker crew (founded by De La Soul's Trugoy and Posdnuos in 2000), the Okayplayers, and the Soulquarians. Chris Lighty was a member of the Native Tongues-affiliated street crew the Violators and began his career carrying records for Zulu Nation DJs, and later as the Jungle Brothers' roadie. Until his death in 2012 he ran the successful Violator Management company, which represents Busta Rhymes and Q-Tip, among other high-profile clients. It has influenced many other artists in the music industry.
The Pharcyde†† (Imani, Bootie Brown, Slimkid3 and Fatlip)
† According to De La Soul interview on MuchMusic's RapCity in 1996.
†† According to Q-Tip interview the BBC Radio 1 special The Story Of Q-Tip.
Collaborations
Collaborations involving the original members, those that could be considered true Native Tongues crew cuts, are in bold. Note that this list is incomplete.
"The Promo" by Jungle Brothers feat. Q-Tip, from Straight out the Jungle
1989
"Buddy" by De La Soul featuring Jungle Brothers and Q-Tip from Tribe Called Quest, from 3 Feet High and Rising
"Description" De La Soul featuring Q-Tip and Prince Paul, from 3 Feet High and Rising
"Buddy (Native Tongues Decision)" by De La Soul featuring Jungle Brothers, A Tribe Called Quest, Monie Love, and Queen Latifah, from "Buddy" 12-inch single
"The Mack Daddy on the Left" by De La Soul from "Say No Go" 12-inch single
"Pass The 40" by Black Sheep featuring Chi Ali, Jim Jones, Chris Lighty, and Dave Gossett, from A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing
"A Roller Skating Jam Named "Saturdays"" by De La Soul featuring Q-Tip and Vinia Mojica, from De La Soul is Dead
"Fanatic Of The B Word" by De La Soul featuring Dres and Mike G, from De La Soul is Dead
"What Yo Life Can Truly Be" by De La Soul featuring A Tribe Called Quest (Including Jarobi) and Black Sheep, available on the "A Roller Skating Jam Named Saturdays" vinyl single.
1992
"Scenario (Remix)" by A Tribe Called Quest feat. Kid Hood and Leaders Of The New School, from "Scenario" 12" single
"Let The Horns Blow" by Chi Ali feat. Dres, Dove, Fashion and Phife Dawg, from The Fabulous Chi-Ali
"La Schmoove" by The Fu-Schnickens feat Phife Dawg, from "F.U. "Dont Take It Personal""
"Check It Out" by the Fu-Schnickens feat Dres, from "F.U. "Dont Take It Personal""
1993
"Award Tour" by A Tribe Called Quest featuring Trugoy, from Midnight Marauders
"Oh My God" by A Tribe Called Quest featuring Busta Rhymes, from Midnight Marauders
"One-Two Shit" by A Tribe Called Quest featuring Busta Rhymes, from "Oh My God" 12-inch single
"What's That? (¿Que Eso?)" by Tony Touch featuring Mos Def and De La Soul, from The Piece Maker
"The Questions" by Common featuring Mos Def & Monie Love, from Like Water for Chocolate
"One for Love Part 1" by Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Posdnuos, Pharoahe Monch, Kool G Rap, Rah Digga, Sporty Thievz, and Shabaam Sahdeeq, from Hip-Hop for Respect
2001
"Take That" by Da Beatminerz featuring Flipmode Squad & Vinia Mojica, from Brace 4 Impak
"Wages of Sin"-Mr. Khaliyl featuring Talib Kweli
2002
"Get By (Remix)" by Talib Kweli featuring Mos Def, Busta Rhymes, Jay-Z, and Kanye West
"Stand To The Side" by Talib Kweli featuring Vinia Mojica & Res, from Quality
2003
"Let's Get Loud" by Steven Tyler, Busta Rhymes, Phife Dawg, MC Lyte, and Chuck D, from the 2003 ESPY Awards
"You Can't Hold A Torch" by Busta Rhymes featuring Q-Tip and Chauncey Black, from The Big Bang
2007
"Where Are They Now? (Remix)" by Nas featuring Mike G, Dres, Das EFX, Positive K, EST, DoItAll, Chip Fu, Monie Love, Father MC, Spinderella, Rob Base, and Redhead Kingpin
2010
"Birds of a Feather" by Black Sheep featuring Q-Tip from A Tribe Called Quest, Trugoy the Dove of De La Soul, and Mike Gee of the Jungle Brothers. From Black Sheep album "From the Black Pool of Genius" due June 29, 2010.
