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“Midnight Marauders:” 25 Years Commemorating one of the greatest gifts to Hip-Hop Jillian Ortiz Twenty-five years ago on Nov. 9, 1993, hiphop was changed forever. A Tribe Called Quest, Queens’ very own, released their third studio album, “Midnight Marauders.” It is arguably one of, if not, the group’s best work. It is also the only record that I choose to own on vinyl. ATCQ, comprised of members Q-Tip, Jarobi White, Ali Shaheed Muhammad and the late Phife Dawg, dominated the east-coast hip-hop scene through the mid-90s into the early 2000s. Their last studio album, “We Got it From Here... Thank You 4 Your Service,” was released two years ago on Nov. 11, 2016. “Midnight Marauders,” however, is a work unlike any other. It is 51 minutes of nonstop jazzy beats and playful lyrics that glide off the tongues of the group’s emcees. From the first track, “Midnight Marauders Tour Guide,” up until the last note of “God Lives Through,” you are taken on a journey of feel-good rhythm and overcome by a sense of “Electric Relaxation,” (that was incredibly corny and I’m sorry). In the spirit of their sportive nature, the group touches upon serious issues in a sometimes facetious manner. This is seen on tracks such as “Steve Biko (Stir it Up),” which references the radical anti-apartheid activist Steve Biko. On this track, the group comments on their influence
on the hip-hop community — how they have radically changed the game. The use of the N-word in the black community is another concept that is brought about through lyricism on the track “Sucka Ni**a,” where Q-Tip acknowledges the dark past from which the word stems from, but vouches for its embracement. “Upper ni**as in the
community think it’s crummy. But I don’t, neither does the youth cause we embrace adversity it goes right with the race…” Q-Tip tells halfway through the first verse. The outros to numerous tracks on the album are unique in their own sense, as they also touch upon ideas that artists often leave in the dust.
Torch photo/jillian ortiz
A Tribe Called Quest’s ”Midnight Marauders” album was released Nov. 9, 1993.
“Did you know that the rate of AIDS in the Black and Hispanic community is rising at an alarming rate? Education is proper means for slowing it down,” are the last words uttered by the Midnight Marauders tour guide on the four-minute namesake track, “Midnight.” The outro to “Award Tour” explains to listeners the definition of “maraud,” a stylistic feature that most artists today would not think to incorporate on their work. “The word ‘maraud’ means to loot. In this case, we maraud for ears.” On the other hand, songs like “The Chase, Part II” and “Oh My God” boast Tribe’s status as hip-hop pioneers. Untouchable lyricism, entrancing flow and carefully selected jazz samples put “Midnight Marauders” on another level. Several artists have borrowed elements from some of hip-hop’s greatest, more specifically from “Midnight Marauders.” This is seen on Logic’s debut album, “Under Pressure,” where his “Intro” track introduces listeners to a “tour guide” of sorts. Other artists that attribute their inspiration to Tribe are Andre 3000, J.Cole (who sampled “Electric Relaxation” on “Forbidden Fruit”) Pharrell, Questlove of The Roots and Pusha T. “This concludes ‘Midnight Marauder’ program. Press any key to return to the main menu.” Story as it appeared on Medium.com
“I Took a Walk Through this Beautiful World” “Parts Unknown” ends, but its legacy continues Samantha DeNinno Opening shot: B-roll of a Southern Italian woman singing in a crowded market. Historical footage of 1970s New York. A woman carrying produce in the fields of Hanoi. Insert narration if needed. Cut to opening credits. Before the title sequences began, chef and writer Anthony Bourdain was able to capture his audience’s attention in CNN’s “Parts Unknown.” On Nov. 11, episode seven of season 12’s ending credits marked the end of an era for those who delighted in the inquisitive and stubborn host’s travels across the globe in search of culture, history and good food. Season 12 sought to bridge the gap between the audience and the man behind the screen even further in the wake of his passing in June with inclusions of episodes focused on his impact and the behind the scenes production of the show. The series was built on a simple model. Travel to a place, find the food and talk about it for the audiences back home. When “Parts Unknown” began, travel shows of the time, such as any of Samantha Brown’s multitude, aimed at what to see and where to visit. Bourdain’s was grittier, seemingly uncut and resolute in its quest to encapture the place through the people that shaped it. Each episode had meticulous thought behind it — inspired by a film or piece of music, specifically shot and edited in that style. Bourdain never claimed to be a journalist. In fact, he shied away from that title, calling himself a “lucky cook that gets to tell stories...a storyteller.” Nevertheless, he act-
ed as a journalist when he brought a platform to the stories of those lost in the noise. One of his most memorable episodes, the sixth of season four, saw Iran and its people in a way not actively being shown by the American media at the time — as people. He wasn’t afraid to be proven wrong or change his opinion. Yes, he enjoyed luxury, but he took special measures to highlight the food, voices and culture of the working classes as well. For it is in these people, that the struggles, accomplishments and culture of a country can be best understood. A meal represents an agreement, a familiarity, a common ground between different people. Bourdain used that commonality to ask hard questions about a country’s history and current state. He bucked against “stovepiping,” what he described as production trying to sway the conversation in a certain way, and ended scenes by saying “go wide.” He refused to take direction or listen to the convention of “action” and “cut.” “Take two? We don’t do take twos,” Bourdain said to his crew in the South Pole. His conversations with people were tantalizingly authentic and real. Audiences listened as individuals shared what they loved — their home — while believing firmly in the good that can come from the bad. The last episode of “Parts Unknown” did just the same thing on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, a place near and dear to Bourdain’s upbringing during the 70s and 80s punk and hip-hop movements. Story continued on page 13
PHOTO COURTESY/flickr creative commons peabody awards
Bourdain accepted a Peabody Award for “Parts Unknown.”