10 Best Hip Hop Albums Of The Decade
7. A Tribe Called Quest - We Got It From Here… Thank You 4 Your Service
That A Tribe Called Quest’s We Got It From Here… Thank You 4 Your Service came out so strong is not just a surprise, but a borderline miracle. 8 months after founding member Phife Dawg’s death, and 18 years removed from their last album, the conscious hip hop standard-bearers came out of the gates with not only the best rap record of 2016, but one of their 30-year career’s strongest offerings.
We Got It From Here is the best kind of comeback album in that it harks back to the group’s glory days, but never sounds stuck in the past. The bouncy, jazz-fuelled grooves of old are still present and correct, but the production stays fresh throughout, showing that while Q-Tip and co. haven’t forgotten their roots, they don’t want to coast on pure nostalgia.
Lyrically, this is classic Tribe. No group has ever mastered the art of wrapping serious messages in such a warm, accessible format, and from breaking down false media narratives on “The Space Program” to reaching out to the disenfranchised youth on “Dis Generation,” they never lose focus. Listening to some of Phife’s pre-recorded verses can be tough, but We Got It From Here is so boundlessly enthusiastic that it’s hard to to leave with a smile on your face.