84. A Tribe Called Quest - “The Space Program”
This album was one of the biggest surprises of 2016. Usually when artists return from any sort of hiatus their work suffers as a result. Too often they grasp for something that once was, and inevitably end up falling short. These artists either fail to realize that time has moved on and that they should too, or painfully attempt to directly mimic the music of their younger contemporaries. Such instances are always awkward, and even a little sad, almost as if by trying to relive their former glory these artists completely soil their once good names, and forever ruin any illusion of ‘coolness’ they may have otherwise retained. It’s as if in trying to remain relevant, they seal they’re legacy as utter and irrevocable has-beens.
However, a Tribe Called Quest deftly avoided falling amongst these pitfalls, and they did so by maintaining a middle path. They retained the spirit and vibe of their earlier work, but successfully shifted their content to cover the state and plight of contemporary society. They embraced the progression of time. They’re no longer young and earnest street intellectuals, but wise and woke OG’s. They’ve been around the block. They’ve seen it all, taking note of what has changed, and more importantly, what hasn’t. They’re still just as witty and incisive. They embody the same wide-eyed yet focused air, and the same sense of chilled-out passion. However, they’ve now been emboldened by the passage of time and honed by their experience. Age has only improved their skills and sharpened their focus, all of which can be heard on this track.
It’s no secret that the world is still overflowing with inequality. However, it’s so baked into and intertwined with our society that it’s sometimes hard to notice (at least if you possess enough privilege to not be on the receiving end of it). Therefore, ATCQ breaks it down for those in the back. They weave inequality and systemic racism into a clever metaphor about space, in an effort to emphasize just how calloused, indifferent and rigged the system can be against POC. It can be a depressing realization. However, ATCQ doesn’t stop there. They refuse to end within the negative and remain hopeless or helpless victims. They recognize that there’s strength in numbers, and that change requires action, and luckily they’re here to help lead the charge into a better future.
