Making his directorial debut, Michael Rapaport has set out to give the world a behind the scenes look at one of the most influential and commercially successful hip hops groups to ever grace the streets of NY, and the world, A Tribe Called Quest.
In Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of a Tribe Called Quest, Rapaport joins the group on the Rock the Bells Tour when they reunited in 2008, capturing the joys and turmoil that existed behind the scenes to provide us with evidence as to what kept this group together and what drove them apart. As a diehard hip hop fan, Rapaport was able to conduct some very intimate interviews with each member of ATCQ along with some of the biggest names in hip hop like Pharrell, the Beastie Boys, and The Jungle Brothers. We start with the origins of the group and progress up until present day, when conflicts still arise and love is still spread.
A Tribe Called Quest is comprised of four members, Q-Tip, Phife Dawg, Ali Shaheed Mohammed and Jarobi White. You may have heard their song “Can I Kick it?” It’s a great question and the answer can perfectly sum up my reactions to this film, “Yes it Can!”
The documentary is real, raw and visually hip. The entire movie screams hip-hop and the philosophy behind it by featuring videos and fashion trends of the late 80s and early 90s to the graffiti, neon colored transitions that are prevalent throughout the flick. What I liked about the film was that the members weren’t afraid to talk smack about each other, they knew they were family but like Rapaport, people wanted to know why this group disbanded and why there was constant dissent within the group.
From listening to Q-Tip’s philosophy on Jazz and producing, we are able to dive into what made this group special while also realizing that while he may have brought some of the beats, it was the culmination of the group that really made ATCQ shine. We get to hear about Phife Dawg’s struggle with diabetes, how it affected his life and relationship with Q-Tip and how he emerged as the street voice of the gang. He doesn’t hold back his thoughts and that’s what really impressed me because he is able to balance his anger and emotions by using some great jokes to poke fun at others. Even though the film definitely favors Phife’s story a bit more, focusing a lot of attention on his fallout with Q-Tip, I think Q-Tip is able to make his argument in less time, which is why the timing of opinions is skewed. 
While those are the two that predominantly rocked the mic, we get to listen to the spirit of ATCQ, Jirobi, and why he was kind of the floating member of the group, coming and going as he pleased. He is the guy that truly brought soul into the film as he breaks down on camera to show that it’s ok for performers to cry, that they are people too. It’s his realism that completes the film.
The one man I wish I heard a little more from, or at least intervened in the fight a little more, was Ali. When Jirobi was absent he was the one stuck in the middle of Q-Tip and Phife’s battle and was really the victim of all their troubles. The other two never really seemed to pay much attention to him unless they needed to talk to someone, at least that’s the impression I got from the footage that was shown to me. Rapaport did a pretty good job balancing all aspects of the film except this particular one with Ali.
From their iconic smooth love songs about a girl’s big ass (Bonita Applebum), to their melodic and powerful performances, this film proves why A Tribe Called Quest is still relevant today, 10 years after their final album, and why they will always remain hip hop legends. Michael Rapaport has done an outstanding job bringing hip hop into the realm of documentary filmmaking, this is HIS passion piece and its result is one hell of an engaging experience.
Rating: A cool, colorful, and passionate hip hop documentary (7.8/10)
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