QUESTLOVE'S MUSIC IS HISTORY: THE ALBUM VERSION

Photos courtesy of Discogs Released: 1975 Label: Prestige Records Side 1 1. Winding Roads 2. Mother Nature 3. Love Tones 4. Gentle Smiles* Side 2 1. Make Me Feel Better 2. Sea Gypsy 3. For My Baby 4. Incident *-Questlove: "A straightforward sentiment can land too heavily if the artist doesn't have subtlety or grace, or it can land in the sweet spot.  People, including me, know this song from A Tribe Called Quest's "Butter."

Photos courtesy of Discogs Released: July 1973 Recorded: March 26-29, 1973 Label: Prestige Records Side 1 1. Moanin' 2. A Chant for Bu* 3. One for Trane Side 2 1. Mission Eternal 2. Along Came Betty 3. Gertrude's Bounce *Questlove: "The start of A Tribe Called Quest's "Excursions" on The Low End Theory , which is where I first heard this, is one of the most potent openings of any album.  Post-1988, hip-hop always presented interludes as just as important (sometimes more important) than the songs itself.  So for Tribe to deliver such an important record with no album intro or interlude was a statement as strong as anything else on the record."

Photos courtesy of Discogs Recorded: 1973 Released: 1973 Label: United Artists Records Side 1 1. Sport* 2. Spoon 3. Cafe Black Rose 4. Brother Hominy Grit 5. Coppin' Some Fronts for the Set 6. Hamhocks Hall Was Big Side 2 1. The Bones Fly from Spoon's Hand 2. The Break Was So Loud, It Silenced the Crowd 3. Four Bitches Is What I Got 4. Grit's Den 5. The Shit Hits the Fan Again 6. Sentenced to the Chair *-Questlove: "On the original album, Kool and the Gang is the band backing Lightnin' Rod.  I heard this first when Melle Mel covered it as "Hustler's Convention."  But the best use is on a brilliant, obscure '80s hip-hop single, "Small-Time Hustler," by the Dismasters."

Photos courtesy of Discogs Released: May 1974 Recorded: January 1974 Label: UK Records Side 1 1. The Wall Street Shuffle 2. The Worst Band in the World* 3. Hotel 4. Old Wild Men 5. Clockwork Creep Side 2 1. Silly Love 2. Somewhere in Hollywood 3. Baron Samedi 4. The Sacro-Iliac 5. Oh Effendi *-Questlove: "I was eventually aware of 10cc because of "The Things We Do for Love" and as the former home of Godfrey and Creme (videos for "Cry," Yes's "Leave It," and the Police's "Every Breathe You Take," among many others).  But I hadn't heard this before Dilla's Donuts sampled it.

Photos courtesy of Discogs Released: May 1971 Recorded: 1971 Label: Atlantic Records Side 1 1. The Lord Is Back 2. Jagger The Dagger* 3. Lovin' Man 4. Headless Heroes 5. Susan Jane Side 2 1. Freedom Death Dance 2. Supermarket Blues 3. The Parasite (For Buffy) *- Questlove: "Supposedly, Spiro T. Agnew, Nixon's vice president, was alarmed by the political power of this record and called on Atlantic to stop promotion.  For me, it's a great record from start to finish, full of nuggets and great songs.  And it's a go-to for A Tribe Called Quest on their debut album, a running gag in interludes throughout the entire album."

Photos courtesy of Discogs Recorded: May-June 1977 Released: 1977 Label: Arista Records Side 1 1. Straight from the Gate 2. Mayonnaise 3. Ms. Yum Yum 4. Don't Kill Your Feelings Side 2 1. Descending Azzizziuh (The Beginning of a Dream) 2. I Remember I Made You Cry* 3. Pork Soda 4. Dreams 5. Silhouette *- Questlove: "Lots of us just stopped at the Headhunters' "God Made Me Funky" and didn't truly investigate the follow-up.  This is another Mobb Deep discovery, from "Drink Away the Pain."  (It's a funny song because it speeds up as it goes.  Same thing for "Sir Duke," actually.  Songs like that are interesting to use in a DJ set because they can invisibly accelerate things.)"

Photos courtesy of Discogs Recorded: 1975 Released: 1976 Label: Atlantic Records Side 1 1. It's All Right Now* 2. Why Do You Hurt Me 3. Flowers 4. That Is Why You're Overweight Side 2 1. Tryin Ain't Dyin' 2. Live Again 3. Ooh 4. Exempt *-Questlove: "When the Roots went to London, we had our Monday nights free, and I would go to Bar Rumba to watch Gilles Peterson spin rare soul.  I recognized this song from the Young Black Teenagers' record "Korner Groove."

Photos courtesy of Discogs Released: November 1977 Label: Atlantic Records Side 1 1. I'm Gonna Getcha 2. I'm Tired of Giving* 3. Painted Magic 4. You Got the Love That I Need 5. Heaven On Earth (So Fine) Side 2 1. Back in the Arms of Love 2. (Love Is) One Step Away 3. Easy Come, Easy Go 4. Baby I Need Your Love (You're the Only One) *-Questlove: "I remember going record shopping with my dad and seeing this on the rack near the cashier.  The album cover was nothing, just the band logo.  I was a big fan of "Rubber Band Man," but this record was underwhelming, sort of a sad orphan, and this song didn't register until Mobb Deep sampled it for "Up North Trip."