I love the Native Tongues posse, they are ranked #2 in the Greatest Hip Hop Crews and helped usher in the Silver Era of Hip Hop
“Black medallions, no gold”
When they got together on a track it was always magic, so what I wanted to do is put my top 10 best Native Tongues collaboration tracks, I tried to make sure they included more than two members or acts; read, listen, enjoy and let me know what you think in the comments or on Twitter: @TweetRhymesLife
10. Momma Gave Birth to the Soul Children
Album: All Hail the Queen
Year: 1989
Native Tongues Members: Queen Latifah, De La Soul
No secret I’m not Queen Latifah fan, she’s hands down my least favorite Native tongue member … she’s never repped the tongues like the others ever.
Queen Latifah’s debut album, not the best song on the album by a long shot but its notable as one of the first cameos for De La Soul
Trugoy with the classic intro, Pos with the assist still in the daisy age … check it out
I remember they played this song on In Living Color while the fly girls danced
9. Doin our own dang
Album: Done by the forces of nature
Year: 1989
Native Tongues Members: Jungle Brothers, De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest, and Monie Love
The Tongues seemed to have a ton of fun when they were together, and this song and especially the video illustrated it
They even had Plug 3 rhyming!
Everyone came with it on the song; Monie Love might’ve had the best verse
This is Native Tongues at tier best … the styles and the flow all original … the fashion and hair in the video as well lol A+
8. “Saturdays” What your life can truly be
Album: Roller Skating Jam called Saturday’s single
Year: 1991
Native Tongues Members: De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest, Dres
This is NOT A Roller Skating Jam called Saturdays, this is like … part II; a lot of people never heard this song because they had the De La Soul is Dead album and never bought the single
You had to cop the CasSingle!! lol De La and Tribe brought Dres into the mix and made a hit
This song might not be better than the “original” …but anything with Vinia Mojica is great … plus there’s a Woody Woodpecker sample
7. The Promo
Album: Straight out the jungle
Year: 1988
Native Tongues Members: Jungle Brothers and Q-Tip
The Promo was the first time I ever heard Q-Tip, the Promo’s 1 and 2 were great singles (Especially Promo 2 the other side had J Beez comin thru on it) this was people’s instinctive came out
This song was an ill simple hip hop JB’s joint beats and rhymes
“Get it, if not you’re a goner”
6. Fanatic of The B Word
Album: De La Soul is Dead
Year: 1991
Native Tongues Members: De La Soul, Jungle Brothers, Black Sheep
Another joint from the De La Soul is Dead album, the Native tongues posse cuts always a party, this one starts with a role call with Dreddy Bear
Different flows by all on this song, this was post D.A.I.S.Y age, Dres shows up and kills the dope track as well (Move over just a bit to the right of me, for I cannot see; where the booty is)
The shoutouts at the end are classic
“And you can’t beat that with a baseball bat”
5. La Ménage
Album: A Wolf in sheep’s clothing
Year: 1989
Native Tongues Members: black Sheep and Q-Tip
This is a different type of song for The Tongues, it’s overtly sexual … and while others have been this is more blatant LOL I mean it’s called “La Ménage”
The track is crazy, one of my favorite Black Sheep songs ever
Basically this is Dres and Mista Lawnge and their sexcapade with a random lucky lady .. and Q-Tip with the wrap up (Tip plus Lawnge, plus the ho equals wet sheets)
The talking at the end is hilarious, golden showers and anal tongue darts? lol
“Bonita, Bonita, Bonita.”
4. One Two Shit
Album: Oh My God Maxi Single
Year: 1994
Native Tongues Members: A Tribe Called Quest and Busta Rhymes
We count Busta as a member with LONS I guess lol either way this song is GREAT! These were the days where you copped the single and you’d get unreleased joints and special remixes you couldn’t get any other way
No internet or downloading, you copped the Maxi Single and got some dope songs, this is one of them; in my opinion one of the best ATCQ songs period
It didn’t really fit on Midnight Marauders so I can see why they left if off but … yeah
3. A Roller skating jam named Saturdays
Album: De La Soul is Dead
Year: 1991
Native Tongues Members: De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest, LONS
Shoutouts to WRMS!
This might be the last Native Tongues joint on a De La album, which is a shame. So many samples in this song, classic intro by Tip and Vinia Mojica again with the assist
This song had a TON of mixes and versions, the best thing was the “Who’s skating promo” … De La were the kings of the skits
Ultimate summer song
2. Scenario
Album: Low End Theory
Year: 1991
Native Tongues Members: A Tribe Called Quest, Leaders of the New School
I don’t have to type much about this song, we all know this song and video, what you may not know is that there are multiple versions of this song
The one you hear on the video, the original (that you can hear on the podcast), the remix, the demo version (Of course I own them all lol)
So with ALL the different versions you have De La, Tribe, LONS, and The Black Sheep rhyming … even Jarobi spits on a version!!!
and we got her.
1. Buddy
Album: 3 Feet High and Rising
Year: 1989
Native Tongues Members: De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest, The Jungle Brothers, Monie Love, Queen Latifah
How could Scenario NOT be number one?
One because that would be obvious and expected
Two because if it weren’t for THIS song we might not have had Scenario
Buddy both the album version and the remix was THE Native Tongues coming out party, when this video hit with the Taana Gardner Heartbeat sample people went nuts
they used most of the verses from the original but added The JBs and Monie Love, with Queen singing … the extended version also includes Phife rhyming (cut from the video)
Even Chi Ali was in the video!
Hit the Comments, what did I miss?
What would you have added or moved around?
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