On today in 1970, the second lyrical half of A Tribe Known as Quest, Phife Dawg was born. Born Malik Isaac Taylor in Queens, New York, Phife was one-fourth of probably the most influential teams in Hip-Hop tradition; A Tribe Known as Quest. It’s been nearly 9 years since Phife misplaced his battle with diabetes, nonetheless, his music will dwell on for eternity.
On lots of ATCQ’s tracks, followers have all the time rightfully celebrated Q-Tip’s lyricism, however not often gave Phife Dawg his correct due. Within the posthumous honor of his birthday, we now have put collectively an inventory of 5 of his hottest verses to shine a lightweight on the unsung lyrical phenom that’s Phife Dawg.
5. “Electrical Rest” On this standout observe from the album Midnight Marauders, Phife and The Summary went toe to toe, buying and selling off verse with out a hook till the track ended, with standout bars like, “Let me hit it from the again, lady I received’t catch a hernia/Bust off in your sofa, now you bought Seaman’s Furnishings..”and let’s not neglect, “I like ‘em brown, yellow, Puerto Rican or Haitian/Identify is Phife Dawg from the Zulu Nation..”
4. “La Schmoove” This was a featured verse from Phife Dawg on a observe by Brooklyn rap tongue twisters Fu Schnickens. On this observe, Phife had the third verse, but opened it prefer it was his personal track saying,
“Now right here I’m going, as soon as once more with the sick circulate/Different MC’s that rap, their type is so-so..”
3. “State of affairs” Being probably the most in style songs on A Tribe Known as Quest’s Low Finish Concept album, Phife Dawg’s opening verse is one which rings within the ears of many rap followers.
“Ayo, Bo is aware of this, and Bo is aware of that/ However bo don’t know jack trigger Bo can’t rap//Effectively what are you aware, the Di-Dawg, is first as much as bat/No batteries included and no strings hooked up..”
2. “Award Tour” One other reduce from Midnight Marauders, Award Tour was an enormous success for A Tribe Known as Quest. It additionally homes a few of Phife Dawg’s strongest metaphors.
“I’ve a quest to have a mic in my hand/with out that, it’s like Kryptonite and Superman/So Shaheed are available in with the sugar cuts//Phife Dawg’s my identify, however on stage, name me Dynomut..”
“So, subsequent time that you just assume you need one thing right here/Make one thing dope or take that rubbish to St.Elsewhere..”
1. “Buggin Out” Coming from their hottest album, that is considered Phife’s illest bars. Phife Dawg spits two of the toughest verses on the album on this one report.
“Yo microphone test one, two, what is that this?/The 5 foot murderer with the roughneck enterprise/I float like gravity, by no means had a cavity/Obtained extra rhymes than the Winans received household..”
“You soar off to a different world, deep in your thoughts/However individuals appear to take that, as being unkind/’Oh yo he’s performing stank,’ actually on the regal?/a person of the celebrity not a person of the individuals/imagine that if you’d like however I inform you this a lot/using on the prepare with no dough, sucks..”
