People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm
Album - 12 marzo 1990 - Debaser id 29911

[Q-Tip]
Q-Tip is my title.
I don't think that is vital for me to be your idol,
but dig this recital.
If you can't envision a brother who ain't dissin
Slingin' this and that, 'cause this and that was missin
Instead, it's been injected, the Tribe has been perfected
Oh yes, it's been selected, the art makes it protected
Afrocentric livin', Africans be givin
A lot to the cause 'cause the cause has been risen
Some brothers, they be flammin', thinkin' we ain't slammin
Comin' off like the days where we used to wear the tans and
A blue-colllar talker, a hemisphere stalker
A glass of O.J and a ten mile walk-a
If you're in a Jeep and you dig what you're hearin
Can I get a beep and a side order of cheerin?
I am what I am, that's a tribal man
We all know the colours, we all must stand
As we start our travels, things they will unravel
"Que sera sera", for this unit is like gravel
Won't be gone for long, listen to the song
If you can't pull it, all ya gotta do is

Chorus:
Push it along, push it along.
Push it along, yeah, push it along. (repeat 4x)

[Phife Dawg]
Put one up for the Phifer, it's time to decipher
The ills of the world make the situation lighter
The clock is always tickin', the systems should be kickin
Like ? ham and eggs, I eat chicken, chicken, chicken
Should I release the lever, the lever of the clever
Embelish on the funk as we start to endeavour?
The ?wraughts? of the rap filling up the gap
With the smash of a hand and a little toe tap

[Q-Tip]
The boom, the bip, the boom bip
Indicates to the brothers that we be on the flip tip
Phonies start to crumble, funky rhythm rumbles
Through the dance-hall, but my anthem is humble
It's the nitty-gritty, my time is itty-bitty
So I ?kick the slash for the gipper? and the witty
This ain't trial and error, more like tribe and error
Constantly rude as some sort of tribal terror
The street can't depart from the bloody heart
Repair the wear and tear, don't start 'fore it starts
Won't be gone for long, listen to the song
If you can't pull it, all ya gotta do is

Repeat chorus

[Q-Tip]
Marchin' off the project, we hope that you will subject
It's good to be an object and never, ever reject
The tribe who meanders with drunken propoganda
Keep it in boom and never will we slander
? should be handed, don't let me demand it
Money gives a nudge to the poet star bandit
Control it, then recluse it, follow, you won't lose it
Mysterious is the tribe for we choose it
Although she's flippin' crazy, give my love to Gracy
God, could you help 'cause this Quest is crazy spacey?
The pigs are wearin' blue, and in a year or two
We'll be goin' up the creek in a great big canoe
What we gonna do, save me and my brothers?
Hop inside the bed and pull over the covers
Never will we do that and we ain't tryin' to rule that
We just want a slab of the ham, don't you know, black?
This society of fake reality
Are nothin' but a peg of informality
While I sing my song, sing it all day long,
If you can't pull it, all ya gotta do is

Repeat chorus

[Q-Tip]
Brother, brother, brother, Lucien, you're like no other
Listen very close 'cause I don't like to boast
Instead, I'll tell the tale of a French who prevailed
Through the Mr. Crazy Rabbits who were always on his tail
? on sale, your rumour starts to wail
Get caught with stolen goods and you will go to jail
If you go to jail, then who will pay the bail?
They'll put you back to France on a ship with a sail
Escargot, Lucien, you eat snails
(Hey yo Tip, what's wrong with snails?)
From the Zulu nation, from a town called Paris
Came to America to find liberty
Instead of finding pleasure, all you found was misery
But listen, Lucien, you have a friend in me
Oh, luck luck will drive you butt baddy
Next time you get some wheels, make it a Caddy
In terms of doing good, I know you wish you really could
But listen, brother man, I really think you can
Succeed with the breed of the brothers on your back
It's the creme de la creme, and you can bounce with that
It'll take a minute, rice, so take my advice
Trust in us, and thus you trust in your life
Lucine, Lucien, Lucien, Lucien - you should know!

[Q-Tip]
Are you ready, Lu? This one is for you
Comin' from a true-blue, fits like a shoe
"Cómo está usted" or "Comment allez-vous"
Lucien, I'll leave it up to you.
Voulez-vous? (vous)
Rendez-vous (vous)
Coucou (cou) ...
Les poo-poo (poo)
Watch that lass, gonna backlash fast
Can you get a grip on the crackhead dip?
Sold you a paper bag, guess he saw you comin
VCR from a neck-bone bummin
$10 brother, he was hummin' and strummin
Only had 20, he was livin' like ya slummin
Gave him the money, well, I thought that was somethin
Lookin' like a kid who was lost in crumbin
Don't worry about a thing, I won't get specific
This is a song that is long and prolific
Think of the stuff that I said if you can
Figure it out, compute, understand
No problemo, I'll help you with your demo
If you go to the store for me
Lucien, I'm just kiddin - you should know!

[Q-Tip]
You gotta get a grip on the missions you'll be takin
Not so much the mission, but you got crazy ignition
Sure, the sugar-babies wanna give you a chance
With the French "savoir faire" and the sexy dance
But is she really fly, or is she a guy?
I won't ask why, 'cause I know that you try
You try too hard, is that the answer to the riddle?
Instead of doin' so much, why don't you do just a little?
Boy, what a cad, I guess we shouldn't treat him bad
In fact, it would be nice if we understood him like
A case of positionin' the feet in the shoes
Sympathetic reason in the case of the blues
Lucien is blue, even though he's really brown
I had to make the sound, his life is too profound
On the up-and-up, he's somethin' like a little pup
Young and naive, it's hard to believe
As long as you're strong, you can quest with the questers
Jolly like a jumping bean or a jester
Lucien, Lucien, Lucien, Lucien - you should know!

Chorus (After Hours it was cool x8)

Q-Tip:

Ten after one I think I'll hop the horse
Downtown late of three of course
Just came from fishing couldn't get a catch
Downtown they'll probably have a batch
A whiting sandwich and a Guinness Stout
but with the beer though I had a bout
So I exchanged it for some apple juice
I had the blues but I shook them loose
A jeep is blasting from the urban streets
Loots of funk over hardcore beats
The moon dabbles in the morning sky
As the minutes just creep on by
I get a thought and hear comes my Tribe
Ritual shakes and in good vibes
Like always the Quest begins
In the mist though but the rhyth's move in
We find a spot and we sit and chat
Speaking on the status quo of rap
A derelick makes a real long speach
We pay attention to the words he read
When he was done we rattled on
There was no lunch because it wasn't dawn
We pointed things out about this times
The worlds famons and the crazy crimes
Inflation of the nation, it bothers me
I better go gold, to pay the taxes
Gotta be swift society
The man whose made is the man who maxes
The grounds for living are being discussed
As we go it gets close to dusk
Gather thoughts and savor breath
Cause there's only a few hours left

Chorus:
After Hours it was cool (x8)

Q-Tip:

Me ohh my, hey-hey, hey-hey
The human hours are here to stay
This is how it seems(?) my witness
Bug out all night, ask Phife, he's with this
Girls be screaming on this conversation
I have my two cents for a revelation
And my watch continuously tic-tocs
Shaheed will bring up the beats that rocks
I hear the frogs and the smashing of bottles
A car revs up and I hear it trottle
It probably moves with the morning wind
Ohh my God, here's Phife again
(?) talking about last nights game
Trying to remember someone's name
So hear the frogs dancing in the streets
Once again Ali will bring up the beat
Like this

(Sounds of frogs)

Q-Tip:

The beat is over and so is the night
The sun is risen and the shine is bright
We all say peace and go our separate ways
Youth is fading as we gain our days
Explanation for the song is simp'
The hours creep, excuse me, I mean limp
As we go you hear a gasp of laugh
As we start up our rhythmic path
Like this

Chorus

[Q-Tip]
As we start trudgin, me and my brothers we be lookin and be buggin
Vehicles of life they be rollin and be mergin
Searchin for the virgins of life
that be shovin out the door that's crack
The valleys of time, are always on my feet
As least the beat will combine
The calluses and corns with the funky bassline
You don't need underdog for a nickel shoeshine or the shoes that's phat
Well can I get a level on the bass and on the treble
Footin up and down like a UNLV Rebel
The answer be amongst us cos we rarely dig acoustics
Can't be too much flackin, not too much packin
You must container that at least to dip your hand in rap
Your feet will be infectious so at least realise the fact
The rhythms are inserted and the nurse can be converted
This ain't rock 'n' roll cos the rap is in control
If you're a megastar, worth will buy you a car
I'd rather go barefootin, for prints I will be puttin
all over the earth if we can get there first
Now that we are in it, footprints are bein printed
So fi you recognise em, you can try to size em
They'll probably be the ones with the size not fryin
all over reveal, you won't have to yield
If you want protection you can hide behind the shield

[Q-Tip]
You can game on the gallons if you really need to rock
But we walk while we talk as we stompin through the block
Hand in hand 'cross the land as Muhammad cross the fade
It's a Tribe who meanders, precious like a jade
It's a art, Theo arch rhymes the ground placed upon
The mind will unwind, it will soft to beyond
Catch the track, track by track, get a map to track a trail
You will find yourself behind for a map does not prevail
See the levels peakin as the rhythms keep-a screechin
A Quest, oh yes a Quest, inside the jam I will keep preachin
the point, oh yes the point, because it's close but yet so far
The loudiness is ringin as we scoot across the star
We are bulgin, I'm indulgin in a rat-a-tat-tat
Explanation for the liners that the rhythm is phat
Keep it wild, wide and deep, you could dig it in a jeep
But dig it in the ground because the foot print now

[Q-Tip]
If there's a storm that's brewin, it won't keep us from doin
our thing as we start swingin, travellin is bringin
joy inside the domes as we hit the road to roam/Rome
A chair is not a chair, a house is not a home
Because my skin is brown, yo I'm gonna do the town
Rub it in the face and rub my feet all through the place
When you get your finger on the music it'll linger
Sing a song o' sixpence, sing it like a singer
A Nubian, a Nubian, a proud one at that
Remember me, the brother who said "Black is black"
You can come by request, I don't play, I don't dress
Get emotions off your chest, we are black, we the best
Makin moves, makin motions, flowin like an ocean
The walkin will continue, we know that we will bring you
the times that you have waited, more anticipated
Be gone but not for long because the feet will stay strong

My mother went away for a month-long trip
Her and some friends on an ocean-liner ship
She made a big mistake by leaving me home
I had to roam so I picked up the phone
Dialed Ali up to see what was going down
Told him I pick him up so we could drive around
Took the Dodge Dart, a '74
My mother left a yard but I needed one more
Shaheed had me covered with a hundred greenbacks
So we left Brooklyn and we made big tracks
drove down the Belt, got on the Conduit
Came to a toll, we paid and went through it
Had no destination, we was on a quest
Ali laid in the back so he could get rest
Drove down the road for two-days-and-a-half
The sun had just risen on a dusty path
Just then a figure had caught my eye
A man with a sombrero who was four feet high
I pulled over to ask were we was at
His index finger he tipped up his hat
"El Segundo," he said, "my name is Pedro
If you need directions, I'll tell you pronto"
Needed civilization, some sort of reservation
He said a mile south, there's a fast food station
Thanks, senor, as I start up the motor
Ali said, "Damn, Tip, why you drive so far for?"

(Well describe to me what the wallet looks like)

Anyway a gas station we passed
We got gas and went on to get grub
It was a nice little pub in the middle of nowhere
Anywhere would have been better
I ordered enchiladas and I ate 'em
Ali had the fruit punch
When we finished we thought for ways to get back
I had a hunch
Ali said, "Pay for lunch"
So I did it
Pulled out the wallet and I saw this wicked beautiful lady
She was a waitress there
Put the wallet down and stared and stared
To put me back into reality, here's Shaheed:
"Yo, Tip, man, you got what you need?"
I checked for keys and started to step
What do you know, my wallet I forget

Yo, it was a brown wallet, it had props numbers
Had my jimmy hats I got to get it man

Lord, have mercy
The heat got hotter, Ali stars to curse me
I fell bad but he makes me feel badder
Chit-chit-chatter, car stars to scatter
Breaking on out, we was Northeast bound
Jettin' on down at the seepd of sound
Three days coming and three more going
We get back and there was no slack
490 Madison, we're here, Sha
He said, "All right, Tip, see you tomorrow"
Thinking about the past week, the last week
Hands go in my pocket, I can't speak
Hopped in the car and torpe'ed to the shack
Of Shaheed, "We gotta go back" when he said
"Why?" I said, "We gotta go
'Cause I left my wallet in El Segundo"

Yeah, I left my wallet in El Segundo
Left my wallet in El Segundo
Left my wallet in El Segundo
I gotta get, I got-got ta get it

Intro: Q-Tip

Do I love you?
Do I lust for you?
Am I a sinner cuz I do the two?
Could you let me know
Right now, please
Bonita Applebum

Chorus:

Bonita Applebum, you gotta put me on (repeat 4X)

Q-Tip:

(pause between every verse)
Hey Bonita, glad to meet ya
For the kind of stunning newness, I must have foreseen ya
Hey, being with you is a top priority
Ain't no need to question the authority
Chairman of the board, the chief of affections
You got mine's to swing in your direction
Hey, you're like a hip hop song, you know?
Bonita Applebum, you gotta put me on

Chorus

38-24-37 (uh, uh, uh!)
You and me, hun, we're a match made in heaven
I like to kiss ya where some brothas won't
I like to tell ya things some brothas don't
If only you could see through your elaborate eyes
Only you and me, hun, the love never dies
Satisfaction, I have the right tactics
And if you need 'em, I got crazy prophylactics
So far, I hope you like rap songs
Bonita Applebum, you gotta put me on

Chorus

Talking at the beginning:
Hey y'all,
we is havin a ball,
And you know they ask me to get on the mic,
And they ask me,
Can I kick it? word
Yes you can
Can I kick it?
Yes you can

Proper song now:

Can I kick it? Yes you can x7

Well I'm gone...
Gone.....

Can I kick it?
To all the people who can Quest like a Tribe does,
Before this did you really know what life was,
Comprehend to the track for its wide cos,
Gettin mentions on the tip of the vibe buzz,
Rock 'n' roll to the beat of the funk fuzz,
Wipe your feet really good on the rhythm rug,
If you feel the urge to freak do the jitter bug,
Come and spread your arms if you really need a hug,
Afro-centric living is a big shrug,
A life filled with *horn* thats what I love,
A lower plateu is what we're above,
If you diss us we wont even think of,
Will nipper the doggy give a big shove,
This rhythm really fits like a snug glove,
Like a box of positives its a plus love,
As the Tribe flies high like a dove...

Music but in background: Can I kick It? x2

Can I kick it Yes you can x7

Well I'm gone....
Gone.....

Can I kick it?
To my tribe that flows in layers,
Right now Phife is a poem sayer,
At times I'm a studio conveyer,
Mr Dinkens will you please be my mayor,
You'll be doing us a really big favour,
Boy this track really has a lot of flavour,
When it comes to rhythms Quest is your savior,
Follow us for the funky behavior,
Make a note on the rhythm we gave ya,
Feel free to drop your pants and check your hair,
Do you like the garments that we wear?
I instruct you to be the obeyer,
A rhythm recipe that you'll savour,
Doesn't matter if you're minor or major,
Yes the Tribe of the game rhythm player,
And you inhale like a breath of fresh air...

Music but in background: Can I kick it? x2

Music fade to end...

Q-Tip:
The taste of nuthin, this does somethin
Moms that knows that, says I'm frontin
Call me Smiley, cuz I'm wiley
Livin life like the life of Riley
Smokin blunts with a boy named Bud
We cough up your lungs, cough up your cud
Put out fires, with a 40, ounce of water
You know you oughta
Dance to this, your girl you kiss
I like fried foods, especially fish
Afrocentric, I'm electric
Socialistic and eccentric
Body's healthy, mind is wealthy
Thoughts, they flow, that will prepare me
To be a Native, get creative
Original and designative
Listen to the line that's playin
Listen hard to what Q's sayin
Politicians are magicians
Make your vote, they hope your wishin
Ambiguous words, senseless verbs
They all amount to crap that's heard
Violent hip hop, money flip flops
Promoters won't book, but it still rocks
I'm a Zulu, yes, a true blue
Red Alert is with the poo-poo
Ozone layer, loses flava
Here's the edge that you will savor

Jarobi:
The economy...politics...police...everything
Except for the youth
But the youth about to come back

Q-Tip(voice distorted):
Alright, here they come
Uh oh, uh oh, uh!

Q-Tip:
With expressions and I'm guessin
19 years is a youthful lesson
Fallin skies babe, open eyes babe
Can't you see what lays inside babe
Makin mentions on this tension
Rhythmic lovin, my profession
Hips, they gyrate, scripts I narrate
No banana, I ain't a primate
Ain't no soul glo, just an afro
The head is bred to let the thoughts grow
Quest together, to lands of never
Sleet and snow and storms can't sever
Tribe is growin, never know when
For this time, six necks may show in
Dialogues have been accepted
Negatives have been rejected
That's the music, negro music
Is here for all, so you must choose it
Phonies fondle, watch it throttle
3-6-5 straight out the bottle
Bustin caps, finger snaps
I prefer the second for ghetto tracks
Phife, Jarobi, Ali told me
Get the force like Wan Kenobi
Force his teachin, beats are screechin
Poly plateaus, we aim for reachin
Tribalization, freaks the nation
A mass of peers in celebration
Hopes been real high, since the knee high
Days of youth, feelin good and real spry
Avid combos, hear those bongos
Boom cacka boom, that's how they go
We ain't nomads, but we real glad
Hip hop slams through the nineties, no fad
As a rhythm, have been given
Hurry up, become, we breakin out, out

Shaheed:
With a rhythmic instinction to be able to travel
Beyond existing forces of life
Basically, that Tribal
And if you wanna get the rhythm
Then you have to join a Tribe
Word, peace

chorus:
I don't eat no ham n' eggs, cuz they're high in cholesterol
A yo, Phife do you eat em? No, Tip do you eat em?
Uh huh, not at all(again)
I don't eat no ham n' eggs, cuz they're high in cholesterol
Jarobi, do you eat em? Nope, Shah, do you eat em? (Nope)
Not at all

Q-Tip and Phife(trading lines):
A tisket, a tasket, what's in mama's basket?
Some veggie links and some fish that stinks
Why, just the other day, I went to Grandma's house
Smelled like she conjured up a mouse
Eggs was fryin, ham was smellin
In ten minutes, she started yellin (come and get it)
And the gettin's were good
I said, I shouldn't eat, she said, I think you should
But I can't, I'm plagued by vegetarians
No cats and dogs, I'm not a veterinarian
Strictly collard greens and a occasional steak
Goes on my plate
Asparagus tips look yummy, yummy, yummy
Candied yams inside my tummy
A collage of good eats, some snacks or nice treats
Apple sauce and some nice red beets
This is what we snack on when we're Questin'
(both: No second guessin)

chorus:
(Q-Tip: bridge)

Phife:
Now drop the beat, so I can talk about my favorite tastings
The food that is the everlasting, see I'm not fasting
I'm gobbling, like a dog on turkey
Beef jerky, slim jims, I eat sometimes
I like lemons and limes
And if not that, take it the road see and the salad sopped
Sit back, relax, listen to some hip hop

Q-Tip:
Gum drops and gummy bears tease my eyes
A sight for sore ones and some bore pies
And other goodies that are filled with goop
With fried apple roots
Delectable delights, control my appetites
Mine is for me, right, but I know what I like
Chicken for lunch, chicken for my dinner
Chicken, chicken, chicken, I'm a finger lickin winner
When breakfast time comes, I don't recognize
Pig in the pan or a pair of bogey chides
Mixed with stewed tomatoes, home fried potatoes
Or anything with flair, cook it, I'm in there
Pay attention to the Tribe as we impose
This is how it goes

I don't eat no ham n' eggs, cuz they're high in cholesterol
A yo, Phife do you eat em? Nah, Tip do you eat em?
Uh huh, not at all(come again, y'all)
I don't eat no ham n' eggs, cuz they're high in cholesterol
Jarobi, do you eat em? Nope, Shah, do you eat em?
Nope, not at all
I don't eat no ham n' eggs, cuz they're high in cholesterol
Afrika do you eat em? No, Pos, do you eat em?
Hell yeah, all the time
I don't eat no ham n' eggs, cuz they're high in cholesterol
Phife, do you eat em? Nah, Tip, do you eat em?
Uh huh, not at all
Jarobi, do you eat em? Nope, Shah, do you eat em?
Nope, not at all
I don't eat no ham n' eggs, cuz they're high in cholesterol
Afrika, do you eat em? No, Gary, do you eat em?
Yeah, all the time (laughing)