Jazz (We've Got)

A Tribe Called Quest

About Jazz (We've Got)

"Jazz (We've Got)" is the second single from A Tribe Called Quest's second album The Low End Theory. A segment of the track "Buggin' Out" appeared in the music video. The sequences from "Jazz (We've Got)" are in black and white, while the "Buggin' Out" sequences are in full color. The original material sampled in the song was provided by Pete Rock, and was then recreated in a similar way by Q-Tip. Although Pete Rock is not officially credited, Q-Tip credits him in the outro of the track, rapping "Pete Rock for the beat, ya don't stop. ". 


Year:
1991
4:09
157 
#1

 Become A Better Singer In Only 30 Days, With Easy Video Lessons!

We got the jazz

Stern firm and young with a laid-back tongue
The aim is to succeed and achieve at 21
Just like Ringling Brothers, I'll daze and astound
Captivate the mass, cause the prose is profound

Do it for the strong, we do it for the meek
Boom it in your boom it in your boom it in your Jeep
Or your Honda or your Beemer or your Legend or your Benz
The rave of the town to your foes and your friends

So push it, along, trails, we blaze
Don't deserve the gong, don't deserve the praise
The tranquility will make ya unball your fist
For we put hip-hop on a brand new twist

A brand new twist with the homie-alistic
So low-key that ya probably missed it
And yet it's so loud that it stands in the crowd
When the guy takes the beat, they bowed

So raise up squire, address your attire
We have no time to wallow in the mire
If you're on a foreign path, then let me do the lead
Join in the essence of the cool-out breed

Then cool out to the music cause it makes ya feel serene
Like the birds and the bees and all those groovy things
Like getting stomach aches when ya gotta go to work
Or staring into space when you're feeling berserk

I don't really mind if it's over your head
Cause the job of resurrectors is to wake up the dead
So pay attention, it's not hard to decipher
And after the horns, you can check out the Phifer

We got the jazz

Competition, them Phifer come sideway
But competition, they mus' me come straightway
Competition, them Phifer come sideway
But competition, they mus' come straightway

Hows about that, it seems like it's my turn again
All through the years my mike has been my best friend
I know some brothers wonder, can Phifer really kick it?
Some even wanna dis me, but why sweat it?

I'm all into my music cause it's how I make papes
Tryin' to make hits, like Kid Capri makes tapes
Me sweat another?  I do my own thing
Strictly hardcore tracks, not a new jack swing

I grew up as a Christian so to Jah I give thanks
Collect my banks, listen to Shabba Ranks
I sing, and chat, I do all of that
It's 1991 and I refuse to come wack

I take off my hat to other crews that intend to rock
But the Low End Theory's here, it's time to wreck shop
I got Tip and Shah, so whom shall I fear
Stop look and listen, but please don't stare

So jet to the store, and buy the LP
On Jive/RCA, cassettes and CD's
Produced and arranged by the four-man crew
And oh shit, Skiff Anselm, he gets props too

Make sure you have a system with some phat house speakers
So the new shit can rock, from Mars to Massapequa
Cause where I come from quality is job one
And everybody up on Linden know we get the job done

So peace to that crew, and peace to this crew
Bring on the tour, we'll see you at a theater nearest you

We got the jazz

Hey yo but wait, back it up, hup, easy back it up
Please let the Abstract embellish on the cut

Back and forth just like a Cameo song
If you dig this joint then please come dance along
To the music cause it's done just for the rhyme
Now I gotta scat and get mine, underline

The jazz, the what?  The jazz can move that ass
Cause the Tribe originates that feelin' of pizzazz
It's the universal sound, best to brothers underground
In the one-six below, ya didn't have to go

Some say that I'm a sinner cause I once had an orgy
And sometimes for breakfast I eat grits and porgies
If this is a stinker, then call me a stink, I ask
"What? What? What?" now check it out

All my peoples in Queens ya don't stop
Now all my peoples in Brooklyn ya don't stop
And all my peoples uptown ya don't stop
That includes the Bronx a' Harlem ya don't stop

Now to that girl Ramelle ya don't stop
I say because Ladies First ya don't stop
And to the JB's, ya don't stop
And De La Soul, ya don't stop

To my Brand Nubians ya don't stop
And to my Leaders of the New ya don't stop
To my man Large Professor ya don't stop
Pete Rock for the beat ya don't stop

Everybody in the place ya don't stop
Ya keep it on, to the rhythm, ya don't stop
And last but not least on the sure shot
It's the Zulu nation

 Watch: New Singing Lesson Videos Can Make Anyone A Great Singer


A Tribe Called Quest

A Tribe Called Quest is an American hip hop group, formed in 1985, and is composed of MC/producer Q-Tip, MC Phife Dawg aka Phife Diggy (Malik Taylor), and DJ/producer Ali Shaheed Muhammad. A fourth member, rapper Jarobi White, left the group after their first album but rejoined in 1991. Along with De La Soul, the group was a central part of the Native Tongues Posse, and enjoyed the most commercial success out of all the groups to emerge from that collective. Many of their songs, such as "Bonita Applebum", "Can I Kick It?", "I Left My Wallet in El Segundo", "Scenario", "Check the Rhime", "Jazz (We've Got)", "Award Tour" and "Electric Relaxation" are regarded as classics by the hip hop community. more »

1 fan

Written by: Kamaal Ibn John Fareed, Ali Shaheed Jones-Muhammad, Malik Izaak Taylor, Bronislaw Kaper, Ned Washington

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


21 facts about this song

Album Snapshot
"Jazz (We've Got)" is a hip-hop track by "A Tribe Called Quest" which appears on the group's second studio album, 'The Low End Theory' released in 1991.
Innovative Release
This song stands out as it was released as a double single along with another of their track "Buggin’ Out."
Song Appeal
The song is celebrated for its merging of jazz and hip-hop elements, reflecting the group's experimental approach to the genre.
Message and Lyrics
The lyrics of "Jazz (We've Got)" aim to communicate the group's passion for jazz music and its relevance to their style of hip-hop.
Style and Composition
A defining feature of the song is its fusion of bebop jazz elements, soft drum beats, and complex rhyming schemes. This makes it stand out in the hip-hop scene.
Music Video
The music video for "Jazz (We've Got)" was directed by Jim Swaffield. It starts with the voice of an elderly man, intended to depict a jazz radio station DJ, and then continues with the group performing their song.
Sample Used
The song samples the jazz track "Green Dolphin Street" by famous jazz pianist Jimmy Smith.
Tribute to Jazz
The song is a demonstration of the group's objective to align themselves with the jazz world. It pays homage to jazz greats like Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie.
Chart Performance
When released, the song performed well on charts, reaching number 15 on the Hot Rap Singles chart in the U.S.
Impact
The crossover of Jazz and Hip-Hop in the song "Jazz (We've Got)" has continued to influence many hip-hop artists and groups in subsequent years, helping to shape what is now termed as Jazz Rap.
Album Release
"Jazz (We Got)" is a song from A Tribe Called Quest's second studio album, "The Low End Theory," which was released in 1991.
Fusion genre
The song is noted for its fusion of jazz and hip-hop, a style that the group is well-known for. It samples distinguished jazz tracks, hence the title.
Sampled Tracks
"Jazz (We've Got)" samples "Green Dolphin Street" by Lucky Thompson; "Red Clay," "Suitcase," and "Introducing the Players" by Freddie Hubbard; and "Down Here on the Ground" by Grant Green.
Chart Performance
The song reached number 15 on the Billboard Hot Rap Singles and number 48 on the Billboard Hot R&B, Hip-Hop Songs chart.
Lyrical Theme
Lyrics of the song focus on the cultural elevation and expression of the Afro-American community and is a critique of the more violent tendencies of early 90's rap music.
B-Side Track
"Buggin' Out" is the B-side track of "Jazz (We've Got)". Over time, "Buggin' Out" gained significant recognition and often overshadowed “Jazz (We’ve Got)".
Music video
The music video for the song is elaborate, covering the group's passion for jazz and the use of jazz samples in their works.
Vocal Performance
The primary vocal performances in the song are delivered by Q-Tip and Phife Dawg, the core members of A Tribe Called Quest.
Influence
The incorporation of jazz elements into hip-hop by A Tribe Called Quest in songs like "Jazz (We've Got)" has inspired and influenced many modern artists, making it a ground-breaking trend in the rap music industry.
Re-Release
In 1992, the song was released as a 12-inch single, with longer versions of both "Jazz (We've Got)" and "Buggin' Out".
Album Reception
While the album "The Low End Theory" wasn't an instant commercial success, it received uniformly enthusiastic reviews for its innovative fusion of jazz and hip-hop and is now considered one of the greatest hip-hop albums of all time.

Discuss the Jazz (We've Got) Lyrics with the community:

0 Comments

    Citation

    Use the citation below to add these lyrics to your bibliography:

    Style:MLAChicagoAPA

    "Jazz (We've Got) Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 19 Mar. 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/939183/A+Tribe+Called+Quest/Jazz+%28We%27ve+Got%29>.

    Missing lyrics by A Tribe Called Quest?

    Know any other songs by A Tribe Called Quest? Don't keep it to yourself!

    Watch the song video

    Jazz (We've Got)

    14.7M
    116.4K     1,972

    Browse Lyrics.com

    Quiz

    Are you a music master?

    »
    Which famous rapper is going ‘sicko-mode’?
    A Quavo
    B Kanye west
    C Travis scott
    D Drake

    Free, no signup required:

    Add to Chrome

    Get instant explanation for any lyrics that hits you anywhere on the web!

    Free, no signup required:

    Add to Firefox

    Get instant explanation for any acronym or abbreviation that hits you anywhere on the web!

    A Tribe Called Quest tracks

    On Radio Right Now

    Loading...

    Powered by OnRad.io


    Think you know music? Test your MusicIQ here!