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:
2008
4:19
140 
#2

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Rough, rough, rugged
Tough like a nugget
Listen to the Abstract Poetic, dont snub it
The Midnight Marauder is the hype beat arranger
Dont front on the lyrics or the two cuz its danger
Hook you like a junkie, youll flip like a monkey
To the openness of the rhythm, so proceed because Im funky
I get down, down like a fly hookers panties
Make you catch a spirit and motivate a fanny
I be the fly poet, rappers, they get jelly
Upset when I rock, cuz yo, they beats is smelly
See, I got it goin on like a Forbes tax return
Listenin to these lyrics when its hot will make it burn
Baby burn, baby burn, up into the heavens
The skies up above, the one you think of
Is the highly regarded, hell of the people
Your mic and my mic? Come on, yo, no equal
So if ya wanna do it to yourself
That is to mess around with the jazz, then just blame yourself
Cuz you made your bed, so now you lay in it
Thats your (shit) on the floor, then go and play in it
I refuse to catch a L in a battle
Cuz yo, I got the jazz and Ill whup a rappers (ass)
Into little next to nuthin
Test me if Im frontin
Im passin flyin colors cuz yo

Who got the jazz? (We've got the jazz)
We've got the jazz
Come on
Come on, Phife

No need for introductions cuz you know who I be (the Phife Dawg)
Yep, the one who loves to slaugher MCs
I got style, grace and razamatazz
Im like my girl Patrice Rushen, yo
I add pizazz, now
Most people remember Phife from the Phife like smoothness
But now its time to hit you with roughneck rudeness
Im still vexed, fuming, gots to come raw
The first punk that tries to flex, Ill be cracking your jaw
Ill mold you, fold you, roll you up like a spliff
Dont ever try to test or else that (ass) will get whipped
Im forever poppin junk, its like a fat invite
To any MC who wants to flex, yo, we can do this tonight
Gel up my posse up on Linden and 1-9-2
Pull up my brothas from Sayers Ave., the Brooklyn Zoo
All my crew up in Strong Island, so yo, dont sleep
Cuz it only takes a peek to watch that (ass) get beat
Brothas wanna play rough, but they can all get some
Wanna be hero, but youre a zero, that means you gets none
Dont ever try to step to a kid you cant get with
Why mess with a brotha that your girl once slept with?
Im a negro, hes a negro, wanna be a negro too?
But beatin on a woman, is somethin that a puss would do
I love jazz, but that doesnt mean that Im timid
Not really a gangsta rapper but I can swing it for a minute

Who got the jazz? (We've got the jazz)
Come on
Who got the jazz? (We've got the jazz)
Come on

 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 »

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Written by: KAMAAL IBN JOHN FAREED, MALIK IZAAK TAYLOR, ALI SHAHEED JONES-MUHAMMAD

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.

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