A Tribe Called Quest Shares Tales of Pharrell, Lupe Fiasco, 2Pac, Mobb Deep, and More on ‘Drink Champs’
A Tribe Called Quest are the latest rap legends to appear on the Drink Champs podcast, the Nore and DJ EFN-hosted show that has already featured the likes of 50 Cent, Puff Daddy, Snoop Dogg, Trick Daddy, and more.
On the episode, released Thursday and available here, Q-Tip and Jarobi, along with Consequence and Busta Rhymes (but minus Ali Shaheed Muhammad, whose appearances with the group have been intermittent since the release of their new and final album We Got It From Here… Thank You 4 Your Service) share a bunch of stories from throughout their career.
Tip revealed that Pharrell almost ended up on several Tribe albums. During the group’s early years, P came to many Virginia-area shows, and got to know the members. Pharrell, who at that point was just beginning to gain notice for his work with Teddy Riley, apparently even rapped a verse that was supposed to be on Midnight Marauders, though it obviously didn’t make the final cut. Consequence weighed in with a memory of Pharrell also submitting music for Beats, Rhymes & Life.
Tribe also discussed meeting Mobb Deep around the time of younger group’s debut, Juvenile Hell—a meeting that eventually led to Tip playing a key role in Mobb’s follow-up, their 1995 classic The Infamous. In addition, Tip, Jarobi, and company also recalled a thankfully short-lived beef with 2Pac dating from a production foul-up at the 1994 Source Awards.
Make sure to check out the rest of the episode to find out how Tribe responded to Lupe Fiasco after he messed up their lyrics on television during the incident dubbed “Fiascogate,” which new artists Q-Tip wants to work with, what happened when Nas first heard the beat that would become “One Love,” how comedian Redd Foxx inspired the group’s classic song “I Left My Wallet In El Segundo,” and much more.
