Native Tongues
New York collective of the Jungle Brothers, De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest and Queen Latifah, who brought jazz, color and positivity to late-'80s hip-hop.
Who are the Native Tongues?
The Native Tongues is a collective of like-minded hip-hop artists from New York, formed in the late 1980s. The core was the Jungle Brothers, De La Soul and A Tribe Called Quest, with Queen Latifah, Monie Love and Black Sheep in the wider circle.
Known for
A run of classic albums in just a few years, from Straight Out the Jungle (1988) and 3 Feet High and Rising (1989) to The Low End Theory (1991). The members constantly appeared on each other's records, most famously on the remix of De La Soul's "Buddy", with the Jungle Brothers, Q-Tip, Queen Latifah and Monie Love.
Style
Playful, positive and Afrocentric. Jazz and soul samples, colorful clothes, inside jokes and lyrics about everyday life, self-respect and Black culture, at a time when hip-hop was getting harder and more aggressive.
Impact
The Native Tongues showed there was room in hip-hop for warmth, humor and eclecticism. Their sound laid the foundation for alternative and conscious hip-hop, and artists like Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Common, The Roots and later Kanye West and Tyler, the Creator built on what they started.
