A Verse By Verse Retroactive Breakdown of Tribe’s Classic “Scenario” (Video)

It's always amusing to think about the response to some classic hip-hop songs if they were released in today's bloggity blog atmosphere. If Rakim put out "Paid in Full" today dudes would be like, "fuck that long ass intro, get to rapping. Why I gotta wait two minutes for the rhymes son?"

And when it comes to A Tribe Called Quest's classic "Scenario" everyone and their momma would be launching into a track-by-track breakdown. Well, as they say, it's never too late to over analyze a song that's probably best left alone. (Note; No one says that.)

Quick background for non-rap nerds who probably already stopped reading once they realized this isn't about Drake: "Scenario" is off Tribe's "Low End Theory" and features another young rap group Leaders of the New School, comprised of Charlie Brown, Dinco D and Busta Rhymes. It's widely considered the breakthrough verse for Busta, who's (obviously) the only LONS member who went on to sign with Birdman do anything.

Got it? Ok, let's go.



Phife Dawg:

Best Line: "Bo knows this (what?) and Bo knows that (what?) / But Bo don't know jack, cause Bo can't rap"

Verdict: At the time there was nothing iller than a Bo Jackson reference and Phife's verse holds up remarkably well. I don't think there's really any doubting that this is a solid hit off the lead off spot, plus huge bonus points for the "short dark and handsome line." You don't get a lot of self-deprecating humor in rap.

Charlie Brown:

Best Line: CONTACT! / Can I get a hit? (HIT!) / Boom Bip with a brother named Tip and we're ready to flip."

Verdict: That line above is mostly just ill because whenever that song comes on everyone listening screams "HIT!" like they're losing their goddamn minds. Otherwise, the years have made me really question this verse. The flow's there, but the man's just straight out speaking gibberish half the time. "And wow how now wow how now Brown cow" Really Charlie? You knew you were rapping on a track with Tribe and that's what you came up with.

Dinko D:

Best Line: Bass in his face means peace see ya later / Later? (LATER!)

Verdict: Perhaps the earliest known example of the "I'm going to ask a question in my rhyme and then answer it in my ad lib" style that Young Jeezy uses so much. Anyway, if Charlies' verse was gibberish this is....whatever's less understandable than gibberish. I still know every word, but if I remove the nostalgia, I'm just not a fan of this verse.

And to everyone who thinks I'm hating on a classic, let me put it this way. If Charlie and Dinko's verses were taken off would you really miss them? No, this would still be ill. And if Phife, Tip and Busta's verses were taken off? There's no way anyone's still talking about Charlie and Dinko's "Scenario". Go ahead, tell me what I just wrote that you can possibly disagree with.

Q-Tip:

Best Line: "I could give a damn about a ill subliminal / Stay away from crime so I ain't no criminal."

Verdict: As he recently broke down, Tip actually intended this song to be Busta's coming out party, even going so far as to give Busta a section of his own verse. How fucking boss is that? What rapper would possibly do that today? Way to take one for the team Tip, that's why you're a legend.

Get More: Yo! MTV Raps Classic Cuts, Full Episodes

Busta Rhymes:
Best Line: "Chickity-choco, the chocolate chicken / The rear cockdiesel but chicks they were kicking."

Verdict: There's the difference between Busta and his Leaders compatriots. He could say some gibberish too, but when he did you were like, "I don't know what that means, but it's ill!" It's hard to understate how insane this was at the time - literally no one had ever heard a style like it before. Considering that it essentially launched his entire career, it's got my pick for the Greatest Guest Verse ever. Period.