"Check the Rhime" is the first single from A Tribe Called Quest's second album The Low End Theory.[1] The song was written by group members Phife Dawg, Q-Tip, and Ali Shaheed Muhammad. It was recorded at the legendary Greene St. Recording studio in New York City. The song peaked at number 59 on Billboard on November 16, 1991.[2] Rolling Stone listed "Check the Rhime" as one of the group's 20 essential songs, noting that Phife Dawg "quickly proves himself Q-Tip's lyrical equal."[3]
"Check the Rhime" | ||||
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Single by A Tribe Called Quest | ||||
from the album The Low End Theory | ||||
B-side | "Skypager" | |||
Released | September 9, 1991 | |||
Genre | Alternative hip hop | |||
Length | 3:36 | |||
Label | Jive Records | |||
Songwriter(s) | Roger Ball, Malcolm Duncan, Kamaal Fareed, Steve Ferrone, Alan Gorrie, Ali Shaheed Muhammad, Onnie McIntyre, Minnie Riperton, Richard Rudolph, Hamish Stuart, Malik Taylor, Leon Ware | |||
Producer(s) | A Tribe Called Quest | |||
A Tribe Called Quest singles chronology | ||||
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Audio sample | ||||
Check the Rhime
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Music video | ||||
"Check the Rhime" on YouTube |
The music video, directed by Jim Swaffield, starts out in front of houses and moves to a dry cleaning business in St. Albans, Queens, New York City, where the group performs on the roof in front of a large crowd. The dry cleaners shop featured in the video is still at the corner of 192nd St. & Linden Blvd. in St. Albans. In 2016, a mural was commissioned on the wall of the business after the death of the group's founding member, Phife Dawg.[4][5]
Chart (1991) | Peak position |
---|---|
US Dance Singles Sales (Billboard)[6] | 28 |
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[7] | 59 |
US Hot Rap Songs (Billboard)[8] | 1 |
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
United States (RIAA)[9] | Gold | 500,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
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