Award Tour

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"Award Tour"
Award Tour Cover.jpg
Single by A Tribe Called Quest featuring Trugoy
from the album Midnight Marauders
B-side"The Chase, Part II"
ReleasedOctober 19, 1993
Recorded1992
GenreAlternative hip hop
Length3:46
LabelJive Records
Songwriter(s)Kamaal Ibn John Fareed, Weldon Irvine, Malik Taylor, Ali Shaheed Muhammad
Producer(s)A Tribe Called Quest
A Tribe Called Quest singles chronology
"Electric Relaxation"
(1993) 		"Award Tour"
(1993) 		"Oh My God"
(1994)

"Award Tour" is a song by A Tribe Called Quest, released as the second single from their third album Midnight Marauders. It features rapper Trugoy on the chorus, from the fellow Native Tongues group De La Soul. It contains a sample of "We Gettin' Down" by Weldon Irvine, from his 1975 album Spirit Man. The B-side of the single is the original version of the Midnight Marauders track "The Chase, Pt. 2", which notably features the first known verse by future Tribe collaborator Consequence. The song remains Tribe's highest charting single to date, experiencing large success in America and overseas.

The second half of the song's chorus calls out names of cities and states in this order: New York City, New Jersey, North Carolina, Virginia, Oakland, Los Angeles, San Francisco, St. John, Chi-town, Spokane, London, Tokyo, Houston, Delaware, Washington, D.C., Dallas, South Carolina, Maryland, New Orleans and Detroit. In addition, one line in the second verse mentions two Major League Baseball teams, the Atlanta Braves and New York Yankees.

Background[]

Speaking with Vibe, Q-Tip revealed his process for the song's production:

I love the drums on 'Award Tour.' And then there's the sample I used from Jade's 'Don't Walk Away.' It's all about that bassline. I just wanted to flip it, so I went through some more records and I got that Rhodes to counter the melody in the bassline. I wanted some drums that would smack that shit out the park.[1]

Music video[]

The music video of "Award Tour", which featured an appearance by De La Soul, was released in November 1993. Filmed in the perspective of a painting, it featured Q-Tip and Phife Dawg rapping in New York City whilst De La Soul member Trugoy sings the chorus.

Charts[]

Charts (1993–94) Peak
position
US Billboard Hot 100[2] 47
US Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales (Billboard)[3] 1
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[4] 27
US Hot Rap Songs (Billboard)[5] 7

References[]

  1. ^ Midnight Marauders--A Tribe Called Quest (1993) Vibe. Accessed on October 15, 2017.
  2. ^ "A Tribe Called Quest Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved March 23, 2019.
  3. ^ "A Tribe Called Quest Chart Search". Billboard.
  4. ^ "A Tribe Called Quest Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved March 23, 2019.
  5. ^ "A Tribe Called Quest Chart History (Hot Rap Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved March 23, 2019.
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