Tribe Vibe

Can I tell ya'll just how much I LOOOOOOVE Tribe Called Quest??? They are coming to this open air venue called Chene Park, here in Detroit on September 1 and myself and my husband plan to be in FULL EFFECT! My love for Quest drew from the experiences and the time in which I was experiencing them. I was in college and they were part of what folks called "The Native Tongue". Their style was unique and their beats were syncopated in just the right way so as to make you tap ya foot without you even realizing you were tapping. Their shit was unique, earthy, soulful and different. Along with groups such as Brand Nubian, De La Soul and the Jungle Brothers they changed the face of hip hop. Truly.

So, here I am with my boys Steve and Earl in NYC....we are making our rounds shopping in the Village, Soho,etc. and we head towards one of our favorite stores, Kenneth Cole. So,we go in and as Steve goes to look at some "mus-cle" shirts in the corner, Isaw this guy pass by me and my mind, in a delayed reaction said to myself "I think that was Ali Shaheed......". I look again and I am like I KNOW that is Ali Shaheed! Well, lawd if I didn't turn back around to my boy Earl and I look again in towards the door and I 'm like (in a whisper to Earl) "I think THAT is Q-tip!!!!!". I am nearly pulling Earl's jacket off his shoulder I am soo excited. Byt this time my boy Steve wanders back over and I am like "Steve! Is that Q-tip??? I think it is!!!". We look and look (not wanting to mistake someone for someone famous and they think us crazy)and finally are SURE that it is him.

Now, I have NEVER, and I do mean N.E.V.E.R. been a gay-ass (gay as in happy), groupie, fanatical-fan type of person.....well, not since Prince's Purple Rain Tour...... but that's another story. So, I was like Oh HELL NAW, he can NOT get out this store without ME taking a pic with him! Folks I ABSOLUTELY LOVE Tribe Called Quest!! There are MAYBE 3-5 songs that they have EVER made that I do not like! I used to like them soooo much in college people started calling me "Bonita Applebum". As a matter of fact my boy from college, who now lives DIRECTLY across the street from me, Rodney, started calling me that and sometimes still does!!!

So, here I am SCARED to approach this man because I LOVE his music. I was feeling like those giddy ass white chicks you see on t.v. going bananna's over an artist. Only difference my "little fanatical whit chick " was going off on the INSIDE.

So,I finally get up the nerve to ask him to take a picture with me . I walk up to him and say "Hi, You're Q-tip, right?" **smile, smile**. He smiles warmly and says "Yes, I am....how you doing?". I coulda fainted. I say, "I just wanted to tell you that I love your music **oh Robyn, you are sounding stuuuuuuupid, but fuck pride right now, you LOVE you some Tip** and I wanted to know **gulp** if you would take a picture with me.... **thank GOD I always have a camera with my ass!!**

He agreed and Voila:



I have never been so GEEKED in my LIFE. For real. With that said, I am ubbbbbberly excited to be going to this concert on September 1. I have never seen them in concert and it should be nice, cause in my book they damn near can't go wrong!!! See ya then Tip.