Scenario (song)

"Scenario"
Single by A Tribe Called Quest featuring Leaders of the New School
from the album The Low End Theory
B-side "Butter"
Released March 13, 1992
Format 12" single
Recorded 1991
Genre Alternative hip hop
Length 4:10
Label Jive
Producer(s) A Tribe Called Quest
A Tribe Called Quest chronology
"Jazz (We've Got)"
(1991)
"Scenario"
(1992)
"Hot Sex"
(1992)
Leaders of the New School singles chronology
"The International Zone Coaster"
(1992)
"Scenario"
(1992)
"What's Next"
(1993)
Scenario
From the Tribe's 2nd album The Low End Theory.

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"Scenario" is the third single from A Tribe Called Quest's second album The Low End Theory. The song features members of Leaders of the New School. Matt Cibula of PopMatters called the track hip hop's greatest posse cut.[1] The song is commonly considered a breakout moment for LONS member Busta Rhymes.[2]

The music video, directed by Jim Swaffield, plays on an interactive desktop, and features cameo appearances by Spike Lee, De La Soul, Brand Nubian, Fab 5 Freddy and Redman.

Time included the song on its list of the All-TIME 100 Songs.[3]

A remixed version of "Scenario" appeared on the B-side of the 12" single and cassette single as well as the limited edition release of the group's final album, The Love Movement (1998). The remix also features Leaders of the New School and newcomer Kid Hood, who was murdered three days after recording his verse. Blender magazine ranked the remix at number 216 in its list of "The 500 Greatest Songs Since You Were Born".[4]

Legacy

Busta Rhymes recycled his line "Uh Uh Uh / All over the track, man / As I come back" in the chorus for his 2001 single As I Come Back.

West Coast hip hop group Black Hippy covered the song in 2009, with their own original lyrics.

Nicki Minaj quotes Busta Rhymes' famous line, "Rawr, rawr, like a dungeon dragon", in her 2010 song "Roman's Revenge". Busta Rhymes appeared on the song's remix, quoting additional lines from his "Scenario" verse and referring to himself as "the original dungeon dragon".

Parts of the song are sampled and referenced lyrically in the song "Who's That? Brooown!" by rap group Das Racist. Particularly LONS member Charlie Brown's lines.

The song was featured in the soundtrack of the video game True Crime: New York City and NBA 2K15.

Samples

Charts

Charts (1992)[5] Peak
position
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 57
U.S. Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales 34
U.S. Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks 42
U.S. Hot Rap Singles 6

References

  1. Cibula, Matt. The Importance of Being Busta. PopMatters. Accessed December 29, 2008.
  2. Young, Kevin. Unwrapping the Message. Bookforum. Accessed November 16, 2010.
  3. http://entertainment.time.com/2011/10/24/the-all-time-100-songs/?hub=2793493#scenario-a-tribe-called-quest
  4. The 500 Greatest Songs Since You Were Born: 201-250. Blender (October 2005). Accessed December 29, 2008.
  5. allmusic ((( The Low End Theory > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles ))). Allmusic. Accessed December 29, 2008.