CNN: Documentary follows ‘Rolling Stones of hip-hop’ a.k.a A Tribe Called Quest (by Gavin Godfrey)

When CNN says “CNN” they really mean Gavin Godfrey…our brotha! Enjoy this wonderful piece from him and CNN. Its funny to me that CNN can’t say “A Tribe Called Quest,” but have to put the “Rolling Stones of…” to help their audience grasp how big Tribe is…a group many probably haven’t heard of.

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CNN spoke with Rapaport, Phife and White about the film; Q-Tip declined to be interviewed.

CNN: Mike, it all starts with the music. How do you go about encapsulating 20 years of it into 90 minutes?

Rapaport: As a filmmaker, that was daunting: It was overwhelming, it was frightening and, at times, paralyzing. Literally, in the editing room, I would sleep, not out of being tired like, “Holy s—, what have I gotten myself into?!” You know, I want my mother to understand this; I want my father to be able to understand the story. I didn’t just want it to just be in a shorthand for Tribe fans, where you could just go into some random lyric and only people that knew all of the songs would be able to get it, because I thought that would be being a disservice to myself, to the film I intended to make.

CNN: And for you, why was it important to share Tribe’s particular story?

Rapaport: You have (Black Sheep’s) “The Choice is Yours” in car commercials; you have Michelle Obama doing the Dougie, and that’s because of what these guys accomplished. They made this stuff popular for everybody and acceptable for everybody.

CNN: Phife, your type 1 diabetes has been cause for concern and rumors but was a huge part of the film. How hard was it seeing yourself like that?

Phife: I thought it was something that was necessary for the simple fact that if I could help one person with whatever they’re going through, I feel like it’s a good deed being done. The funny thing about that is, when (Mike) first showed me the movie, I couldn’t watch it.

White: Me either!

Phife: I’m glad people were able to see it, and I’m glad to see that they’re able to see we’re human beings, regardless of how many hit records we had through the years. Just seeing my whole career-slash-adulthood flash in front of me knowing that the last five, six years was tumultuous to say the least, and I was just glad to be there to witness all of that because there was a time when I didn’t think I was going to be here to witness none of that. You know what I’m saying, the making of a film, none of that.

Rapaport: These guys were like superheroes. They were larger-than-life characters, and showing these guys in ways that you don’t normally see black men and certainly black men in hip-hop, which is not anything I could have premeditated, but just being vulnerable and loving towards each other in a way that you don’t see in cinema (is powerful).

CNN: A lot of detractors said Mike can’t make a movie about hip-hop because he’s not hip-hop …

Rapaport: I think that’s total bulls—!

Jarobi: You cannot say Mike is not in the hip-hop community. Say whatever you want, but that’s not something you can say, because I’ve seen dude at the parties back in the day. Tribe Called Quest, we never really had too many outside producers, it’s all in-house, and that’s they way we’re used to doing things. (Rapaport) putting his opinion on things that are our life — dude, that’s not going to happen, and those are the type of things we’re going back and forth with.

CNN: How much stress did the business side put on everyone’s personal relationships?

Rapaport: That’s the thing, for me, that I wish didn’t happen, and I know my part in it. So, you know, it happened, and honestly at this point, it has created more interest — for better or for worse — on the film. It’s unfortunate it did happen. I’m done with it. I’m moving forward, and I would love nothing more than to buy all four members of A Tribe Called Quest popcorn and soda and candy if they want — licorice, Twizzlers — and watch the movie with them with an unbiased audience. I think that it would be the best thing for all of us.

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CNN: The film brings up the fact you have one album left on your Jive contract. Any shot of the Tribe Called Quest album coming together?

Phife: Me personally, I can only speak for me, and I guess (White) because he’s sitting here. In our heart of hearts, we want it to happen, definitely. It’s what we do at the end of the day, but with all the politics and the BS going on, I don’t mean to sound negative, but it’s been 13 years. It’s like, will it happen?! That’s the question. But I want it to happen, and my reason is strictly for the fans — strictly.

White: Dude, and we haven’t had an album out since ’98, B! And the fact that we’re sitting here talking about wanting an album after so long is just incredible.

Phife: That’s a blessing to still be looked at as relevant. C’mon, man. That’s crazy right there.

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