<P> In the years since its release, The Low End Theory has garnered recognition from music critics and writers as a milestone in alternative hip hop . The album is regarded as Phife Dawg's breakout and is credited for helping launch rapper Busta Rhymes's successful solo career . The album's influence on artists in hip hop, R&B and other genres has been attributed to the group's lyricism and Q - Tip's production, which bridged the gap between jazz and hip hop . It is widely regarded as one of the greatest hip hop albums of all time, appearing on many best album lists by music critics and writers . </P> <P> A month after the release of A Tribe Called Quest's debut album, People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm, group member Phife Dawg learned that he was diabetic and considered leaving the group . After a discussion with fellow member Q - Tip, they agreed to increase his participation on their second album and to "step it up in general as a group ." Recording sessions for the second album began when sessions from People's Instinctive Travels kept creatively flowing . The group wanted to begin recording the album shortly after the completion of People's Instinctive Travels, for which they still had to tour and film music videos . Phife Dawg later recalled, "Tip didn't want to stop ." The album's title, The Low End Theory, referred to both the status of black men in society and bass frequencies in the music, while the album cover featured a drawing of a kneeling woman painted in Afrocentric colors . </P> <P> During the recording sessions, the group fired their manager Kool DJ Red Alert and joined Russell Simmons's Rush Artist Management, with Chris Lighty serving as their new manager . They also fired their lawyer, who was Red Alert's manager, and faced a lawsuit as a result . Both moves created tension within the Native Tongues collective, which was never fully resolved . After switching managers, the group demanded more advances from Jive, who eventually extended their recording contract for one more album . However, the negotiations between the group and Jive lasted over a year and strained their relationship . These events created a disillusionment with the music industry among the group, which affected "both material and approach" on The Low End Theory . </P> <P> The majority of the recording sessions took place at Battery Studios in Manhattan, from 1990 to 1991, where the songs were recorded on a Neve 8068 mixing console . Like People's Instinctive Travels, production on The Low End Theory was primarily handled by Q - Tip, while Ali Shaheed Muhammad provided DJ scratching and co-production . Skeff Anselm produced two songs, which were programmed at Jazzy Jay's Studio in The Bronx . Producer Pete Rock created the original beat for the second single, "Jazz (We've Got)", before it was recreated by Q - Tip, who credited Rock in the outro of the song . </P>

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