"Can I Kick It?"
Single by A Tribe Called Quest
from the album People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm
B-side"If the Papes Come"
ReleasedOctober 29, 1990
Recorded1989
Length4:12 (album version)
4:24 (The Anthology version)
6:39 (boilerhouse mix)
LabelJive
Songwriter(s)Lewis Reed, Kamaal Fareed, Ali Muhammad
Producer(s)A Tribe Called Quest
A Tribe Called Quest singles chronology
"Bonita Applebum"
(1990)		 "Can I Kick It?"
(1990)		 "Check the Rhime"
(1991)
Music video
"Can I Kick It?" on YouTube

"Can I Kick It?" is a song by American hip hop group A Tribe Called Quest, released in October 1990 as the third single from their debut album, People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm (1990).[1] The song, which has a call and response chorus, was recorded in 1989, when the group members were aged 18-19.[2]

The song contains samples of "Walk on the Wild Side" by Lou Reed,[3] "What a Waste" by Ian Dury and the Blockheads, "Spinning Wheel" by Dr. Lonnie Smith, "Dance of the Knights" by Sergei Prokofiev and "Sunshower" by Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band. Phife Dawg has stated that, because of the use of the "Walk on the Wild Side" sample, the group did not receive any money from the single, with Lou Reed instead claiming the profits.[3]

"Can I Kick It?", considered one of the group's signature songs, appears on the band's 1999 compilation album, The Anthology, with the outro of "Bonita Applebum" added to the beginning of the song. In 2012, NME listed the song at number 90 in their ranking of the "100 Best Songs of the 1990s".[4]

Critical reception

Larry Flick from Billboard felt that "inspired use of samples from Lou Reed's 'Walk on the Wild Side' nicely complements Tribe's relaxed and confident rhyming."[5] Everett True from Melody Maker wrote, "A natural, laidback and funking. There's a little Ian Dury in here, some Dvorak, maybe, and a whole bunch of scratching. And there's that sumptuous four-note bass line from Lou Reed's "Walk on the Wild Side", which could have been written for this. "Mmm, how do you say?" a girl asks. "A Tribe Called Quest", the dudes cut back in. "Can I Kick It?" the man asks hesitatingly, while the chorus joyously answers him in the affirmative. Neat kickback echo on the drum beat. Smooth. A natural. Lovin' it."[6] A reviewer from Music & Media found that the New York rap crew "proves their music can be 'double -streetwise'", describing the song as "two-dimensional rap".[7]

Simon Williams from NME commented, "If half the task of chaps like these is to unearth a few wholesome samples from the historical vaults then A Tribe Called Quest score a Full House on the Bingometer. Vanilla Ice got halfway there and then blew it all by bein' a whiteboy wanker, but the Tribe heartily credit L Reed for stretching his "Walk on the Wild Side" across a loping backbeat and then adding snatches of the Blockheads' "What a Waste" with some snoozy, cerebral rapping."[8] Gary Crossing from Record Mirror stated, "You can't go far wrong with this groovy little shanty." He also declared it a "masterpiece of contemporary popular music."[9] Caroline Sullivan from Smash Hits said, "They've had the sense to nick the bass line from the elderly rock hit "Walk on the Wild Side", and it gives their effort a bit of slinky class."[10]

Music video

The accompanying music video for "Can I Kick It?" was directed by American music video director and video editor Jim Swaffield. It features A Tribe Called Quest and various others, including members of De La Soul, literally kicking the word "it" while rapping on a film set, a park (located under the Williamsburg Bridge in New York’s Lower East Side), and a construction site. On the film set, they are seen playing with the tittle of the "i" in "it". In the park, they are walking around and are flipping on top of the "it". The video also features the participants throwing drumsticks around and landing them on drums. A "flying record player" is featured, to play the Lou Reed sample. Additionally, the "Can I Kick It? (Spirit Mix)", which uses a different beat, plays throughout the video.

Impact and legacy

In 2012, NME listed "Can I Kick It?" at number 90 in their ranking of the "100 Best Songs of the 1990s", calling it a "laidback chant-a-long".[4] In 2021, Rolling Stone included it in their list of "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time" at No. 292.[11]

In 2022, Pitchfork ranked it at number 25 in their list of "The 250 Best Songs of the 1990s".[12]

The song was featured on the soundtrack to Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2, a remake of the first 2 Tony Hawk games Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater and Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2, was used at the start of the 2021 Tom & Jerry being sung by singing pigeons in 2021,[13] and for the end credits for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem in 2023.[14]

In the second verse, Phife Dawg refers to former New York City mayor David Dinkins, the city's first African-American mayor: "Mr. Dinkins, would you please be my mayor?" The song was recorded before Dinkins' was elected to office.[15]

Track listing

12" and cassette single, US (1990)
No.TitleLength
1."Can I Kick It?" (Spirit Mix)4:11
2."Can I Kick It?" (Radio Edit)3:23
3."Can I Kick It?" (Phase 5 Mix)4:33
4."Can I Kick It?" (Spirits)2:02
5."If the Papes Come"5:46
6."If the Papes Come" (Remix)4:14
7."Can I Kick It?" (LP Version)4:11
12" single, UK (1990)
No.TitleLength
1."Can I Kick It?" (Extended Boilerhouse Mix)6:40
2."Can I Kick It?" (Phase 5 Mix)4:33
3."Can I Kick It?" (LP Version)4:11
4."If the Papes Come" (Remix)4:14
7" and cassette single, UK (1990)
No.TitleLength
1."Can I Kick It?" (Boilerhouse Mix)3:54
2."Can I Kick It?" (7" Radio Edit)3:26
CD single, UK (1990)
No.TitleLength
1."Can I Kick It?" (7" Radio Edit)3:26
2."Can I Kick It?" (Extended Boilerhouse Mix)6:40
3."Can I Kick It?" (Phase 5 Mix)4:33
4."If the Papes Come" (Remix)4:14
Six Wicked Mixes, Germany (1991)
No.TitleLength
1."Can I Kick It?" (Boilerhouse Mix)4:18
2."Can I Kick It?" (Extended Boilerhouse Mix)6:40
3."Can I Kick It?" (U.S. Spirit Mix)4:14
4."Can I Kick It?" (Album Version)4:14
5."Can I Kick It?" (Phase 5 Mix)4:21
6."Can I Kick It?" (U.S. Edit)3:23
CD single, UK (1992 reissue)
No.TitleLength
1."Can I Kick It?" (Extended Boilerhouse Mix)6:40
2."Can I Kick It?" (Phase 5 Mix)4:33
3."Hot Sex" (Album Version)2:45
4."Hot Sex" (Instrumental Version)2:45
12" single, UK (1992 reissue)
No.TitleLength
1."Can I Kick It?" (7" Radio Edit)3:26
2."Hot Sex" (Radio Version)2:48
3."Can I Kick It?" (Extended Boilerhouse Mix)6:40
4."Can I Kick It?" (Instrumental)4:11

Charts

Chart (1991) Peak
position
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[16] 13
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[17] 13
UK Singles (OCC)[18] 15
UK Dance (Music Week)[19] 1
US Hot Rap Songs (Billboard)[20] 8

Certifications

Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[21] Gold 400,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ↑ "Today in Hip Hop History: A Tribe Called Quest Releases Debut Album". The Source. April 17, 2015. Retrieved August 9, 2015.
  2. ↑ Trendell, Andrew (July 3, 2015). "10 Brilliant Songs Written By Stars in Their Teens". Gigwise. Retrieved August 9, 2015.
  3. 1 2 "Lou Reed dead: Tribe Called Quest sampled late legend's 'Walk on the Wild Side'". The Grio. October 28, 2013. Retrieved August 9, 2015.
  4. 1 2 "100 Best Songs Of The 1990s". NME. May 8, 2012. Retrieved April 2, 2020.
  5. ↑ Flick, Larry (November 3, 1990). "Single Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. p. 83. Retrieved February 16, 2020.
  6. ↑ True, Everett (January 5, 1991). "Singles". Melody Maker. p. 27. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  7. ↑ "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. January 26, 1991. p. 16. Retrieved February 19, 2020.
  8. ↑ Williams, Simon (January 12, 1991). "Singles". NME. p. 17. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  9. ↑ Crossing, Gary (January 5, 1991). "Singles". Record Mirror. p. 11. Retrieved August 10, 2021.
  10. ↑ Sullivan, Caroline (January 9, 1991). "Review: Singles". Smash Hits. No. 316. p. 49. Retrieved March 8, 2020.
  11. ↑ "500 Best Songs of All Time". Rolling Stone. September 15, 2021. Retrieved February 19, 2022.
  12. ↑ "The 250 Best Songs of the 1990s". Pitchfork. September 27, 2022. Retrieved October 30, 2022.
  13. ↑ "Movie Review: Tom and Jerry on HBO Max - Vulture". vulture.com. Retrieved 18 March 2021.
  14. ↑ Trench, Mikael (2023-03-06). "What's The Song In The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem Trailer?". Looper. Retrieved 2023-04-02.
  15. ↑ "25 Years Later: A Tribe Called Quest's "People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm" Album Still Holds Weight". The Boombox. April 17, 2015. Retrieved August 9, 2015.
  16. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – A Tribe Called Quest" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved September 26, 2020.
  17. ↑ "A Tribe Called Quest – Can I Kick It?" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved September 26, 2020.
  18. ↑ "A TRIBE CALLED QUEST". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 26, 2020.
  19. ↑ "Top 60 Dance Singles" (PDF). Music Week. January 19, 1991. p. xii. Retrieved September 26, 2020.
  20. ↑ "A Tribe Called Quest Chart History (Hot Rap Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved June 25, 2022.
  21. ↑ "British single certifications – A Tribe Called Quest – Can I Kick It". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved February 17, 2023.
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