"Can I Kick It?" x A Tribe Called Quest
Updated: Jun 25, 2020
The song samples Herbie Flowers bassline on Lou Reed’s “Walk on the Wild Side.” The unmistakable bassline is looped and met with percussion and an additional melodic line. Also sampled songs are Dr. Lonnie Smith’s “Spinning Wheel” and Dr. Buzzard’s Original Savannah Band’s buoyant 1976 calypso-disco track “Sun Shower.”
The song starts out by saying, “Can I kick it? (Yes, you can!).” This call-and-response chorus is typical in early hip-hop and many forms of music.
The music video for this monumental hip-hop song is a great representation of the positivity the group was known for. Also featured are appearances of several instruments—which I find interesting as instrumentation is not common in hip-hop today. The music video coupled with song itself is sure to remind the audience of the fun this fresh-faced group had whilst pioneering contemporary hip-hop music.