Producer Terrace Martin became the latest artist to pay tribute to the life and legacy of A Tribe Called Quest's recently passed member Phife Dawg. Today, he premiered the track "Tribe Called West," a new song off his upcoming album Velvet Portraits featuring Keyon Harrold. The instrumental track was written during a recent trip to ATCQ's birthplace of New York City. "I was in NYC last summer and it was a hot summer," he told the Fader. "I was inspired by the energy of New York alone to do different types of music. That's why I love the city."
He went on to note how the work of ATCQ had influenced him. "I also wanted to do something to say thank you to one of my favorite groups. Thank you for letting me know it's okay to be different. Thank you for turning me on to jazz music, because without A Tribe Called Quest there would not be a Terrace Martin. I wouldn't even be a musician because ATCQ is what made me want to play the saxophone." It's good to see how much the group influenced his music, and how he was able to honor Phife Dawg's legacy through it.
You can stream Terrace Martin's "Tribe Called West" below via SoundCloud.
