2000 Great Songs #1367: Can I Kick It?
Not a lot of hip-hop on the list, as it's not a genre I listen to all that much, plus one can question whether it belongs on a "rock" list (just as one can question whether country or jazz songs belong here). But I love A Tribe Called Quest's 1990 debut, People's Instinctive Travels And The Paths Of Rhythm , which wove in a lot of pop and soul, a little more musical than more stripped-down rap; plus, like De La Soul , it felt a little closer to my universe than other acts of the time, and Q-Tip's smooth delivery is downright hypnotic. It doesn't hurt that "Can I Kick It?" is built around a sample from Lou Reed 's " Walk On The Wild Side ," one of the most instantly-recognizable basslines of the past century, and grounding the track in something that speaks my language. (Unfortunately, as the sample basically meant they had to turn over any profits to Reed, some versions of the song omit, which, for me, kinda defeats the purpose.) Vi...
