A Tribe Called Quest
A debut single from the shared musical world of the Native Tongues.
View promotional label
ListenDescription of a Fool (Talkie) · 1989
A Tribe Called Quest, “Description of a Fool” (Talkie). Listen on YouTube ↗
1989 · Jive
Description of a Fool
Before People’s Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm, there was this single. Jive issued “Description of a Fool” in 1989, introducing A Tribe Called Quest on record under their own name. OMMA’s copy is the U.S. promotional twelve-inch with its illustrated picture sleeve. [1] [2]
| Accession | OMMA-0155 |
|---|---|
| Artist | A Tribe Called Quest |
| Release | 1989 · United States |
| Label | Jive · 1241-1-JDAB (labels) · 1241-1-JD (sleeve) |
| Format | 12-inch vinyl single · 33⅓ rpm · stereo |
| Issue | U.S. promotional edition · printed picture sleeve |
| Runouts | Not documented |
| Recorded grade | Media NM · sleeve NM (seller-reported) |
Release history and significance
Tribe grew out of friendships in Queens. Q-Tip and Ali Shaheed Muhammad began making demos in the mid-1980s; Phife Dawg and Jarobi White completed the early group. The Jungle Brothers supplied the name A Tribe Called Quest, and Q-Tip appeared on their 1988 album Straight Out the Jungle before Tribe’s own debut. “Description of a Fool” arrived late in 1989; the first album followed in April 1990. [1]
The single was recorded and mixed at Calliope Studios. Its writing credits name A. Muhammad and J. Davis, while production is shared by A Tribe Called Quest and the Jungle Brothers. That credit gives the Native Tongues connection a tangible form: the musical community around the group was also helping make its first record. [2]
Tribe would make jazz and soul samples, conversational wit and Afrocentric perspectives central to a distinctive hip-hop language. The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame recognizes both that musical expansion and the sense of community the group helped cultivate through the Native Tongues. This debut single brings those later achievements back to their beginning, in a package that preserves the group’s early graphic identity alongside the music. [3]
Market context
The supplied Discogs snapshot of 8 October 2026 lists seven copies offered at approximately US$11–40, with recorded sales of US$3 low, US$10 median and US$25 high. These figures cover differing conditions and packages. The picture sleeve and the condition of both components matter when comparing copies. The original pressing quantity is undocumented. [2] [4]
Physical Description
Black twelve-inch vinyl with white Jive promotional labels marked “Not for Sale.” The label catalogue number is 1241-1-JDAB; the picture sleeve carries 1241-1-JD and uses the same design as the U.S. retail edition. Red, turquoise and navy frame the group’s name and dancing figures. [2]
Side A contains “Description of a Fool” in Talkie and Silent versions, each listed at 3:00. Side B is “Instrumentalism of Fools,” listed at 5:13. [2]
Condition
The seller grades both the record and its printed picture sleeve Near Mint. No playback assessment has been recorded. [4]
Provenance
Acquired on 8 October 2026 from Discogs seller djhenray / Dj Henray Customs. [4]
Sources
- John Bush and Andy Kellman, A Tribe Called Quest biography, AXS TV / Rovi. Formation, debut single and first-album chronology.
- Discogs, A Tribe Called Quest — Description of a Fool, U.S. promotional edition (release 1324950). Track listing, production credits, studio, labels and sleeve configuration.
- Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, A Tribe Called Quest. Musical significance and Native Tongues context.
- Owner-supplied SOAT entry, Discogs order and release screenshots, and media-library images, 8 October 2026. Copy configuration, seller-reported condition, acquisition and market snapshot.