Check the Rhime

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"Check the Rhime"
Single by A Tribe Called Quest
from the album The Low End Theory
B-side"Skypager"
ReleasedSeptember 9, 1991
GenreAlternative hip hop
Length3:36
LabelJive
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)A Tribe Called Quest
A Tribe Called Quest singles chronology
"Can I Kick It?"
(1990) 		"Check the Rhime"
(1991) 		"Jazz (We've Got)"
(1991)
Audio sample
Check the Rhime
Music video
"Check the Rhime" on YouTube

"Check the Rhime" is a song by American hip hop group A Tribe Called Quest, released in September 1991 by Jive Records as the first single from their second album, The Low End Theory (1991).[1] The song was written by group members Phife Dawg, Q-Tip, and Ali Shaheed Muhammad. It was recorded at the legendary Greene St. Recording studio in New York City. The song peaked at number 59 on the US Billboard Hot 100 on November 16, 1991.[2] Rolling Stone listed "Check the Rhime" as one of the group's 20 essential songs, noting that Phife Dawg "quickly proves himself Q-Tip's lyrical equal."[3]

Composition

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The song samples "Love Your Life" by Average White Band; this is why the band members are credited.

Music video

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The music video for "Check the Rhime", directed by American director Jim Swaffield, starts out in front of houses and moves to a dry cleaning business in St. Albans, Queens, New York City, where the group performs on the roof in front of a large crowd. The dry cleaners shop featured in the video is still at the corner of 192nd St. & Linden Blvd. in St. Albans. In 2016, a mural was commissioned on the wall of the business after the death of the group's founding member, Phife Dawg.[4][5]

Charts

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Chart (1991) Peak
position
UK Dance (Music Week)[6] 22
US Dance Singles Sales (Billboard)[7] 28
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[8] 59
US Hot Rap Songs (Billboard)[9] 1

Certifications

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[10] Gold 500,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

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  1. ^ Seidman 7/27/2013, Lacey. "VH1 ALBUM-VERSARIES: A Tribe Called Quest Reminisces About The Low End Theory At 20 (PART II of II)". VH1 News. Archived from the original on September 29, 2022. Retrieved 2020-06-15.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  2. ^ "A Tribe Called Quest". Billboard. Retrieved 2020-06-15.
  3. ^ Harris, Christopher R. Weingarten, Jon Dolan, Mosi Reeves, Jason Newman, Keith; Weingarten, Christopher R.; Dolan, Jon; Reeves, Mosi; Newman, Jason; Harris, Keith (2016-03-23). "A Tribe Called Quest: 20 Essential Songs". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2021-10-08.{{cite magazine}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  4. ^ "A Tribe Called Quest share documentary on 'Check The Rhime' mural". Fact Magazine. 2016-09-23. Retrieved 2021-10-08.
  5. ^ "See the new A Tribe Called Quest mural in Queens, NY in new documentary". NME. 2016-09-23. Retrieved 2021-10-08.
  6. ^ "Top 60 Dance Singles" (PDF). Music Week. September 28, 1991. p. 24. Retrieved September 17, 2025.
  7. ^ "A Tribe Called Quest Chart History (Dance Singles Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved June 25, 2022.
  8. ^ "A Tribe Called Quest Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved June 25, 2022.
  9. ^ "A Tribe Called Quest Chart History (Hot Rap Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved June 25, 2022.
  10. ^ "American single certifications – A Tribe Called Quest – Check the Rhime". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved October 10, 2021.
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