Sonic Anatomy: The Space Program

Background

Their first album in 18 years, A Tribe Called Quest reunited with former member Jarobi, due to scheduling conflicts causing member Ali Shaheed Muhammed to not be able to record.

During the production, however member Phife Dawg passed from his long battle with Diabetes, causing Muhammed coming back to complete the album. Later dedicating the record to Phife.

The Song Itself

The Space Program sets the record by speaking on the issues that still remain persistent within the black community.

Spanning from gentrification to the prison industrial complex, the core of the song still remains that no matter what advancements the world makes, black people will be excluded from that progress.

Culture

The song opens with a quote from the film, 'Willie Dynamite' that could refer to the turbulent and violent atmosphere surrounding 2016 America.

Another sample at the end of the song is from the infamous tunnel scene in Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory, which can signal the uncertain political landscape at the time.