Every once in a while, we hit you with a tribute that requires several hours of your time. This is one of them. The Native Tongues collective are comprised of some of the most important, most influential and some of biggest innovators hip-hop has seen. With the help and hustle of Red Alert and Chris Lighty, The Native Tongues were a force to be reckoned with. The Jungle Brothers paved the way for groups like De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest and Black Sheep. Prior to The Flava Unit, Queen Latifah was this crew's Den mother. Along with her protégé Monie Love, they were both instrumental in helping the female movement in hip-hop. The Native Tongues provided plenty of classic albums, countless anthems and produced more offspring than Joe Jackson (RIP).

The Natives helped jump-start the careers of Busta Rhymes, Chi-Ali, Mos Def, J Dilla, The Beatnuts and have influenced artists like Brand Nubian, K.M.D., Common, Bush Babees, The Roots, Slum Village, Little Brother, Kanye West, Kweli, Pharrell, Hieroglyphics, The Pharcyde, Roc Marciano, Kendrick Lamar, Pusha T, Andre 3000, Chance The Rapper and even Nas. They've influenced everyone. Odds are, every rapper imaginable has heard Straight Out The Jungle, De La Soul Is Dead, The Low End Theory, A Wolf In Sheep's Clothing, Buhloone Mindstate, Midnight Marauders, or Stakes Is High and possibly has several of those albums listed among their favorites, too. The Native Tongue brand was strong despite some internal conflict, growing pains and different career paths. They left an everlasting impression on hip-hop. It is our privilege to present to you The Native Tongues Tribute Part 1. You won't find another NT tribute like this and we're just getting started!