Discover the story of the song > Start It Up – A Tribe Called Quest

The song is about the protagonist and their group of friends who love making music. They welcome everyone to be part of their movement and express themselves through music. The protagonist mentions famous philosophers and artists like Aristotle, Plato, Freud, as well as their own crew members. They believe that music is their mission and they are here to start something new. They don't want to deal with negativity or lies, they just want to focus on creating and enjoying good music together. The chorus repeats the message of not wanting to deal with any negativity and encourages everyone to come together and start something positive. The song ends with the group repeating the message of getting off their butts and starting something new.