A Tribe Called Quest, arguably one of the most influential hip-hop groups of the 1990s, has strong ties to Long Island, New York. While the group is often associated with the vibrant Native Tongues movement in Queens, two of its founding members, Q-Tip and Phife Dawg, reportedly spent time on Long Island. It can be confirmed, however, that A Tribe Called Quest helped Long Island native Busta Rhymes secure a record deal.
One of A Tribe Called Quest’s most iconic songs, “Can I Kick It,” from their 1990 debut album People’s Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm, features a distinctive sample of Lou Reed’s “Walk on the Wild Side.” Reed, a rock legend and native of Freeport, Long Island, brought a different kind of New York storytelling to music decades earlier. By incorporating his bass line into “Can I Kick It,” Tribe not only paid homage to another Long Island artist but also bridged musical generations and genres.
Researched by Darren Paltrowitz on June 26, 2025.
Simply put, as of October 2025, Aerosmith is the best-selling American hard rock band of all time, having sold more than 150 million records worldwide, including over 85 million records in the United States. And a lot of that band history has to do with Long Islanders.
Aerosmith's 1978 hit "Chip Away the Stone" was written by Massapequa native Richie Supa, as ultimately featured on Live! Bootleg, the Cal Jam II live album, Gems, Pandora's Box, Greatest Hits 1973–1988, and Aerosmith Video Scrapbook. The song reportedly re-charted in 1988 at #13 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, when it was included on the Gems compilation.
Huntington Hills native Russ Irwin, a long-time touring keyboardist and vocalist for Aerosmith, cowrote the Aerosmith song "What Could Have Been Love," a single from 2012's Music From Another Dimension! album. Irwin's second solo album, Get Me Home, included performances by Aerosmith co-founders Steven Tyler and Brad Whitford.
Aerosmith's career was undoubtedly revitalized in the mid-1980s after Lido Beach native Rick Rubin arranged a collaboration between singer Steven Tyler, guitarist Joe Perry, and the members of Run-DMC, which resulted in the 1986 hit "Walk This Way." Video of Aerosmith and Run-DMC performing that song live together at Jones Beach in 2002 can be seen here.
Notably, Long Island was the site of Aerosmith's last full-band gig -- in September 2023 -- as UBS Arena was sadly the last venue to host Aerosmith before vocal issues took Steven Tyler away from full-time touring. A Paltrocast interview with Aerosmith drummer Joey Kramer can be found here.
Decades before rebounding as a popular band, Aerosmith performed a club show in Island Park, New York in the early 1980s. More information about that can be found within the following LibGuide.
Fire Island, which is considered part of Long Island, is known to have been home to former Aerosmith manager David Krebs. Krebs associate Mark Puma, who managed Aerosmith offshoot band Whitford/St. Holmes, is a former Long Island resident.
Materials available to Freeport Library cardholders related to Aerosmith can be found here. Additional information and resources related to the members of Aerosmith within the Nassau Library System can be found here.
Researched by Darren Paltrowitz on May 14, 2025. Updated on May 29, 2025, June 12, 2025, October 9, 2025 and November 13, 2025.