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Host 1
This is an iHeart podcast.
Sponsor Voice 1
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Posdnuos (De La Soul)
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Host 1
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Posdnuos (De La Soul)
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Sponsor Voice 3
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Maseo (De La Soul)
The volume.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
No worry. And now.
Host 2 (Rory)
All right, Rory. We are back with a new episode. Today we are joined by Hip hop royalty. Yes, I mean that in every sense of the word. Grew up listening to these guys.
Host 1
Now some. Some people just say hip hop royalty just to say as an intro, it's a little different.
Host 2 (Rory)
Like these guys. No, no, no, listen, man, this is a little different. I ra off the school bus to watch video music box VJ, Ralph McDaniels to catch these guys and see the video. I needed to see what they was wearing. I wanted to see the haircuts they had. I was like all the way in that mode with this group. I'm a little older than you, so you.
Host 1
That is true.
Host 2 (Rory)
You know, you wasn't really outside like that. But today we are joined by the legendary De La Soul.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Absolutely.
Host 1
We. We are. We are very honored and privileged to have you, man, come up here. You have no idea what this means. You guys came up here, man, like.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Oh, thank you, brother.
Host 1
This is incredible.
Host 2 (Rory)
Yeah, this is a. This is one of those moments where I'm like, damn. Like, they.
Host 1
They're talking today.
Host 2 (Rory)
Lots. What the am I doing?
Host 1
They hit our group chat, like, where we talk about guests and everything, and they had the nerve to ask, do you guys want daylight on? Yeah, it's like, why would you ask. Why would you ask some dumbass question like that?
Host 2 (Rory)
Would they be there? What time do we need to. For them. But gentlemen, is a pleasure. First of all, rest in peace to Trugoi.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Yes, thank you.
Host 2 (Rory)
Gotta start there. Thank you. But yes, you have a new album coming. We'll get to all of that. But I want to start from the beginning, man, because like I said, watching you guys growing up in New York City, I'm from the Bronx and getting to see the videos and you know, that's how we kind of understood, you know, the. The fashion. And when I was a kid, we saw what y' all were wearing and the things that y' all were saying. How does it feel now, looking back at all of the things that y' all have accomplished in the culture, the people that y' all have influenced, the artists y' all have influenced? How does it feel looking back on it? Like, damn, like, we accomplished so much. And what feels like it's not. It doesn't feel like it was a long time, but it has been a while. But how does it look? How does it feel to look back at that? Like, damn. We said. We started out saying we wanted to do this. Years later, look at everything we accomplished.
Maseo (De La Soul)
First you go, wow, where did the time go? Yeah, right, right, right, right, right.
Host 2 (Rory)
Yeah, yeah.
Maseo (De La Soul)
And the other part, really don't think about it until people like yourselves say something. And then it's that moment of reflection, like, damn, wow. We did some shit. You know what I mean?
Host 1
Yeah.
Maseo (De La Soul)
It's a blessing. I'm thankful, you know, back then, had no idea that what we are all involved with would be as big as it is today, you know, and to still be a part, a significant part of the fabric, it's just God's gift, you know what I mean?
Host 1
How did native tongues exactly come together in that era? Because if I were to, like, paint a family tree of all the music that I love, it would probably be inspired by y'.
Host 2 (Rory)
All.
Host 1
Queen Latifah, leaders of New School Tribe. Like, that family tree, if you made it, you could put damn near every artist that I love under that family tree. What was in the water at that time? How did y' all even all connect? Tifa being from Jersey, Tribe being from Queens Leisure, New School in Brooklyn, you guys in Long Island. Like, how did that collection even come together?
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
It started from us and Jungle being on the same show. We obviously knew who they were. They had already had, what, Jim Browski out and doing what they were doing.
Host 2 (Rory)
Broski.
Sponsor Voice 4
Yeah.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
And so by the time we had our first single and whatever, out and running around doing little shows, we got on the show together, we rocked together.
Host 2 (Rory)
We.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
We started talking and, you know, we just like this. And in that era, it was always that easy. Like, yo, man, pleasure to meet you. We love what you doing. Yo, come by the studio and Cats will come by. You know, us being around Paul, that's how we met. Milk and Gears or Light the same way. So it's like high school, honestly. And then you just Start getting into your little cliques in high school. But everyone was really friendly with each other. So Jungle came through, met up with us, you know, or even at Queen's Day.
Maseo (De La Soul)
Queen's Day was when we met Tribe.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
We met. We met. Yeah. Tip roll up his little voice like, yo, pass me in, and you know, I'm Q Tip. And we was like, all right. And so we just all.
Host 2 (Rory)
It's so funny how those things happen. Like, there's no social media. This is literally. You have to be in these spaces to meet each other. And then, you know, like, you know, I know what it is now when rappers in the same room. It's that weird thing where you know who each other are. You never met met, but you don't want to say what's up first. Cause it's like, what if I extend my hand and he ain't as welcoming?
Maseo (De La Soul)
Yeah, that has happened.
Host 2 (Rory)
You know what I mean? It's kind of like, yo, I fuck with him. I never met him. Do I go over there and say, what's up?
Maseo (De La Soul)
That has happened. And I vowed I would never be like that.
Host 2 (Rory)
Okay.
Maseo (De La Soul)
And that has happened. You know, where you. You know, you want to introduce yourself. Some of your favorites, you know?
Host 2 (Rory)
Yeah.
Maseo (De La Soul)
And you kind of honored to be a part of this fabric, this fraternity now. And you get kind of played or sunned or something like that.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
But it was still different for us. Because I guess what he's saying is, you didn't know how he was, but with social media, you already know someone is wild. And when I meet him, how is he gonna.
Host 2 (Rory)
You know what I'm saying?
Maseo (De La Soul)
Oh, I get that part. I see you on that.
Host 2 (Rory)
So for y' all to meet Q Tip like that, and it's like, yo, he's like, yo, I'm Q Tip.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Yeah. He was open and just happy, and we showing love. And it just started from there. Us hanging around each. It was just really that simple. Us hanging around each other. But like I said, at the same time, we hanging around nice and smooth, and we just open and like that.
Maseo (De La Soul)
Hanging around Poo Bob, brand new, being all of that.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
All that. So, I mean, by the time we just kind of got this little thing between me, Tip, and Africa, okay, I go meet up with them at the crib at Africa's house. And Tip was like, Yo, AP, tell. Tell PAs what we was just talking about, and it was. He was like, yo, like, whenever we try to do stuff together, why don't we. Why don't we call native tongues, you know? And he was Like. Cause, yo, we. We kind of look like we speak the same language. I was like, yo, that's dope. I'm gonna go back and tell Mace and Dave. Tip was like, yo, I go tell Ali, Fife and Jerobi. And Jerobi. And the same with him. He said, yo, I'm gonna tell Sammy B. And Mike. And everyone was with it. And that was just as simple as that. We just started hanging around each other. Latifah gets signed to Tommy Boy. I remember, like, was like, yo, I think y' all just. I just.
Maseo (De La Soul)
Y'.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
All. I think y' all signed this girl who was like, I think she's gonna be crazy dope. I was like, yeah, yeah, yeah. But Latifah would just hang out at our house. She would come to Long island, hang at his crib, my crib. And, yeah, she just became a part of a family. So we just was just hanging out with each other, man. And it translated to music.
Host 2 (Rory)
This is so crazy.
Host 1
It's one of those that, like, when I hear, like, Bus Big and Jay Z went to the same high school, it's like, how does that happen?
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
How does that happen?
Host 1
How? You guys. How much did Red Alert play a part in everything at that time?
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
It wasn't a big part at first. It was just like, Red was Mike G's uncle.
Maseo (De La Soul)
And we didn't know that, which is crazy. And didn't even know that for real. Like, when I found out Red was Mike G's uncle, I go uptown to Mike's crib. And we in the crib working on music. And who comes around peeking around the room like, you. And I'm like, what's Red doing in your house? What is he. Yeah, what is he doing here? Like, right in the room, you know? He's like, oh, that's my uncle. Oh, that's my uncle.
Host 2 (Rory)
Yeah.
Maseo (De La Soul)
When was you gonna let us know.
Host 2 (Rory)
That that would help?
Maseo (De La Soul)
You know what I mean? And when that happened, that's when I felt like I really arrived in this thing. I'm in Red Alert's crib. You know what I mean?
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Yeah, no doubt.
Maseo (De La Soul)
House full of records and sneakers and whatnot. And I'm like. And then you see Dougie Fresh come through. Chill will come through. Barry B. Come through. Like, all these different.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Yeah.
Maseo (De La Soul)
Artists, you know, it was crazy.
Host 1
Were the rumors of Native tongues starting separate groups, like, mixing and Max, like, matching with different groups. Actual thing, or is that okay?
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
That was real.
Sponsor Voice 2
We.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Me, Q Tip, Juju in Africa. We actually recorded a few things. We was called The Fabulous Fleas.
Maseo (De La Soul)
And then I think you, me, Sammy.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
B, Dave, Mike G, Kids on Zenith.
Maseo (De La Soul)
Av and another person from our neighborhood named Pop Life. We were gonna be Kids on Zenith Ave. Yeah.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
So we record a bunch of things. Like, actually the song, a roller skating jam named Saturdays. That was something I did for Fabulous Fleas. Cause Juju did something that was amazing. Africa makes this beat. That's crazy. Tip comes up with the chorus. Tip does something, though. I said, damn, what can I do? And then I came up with Saturdays. And so it wasn't until we was working on De La Soul's dad at that time, but it's like we needed something. So I just said to the guys, like, yo, can I take this beat back and do it for daylight? And they was like, yeah, take it back. So, yeah, Saturdays wasn't even for daylight. It was for Fabulous Fleas.
Host 1
Yeah. I mean, what stopped some of that music from coming out? Just scheduling.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
It just didn't. We would. It was more like. It was almost like an exercise and we hanging it.
Sponsor Voice 2
Yeah.
Host 2 (Rory)
Okay.
Host 1
Getting in shape.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Yeah.
Maseo (De La Soul)
I mean, we were all happy with the opportunity we got to make records.
Host 2 (Rory)
Yeah.
Maseo (De La Soul)
Realize it was gonna turn into a career. And we all had individual record deals before we became this collective. So people had some really tough decisions to make. You know, Africa had a movie deal on the table at the time. I mean, pretty much we was kind of with everything. You know what I mean? Like, we was willing to stop to make certain things happen, but other people had other plans. Latifah had the TV show coming her way. So it was things that was interrupting, you know, on a professional level. Yeah.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
But honestly, in the early aspect of Native Tongues, anyone could record that. That was just any other day. That's. You could see KRS1 and KRS1 and be like, yo, I'm about to do a record with this person.
Host 1
Yeah.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Recording was nothing.
Maseo (De La Soul)
Yeah.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
It was nothing we didn't have. I'm being honest. What like, young kids got today. Like, yo, you put everything out. You do this. You. They think with a brand in mind. You were just, you know, flexing your.
Host 2 (Rory)
Muscles, hanging out, making music. Yeah, yeah.
Host 1
It was regular high school, really. As just a fan, we were talking about the Rock the Bells cruise in. In the. The time of festivals. What would it take for a native tongue set or some type of festival to happen of just the Native Tongues click? Because that would sell out Icon Stadium tomorrow, man. It's like, without question.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
It's just. And I'm being honest, like, Dayla's Always been with it. When Dave was here, we was with it. It's just at certain points, it's just for certain individuals to want to do it, and we can do it. Yeah, that's it. I mean, that's really it. It's just really it, man.
Host 2 (Rory)
You know, I'm not listening. I ain't starting no mess. But you answering that, I kind of feel like I know who you talking about.
Host 1
I kept it in my head. I didn't say it out loud. And I'm not gonna say it out loud.
Host 2 (Rory)
I'm not gonna say it, but. Because I've watched enough.
Host 1
He's on the album.
Host 2 (Rory)
Yeah, yeah, yeah. I watched enough interviews and I'. Okay.
Host 1
Imaj. One of my favorite producers.
Host 2 (Rory)
No 100%. But it's like. Okay, I understand that. Let's talk about getting to the album. The first album, Three Feet High and Rising. Classic album.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Thank you.
Host 2 (Rory)
I mean, y' all got one of the most iconic dunks behind that album. I looked at those sneakers the other day. I was in Flight Club, and I was like, I'm about to pull the trigger, man. It's a heavy price tag for it. But I just feel like that's one of the ones. Like, you know, I grew up in that time, and I just feel like that's just staple. Like, I just gotta be able to say, I have that shoe. But when it came time to Dayla's recording the album, what was that process like? What was that feeling the emotions of. Oh, shit, this is our first album. Like, we really recording. It's great to come out. Like, what did y' all feel like? What were the conversations like? How did y'. All, you know, how did y' all feel in that moment?
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
It was a whirlwind of happiness. Someone wants to do a deal. Because, mind you, like, single deals was big back then. You have a whole bunch of singles that may not get an album, right? So by the time we got to that second single, it's slowly going back to that.
Host 2 (Rory)
By the way, that's a whole nother.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Conversation once we got to that single. The second single, Pothos In My Lawn, you know, we. We knew from Tommy Boy that they want to do an entire album. So at that point, yo, we just happy. We all these ideas we all had on in our head, along with Paul's ideas, we just start putting it together. Paul created such a great atmosphere to record in. You know, we thought everyone recorded like that. You know, like, he allowed everyone idea to be heard. He made sure that's how we Needed to do things like, yo, allow people to get their idea across, even if it's something you birthed first.
Host 2 (Rory)
Okay.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Allow us all to put it in. Put these ingredients in the pot and if it doesn't work, take it out. So it was just such a great, great atmosphere that we was in having fun. We had structure. Paul would be like, you know what? So, okay, this song Ghetto Thing. Yo, Dave, Merce, you have your rhyme ready for this in the next two days. Mace, find some cuts and we would like follow this homework, but then still have enough time to have fun and try things on the fly. It was just fun. And whoever was hanging out that day, they could wind up on the album. Jungle was on Buddy, because they were just there that day, you know what I'm saying? Like I always say, if they would have came the following day, they could have been on Ghetto Thing.
Host 2 (Rory)
Right?
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
You know what I'm saying? So to have even Buddy become what it has become, it's like we didn't plan it, you know what I'm saying? It was just like, yo, people was there. Get on the album. And it was just a lot of fun just making that album. Just every day, coming to the studio, riding the train back and forth, just knowing you're going to just hear your voice. What was in your head on paper now on a mic.
Maseo (De La Soul)
Euphoric time.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Yeah, yeah.
Host 1
What was Long island like at that time? Because coming off Pe Rakim, like, I may be the only person from Queens that loves Long Island. I don't think you guys get your just do at all when it comes to hip hop and what you guys have contributed. What was the island like at that time?
Maseo (De La Soul)
Beautiful by Dane.
Host 1
You got Eddie Murphy at the time too, going on in Long Island.
Maseo (De La Soul)
Beautiful by day.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Yeah.
Host 2 (Rory)
When that sun go down.
Host 1
You didn't want to be in Central Iceland at that time.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
No. You know, there was definitely parts of Long island that was crazy. Very, very grimy.
Host 1
I mean, more in the music sets.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Yeah, yeah. The music says everyone was bubbling like, you know, because the more people who got on, the more you became inspired. You know what? We saw what Eric and Paris doing, we was like, that's crazy. And we was like, they're further out than us.
Host 2 (Rory)
Yeah.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
And they got this really hardcore. We were so inspired by that.
Maseo (De La Soul)
JVC Falls.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Yeah, all that and forget it. Rakim, man, listen.
Host 2 (Rory)
Yeah.
Maseo (De La Soul)
You know Freddy Fox.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Yeah.
Maseo (De La Soul)
There was a lot happening. Biz was everywhere.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Always.
Host 1
Yeah.
Maseo (De La Soul)
Yeah, man.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Cause you fig. You gotta realize, yo, all these people, a lot of them, Mathematics.
Host 1
Memo.
Maseo (De La Soul)
Yeah.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
We weren't necessarily born in Long Island. We were like people who. Parents moved us to Long island, right? So we had that city DNA in us. I'm from the Bronx, he's from Brooklyn. Dave was from Brooklyn. A lot of us was like that. You know, we had our connection to our cousins and everything and we knew what was going on and we were just out in the forest.
Host 2 (Rory)
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
By, you know, the borough standard is like out in the boondocks. But yo, like the music was there and we was paying attention to it, you know.
Host 1
Where was Doom at this point? Because after coming off, you know, the third base stuff and everything, Doom being from Long island as well. Like, was he around at that time before he became MF Doom?
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
KMD days. Always around when Doom lost Sub Rock, when he lost his brother.
Host 1
Rest in peace. And rest in peace to Doom.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
That was hard, you know, I mean, that was.
Maseo (De La Soul)
And we. We. He disappeared.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Yeah, he kind of disappeared. Like I would see him every now and then, but not much because I mean, honest, like, when he became Doom, I didn't know that was him. I didn't know that was that.
Maseo (De La Soul)
Yeah.
Host 2 (Rory)
Really?
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
I didn't. I had no idea. So I'm doing that.
Host 1
Had no fucking way coming out.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Yeah, it's dope. By the time you get to the joint with Mad Lib, I'm like, yo, who is this dude? And I remember Prince Paul was with us and Paul was like, yo, you know that's Zev, right? And I was like, what are you talking about? And when I found that out, I was like, wow, look at this dude.
Host 1
I mean, what's funny? With my age, I knew Doom before I knew third base because I'm 35. So I was introduced to Doom, not anything that was going on. And then like when I would listen to Gas Face or watch the performance of Gaslight.
Maseo (De La Soul)
Yeah.
Host 1
Holy shit, that's Doom.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Yeah. Yeah.
Host 1
That's the wildest shit ever. And look completely different.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Like completely.
Host 1
That story is just, yeah. Insane how that transition happened.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Yeah, me and him had a connection because, you know, I was heavily at one point reading a lot of books from Dr. York. He was part of the Hebrew Israelites as well. So we had that connection. And I mean, Dune was just so funny, so intelligent and I mean, yeah, Autumn Cats, man, like his brother and all them Omar and all them. They was like really good dudes. Really good dudes.
Host 1
Yeah.
Host 2 (Rory)
I want to talk about. About the. The second album. De La Soul is Dead now. That album was. The content of it was a little different. Obviously a 3ft high on Rising. Probably one of the most iconic debut albums in hip hop history. But the second album, the tone was a little different. Y', all, y', all, y', all, y', all, y' all touched on where y' all felt like hip hop was headed. The energy in hip hop. And it's, you know, looking back, that was 91. How do y' all feel about what hip hop is today? Because the things that y' all were addressing on that album and just, you know, the energy, the violence in hip hop and it just the direction of it just felt like it was a little, you know, now where hip hop is today. Like, how does Dayla sit back and look at just the culture and where it stands?
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
It's hard, man, to really say it as a. A group because my algorithms is different. His, like, we're really. We're really on these streams for real. Like, I look for just always creative and dope music. So I get fed that. I don't necessarily get fed a whole bunch of stuff that I'm not in alignment with, in a sense. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And I'm. But even with that being said, I've always been open to what anyone presents. I don't gotta be with it. But I never felt like. Like I gotta be the old dude. Like, yo, these dudes. These dudes is whack. And that's a lot of shit out here. That's horrible.
Host 2 (Rory)
Right.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
But come on, B. Like, there was a lot of shit that was horrible back then when we was out.
Maseo (De La Soul)
Yeah.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
There was a lot of tapes that I can go back and play where I was taping Molly Mall and taping Red Alert, and it was a lot of fodder in between the Jewels.
Host 2 (Rory)
Right.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
So, I mean, that's always been there, man. It's always been a part of it. So I just feel like there is really good music out and. But the problem is that it's just too much.
Host 2 (Rory)
Yeah.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
So it's too much for your mind to kind of take in. And why our attention spans just so short these days?
Host 2 (Rory)
Yeah.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
You know, you can have someone on this one site that you go see these people and they got like 2 million followers. And you'd be like, yo, who is this person? You start listening like, yo, I never heard this person. You realize, like, wait, they had an album out 2016.
Host 2 (Rory)
Yeah.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
They live in this one area.
Host 2 (Rory)
Yeah, yeah.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Of space on the Internet that if you don't go to that space, you.
Host 2 (Rory)
Won'T never know about it.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Yeah. So that is really hard to get used to. Especially if you're not a person who goes and try to discover music.
Host 2 (Rory)
Yeah.
Host 1
Speaking of that era, going into Stakes As High, this must have been like 15 years ago. I went to watch Peter Rosenberg interview 9th Wonder Infante live, and they were talking about this theory that 1996 is when everything split. Where you either went with it was written Nas, and then you ended up in the shiny suits, Bad Boy, everything. But if you went down the daylight, stakes is high.
Host 2 (Rory)
Shit.
Host 1
That's how you got to slum. That's how you got to Dilla. That's how you got to Little brother. Do you think the Underground started in 96 with stakes as high? Like, did that start the quote, unquote, underground hip hop wave?
Maseo (De La Soul)
The underground started in the 80s when it was all. All of it was underground. You know, when we start to get notoriety and popularity as a culture and having records sold and success, the split became with the industry dividing us.
Host 1
Okay.
Maseo (De La Soul)
You know, having this kind of hip hop and that kind of hip hop. Because we came from the era where we were all under one roof and we shared the culture, we shared the audiences. If Too Short audience didn't know us, we was on a tour with him, right? Yeah. And vice versa, you know, and whoever was strong in whatever markets they would headline, you know, so it was. It was a strong sense of camaraderie, you know, amongst the artists, especially at that time, community. And it changed with the competitive nature of selling records.
Host 2 (Rory)
Yeah.
Maseo (De La Soul)
And then I think this is my highly subjective opinion. Anything that's moving, positive and uplifting people, powers of beer, trying to figure out how to stop that shit.
Host 2 (Rory)
Oh, for sure.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Facts, you know what I'm saying?
Host 2 (Rory)
Hell, yeah.
Maseo (De La Soul)
So that's when, yeah, mid-90s divide started to happen. And who was conscious enough to be down with that approach went with it. You know what I'm saying?
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
And then even to a point where, as May said, our first tour in 89, we were all like us, ll slick Rick, pe nwa nwa too short.
Host 2 (Rory)
I was gonna say. My brother told me that NWA brought out LL or introduced on some show. I was like, wait, what?
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Well, LL had the Nitro Tour. So the Nitro Tour started off as LL Slick Rick Dela. And then Rush management that we were all managed by, they started adding all the other artists, too. Because for certain markets, ticket sales may have needed help, let alone when we got to the west coast side, they made sure that Too Short was on there. Nwa NWA was just so killing every now and again.
Maseo (De La Soul)
JJ Fad.
Host 1
Yeah.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Special Ed would show up here and there. But as just to mace point, we were. It was all these different artists on one tour. So when you're talking about when the 90s really was getting into play, like, not even mid yet, but early 90s, when you're gonna have the Rough Riders or something like that, like, they can have these artists that are more in the vein of who they are. They're starting to be on the same tour. And then Daylight and Common Sense and Pharaoh, you know what I'm saying? Where like I said, like, late 80s, everyone will always was a gumbo pot. Yeah. You know, so that had started to happen as well, to kind of separate.
Maseo (De La Soul)
Us, you know, and each era had whack music.
Host 2 (Rory)
Oh, yeah.
Host 1
Oh, for sure.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Yeah.
Maseo (De La Soul)
I mean, you know, I think the difference today, it's okay to bite.
Host 1
Sure.
Maseo (De La Soul)
A lot of biting going on.
Host 2 (Rory)
That's one thing we talked about. I'm like, yo, you used to get, like, basically, like, exiled from the culture. If you was caught biting another person.
Host 1
Even their tone, look how.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
And I say this with all respect, like, look how legendary, amazing RZA name is synonymous with the culture. Yeah, he's synonymous with the culture. Forget Wu Tang. RZA is the culture.
Host 2 (Rory)
Right.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
But when RZA first came out, Cass was like, yo, who's this nigga who sound like Sir Abu?
Host 2 (Rory)
Right, right.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Holy War was the dopest hip hop record, one of the dopest hip hop records, underground records to us. So we was like, yo, this dude sounded like Sir Abu. So you was already like, this was.
Host 1
Prince Rakim days, or when it was Rizza's days.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
The first time you heard Riz as Princess Prince Rakim, he sounded like Sir Abu, who had the Holy War record that even, you know, Ghost brought back on the Mighty Healthy, like, chorus. Like, that was Sarabu's lyrics. Like, so we was like, so biting, or what you perceived as biting was a big thing. So, like. And then RZA obviously easily proved that. Nah, nah, nah, he's official. Like, this. This dude is what is who he is. But, yeah, man, it was a big thing to try to make sure that you was creative and you stayed in your lane of what you did.
Host 2 (Rory)
Well, Daylight, y' all was definitely, you know, speaking to that. So unique, so colorful. Like, you know, it was like, y'.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
All.
Host 2 (Rory)
Y' all made it cool again. I'm speaking from what I remember to have fun. I remember, you know, Kwame Kid and play. Like, it was always that. It was always that area of rap where it's like, yo, we ain't gotta be hardcore hardcore all the time. Like, we could have fun.
Maseo (De La Soul)
We could dance, kid and play.
Host 2 (Rory)
We could be conscious. We could think about what we doing and things like that. And even today, that still exists. But the way y' all did it, though, was in a way where it was like, it didn't seem like you had to go too far into that world. It was like, yo, y' all made it so palatable to just be thought provoking, to say some cool shit, to look cool, saying it. Was that always something y' all thought about or was that just y' all being yourselves?
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
That was just being us, being ourselves. Yeah, man, it really was.
Maseo (De La Soul)
Surroundings play a big part of that.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Yeah, yeah. No, I mean. And it's no different than what you even see in someone who's blessed to be who they are and win this high regard as outcasts. Like, those dudes are just being who they are. And then you can see that, like, maybe Dre and Gip, you know, they egged each other on. And it makes me think of how me and Dave was like. Dave would be like, yo, man, I'mma go get my pops old pants. I'mma tape them up. I'm going to wear them with these spot builds. I was like, word. And then I would find my father's old bell bottoms. Dave, his mom knew how to stitch, and Dave showed me how to sew. So we was just egging each other on and inspiring each other, you know, and that went into the music. So what we was doing together as three dudes and showing different aspects of ourself. But then we get around jungle and then they showing what they doing. And then tribe, like, we was just make inspiring each other and showing like, yo, if Tip can do it, I know I can do it. And Tip is like, yo, if Dave can do, know I can do it. We're just inspiring each other.
Host 1
Yeah.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
I'm saying.
Host 1
And even on, like, the branding and fashion side. And again, I'm not here to like on the current generation, but, like, the way that you guys dressed and branded, everything was authentic to what you guys were doing. I'm not knocking anyone that wears designer or anything like that, but that is also missing in hip hop. I feel like, originality.
Host 2 (Rory)
Yeah.
Host 1
How you actually, like, listen, everybody in Queensbridge dressed that way because that's how everyone in Queensbridge dressed. It wasn't. They were not all buying whatever the mannequin was at the mall. Like, this is really authentic to what we are doing at this time. That has completely gone missed Like, I think Virgil did a great job in merging those type of worlds, but that. I think our future was maybe good at it. But even that was more on the supreme side. But, yeah, that. That has been lost when it comes to branding and marketing. The authenticity of where you're from and how you dress is not based off, like, high end brand shit. Like, but do you think y' all didn't go to Roosevelt Fields and just fucking buy the mannequin? Like.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Well, you're right. And it's. And like you said, it's like, even like on our brothers on the West. West side of things. Like, you know, you was like, yo, look how they dress. Look how they're putting things together.
Host 1
NWA yeah. But it wasn't marketing. It was authentic, but it became marketing.
Sponsor Voice 4
Yeah.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
I just think when the crossroads of the Internet came into play.
Host 2 (Rory)
Yeah, that's where it got.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
You know what I'm saying? Because even we saw it just even before the Internet, where if we went to Japan, Japan was paying so much attention to what we were doing, they were gonna. They thought, like, to do this, this is how I had to dress. Opposed to. Nah, you do it because this is how you feel and you wanna now contribute this to it. You know what I'm saying? Like, they thought, you know, understandably, like, Germany, wherever we went, it's like, yo, the starter kit is to look it.
Host 2 (Rory)
Yeah.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
And it was like, no, not really.
Host 1
This is just what we, like, feel it.
Host 2 (Rory)
Yeah, right, right, right.
Host 1
Yeah. I mean, because even like, you brought up outkast with the Rock and Roll hall of Fame, like, Big Boy going up with the fur and three stacks going up with. With denim rolled up, like, it was the perfect example of that.
Host 2 (Rory)
They went in, like. Yeah, they went in as outkast.
Maseo (De La Soul)
Yeah.
Host 2 (Rory)
That was. How did y' all feel like just watching that, like, what did that mean to De La Soul to see Outkast.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Man going into the Rock, proud of them? Dude, I was extremely everything. You know, we toured a while with Goody Mob. Us, Goody Mob and Fishbone. We did this banging tour called Milky Way Tour. So I love those brothers. And to even every now and then, to be around Big Boy and Dre, there was some great, good dudes and everything they got. They deserve every part of it. Because just like us, it wasn't planned. They didn't try to do it. They were naturally like that. You know, you have. What inspires you. You even have. When people make you feel like you ain't it, that inspires you. You be like, yo, I'm gonna show you. That's how it was for them on the Source Awards. Like, yo, we gonna show you. Like, south got something to say. Boy, did they prove it. Like, so them brothers and the courage.
Maseo (De La Soul)
They had to make the type of records they made. Yeah, yeah, phenomenal, man.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
But I bet for them, they didn't look at it like, yo, we about to jump out the limb on this one. They just thought they was doing what they needed to do.
Host 1
I know even when they became superstars, they were taking, I think of Childish Gambino said, nobody takes risks when they're. And, like, that's what they were doing. When you were at the highest form, outkast was like, well, we going this way. Even though we're superstars at this point. Like, we're pop right now, and we're gonna go this way.
Host 2 (Rory)
It was just incredible to watch that moment, man. We talked about it, and to just see them. Cause I remember the first time I probably saw an Outkast video, and whenever I hear, you know, people say, oh, New York, never fuck with the South. I'm like, y' all are bugging. Like, when we first saw. Well, let me speak for myself. When I first saw Outcast, and just the way they was rapping and the way they wore the jerseys and this and that third, I'm like, yo, this is how they get down in Atlanta. Like, it just. It was like, oh, this is familiar. Like, this is not as far left as we might try to make it seem. Like we're more alike than we are different.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
It's definitely that. And I always do my best to point out to people like, yo, the majority of New York rapper's parents were from the South.
Host 2 (Rory)
Right, right, right.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
My mother's from Waynesboro, Georgia. My father's from Rocky Mountain, North Carolina. They wouldn't allow me to spend a summer in the Bronx.
Host 1
I want to say, unfortunately. And fortunately, your situation with Tommy Boy got very public. And I think it's a little fucked up that personal business has to be put out to the public like that. But I do think it was definitely something that needed to be put on front street of how the music business works.
Maseo (De La Soul)
Well, my thought process of it at that time period was my fans are my team. You know, our office is the stage.
Host 2 (Rory)
Yeah.
Maseo (De La Soul)
You know, being in public is pretty much our office. So let's bring back office, talk to the front of the office.
Host 2 (Rory)
That makes sense.
Sponsor Voice 2
Yeah.
Maseo (De La Soul)
That's how I felt. Let's bring it to the front of the office. Let's bring the Things people don't know what happens in the back office, even the people who are on the promo team and all of that, you know, Because a lot of people don't know the intricacies of these deals, you know? So when the negotiation was just being a struggling point and very stern and unfair, it was time to bring it to the front. Because it never works out in the back.
Host 2 (Rory)
Yeah. Yeah, never.
Host 1
The more they could keep it quiet.
Maseo (De La Soul)
More they can talk you over, you know, it was another strategy to bring it to the front by starting that boycott. You know what I mean? Because it was.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
And mind you, I just want to make sure we clear. We didn't start a boycott.
Maseo (De La Soul)
No.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
We was putting them on front street and the fans started to come back.
Maseo (De La Soul)
We didn't get through that. That's very true.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Because we would never be on it. Like, fuck Tommy Boy. Because we got other artists that we love that was on Tommy Boy and they get paid. We would never tell you to stop playing supporting Tommy Boy artists and their music. We wouldn't want you to not support Latifah or Naughty by nature. Whatever. Yeah, we were just saying put a pause on daylight stuff. If our daylight. If this daylight stuff drops, y' all don't play it until we work out what we need to.
Host 2 (Rory)
Yeah, yeah, we talked about that, like, in that whole moment, like, just how important it was, that stance that y' all made and you know what I'm saying? Because obviously the business has changed so much, especially since y' all have been a part of it.
Maseo (De La Soul)
Yeah.
Host 2 (Rory)
How do y' all feel about it, though? Like, the whole sampling and having to clear things and the DSPs and all of these things. Like, how do. How do y' all feel? One, it hinders the art and maybe helps the business at the same time. Like, how do y' all feel about that whole stance with just sampling and clearing and things like that?
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
I'm good on doing business. And we stand up for our art all the time. Like, you know, if we want this song called Ring Ring Ring and we gotta pay for this, help is on the way. Sample. Let's pay for it. Because we feel like we've made something that our fan base will love. And we're with taking a cut of this publishing and giving it to you, sir, or whoever. We were with it. We was with that. And we were the ones who would decide to put four samples or three samples and things. So that's on us. Yeah, I have no problem with that. I think taking care of business, to take care of Business. I must be honest, because this has happened recently, even when it came to this album and Sean C's in the house. And I'm not saying names shout out.
Host 2 (Rory)
To Sean C. Legend shout out to.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Sean C. But I don't like when rappers get on it like they want a piece of something. I don't like that because, you know.
Host 1
You laughing over there. It's funny.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
We all together, though. Like, yo, the here premiere cut my voice in his record. What I want, anything. That's amazing.
Host 2 (Rory)
Thank you. Thank you for that.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
And to hear, like, us pay homage to, like, people who came after or came before us or even after us. And you want to, like. I think we should just be together on that. Like, yo, like, we hip hop together. Like, don't be the one trying to stop us or stick us up because we put your voice in something. I think that shit is whack.
Host 2 (Rory)
Yeah, I saw Smokey Robinson. He was talking about that same thing and how he clears all samples. Like, anybody wanna sample any of his? Cause he said, well, one, I'm gonna get paid. Two, is keeping my name and the conversation. And he said, and if guys who weren't even born when I made this record are inspired by art that I.
Maseo (De La Soul)
Created, it allows the music to live in another space Y long after I'm gone, Right?
Host 1
The amount of music I discovered just based off hip hop samples, when I just started digging into what that sample was, has changed my whole musical brain.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
I get it. You can have someone and be like, nah, but this is this art that I made. So, you know, you can have George Harrison, Beatles, who will be like, yo, you can't sample my stuff or this other artist. Okay, we get it. You know, but like you said, there's a lot of artists who are very open to it. They see it as lucrative, but they're just open to art and willing to let you do it. And so if you take care of business, that's what it always was. I mean, unfortunately, at one point, that's what we got into with our former label, because they treated the first album like it was a New York single. So you had. You had record labels who would put out these singles that would sell 2,000, whatever, copies. And cool. That's here, you know? But they treated the album like that. And this album became a hit record everywhere, you know what I'm saying? Like, it was a hit album. And so when you didn't clear the samples, of course someone's gonna be like, hey, we're still Dan and. Or, hey, we're the turtles and y' all didn't clear this. That's what happened.
Host 1
So people are y' all responsibility though, or the labels? I mean that's kind of my my thing. Well, sorry, that's why you.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Is it our responsibility or the labels?
Maseo (De La Soul)
Well, the labels.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
It's the labels responsibility because we were young kids and we didn't about about publishing and all that, but we knew about.
Maseo (De La Soul)
We knew we needed permission.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Yeah, we understood that. No worrying mouth.
Host 1
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Host 2 (Rory)
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There, Dr. Jesse Mills here. I'm the director of the men's clinic at UCLA Health and I want to tell you about my new podcast called the Mailroom.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
And I'm Jordan, the show's producer. And like a lot of guys, I haven't been to the doctor in many years. I'll be asking the questions we probably.
Dr. Jesse Mills
Should be asking but aren't because guys usually don't go to the doctor unless a piece of their face is Hanging off or they've broken a bone?
Maseo (De La Soul)
Bone.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Depends which bone.
Dr. Jesse Mills
Well, that's true. Every week, we're breaking down the unique world of men's health, from testosterone and fitness to diets and fertility and things that happen in the bedroom.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
You mean sleep?
Dr. Jesse Mills
Yeah, something like that. Jordan. We'll talk science without the jargon and get you real answers to the stuff you actually wonder about.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
It's going to be fun, whether you're 27, 97, or somewhere in between.
Dr. Jesse Mills
Men's health is about more than £6 packs and supplements. It's about energy, confidence, and connection. We don't just want you to live longer. We want you to live better. So check out the mailroom on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your favorite shows.
Host 1
All right, we're back. We had a. We had to do a pause break. Technical difficulty, more or less. We were talking about it being Tommy Boy's responsibility to clear those samples. And, you know, know, you guys were young and just making music at that time. You knew about getting clearances, but, you know.
Maseo (De La Soul)
Fell on the label. All the administration falls on the label. Yeah, that's part of their job. We bake the cake, you sell the cake.
Host 2 (Rory)
Exactly, exactly.
Host 1
Coming off the Tommy Boy deal, how did this entire Mass Appeal year come together? Like, we have been talking. Now, I know there's no Grammys for labels, but there needs to be some type of award that goes to Mass Appeal for everything that they have pulled off this year. Not only just pulling it off, pulling off with integrity, with grace, with being extra delicate, even with the Mobb Deep stuff, like, the music actually hits as well. Of course we see that list and it's like, of course I want to hear from these guys.
Sponsor Voice 3
Yeah.
Host 1
But when the music hits as well, I think that's a. A different type of stat. Did Peter Nas and, like, how did this whole thing come together when they had this list, Peter, like, was it one big group chat?
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Well, no, no, no.
Host 1
How did this happen?
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Peter and Nas have been trying to get us to rock with them for a minute. Like, honestly, when we did the. The album and the Anonymous Nobody. Yeah, there was a point where it could have been with them, quite honestly. Cobalt, who we distributed it through, they just came with a kind of, you know, a better deal. He was like, yo, we're just gonna go this route. So Peter had been always trying to get something rocking with us. We were supposed to then do this premium. So on the Rock's record, where it would have been Dela Pete Rock and Premier. So that was signed and everything. With the deal, we was doing mass appeal. But then that came about right when we got into this battle with Tommy Bo. Dave health was a little crazy. And in times when we would try to hook up, link up, you know, maybe Pete wasn't available. He's on a DJ gig. Same with Premiere. So the album just. Just basically never happened. Especially once Dave died. He was like, that was out the water.
Host 2 (Rory)
Yeah.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Pete holler at us early this year. Like, yo, man, we doing this Legends thing. Would love to have y' all be a part, part of it. I was like, yo, if mace with it, I'm with it. I, I, I would love to do it in my mind. I'm, I'm, I'm willing to get some music out and, and speak my mind. Cause I just got some things I would like to get. So right from there, we were just off and running. We had a few things in the can from what Pete had produced, some stuff from what Preem had got done. But there was a bunch of stuff as well that Dave was on from other producers. Like, we had the Jake 1 joint. We had a few Super Dave west joints with Dave voice on it. So we was like, yo. And I even thought about it, like, well, yo, do I take some of this stuff and give it to Preem to do? And Preem even shut that down. Preem was like, nah, this Dave west joint is. I'm not touching that.
Host 1
This is done.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
This is done. So that's when the albums open up to like, okay, it won't be a premium song the rocks record. It'll just be a conventional daylight album with different producers, blah, blah, blah. And we just went off and running in that direction. And I mean, I'm glad, though, it.
Maseo (De La Soul)
Has Preem and Pete Rock's presence, though, in the wrong way. Cause it actually makes up for the void of premium soul on the rocks.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Host 1
How many joints did Prem do? And how many did Pete do?
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Pete with Dave on it? Well, you talking about on, on this album.
Host 1
Yeah.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Pete got four, Preem got three.
Host 1
Yeah.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
And then, like, then we got some stuff was produced by us. You got Knots who came in and did something. Jake1, as I said, Super Dave west. And. And that's really our people's Eric. He's down with Little Dragon. He got one on there with his man Josh.
Host 1
One of my favorite joints on there, that Little Dragon. When they sent us the link, I was like, okay, let me see what the little drag that's probably in my Top three off the entire project. That Little Dragon record is crazy.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Yo, man.
Host 1
Like, unexpected.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Yeah, man. It's something for everyone. I feel, man. Like, it's something for you to really. Because, you know, we've always tried to do music like that, and I. And I'm glad we were able to accomplish balance with our albums. Like, it wasn't about, like, everything gotta be sad, everything gotta be angry, everything gotta be happy. We tried to, like, always throw some jewels. Like, if you had a Saturdays, you, you. You know. No, I'm sorry. If you had to meet myself and I. You had a ghetto thing. Like, we always tried to do that, and we got better and better at it. So. Yeah, this album, man, I'm so proud of it, man. Yeah, I'm very, very proud of this album.
Host 2 (Rory)
No, I'm definitely. I mean, it makes sense. Everything with Master Pill has been doing this year. You know, we heard the Mob joint, the Big L joint, and then, you know, when they sent us the Day Live project, Slick Rick as well. Yeah, Slick. I'm looking at Rory like, yo, what the. Is masterpill doing? Because, you know, we talk about the void in hip hop, and I was. No, you know, the originality is kind of lacking. And then, you know, now coming out, there's no, you know, hip hop rap songs in the top 40 for the first time in 30 something years, which essentially means the labels are not putting money behind the songs and things like that. Are they wrong for that? I mean, what's the return on the investment? Yeah, a lot of these artists are not really making the money back for these labels. You may have a big song, but it's like, you not selling no tickets. Nobody wants to come see you. Like, a lot of artists that we've seen have huge followings, and they announce a tour, then they announce that the tour's canceled.
Maseo (De La Soul)
You know what I mean?
Host 2 (Rory)
We know why. You know what I mean? You get back, it's like, yo, bro, we not selling no seats. But to Hear Dayla in 2025 and what y' all did with this project, with this album, I think it speaks to just a different attention to detail that I think comes from the era that y' all came from when it came to the art of hip hop and making sure that certain things always remain. Like, we have to have this. We have to pay attention to that. Where now it's like, these guys get a song, they make a song, and it's like, oh, it's streaming all of this. But it's like, yeah, you don't feel that record. And I talk to it a lot. I don't know if it's because of the way we consume music. I love the fact that I can open my phone and listen to any song I want to, But I also recognize the detachment. And, yeah. Like, if somebody. If I'm listening to the Daylight album and I'm playing it from my phone and I got it on the speakers in the house, somebody called my phone. Yeah.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
It interrupts.
Host 2 (Rory)
It interrupts the whole thing. And I might not go back to the album today.
Maseo (De La Soul)
Yeah.
Host 2 (Rory)
Cause that phone call might be like, yo, meet me downstairs. Now, I'm not even going back to that. Whereas before I went to the Wiz to buy the album.
Maseo (De La Soul)
Exactly.
Host 2 (Rory)
I go home, I bust it open. I'm looking at the artwork, the credits, I'm reading the thank yous, and who produced. And while the muse by the record is plain. So it's a different attachment that I had to some of my favorite projects versus now. I'm like, damn, I love that album. But then I look at Roy and I'm like, yo, I haven't played that album in. After the first week it came out, I haven't played it. Love it, but it's no attachment to it.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
The DJ Drama, Young Jeezy record. I love that record. I played it and played it. And like, you even said, like, the next thing you know, like, oh, wow, I haven't played that in the last two weeks. Like, it just like the attachment is there. Yeah. Cause it's almost like you said, it's like. Like, it's almost like if the. If we walk around with. It's like, it's the streaming service that I got that gives me everything opposed that it's the album, the CD I bought and I purchased that's giving me something. You know what I'm saying?
Host 1
You have an Infinity in your pocket, let alone just having one CD for that day. Like, this is what I'm gonna stay with. How intentional were the features on this?
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
As it always been for us.
Host 1
I mean, you guys haven't been super feature heavy in your careers.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
No, we got a little crazy with it when we did most.
Maseo (De La Soul)
Yeah. But even then, the features are more like instruments. Yeah. To the record. You. You. You hear these people as instruments.
Host 1
Yeah.
Maseo (De La Soul)
That's missing to the song.
Host 1
Yeah.
Maseo (De La Soul)
Like Red man to Ooh. It just made sense. You know what I mean? So when we hear it like that, we try to reach out. And it'll also be a pecking order. Cause it's like, okay, you Got your wish list. But then, okay, who would be second or third if these people don't work out? You know what I mean?
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Now, that's without question. Because, like. Like, say, like, that's a great example of even, like, Dave, like, say, on the last album, Anonymous is nobody, and we had the Houdini record, and Dave was like, yo, yo, Mercer. Like, I just. For some reason, I just hit two chains on this record.
Sponsor Voice 5
What?
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
He's like, yeah, man. Like, I think, like, him doing a chorus. And so I said, yo, let's reach out. And then we reached out, and he was like, yo, I don't wanna do the chorus. I wanna rhyme. I was like, all right. I bet.
Host 2 (Rory)
Yeah.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Yeah, that's what it is. It' intention of, like, not just making a record with Common or making a record with 2 Chainz. Because I just say, I just did it.
Host 2 (Rory)
Yeah.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
It, like, it feels like it needs that person. And then we then reach out, and then for them to want to be a part, it organically all works together correctly.
Maseo (De La Soul)
And another part of it, too. When it came to 2 chain, it was like the fans was bugging he dope.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Yeah. Yeah.
Maseo (De La Soul)
You know what I'm saying? Yeah. I don't know what you think you hearing, but I think it's important for us to let you know.
Host 2 (Rory)
Yeah.
Maseo (De La Soul)
What we stand up.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Yo, the crazy thing is, like. And then even in saying that, like. And Cats would be like, word dayl on two chains. And when they heard the record, it.
Host 2 (Rory)
Was like, okay, all right.
Host 1
We've had that conversation with Royce. We've had that conversation with Jay elect of, like, 2 Chainz is respected in both sides. Like. Yeah.
Host 2 (Rory)
Like, people don't know he can really rap.
Host 1
Like.
Host 2 (Rory)
Exactly.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Yeah.
Host 1
With Killer Mike. And forgive me, because the link they sent us has. I don't know the full title, but the Mama record with Killer Mike. Yeah, Yeah.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
A quick 16 for Mama.
Host 1
Yeah. How did that come together with just that idea? Was that a conversation in the studio.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Prior to, like, the approach Knotts sent? Because that was produced by Knotts.
Host 2 (Rory)
Yeah.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Sent a bunch of stuff. Crazy. But always. I always try to take time and. And you hear something, it was amazing. But I always try to be like, yo, let me listen to it the following day. And then all of a sudden, in the list of stuff that you think is crazy, like, all right, all right. Okay. I can push this one to the side. And I just also start looking at what I have already and what I need. So not like, these three. Not records that sound like, I can write These crazy rhymes to. But what's missing from the album. And that record where the voice is saying what she's saying, what Mama told me, you gotta, you know, one thing. You gotta hustle for it. And I, yo, this could be a great record where I talk about my mother who ain't here and maybe get on with another emcee who mother wasn't here. So it had to be an emcee who moms was gone with Transition.
Host 1
Yeah.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
And the first. I mean, right off the bat, I was like, it was either gonna be Killer Mike. And I was like, bun B. And I wasn't sure if, you know his mom's past, but I was like, I just heard Bun or Killer Mike. I just heard it. And then I was like, yo, it should be Mike. And then the crazy thing is, Nas, he was already doing his thing with all the albums on the Legends joints. Like, he wanted to rhyme on every album, which was dope to do. So Sean was like, yo. Sean C was like, yo, we need this joint for Nas to get on. And then he was like, yo, why don't you try this one? I was like, really? And he was like, yeah. You know, Nas, he been rocking on, like, something smooth. He did something for Mob on that era. I said, all right, let's try. But I just always thought it should be Killing Mike. We gave it to Nas. Nas does something. I didn't hear it yet, but he needed to then change something. And so then days become days, become weeks. I still haven't heard what he's done. I'm like, so, yo, when I'm gonna hear what you did to it? And then Sean C comes back, like, yo, I. I think Nas want to rhyme.
Maseo (De La Soul)
Rhyme.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
I was like, all right, you know, let's get him something else. I'll say. So let's go back to my idea. Let's get. Let's put Killer Mike on this end.
Host 1
Yeah, forget it.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Like, Killer Mike floored it.
Host 2 (Rory)
Yeah.
Host 1
Then how did Run it back end up with Nas at that point? Cause I was debating with some people today. It's between the Big L single, his verse about P on the Mob deep one. I think his verse on the Daylight album might be number one out of this whole. Yo, this whole mass appeal. Like, I. I even texted Leon Thomas and I said, yo, you know, Nas just name dropped you on a verse.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Crazy.
Host 1
Like, he was like, yo, that's the craziest text I've ever gotten.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Yeah. I mean, the crazy thing, though, we already had a good amount of records, you know, Compiled for this. For this album. Running Back wasn't even a part of it. Black Thought is in the studio. Shauncey's in the studio. Some of our other people's in the studio. I just happened to be on my computer doing something, and my computer's hooked up to the speaker, and I just played it because this was something that, you know, me and Dave west had going on. Thor is on his phone. He looks up immediately like. Like, yo. Like, what's that, though? I was like, oh, which is the.
Host 1
Famous rapper I'm about to smoke?
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
What's that? And I was like, oh, nah, this is something. And Sean's like, nah, B. Yeah, you've been holding out.
Maseo (De La Soul)
Yeah, yeah.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
I'm like, no, it was like, what's that? I'm like, all right, it's this record. He said, nah, that gotta go on the album. Like him. So I was like, all right, well, okay, we'll put this on the album. So then that's like a few days that passed. I was like, yo, make maybe. I was like, deshaun. She's like, yo, maybe this should be the one we give the Nas.
Host 1
So Black thought, a r the Nas record, yeah.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
He was like, yo, like, I gotta go on the record.
Host 2 (Rory)
Yeah.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
And like, so when I gave it to Sean to give to Nas, probably by the day. Like, that day he got it. Probably, like, later that night, I get this call, like, about 1 in the morning, and I'm like, yo, who the hell calling my phone? And I look up and it's Sean. See, Sean's like, yo, I'm texting you. Like, Nas. Nas needs you to call him right now. I'm like, all right. He got two verses for what? For the Running back.
Host 2 (Rory)
He got two verses for what?
Host 1
For the whole massive thing.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
And he's like, yo, I need you to hear this. So like I said, yo, send me the joint. Like, yo, I mean, that and the verse that made it is the first verse he played.
Host 1
No, that verse and the stuff. The stuff he's addressing on there is super important to everything I love. I love that he shouted out doi I love Doja Scissor. Like, I. I loved everything that he shouted out to Shaboos. Like, he made points on there. That. That's up there, B. Dot at the end of the year, that one might be verse of the year.
Host 2 (Rory)
It's gonna be talking.
Host 1
Definitely. Definitely one of those.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
He definitely bodies that.
Host 1
Yeah, Nas has been in. In. I mean, it's Nas, so.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Host 1
But he's been in a different type.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Of shape this year.
Host 1
Every time he shows up on these projects, I'm like, oh, it should be.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Yeah, that's how it should be.
Host 2 (Rory)
Again, a different era.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Yeah.
Host 2 (Rory)
Like, whenever y' all hear me, I gotta make sure, like, it's always a one. Because, again, you know, you don't wanna give none of these new cats room to be like, yeah, he falling off. And even if he is, it's like, okay, 30 something years later, like, all right, Bet he should be. You know what I mean? But Cabin in the Sky. How did y' all come up with the name?
Host 1
Beautiful title, by the way.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Thank you, man. Just watching tv one day I'm on Prime Video trying to find a movie, and this movie, Cabin in Sky, comes up. I had never heard of the movie, didn't know it was a play as well. See the names? I see Lena Horns in his movie. But as soon as I saw the title, I was like, wow, this is a dope title for the album. Cause it just immediately made me think of Dave. Immediately. For whatever the reason, before you even know the reason, you're already thinking it.
Sponsor Voice 1
Yeah.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
And I was like, I think it's this one. And I'd already had a title written down that I thought, like, I'm gonna maybe to think about it and maybe share with Mason. It was something like, after the finish line, then subtitle, like, where do you go? I had that.
Host 2 (Rory)
I like that.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Well, it was cool. But then me and Sean had been texting me back and forth that day, so when I just came on to the title of Kevin Sky, I called this like, yo, yo, what do you think of Cabin in the Sky? And he was like, what? For the. For the title album, he was like, yo, that's dope. That's it. Yo, Mercy. That's it. And I was like, well, I got the Mace. And I told him the one title.
Maseo (De La Soul)
The.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
The. The.
Maseo (De La Soul)
The.
Sponsor Voice 1
The.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
You know, the. After the finish line, he said, no, I see where you going with that. But he's like, yo, it. Cabin in the Sky. Like, it. It just. It feels right. It. Like. It feels like something you want to say for an album title. And so I was like, yo, man, let me. Let me think about this. Let me tell Mace. But, like, on my computer, from that point, at that point, my playlist had just said De La Soul New album, 2025. And then I was just trying to put the new configuration of the playlist onto my phone, and for some reason, it just wasn't connecting. It wouldn't drop into my phone. And something in me was like, yo, change it to Cabin in the Sky. And once I did that, it went into my phone.
Host 2 (Rory)
There you go.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
And I was like, that's it. This is the title. This is it.
Host 2 (Rory)
Yeah.
Host 1
What's Dave's legacy to you? On a personal level, not in music. Just who he was as a human being.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Dave was my brother, my mentor. He was my judge. He was a judgy ass motherfucker. He was my judge and juror.
Maseo (De La Soul)
Oh, my God.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Yo, I mean, that, man, be. I love that dude. Like, I did a lot of things to Hope. Like, when Dave said he loved something I did, like, it meant a lot to me because, like, he was my big brother.
Maseo (De La Soul)
Yeah. It meant a lot to both of us.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Yeah. Like, he was my big brother.
Maseo (De La Soul)
His approval.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Yeah, he meant a lot, you know? Cause Dave was picky.
Maseo (De La Soul)
Very picky.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
He didn't like us.
Maseo (De La Soul)
Love it today, hate it tomorrow.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Yeah.
Host 1
I used to be like, yo, that's so necessary.
Maseo (De La Soul)
I used to be like, yo, you don't like me, man.
Host 2 (Rory)
Is it me?
Maseo (De La Soul)
What happened?
Host 1
And now you in the booth not even doing it.
Maseo (De La Soul)
Everybody, you know what I'm saying?
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
They don't give a shit about this industry.
Maseo (De La Soul)
I would challenge him. I would really challenge him on coming out of his comfort zone because he falls into a com. He would fall into a comfort zone. And, like, especially with working with Prem, it was like, nah, nigga, you got preem. Like Dizzy Gillespie. We gotta go to the studio and work with this dude.
Host 2 (Rory)
You know what I mean?
Maseo (De La Soul)
You gotta cook the way he cook. You know what I mean?
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Yeah.
Maseo (De La Soul)
You know we're not sending the meal.
Host 1
Yeah.
Host 2 (Rory)
Yeah.
Maseo (De La Soul)
You gonna eat at the dinner table.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
You know, watch it be cooked. Yeah. Taste it, say nah. And he'll just move another kitchen and cook another.
Host 2 (Rory)
Right, Right.
Maseo (De La Soul)
Yeah.
Host 1
Before we let you go, I have a few things I want to touch on. One, being the Chappelle show was. Was a huge, huge part of my teenage years. That. That definitely shaped me in a certain way culturally. Like, Chappelle show was it for me at the time. What was that like with that live performance in real time? Like, did you guys know how impactful that first season? I know Dave was your man before that, and, like, but if you go through the first season of performances, it's insane. Like, yeah, that could be a greatest hits album.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Yeah.
Host 1
Based off what. What he did with that. Like, did y' all know how culturally impactful that was going to be at the time? Like, was that just a. Hey, we get on the tour Bus. Let's just shoot something.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Yeah. Like, it was like we had an idea. Like, yo, let's try it on the tour bus, whatever. Like, we were just rocking with our peoples because it was still that same camaraderie we had when we was doing albums earlier. Like, yo, I'm rocking with this person because he's our peoples. And yeah, let's just make something. Let's do something same way. Like, yo, Dave, we know you, like, you got this show.
Sponsor Voice 4
Cool.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Like, you need us to perform.
Maseo (De La Soul)
And it was more or less following Dave's lead.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Yeah.
Maseo (De La Soul)
Just more than what his vision was.
Host 2 (Rory)
Yeah.
Host 1
How. How important is Yummy to Dayla?
Maseo (De La Soul)
Yummy is like my little sister.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Baby.
Maseo (De La Soul)
You know what I mean?
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
I don't know. Maybe 15.
Host 1
Like, a lot of people don't know.
Maseo (De La Soul)
By the way, Shaka Khan is her godmother. You know what I mean? Right. So her DNA is solidified.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
You know what I mean?
Maseo (De La Soul)
Like, yeah. And she makes her best music with us. I feel like that, like, there's just a chemistry there, you know, with us and her that I. When I listen to Aunt Yummy, outside of us, it's not the same.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
You got, you got new she.
Host 1
I mean, she is one of those unique voices.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
She is crazy.
Host 1
Yeah.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Mean boy.
Maseo (De La Soul)
In the past, not the same. You know what I mean? When she was with the Rain, remember the group?
Host 2 (Rory)
Absolutely.
Maseo (De La Soul)
It was cool, but it not the same as when it was with us, you know? And I would always lean on her like, yo, songwriting, you got a chemistry with pos. You got a chemistry with Dave West. Like, like, it's something else.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
She was like, stop hating.
Host 1
She's so talented.
Maseo (De La Soul)
Like, one thing I, I, I love, man, you know, she's open to, you know, to criticism, you know, And I'm always coming from a good place with it. I want to see everybody win.
Host 1
Yeah.
Host 2 (Rory)
I mean, who are some of the artists that y' all sit back, you know, in y' all downtime and be like, I like these guys in terms.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Of they, like, being new or just any.
Host 2 (Rory)
Anybody today.
Host 1
Yeah.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Oh, today.
Maseo (De La Soul)
I mean, Anderson Paak, he not new, but he one of my favorites, man. Yeah.
Host 1
A legend.
Maseo (De La Soul)
Oh, my God, like, super.
Host 1
He definitely has some of y' all DNA in him for sure.
Maseo (De La Soul)
You know what? What's crazy is when I met him a couple years back at the Blue Note, right? And he wasn't quite educated on Dayla, really. He was more educated on Tribe.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. He said that. He said that.
Maseo (De La Soul)
And I can understand that because his.
Host 1
Big homies knew what the fun side he has to me is more Dayla than it is Tribe. Like, that's interesting.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
No, that's real.
Maseo (De La Soul)
But when he heard our stuff, he was like, yo, man. And I was overwhelmed because he's like, maceo, your voice, man. Yeah, I want to produce your voice. Like, I'm down for that. I'm down for that.
Host 1
I have. I have some questions from some amazing MCs. Jay Electronica wanted to ask you guys. How and when did you realize that you were this good at live performances?
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
It took a while.
Maseo (De La Soul)
When we really sucked, it took a while.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Not seriously, it took a minute. You know, we sucked at one point. We had this amazing album that was very colorful, vivid, and we didn't know how to bring that to a live show. You know, we had to figure it out. And we had great teachers who took the time to let us know whether.
Maseo (De La Soul)
It was Chuck LL and wl.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Yeah, all them, they were, yo, man, do this. Make sure you're doing that. Make sure if Dave goes to this end of the stage, possess Dougie telling me like, yo, you go to that side, like, have balance. Let the crowd see it look uniform then. So it was just trial and error.
Maseo (De La Soul)
Michael Foster, who's like the spinner sound engineer for everyone. Fellas, stop cuffing the mic.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
You learn, because like I said, like, from this first tour we went on in 89 with all the people, we mentioned the LLS and all that. And then we go right after that to this fun Young Cannibals tour throughout the uk and we're in festivals. So that was the biggest thing for us. We're this hip hop group who have all these listeners outside of hip hop, like they could feel like, yo, like outside of hip hop, outside of daylight. I don't really fuck with hip hop, you know what I'm saying? So we had to learn how to perform for that crowd. We had to learn how to perform at these festival, which is a whole different crowd because it'll be someone there early waiting for Lenny Kravitz to get on with. But you in the way.
Host 1
How do you approach those, though?
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
You have to learn how to be like, all right, and you will. I would be like, I'm gonna make him smile before it's over. Once I was learning how to get to him, like, ah, I got you. And you'll bring people on stage. Or, you know, you just learn these ways of just trying to communicate to the crowd and have them be a part of it. And we just kept getting better and better at it.
Maseo (De La Soul)
And it's like. It's introducing yourself to a new friend.
Sponsor Voice 4
Yeah.
Maseo (De La Soul)
You know, you can't expect them to be all warm and fuzzy right in the beginning. People gotta warm up to each other, so it takes some time. And you gotta be humble in your approach.
Host 1
Yeah. You know, this is from Fonte, from Little Brother.
Maseo (De La Soul)
Oh, man.
Host 1
Fonte asked ask about the responsibility of ownership. Everybody says own your masters, but very could. Very few could pull off the campaign that you guys have been doing with your catalog.
Maseo (De La Soul)
Mm. What's the importance of owning? Well, it's intellectual property, man. It's like owning a house, you know, it's something that actually can feed your family for years to come. You know, once you learn about the business of intellectual property, you need to know that you need to own at least a portion of it. You know what I mean?
Host 2 (Rory)
Sure.
Maseo (De La Soul)
You know, granted, in the world of doing business, when people are offering their money up for your dream, of course they want a piece of the pie, you know, so you have to be very conscious of what you willing to give up or not willing to give up. But owning your masters and your publishing is very, very important.
Host 2 (Rory)
Absolutely. Yeah.
Maseo (De La Soul)
Yeah.
Host 1
Rapper Big Pooh, also from Little Brother. I thought I had an amazing question. He said, ask them how does a group survive over three decades with no separation, no public fallouts? Especially in an industry that was designed for groups to break up in the early 2000, choosing to only focus on the stars? Because groups early 2000, they dismantled a lot, which I thought Pooh asked an incredible question there.
Maseo (De La Soul)
I mean, it was a common goal to be a group.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Yeah.
Dr. Jesse Mills
Yeah.
Maseo (De La Soul)
You know, it's been God's blessing to stay a group, you know, it shows a testament of our brotherhood. Cause we definitely been through some things, you know, but the importance is how you come out the other side.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Yeah.
Maseo (De La Soul)
And coming out the other side shows the true testament of your brotherhood, you know, and you don't realize that brotherhood until those moments. Moments actually happen, you know, and we had some strenuous moments, but we always resort back to us three. And we took our problems home.
Host 1
Yeah.
Maseo (De La Soul)
We never did.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
We were brothers.
Maseo (De La Soul)
Like, we were truly family. Family fight.
Sponsor Voice 2
Yeah.
Host 1
Yeah.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
It ain't a family fight. Now I gotta go make a diss record. It was like.
Host 1
This is a regular holiday.
Maseo (De La Soul)
And then after the fight, you can't. You feel bad. Yeah, you do feel bad.
Sponsor Voice 4
You.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
I didn't like if I'm on a tour bus and I want it warm and these two needed really cold. But you know what? You know, What I'm saying, I got camps out in the back of the bus to take the whole over and smoke weed, you know, and stop in.
Maseo (De La Soul)
The next truck stop, get him extra blankets, you know what I'm saying? I'mma buy some fragrances to clean this all up. Put some towel in the door and all.
Host 2 (Rory)
Make it work.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Make it work.
Maseo (De La Soul)
Compromise.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
That's what it was. Compromise. Compromise. As he said, just. We always saw ourselves as a group. No one could come and be like, yo, pos. You should do this solo record. All right, whatever. Like, we. We are a group. We're brothers, man. We love each other.
Host 1
In the event you guys grew up in this era, who would have tweeted y' all problems first?
Host 2 (Rory)
Yeah, I can see that.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Sneaky like that. I don't want no nigga know what I'm doing. Damn sure wouldn't be me.
Maseo (De La Soul)
Yeah.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Yeah. And I'm not trying to say, like, he would do, but if. If I were to put it in order, it was probably you. Probably you, then me and Dave. Dave is. Dave was in the tr. That was the Haitian.
Sponsor Voice 4
Him.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
He was in the tr.
Host 2 (Rory)
Yeah. Yeah.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Dave will give a. Dave wouldn't say.
Host 1
Yeah, man, this. This was. I don't even want to say, like, bucket list. This. This. This was an honor to have you. I feel so privileged to have y' all come to our studio and speak to my mortals.
Host 2 (Rory)
Like, literally, like, I used to run home because you can't. I can't miss daylight on video music. You miss it. That's it. You gotta wait till.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Yeah.
Host 2 (Rory)
You know what I'm saying? So it's like, literally, though, I remember those days. Like, I gotta catch the day live video.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
For real, man.
Host 2 (Rory)
So to have y' all here in the studio today, have Sean C. Here, like, legend. It's just a lot of, you know, just. Just history and. And. And culture and just thank y' all for everything that y' all have done. Giving to the culture than y' all for the. Thank y' all for everything that y' all continue to do. Thank y' all for continuing to approach it in the same way you did in 89:88 with just that attention to detail.
Host 1
And Cabin of Sky does not sound like y' all chasing. Like, it sounds like 2025.
Host 2 (Rory)
Sounds like 2025, this album. Because it's like, they're not gonna believe that y' all were able to make this type of album in this climate, like, and really sound like y' all did 30 something years. Like, it's fucking insane that y' all were able to do that, so.
Host 1
And was there healthy competition? Competition, indeed.
Maseo (De La Soul)
Yeah. Yeah.
Host 1
You know, the Miguel album coming. You know, the Mobb Deep one coming. You know, Slick Rick coming. You know Ghost here. You know, right here.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Problem holding my hand up.
Maseo (De La Soul)
Yeah.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
When I was in them early sessions.
Host 1
Yo, Sean, see what's Ghost doing over there?
Sponsor Voice 2
No, please.
Host 2 (Rory)
Yeah, how you.
Maseo (De La Soul)
How. Was part of the pivot from the Peep and Cream.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Yeah.
Maseo (De La Soul)
One of those. That.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
No, well, that's what we. We had said earlier. Like, I knew in the early sessions that massive. When Masspool brought us together and is me, Nas or Ray, Ghost, and we're bugging out. But I'm looking at these niggas like, yo, I'm not gonna be a slouch.
Host 2 (Rory)
Like, I'm not playing. Yeah, yeah.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Ghost is playing.
Maseo (De La Soul)
Shit.
Host 2 (Rory)
Yeah.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
I'm like, yo, this nigga got some shit.
Host 1
Supreme clientele. Two is crazy.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Ray is telling them this wild Styles thing. Like, yo, your cover should be you robbing yourself. We all laughing. That was crazy. And I'm like. And their energy, it was like that. That made me feel like, yeah, man. Like, I gotta. I gotta open this up from being a Pete Rock Premier thing because I gotta kill these niggas.
Host 2 (Rory)
Yeah.
Sponsor Voice 2
In a.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
In a real, like, honorable way. Because that's how much I respect them. Like, they're. But, like, I gotta make sure that my album is nowhere near whack. Like, I can't have that. You know what I'm saying? Cause I have that healthy level of not only competition, but being scared. You know what I'm saying? For me, I can't look whack. Black Thought is gonna get on the record with me. I know he's gonna kill it.
Host 2 (Rory)
And he.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
And Leo. Yo, I know he's gonna write.
Host 1
He paused halfway through his verse and kept rapping.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
But I gotta like, Jesus, I gotta make sure that at least I got some quotables. I'm standing next to that dude or my brother Common. Like, that's how I looked at it, and that's how I looked at Nas. Like, I'm gonna be on this record. Nas.
Host 1
Like, what's crazy is, though, I feel like Common, Black thought, Nas, Ghost. I feel like that's how they view y' all 100%. Like, I. I think the way you looking at them, I think they're looking like, nah, I'm with Dayla.
Sponsor Voice 1
I gotta.
Host 2 (Rory)
I gotta get my on.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
They know that they can come over here and go for it, and. And it's about quality with us. It's not a styling thing. I don't need you on my record just so I can come on your show and tell you. Nah, like, that's how we feel, man. We love what we do, bro.
Host 2 (Rory)
No, it's love this. We hear it. We've seen it. And again, man, it's just been an honor and a privilege.
Maseo (De La Soul)
I think that's what we catching in this day and age. Who really loves it? Who really?
Host 2 (Rory)
Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. It'll weed itself out. The track should take itself out.
Maseo (De La Soul)
The DSPs don't pay, right? So it's got to be able to rock. It's called your testament. Who really loves this?
Host 2 (Rory)
Absolutely. Before I let y' all go, are y' all re releasing the dunks? Is there talks to Nike. Like, I need to know before I pay this heavy ticket.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
He's a size 10, I would say. I would love to. I mean, it's just not on me. It's like, you know, my people's Donnie backsto over there at Nike, like, shout out to Dawn.
Maseo (De La Soul)
You know what I mean?
Host 2 (Rory)
Yeah.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
I kind of like, try to throw like, a little, like, yo. You know, and she be like. Like, she be silent. So I'll be like, you know that.
Host 2 (Rory)
That needs to come back. That needs to.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
That.
Host 2 (Rory)
That.
Host 1
We need the cabin.
Maseo (De La Soul)
We would love to do that.
Host 2 (Rory)
That is. That is incredible. Incredible Sneak.
Host 1
And I know we. We have Mass Appeal here as well. Shout out with everything you're talking about. Was that documented? Cuz I know Mass Appeal does incredible documentaries. There's no way that Peter was just like, we're not going to film this.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
No, no, no. People was definitely coming through film.
Host 2 (Rory)
Okay, yeah.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Okay, cool.
Host 1
I can't. I can't wait to see that footage. And do we get a tour?
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
I would love to.
Host 1
Always doing shows, but specifically for this album.
Maseo (De La Soul)
Yeah, yeah, we putting it in the ether.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Yeah, for sure.
Host 2 (Rory)
Well, listen, man, thank y'.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
All.
Host 2 (Rory)
We appreciate y'.
Host 1
All.
Maseo (De La Soul)
Thank you, my brother, y', all, y' all are holding it down with integrity.
Host 2 (Rory)
Thank you.
Maseo (De La Soul)
Much love, respect.
Host 2 (Rory)
Thank you.
Maseo (De La Soul)
Stick to your guns. Keep it going, man.
Host 2 (Rory)
And just.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Just real quick, even off of what he just said, like, yo, man, like, we blessed to be who we are. We blessed to be of an age. And we, like, geeked out that we want your show. You understand what I'm saying? Me and my wife with y', all, like, we know y'. All.
Host 1
We watch y' all just idiot fans with microphones.
Host 2 (Rory)
This is like, nah.
Host 1
Yo, man, y' all define the culture that we love. We're just guys that have electricity.
Maseo (De La Soul)
You covering it responsibly.
Host 2 (Rory)
Yeah, and I love that we definitely. That's definitely one of the conversations we have. Like, yeah, we want to make sure that we talk about the right. We talk about it the right way from an honest perspective. We could be wrong. You know what I'm saying? I'm open to that too, but I just.
Maseo (De La Soul)
As long as it never comes off as hating.
Host 2 (Rory)
Yeah. No.
Sponsor Voice 4
Yeah.
Host 2 (Rory)
I don't do that.
Maseo (De La Soul)
It ain't gossipy.
Host 1
Appreciate it, but thank y'.
Maseo (De La Soul)
All.
Host 2 (Rory)
Cabin in the sky November 21st download that stream and support Daylight Soul.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
I'm mad there.
Host 2 (Rory)
Easter Ginger.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
That's daylight soul november 21st please no worry about Venmo Stash.
Sponsor Voice 3
A taco in one hand and ordering.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
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Sponsor Voice 3
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Sponsor Voice 2
This podcast is sponsored by Total Wireless, the official wireless partner of ufc. When you're streaming the fight or sharing those takedown highlights, you need a wireless provider that keeps you close to the action. With Total Wireless, you're covered by the Verizon 5G network, so you don't have to worry about your connection being knocked out at the biggest moments. It's not something you can usually say about a wireless provider, but Total Wireless really does have you your back. They're in your corner every second of the day, so you never miss a thing. Visit totalwireless.com or visit your local Total Wireless Store to learn more about how Total Wireless can be in your corner. 5G access requires a 5G cable device and a 5G service area. Additional terms apply. See website for details.
Sponsor Voice 5
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Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Have you ever wiped with a piece of dry single ply toilet paper and 100 wondered? Is this as good as it gets?
Host 1
Well, it's not. It gets a lot better.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Thanks to the wet extra large cleaning power of Dude Wipes, they comfortably clean up whatever TP leaves behind on your behind.
Host 1
It's time to stop being an A hole to your B hole and start.
Posdnuos (De La Soul)
Experiencing the confident clean of Dude Wipes. Available at Amazon and at major retailers nationwide. Dude Wipes Best Clean Pants down.
Host 1
This is an I heart podcast.
Date: November 21, 2025
Podcast: New Rory & MAL (iHeartPodcasts and The Volume)
Guests: Posdnuos and Maseo of De La Soul
This episode features a vibrant and heartfelt sit-down with hip hop legends De La Soul. Hosts Rory and Mal delve into the group’s storied history, their influential role in the development of hip hop, the formation of the Native Tongues, stories from the golden era, the legacy of the late Trugoi (Dave), thoughts on the evolution of hip hop, business struggles with the industry, the making of their new album “Cabin In The Sky,” and much more. The conversation is filled with nostalgia, wisdom, transparency, and moments of laughter—serving as both a masterclass in hip hop history and a celebration of enduring artistry.
[04:50–06:29]
[06:29–14:45]
[14:20–15:14, 18:13–21:54]
[22:46–29:47]
[29:19–34:28]
[48:18–64:56]
[36:05–47:18, 73:00–74:37]
[70:35–74:56]
[65:02–66:39]
[33:26–35:45; 69:39–70:22]
[52:55–54:23, 80:27–82:06]
[76:48–82:06]
This episode is a must-listen for any hip hop fan—offering inside stories, life lessons, cultural commentary, and a celebration of the lasting brotherhood and artistry of De La Soul. “Cabin In The Sky” stands as a testament to staying true to one’s roots while embracing growth, collaboration, and the challenges of an evolving industry.
Endorsement: “Cabin in the Sky” out now—stream and support De La Soul!
For further context, explore: