What Had Happened Was: Illadelph Halflife Part 3

Podcast: What Had Happened Was
Host: Open Mike Eagle
Guest: Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson
Date: December 6, 2023

Episode Overview

This episode marks the conclusion to an in-depth, multi-part discussion about Illadelph Halflife, the Roots’ formative 1996 album. Host Open Mike Eagle and Questlove dive deep into the album’s creative process, relationships with burgeoning neo-soul stars, and the volatile hip-hop climate of the mid-1990s. The conversation crescendos with Questlove’s vivid recounting of tensions surrounding the “What They Do” video—a story he frames as “the greatest story of this season.” The episode weaves through tales of musical evolution, unlikely studio encounters, unintentional hip-hop beefs, and a rapidly changing industry.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The 1995 Source Awards: The "Funeral" of Old-School Hip-Hop

• Questlove reflects on the 1995 Source Awards as a pivotal, somber moment for hip-hop, citing it as the beginning of a creative decline:
  • “I consider that hip-hop’s funeral, at least the near and dear hip-hop that I knew.” (02:39)
  • Describes witnessing Nas’s visible shame as Biggie repeatedly wins, culminating in Suge Knight’s infamous “East Coast ain’t got love for Dr. Dre and Snoop?” moment.
  • Recalls previous tension from the 1994 Source Awards, citing Tupac almost starting an incident by bum-rushing the stage. (03:43)

2. Serendipitous Encounter with D’Angelo

• Questlove recounts an unlikely moment when someone hands him D’Angelo’s “Brown Sugar” single as chaos unfolds at the Awards:
  • Calls Bob Power to discuss D’Angelo, realizing the transformative potential:
    • “This guy’s the fucking future. …I gotta figure out a way to calculate and scheme my way back into this guy’s [orbit].” (06:35)
  • Admits he had dismissed R&B as “corny” until hearing “Brown Sugar”.

3. Embracing a “Sloppy” Drumming Style Influenced by Dilla

• Questlove’s drumming was known for precision; he describes intentionally “un-quantizing” his performance, modeling after J Dilla’s “drunk” drum programming:
  • “I threw everything out the wind. And I’m playing like a drunk three year old.” (08:28)
  • Stresses it required humility, saying, “Throw your ego away. I want you to be human.” (08:41)

4. Meeting Erykah Badu and Early Neo-Soul Connections

• Discusses Badu’s early studio work, first as part of a duo and then solo—resulting in the recording of an Anita Baker cover and the classic “Other Side of the Game.”
• Notes Badu’s “Afro” was about Questlove and her crush on Black Thought is referenced in her lyrics. (11:42)

5. Studio Anecdotes—Prodigy Sleeping in the Kick Drum

• Questlove shares a humorous memory of Mobb Deep’s Prodigy catching a nap inside his drum setup while both groups worked at the same studio:
  • “…I walked to the front of the kick drum and got—it’s Prodigy from Mobb Deep sleeping inside my kick drum.” (16:48)

6. Entering the Alternative Hip-Hop Circle

• By participating in Baduism, Questlove found himself welcomed by the “alt left of center” class—Q-Tip, D’Angelo, Raphael Saadiq, De La Soul (“Not full Native Tongues, but they know our names”). (17:52)

7. The Making of “What They Do”

• Outlines the technical process of recording at Raphael Saadiq’s home studio (including muting trophies with self-deprecating humor). Utilizes studio tricks inspired by Prince to produce the unique drum sounds. (19:40)
• Candidly acknowledges not fully understanding radio hooks or mainstream song structure.

8. The “What They Do” Video: Satire, Reception, and Unintended Fallout

• Originally, the Roots exercised little control over their visuals, feeling “self-deprecating” and “going to lose anyway.” (27:05)
• The “What They Do” video, intended as dry satire of music video tropes (e.g. flashy rentals, glamour shots), was NOT an explicit attack on mainstream hip-hop:
  • “To me it was more like a very dry tongue in cheek. We are fish out of water in this place. We’re not thinking that people gonna feel a certain way about this.” (30:07)
• The video is mistakenly received as a direct critique—especially by Bad Boy Records and The Notorious B.I.G.

9. Biggie’s Hurt Reaction & The Ripple Through the Industry

• Editor Selwyn Hines warns Questlove that Biggie felt slighted by the video; Questlove is shocked, noting previous mutual respect:
  • “He’s family. …so it was like, he’s family. …Just totally missed that we made a One More [Chance]–a blatant One More Chance reference.” (33:25)
• Questlove is caught between wanting to issue a thoughtful rebuttal and the reality of Biggie’s tragic, untimely death—grappling with unresolved tensions.
  • “I hate the fact that he left without really knowing.” (41:16)

10. Lyricist Lounge Showdown and Aftermath with Diddy

• After Biggie’s death, Questlove describes a tense scene at Lyricist Lounge: Mos Def performs a thinly veiled critique (à la “Children’s Story”) while Diddy and his entourage glare from the crowd.
  • Questlove, Mos Def, and Q-Tip are pulled backstage for a heated conversation:
    • Diddy: “If I want to fuck four bitches right now, I could do that. …If I want to drink 20 bottles of Cristal, I could do that. You know, my man had love for y’all. …Y’all just on my man.” (48:33)
  • Questlove likens the confrontation to a “New Jack City” standoff; it’s all tension, “waiting for the universal beat down.” Ultimately, it resolves with Diddy leaving in a mix of performance and warning.

Notable Quotes and Moments (with Timestamps)

• On the '95 Source Awards:
  • “I consider that hip hop’s funeral… anything after that moment is the slow creative decline.” —Questlove (02:39)
• On D’Angelo:
  • “This guy’s the fucking future. …I gotta figure out a way to calculate and scheme my way back into this guy’s [orbit].” —Questlove (06:35)
• On drumming inspired by Dilla:
  • “I threw everything out the wind. And I’m playing like a drunk three year old.” —Questlove (08:28)
• On the “What They Do” video:
  • “To me it was more like a very dry tongue in cheek. We are fish out of water in this, in this place.” —Questlove (30:07)
• On the fallout with Biggie:
  • “I hate the fact that he left without really knowing.” —Questlove (41:16)
• On Diddy confronting Questlove:
  • “If I want to fuck like four bitches right now, I could do that. …If I want to drink 20 bottles of Cristal, I could do that. You know, my man had love for y’all. …Y’all just on my man.” —Diddy via Questlove (48:33)
• Emotional coda on unresolved beef:
  • “He never got the chance to understand.” —Open Mike Eagle (41:16)

Timestamps of Important Segments

• 02:39 – Questlove on 1995 Source Awards and hip-hop's shift
• 06:35 – Receiving D’Angelo’s “Brown Sugar” and the quest to collaborate
• 08:28 – Adopting Dilla’s drumming approach
• 11:42 – Erykah Badu’s early sessions with the Roots
• 16:48 – Prodigy sleeping in Questlove’s drum setup
• 19:40 – Building “What They Do” at Raphael Saadiq’s studio
• 27:05 – On self-deprecating music video visuals
• 30:07 – Satirical intention behind “What They Do” video
• 33:25 – Biggie’s reaction and Selwyn Hines warning
• 41:16 – Questlove’s grief and unresolved tension after Biggie’s death
• 48:33 – Diddy’s confrontation with Questlove and the wrap-up of the Illadelph Halflife era

Conclusion

This episode masterfully blends musicology, memoir, and hip-hop lore. Questlove’s stories illuminate the intricate social web and unpredictable dynamics shaping the Illadelph Halflife era—from the Roots learning to play within new musical paradigms, building bridges with the future of neo-soul, and inadvertently fanning flames of major rap feuds. The “What They Do” story, both hilarious and sobering, offers rare insight into the unintended consequences of art and the fragility of legacies during hip-hop’s most combustible years.