Questlove made an appearance on the podcast Fired Up With Brad Jenkins to promote his upcoming show Hip Hop: The Songs That Shook America, which premieres this Sunday (October 13) on AMC.
During the hour-long interview, Jenkins asked The Roots drummer to name the most underappreciated Hip Hop artist of all time. Questlove selected De La Soul and explained why he picked the trio of Posdnuos, Dave and Maseo.
“We have taken from the tree of De La Soul so many times and they have never gotten credit for it,” he said. “I’ll say that. Just as far as – I’ve watched them use samples that later been used and built empires. I’ve seen them do concepts. Everything that De La Soul has done, I’ve seen other people come in and do afterwards and it’s like, ‘Ah!’ So yeah, De La Soul.”
Questlove also spoke about his signature afro, recalling how he wanted to cut it as a child but was convinced to keep it by his parents.
“When I was a kid, kids were relentless in their teasing, I remember a lot of tears of, ‘I want to cut it, I want to cut it,’ he noted. “There was a point in 1978, 1979 where people were cutting their afros and stuff and mine just kept growing. It wouldn’t stop growing. And every night you have to braid it and pick it. And my parents they tried, you know, ‘Well that’s your crown! We named you Ahmir for a reason. Ahmir means prince and that’s what you’re going to be.’”
Listen to Questlove’s entire interview on Fired Up With Brad Jenkins below.
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i agree
As soon as a trio mentioned in the thumbnail, I was like DE LA! Most under appreciated? I think he’s right tho. De la always broke the mold of the stereotypical “rapper” and stood out amongst their peers for the last 3 decades.
They have been incredibly irrelevant and out of touch since Stakes is High, like 20 years ago. They’ve had a decent track or two, but overall, they’ve been boring as fuck. They DO need to have Prince Paul make beats for them again. That’s when they Turkey were up there with ATCQ. Their bitching and moaning about the rights they signed away 30 years ago which made them known (it’s the only reason we’re here talking about them), tarnished their legacy in many peoples eyes, including myself. The zero accountability and responsibility for their own actions is more of a young generation, mumble rap thing. Del La looking like Larry Holmes, flabby and shit…
“what do you know about music, hamster penis?”
You are so full of shit your eyes are brown. Go back in your mom’s basement you ignorant troll. De la souls music is better then 90% of new hip hop you fuckin moron. Go hate somewhere else bumsauce.
Yeah, I made valid points about my opinion on their music. I brought up Paul, mentioned their albums. You brought up basements and hate, little kid. I own every LP/EP and single they put out u til stakes is high, on wax. I owned tech is 1200’s before you were born. The last line of that comment was a Pac quote he fired off at De La back in the day for talking shit. You obviously jumped on the dick WAY after their hay day, and are trying to act like you know more than a Hip-hop head. I saw them live more times than your suburban saltine ass has mustered up the courage to go to a shitty, backpacker Atmosqueer show. Keep ruining hip-hop and saying stupid shit out of pocket. You’re the troll. It’s not my fault your life sucks, it’s yours and your parents.
I loved every album since Stakes Is High – both AOI albums, The Grind Date and Anonymous Nobody were all solid
If Masta Ace aint involved as one of the most underappreciated, i cant fuck with it
Masta Ace, Rass Kass, and O.C for me. Never been a big fan of De La.
Under-appreciated yes. But most under-appreciated goes to Little Brother.
You must be his little brother lol
Criminally slept on! I put on Minstrel Show this weekend and it holds up SO well!
Fabolous. Easily. Been holding NY down consistently for over 2 decades….
But the body of work is average
Yeah, dude is nice for sure. Later generation though. Dude wasn’t around in the 90’s.
Yeah, not De La, they Fell off in 93 Or so when they changed up their production and stopped using Prince Paul. MF DOOM (Zev Love X from KMD) Ras Kass, A.G., are a few that have flown under the radar, and have been killing it since the 90’s.
Oh, like homie said below, masts Ace for sure. King Tee on the West Coast as well.
Somehow I can’t respect the opinion of anyone who thinks Stakes Is High was the first album made AFTER they supposedly “fell off”.
Somehow no one gives a fuck about your garbage ass opinion. The shift and tone in their music began with Stakes is High. He’s allowed to not like it, although I don’t agree. They definitely weren’t the same after Bahloone. Personally I still fucks with it, but I get what dude is saying.
That’s a solid pick. Those guys haven’t been credited for their impact as they should!! Hell I still love their music!! Humor, and all!
The most underrated rappers of all time in terms of skill: De La Soul, Digable Planets, Pharacyde, Doom and Drake
Wow. You’re a real moron. He put Diganle buyers and Grayke on there. Pharvyde eas the biggest fall off in history.
Prince paul did not produce for De La….He certainly helped, but didn’t produce…
Incorrect.
Out of his, Prince Paul, mouth.
Wrong. I worked several events with De La and Paul. He made EVERY beat up to Dtakes is high. You’re a jackass. He personally spoke to me about it. De La did too. Out of his mouth. You’re a moron. He is credited for producing a beat on “is dead” and then is credited for producing the same beat on grave diggaz. I’m sure these thirsty, broke, royalty complaining pudges would let that fly, right?
De La deserve to rot in hell for the travesties they keep forcing on us. Used to love H.E.R…
This got a way bigger laugh than it deserved! Thx
uhhh….. what?
Man cats really don’t understand hip hop! These cats been around since 1988 how many other artists are still relevant after 5 yrs. 2000’s have been hard on them as far as good music, but before then every album was a classic.