New Rory & MAL - Checking In With De La Soul

Episode Date: November 21, 2025

Rory and Mal check in with De La Soul and talk the history of the group, their new project with Mass Appeal, and the art of sampling #volume All lines provided by hardrock.betSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed Human. The volume. All right, Rory. We are back with a new episode. Today we are joined by hip-hop royalty. I mean that in every sense of the word. I grew up listening to these guys.

Some people just say hip-hop royalty, just to say it as an intro is a little different. These guys, no, no, no, listen, man. It's a little different. I ran home off the school bus to watch video music box. V.J. Ralph McDaniels. Legend. To catch these guys.

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 know, you wasn't really outside like that. But today we are joined by the legendary day loss.

So we are, absolutely. Man, we are very honored and privileged to have you. Man. You have no idea what this means to us. That you guys came up here, man. Oh, thank you, brother. This is incredible.

Yeah, this is one of those. moments so I'm like damn like they hit talking to day la so what the fuck am I doing they hit our group chat like where we talk about guests and everything and they had the nerve to ask do you guys want day la on yeah it's like why would you ask

some dumb ass question like that you're supposed to just tell us when they're what time would they be there for them but gentlemen is a pleasure first of all rest of the piece of true boy yes got to start there but yes

you have a new I'm 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 fashion. And when I was a kid, we saw what y'all were wearing and the things that y'all

was saying. How does it feel now looking back at all of the things they all have accomplished in the culture, the people that y'all have influenced, the artists that y'all have influenced, How does it feel looking back on it like, damn, like, we accomplished so much. And what feels like, 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. First you go, wow, where did the time go?

Yeah, right, right, right. Yeah, yeah. 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. You did some shit. You know what I mean? It's a blessing. I'm thankful, you know.

Back then I 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 significant part of the fabric. It's just God's gift, you know what I mean? How did native tongues exactly come together in that era? Because if I were to paint a family tree of all the music that I love, it would probably be inspired by y'all, 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? 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? 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.

Drowsky. Yeah. And so by the time we had our, our first single and whatever out and running around doing little shows. We got on the show together. We rocked together. We started talking and, you know, we just like this. And 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 milking gears or light the same way. So it's like high school, honestly. And then you just start getting into your little clicks in high school. But everyone was really friendly.

with each other. So Jungle came through, met up with us, you know, or even at Queens Day. Queens Day was when we met Trout. We met, yeah, Tip Roll up. His little voice like, you post me in. And you know, Q-Tip. And we was like, all right. And so we just all.

It's so funny how those things happen. Like, yeah. There's no social media. This is literally, you have to be in these spaces to meet each other. And then, you know, like, 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've never met but you don't want to say what's up first because it's like you know what if I extend my hand and he ain't as welcoming Yeah that has happened You know what I mean It's kind of like I'm fucking with him I never met him

Do I go over there and say what's up That has happened And I vowed that I would never be like that Okay And that has happened You know Where you You know you want to

Introduce yourself Some of your Your favorites Yeah Yeah And you kind of honored to be a part of this fabric this fraternity now

and you get kind of played or son or something like that but it was still different for us because like I guess what he's saying is like you didn't know how he was but with social media you already know someone is wow and I meet him how is he gonna you know what I'm saying

I get that part I see you on that so for y'all to meet Q-Tip like that and it's like yo he's like you know I'm Q-Tip yeah he was open and it's happy and we show love and It just started from there. I was hanging around each other. 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're just open and like that. Hang around brand new, pool bar, brand new being all that. Yeah, all that. So 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, AF, tell POS 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 ourselves native tongues? And he was like, because, yo, we kind of look like we speak the same language. I was like, yo, that's dope. I'm going to go back and tell Mason Dave. Tip was like, yo, I go tell Ali, Fife. And Jerobie. And Jerobe.

And the same of him. He said, you, I'm going to tell Sammy B and Mike. And everyone was with it. And that was as simple as that. We just don't hang in around each other. Latifah gets signed to Tommy Boy. I remember my like, was like, yo, I think you. I just, I just, I think y'all signed this girl who was like, I think she's going to be crazy dope.

I was like, yeah, yeah, yeah. But the light, I mean, Latifah would just hang out at our house. She would come to Long Island hanging 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's translated to music. This is so crazy. Like 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? How does that happen? How does that happen? Not really. Like how you guys, how much did Red Alert? play a part in everything at that time. It wasn't a big part. At first, it was just like,

Red was Mike G's uncle. And we didn't know that. We didn't even know that. 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 doing here? Like right in the room, you know? He's like, oh, that's my uncle. Oh, that's my uncle.

Yeah. When was you going to let us know this? You know what I mean? Yeah. And when that happened, that's when I felt like I really arrived in this thing. I'm in Red Alert's crib. Yeah. You know what I mean?

Yeah, no doubt. 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 artists You know it was crazy Were the rumors of native tongues

Starting separate groups Like mixing and max like matching with different groups Actual thing? No that was real We Me, Q-tip Juju and Africa

We actually recorded a few things We was called the Fabulous Fleeze And then I think you, me, Sammy B, Dave, Mike G. What a kid's on Xenna Thad. And another person from our neighborhood named Pop Life. We were going to be kids on Zena Thive.

Yeah. So we record a bunch of things. Like actually, the song of Roller Skating Jam named Saturdays, that was something I did for Fabulous Flees. Because Juju did something that was amazing. Africa makes this beat that's crazy. Tip comes up with the chorus. Tip does something.

the door. I said, damn, what can I do? And I came up with Saturdays. And so it wasn't until we was working on DayLah, so it was dead at that time. But it's like, we needed something. So I just said to the guys like, yo, can I take this B back and do it for DayLah? And it was like, yeah, take it back. So yeah, Saturdays wasn't even for daylight. It was for Fabulous

fleas. Yeah. I mean, what stopped some of that music from coming out? Just scheduling? It just didn't. It was more like, it came it was almost like an exercise and we hang in it. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. You didn't realize. Getting in shape.

I mean, we were all happy with the opportunity we got to make records. Yeah. Didn't realize it was going to turn into a career. Right. And we all had individual record deals before we became this collective. So people had some really tough decisions to make. Right. 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, but honestly, in the early aspect of Native Tongues,

anyone could record. That was just any other day. You could see K.R. One and Kairos one and be like, yo, I'm about to do a record with this person. Yeah, recording was nothing. Yeah, 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. They think with a brand in mind, you were just, you know, flexing your muscle. Hanging out and making music. Yeah. It was regular high school shit.

Really? As just a fan, we were talking about the Rock to Bell's crews. In the time of festivals, what would it take for a native tongues set or some type of festival to happen of just the native tongues click? Because that would sell out ICON Stadium tomorrow. It's like without question. 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. It's just really it, man, you know.

I'm not listening. I'm not, I ain't starting no mess, but you answering that, I kind of feel like I know who you're talking about. I kept it in my head. I didn't say that loud. I'm not going to say it. I'm not going to say it. But I'm not going to say it.

I've watched enough interviews. He's on the album. Yeah, I watched enough interviews. And I'm like, okay. And my one of my favorite producers. 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. Thank you. 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 a trigger. It's a heavy.

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 a staple. Like, I just got to be able to say, I have that shoot. But when it came time to De La'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 you know, how did you feel in that moment? 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, by the way. That's a whole other conversation. Once we got to that single, the second single potter was in my lawn, you know, we knew from Tommy Boy that they want to do an entire album. So at that point, you know, we're just happy.

All these ideas we all had in our head along with Paul's ideas, we just start putting it together. Paul created such a great atmosphere to record in. We thought everyone recorded like that. Okay. Like he allowed everyone idea to be heard. He made sure that's how we needed to do things like, you allow people to get their idea across,

even if it's something you birth first. Okay. Allow us all to put these ingredients in the pot. And if it doesn't work, take it out. So it's 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, Mersh, you have your rhyme ready for this in the next two days. Mace find some cuts. And we would like follow this homework but didn't 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 an 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. Right. 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, to now on a mic. Very euphoric time.

Yeah. Yeah. What was Long Island like at that time? Because coming off P.E. Rock him. 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?

Beautiful by day. You got Eddie Murphy at the time, too. Yeah, yeah. A lot of going on in Long Island. Beautiful by day. Yeah. Crazy by night. When that sun go down, very grimy by night.

You didn't want to be in central ice slip at that time. No, you know, there was definitely parts of Long Island that was crazy. Very, very grimy. I mean more than the music says. 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. When we saw what Eric and Parr was doing, we was like, oh, that's crazy.

And we was like, they're further out than us. Yeah. And they got this really hardcore. We were so inspired by them. Yeah. JV.C. Falls. Yeah, all that. And forget it.

Rock him, man. Listen. Yeah. You know, Freddie Fox. Yeah. There was a lot happening. His was everywhere. Oh, yeah.

Yeah. Man. Because you've got to realize, yo, all these people, a lot of them. Mathematics, remember? Yeah. We weren't necessarily. 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. Yeah, yeah, yeah. By, you know, the borough standard. He was like out in the boom docks. But, you know, like the music was there. We was paying attention to it, you know. 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? K&D days always around. When Doom lost subrock, when he lost his brother. Rest and rest of peace of peace of doom. That was hard. You know, I mean, that was. And he disappeared.

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. Really? I had no idea. There's a lot of people I knew doing that.

Yeah. Had no fucking, I mean, he didn't wait and like. Yeah. It's dope. By the time you get to the joint with Madlib, I'm like, yo, who is this dude? And I'm, I'm a prince Paul was with us. And Paul was like, yo, you, you know that's, that's Zav, right? And I was like, what are you talking about?

And when I found out, I was like, wow, look at this dude. I mean, it was 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 GasFace or watch the performance of Gaslight, holy shit, that's a Doom. Yeah, yeah. That's the wildest shit ever.

And look completely different. Like that story is just insane how that transition happened with him. Yeah, me and them had a connection because, you know, I was heavily at one point reading a lot of books from Dr. York. He was part of Hebrew Israelites as well. So we had that connection. And I mean, Dune was just so funny, so intelligent. And

I mean, yeah, all them cats, man, like his brother and all them, Omar and all them, them, they was like really good dudes. Really good dudes. Yeah. I want to talk about the second album, De La Sol is Dead. Now, that album was, the content of it was a little different.

Obviously, a three feet high and 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, y'all, y'all touched on where y'all felt like hip hop was headed to energy and hip hop. And it's, you know, looking back, that was 91. How do y'all feel about where 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 Daylock sit back and look at just the culture and where it stands? It's hard, man, to really say it as a group because my algorithms is different than his. Like, 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 it in a sense. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But even with that being said, I've always been open to what anyone presents. I don't got to be with it, but I never felt like I got to be the old dude, be like, yo, these dudes is whack and that guy.

Now, there's a lot of shit out here that's horrible. Right. But come on me, like, there was a lot of shit that was horrible. Back then. When we was out. Yeah, yeah, yeah. There was a lot of tapes that I can go back and play

where I was taping Molly Mall and tape at Red Alert, and there was a lot of fodder. Yeah. In between the jewels. Right. 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.

But the problem is that it's just too much. Yeah. So it's too much for your mind to kind of take in. And why our attention spans is just so short these days. Yeah. You know, you can have someone on this one site that you go see these people and they got like two million followers. And you'd be like, yo, who is this person? You start listening.

Like, yo, I never heard this person. And you realize like, wait, they had an album out 2016. Yeah. They live in this one area of space on the internet that if you don't go to that space, you won't know. You'll never know about it. Yeah. So that is really hard to get used to, especially if you're not a person who goes and try to discover music. Yeah.

Speaking of that era, going into Stakes Society, this must have been like 15 years ago. I went to watch Peter Rosenberg interview Ninth Wonder Infante live. and they were talking about this theory that in 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 day-la Stakes-Stakes-Haw shit, that's how you got to slum, that's how you got to Dillow, that's how you got to little brother. Do you think the underground started in 96 was Stakes-S-Haw? Like, did that start the quote-unquote underground hip-hop wave? The underground started in the 80s when all of it was underground. You know, when we start to get notoriety and popularity as a culture and having records sold in success, the split became with the industry dividing us. Okay. 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.

Yeah. 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 were headline, you know.

So 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. Yeah. And then I think this is my highly subjective opinion. anything that's moving positive and uplifting people, powers of being trying to figure out how to stop that shit. Oh, for sure. Yeah, yeah.

So that's when the, yeah, mid-90s, the divide started to happen. And who was conscious enough to be down with that approach, went with it. You know what I'm saying? And then even to a point where, as May said, our first tour in 89, we were all like us LL Slick Rick P.E. NWA. NWA. Too short.

I was going to say my brother told me that NWA brought out LL or introduced it on some show. I was like, wait, what? Well, LL had the Nitro Tour. So the Nitro Tour started off as LL Slick Rick De La. And then Rush Management that we were all managed by, they start adding all the other artists too because for certain markets,

ticket sales may have needed it. help. Right. Let alone when we got to the West Coast side, they made sure that two short was on there, NWA. NWA was this so killing it. Every now and again,

JJ Fad. Yeah. Special ad was short here and there. But as just to May's point, 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 going to 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 De La and Common Sense and Farrah, you know what I'm saying? Yeah. Where like I said, like late 80s, everyone would always be together.

Yeah. You know, so that had started to happen as well, the kind of separate us. Yeah. You know. And each era had whack music. Oh, yeah. Oh, for sure. Yeah.

I know. I think the difference today, it's okay. okay to bite. Sure. A lot of biting going on. That's one thing we talked about. I'm like, yo, you used to get like basically like exiled from the culture if he was caught biting.

Beat. Another person's, even their tone. Look how, and I say this with all respect, like look how legendary, amazing, Rizzo name is synonymous with the culture. Yeah. He's synonymous with the culture. Forget Woothing. Riza is the culture.

Right. But when Rizza first came out, Kass was like, yo, who's his? this nigga who sounded like Sir Abu. Right, right, right. Holy War was the dopest hip-hop, one of the dopes hip-hop records, underground records to us. So he was like, yo, this dude sounds like Sir Abu. So you was already like, hey.

This was Prince Rakim days or when he was Rikim? The first time you heard Rizaz as Prince Rakeem, 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 Rizah obviously easily proved that, nah, no, no, he's official.

Like this is what is who he is. Yeah. 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. Well, daylight, y'all was definitely, you know, speaking to that, so unique, so colorful. Like, you know, it was like y'all, 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 got to be hardcore, hard call all the time. Like, we can have fun, we could dance, we can be conscious, we can be, you know, we can think about what we're 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 I had, you.

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? Was that just y'all being yourself? That was just being us. In ourselves. Yeah, man, it really was.

My brain, surroundings. You know. Play a big part of that. Yeah. No, I mean, and it's no different than what do you even see in someone who's blessed to be who they are and win, you know, this high regard as outcast. Like those 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'm going to go get my pops old pants. I'm going to tape them up. I'm going to wear them with these spot belts. I was like, word. 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 in each other.

you know and that was that went into the music so what we was doing together as three doos and showing different aspects of ourselves but then we get around jungle and then they're showing what they doing and then tribe like we would just make inspiring each other and showing like yo if if tip can do it i know i can do it and tip is like yo if dave can do it i know i can do it we're just inspiring each other yeah and even on like the branding and fashion side and again i'm not here to like shit 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 how you actually dress 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. It's like,

I think Virgil did a great job in merging those type of worlds, but that shit, I think odd future was maybe good at it, but even that was more on the supreme side, but 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. But do you think, y'all didn't go to Roosevelt Hills and just fucking buy the mannequin. Like, you're right. And it's,

and like you said, it's like even like our brothers on the West West side of things. Like, you know, you was like, yo, look how they're putting things together. NWA. Yeah, but. It wasn't marketing.

It was authentic, but it became marketing. Yeah, I just think when the crossroads of the internet came into play. Yeah. That's where it got. You know what I mean?

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 going to, they thought like to do this, this is how I had to do.

dress opposed to nah you do it because this is how you feel and you want to 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 yeah and it's like no not really yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah feel it yeah right right right but yeah I mean because even like you brought up outcast with the rock and roll whole film like big boy going up with the fur and three stacks going up with with denim rode up. Like, it was the perfect example of them.

They went in like Outkass. Yeah, they went in as Outkats. Yeah. That was, um, how did you feel like just watching that? Like, what did that mean to Dayla Soul to see Outcast? Man. I was proud of them. I was extremely proud.

You know, we toured a while with Goody Mob, um, 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, And Dre, there were 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. Be like, yo, I'm going to show you. That's how it was for them on the Source Awards. Like, yo, we're going to show you.

Like, South got something to say. Or did they prove it? Like, so them brothers. and the courage they had to make the type of records they made. Yeah. Yeah. Phenomenal, man. But I bet for them they didn't look at it.

It's like, yo, we're about to jump out the limb on this one. They just thought they was doing what they needed to do. Even when they became superstars, they would take it. I think of Charles Gambino was that nobody takes risks when they're at their peak anymore. And like, that's what they were doing. When you were at the highest form, Outcast was like, well, we're going this way. Even though we're superstars at this point. Like, we're pop right now.

And we're going to go this way. It was just incredible to watch that moment, man. We talked about and to just see them because I remember the first time I probably saw an Outcast video. And whenever I hear, you know, people say, oh, New York never fuck with the South. I'm like, y'all are bugging. 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, and 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. It's definitely that. And I always do my best to point out to people like, yo, the majority of New York rappers' parents were from the South. Right, right, right. 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. I want to say unfortunately, unfortunately, 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. Well, my thought process of it at that time period was my fans are my team. You know, our office is the stage.

Yeah. You know, being in public is pretty much our office. So let's bring back office talk to the front of the office. That makes sense, yeah. 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. Yeah. 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. Yeah. Yeah. Never. The more they could keep it quiet, the more they could keep 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. And mind you, I just want to make sure we clear. We didn't start a boycott. No. We was putting them on Front Street and the fans started the fuck Tommy Club. We didn't do that.

That's very true. Because we would never be on it like Fuck Tommy Boy because we got other artists that we loved that was on Tommy Boy and they get paid. We would never tell you to stop supporting Tommy Boyd artists and their music. We wouldn't want you to not support Latifo or naughty by nature or whatever. We were just saying put a pause on

Dala stuff. If this dayla stuff drops, you don't play it until we work out what we need to work. 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. Yeah. How do y'all feel about it, though, like the whole sampling and having to clear things and DSPs and all of these things? Like, 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 clarin and things like that? 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 got to 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 is taking 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 to Sean C. Legend of Sean C. But I don't like when rappers get on it, like they want a piece of something. I don't like that. I don't like that. It's fun. We all together, though. Like, yo, to hear premiere cut my voice in his record.

That's amazing. Thank you. Thank you for that. 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 like stick us up because we put your voice in something. I think that shit is whack.

Yeah. I saw Smokey Robinson he was talking about that same thing and how he clears all sample. Like anybody want to sample any of his because he said, well, one, I'm going to 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 created, they want to use it. It allows the music to live in another space. Yeah. Long after I'm going. Right, right. Let it continue.

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. 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 would be like, yo, you can't sample my stuff for this other artists. 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's lucrative, but they're just open to art. Yeah. And willing to let you do it. And so if you take care of business, business, that's what it always was.

I mean, unfortunately, at one point, that's what we got into with, you know, our former label because they treated the first album like it was a New York single. So you had, you know, you had record labels who would put out these, these singles that would sell, you know, 2000, whatever copies. And cool, that's, 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 going to be like, hey, we're still in there. And or, hey, we're the turtles and y'all didn't clear this. And that's what happened. And is that your responsibility though or the labels? I mean, that's kind of my thing.

Well, that's why you. Is it our responsibility or the labels? Well, it's the labels responsibility because we were young kids and we didn't know nothing about publishing and all that, but we knew about getting permission. You understood that. Well, I know you're thinking about upgrading to the all-new iPhone-17 Pro

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Colorado Florida Illinois, Indiana And New Jersey, Ohio, Tennessee or Virginia to play Terms and conditions apply All right, we're back 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, you guys were young and just making music at that time. You knew about getting clearances but you know that fell on your

and I fell on the label. All the administration falls on the label. That's part of their job. We baked the cake. You sell the cake. Exactly. Exactly. Coming off the Tommy Boydue, how did this entire Mass Appeal year come together?

Like, we've been talking non-stop. Why Mass Appeal? 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 it off with integrity, with grace, with being extra delicate, even with the mob deep stuff. 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. Yeah.

But when the music hits as well, I think that's 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? Well, no, no, no, no.

How did this happen? 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 in a kind of, you know, a better deal.

He was like, yo, we're just going to 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 beindala P. Rock and Premier. So that was signed and everything with the deal we was doing Massapel. just but then that came about right when we got into this battle with Tommy boy 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 in premiere so I'm just

just basically never happened especially once Dave died he was like that was out the water yeah Pete holler at us early this year like yo man we're doing his 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 would love to do it in my mind. I'm willing to get some music out and speak my mind because I just got some things I would like to get out anyway. Yeah. So right from there, we were just off and running. I mean, we had a few things in a can from what Pete had produced, some stuff from what Prime had got done. But there was a bunch of stuff as well that Dave was on from other producers. Like we had to Jake one joint.

Okay. 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 Prim to do? And Prim even shut that down. Prim was like, nah, this Dave West joint is, I'm not touching that. This is done. This is done.

So that's when the album is open up to like, okay, it won't be a premium. So on the Rock's record. It'll just be a conventional day-law 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 has. Prime and Pete Rock's presence, though, in a wrong way. Yeah.

Because it actually makes up for the void of premium soul on the rock. Yeah, yeah, yeah. How many joints did Prime do and how many did Pete do? Pete, with Dave on it, well, you're talking about on this album? Yeah. Pete got four, Prime got three. Yeah. And then like then we got some stuff was produced by us.

you got Knott who came in and did something Jake 1 as I said Super Dave West And that's really our people's Eric He's down with Little Dragon He got one on there with his man Joshua One of my favorite joints on there That little Dragon

When they sent us to 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 fucking crazy You man like unexpected. 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'm glad we were able to accomplish balance with our albums. Like, it wasn't about, like, everything got to be sad. Everything got to be angry. Everything got to be happy. We tried to, like, always throw some jewels.

Like, if you had a Saturdays, you know, 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. No, I'm definitely, I mean, it makes sense.

Everything with Massapil's been doing this year. You know, we heard the mob joint, the Big El joint. And then, you know, when they sent us the Day Live project. Slick brick as well. Yeah, slick. I'm looking at Roy. We're like, yo, what the fuck is Massapil doing? Because, you know, we talk about the void and 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, it was 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're not selling no tickets. Nobody wants to come see you. Like a lot of artists that we've seen have huge followers. and they announced a tour and then they announce that the tours canceled we know why you can get back it's like yo bro we're not

selling no no no seats but to hear day lie in 2025 in which I 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 you know 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. But now it's like, you know, 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. Yeah. And I talk to it a lot.

I don't know if it's because of the way we consume music. Mm-hmm. I love the fact that I can open my phone and listen to any song I want to. But I also recognize the detachment in it. Yeah. Like if somebody, if I'm listening to the Daylight album and I'm playing it from my phone and I got on the speakers in the house, somebody called my phone. Yeah.

It interrupts the whole thing. and I might not go back to the album today. Because that phone call might be like, yo, meet me downstairs, you go ahead. Now I'm not even going back to that way. As before, I went to the Wiz to buy the album. Exactly. 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 music bottle of record is playing. 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 after the first week he came out. I haven't played it. Love it, but it's no attachment to it. The DJ drama, Young Jeezy record, I love that record.

Yeah. I played it and played it. 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 good. Yeah. Because it's almost like you said, it's 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. Yeah.

It's the album, the CD I bought and I purchased that's giving it. me something. You have infinity in your pocket, let alone just having one CD for that day, like this the one of us stay. Exactly. How intentional were the features on this? As it always been for us. I mean, you guys haven't been super

feature heavy in your careers. No, we got a little crazy with it when we did a mosaic thumb. Yeah. And in an honest, nobody but even then, the features are more like instruments. Yeah. To the record. You, you

you hear these people as instruments that's missing to the song. Yeah. 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 because it's like, okay, you got your wish list. Yeah. But then, okay, who would be second or third if these people don't work out?

Yeah. No, that's without question because, like, say, that's a great example of even like Dave, like, say on the last hour. him, Anonymous is nobody, and we had the Houdini record, and Dave was like, yo, you know, Mercer, like, I just, for some reason, I just hear two chains on this record. What? He's like, yeah, man, like, I think, like him doing the chorus. And so I said, yo, let's reach out.

And then we reached out. And he was like, yo, I don't want to do the chorus. I don't want to rhyme. I was like, all right. So that, yeah. Yeah, that's what it is. It's always that intention of, like, not just making a record with common or making a record with two chains

because I just say I just did it. Yeah. It feels like it needs that person. And then we didn't reach out. And then for them to want to be a part, it organically all works together. And another part of it, too, when it came to Tuchin, it was like, the fans is bugging. He dope. Yeah.

Yeah. You know what I'm saying? Yeah. I don't know what you think you're hearing. Yeah. But I think it's a part for us to let you know what we stay with Tuchin. Yeah. And then even in saying that, like, and Katzman was like, were Dailon Tuchin's?

And when they heard the record, it was like, Okay. All right. Yeah. We've had that conversation with Royce. We've had that conversation with J. Elect of like, Two Chains is respected in both sides.

Like, you're like, people don't know he can really. Real emcees love two chains. Like, yeah, he can really rap. Like,

Titty boy. Yeah. Titty boy. Yeah. With Killer Mike and forgive me because the link they sent us has dot, dot, I don't know the full title,

but the Mama record with Killer Mike. Yeah, yeah. A quick 16 for Mama. Yeah. How did that come together with just that that idea. Was that a conversation in the studio prior to, like the approach? Not sent, because that was produced by Knox.

Yeah. Sent a bunch of stuff that was crazy. But always, I always try to take time and you hear something. It was amazing, but I always try to be like, yo, let me listen to it when the following day. And all of a sudden, in the list of stuff that you think is crazy, like, all right, all right, okay, I can put 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 got to, you know, one thing, you got to hustle for it. And I was like, yo, this could be a great record where I talk about my mother who ain't here and maybe get on with another MC who mother wasn't here. So it had to be an emcee who moms was gone. with transition. Yeah. And the first, I mean, right off the bat,

I was like, it was either going to 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 hear 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, see, 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'd been rocking on like something smooth. He did something for mob or not error. I said, all right, let's try it. 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 going to hear what you did to it? And then Sean C comes back, like, yo, I think, I think Nas want to rhyme, rhyme.

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 this. Let's get, let's put, kill a mic on this and forget it. Like, kill him, like, kill him, like, floored it. Yeah. Then how did run it back end up with Nas at that point? Because I was, I was debating with some people today.

It's between. the Big L single his verse about P on the Mobb Deep one I think his verse on the Dayla album might be number one out of this whole this whole mass appeal I even texted

Leon Thomas and I say you know Nage just name drops you on a verse crazy He was like yo that's the craziest text I've ever got Yeah I mean The crazy thing though We already had a good amount

records, you know, compiled for this, for this album. Running back wasn't even a part of it. Black Thought is in the studio, Sean C's he's in the studio, some of all the people's in the studio. I just happen 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. Thought is on his phone.

He looks up immediately like, yo, like, what's that, though? I was like, oh, which is the famous rapper I'm about the smoke. Yeah, yeah, yeah. What's that? And I was like, oh, nah, this is something. And Sean Stie's like, nah, be, you've been holding out. I'm like, no, I was like, what's that? I'm like, all right, it's this reggae.

He said, nah, that got to 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, maybe I was like, the Sean C's like, yo, maybe this should be the one we give the nod. So Black Thought A&R, the Nas record. Yeah, he was like, yo, like, that got to go on the record. Yeah.

And like, so when I gave it to Sean to give to Nas, probably about a day, like that day he got it, probably like later that night, I get this call like about one in the morning. And I'm like, yo, who the hell calling my phone? And I look up and it's Sean C. Sean's like, yo, I'm texting you. Like, Nas needs you to call him right now. I'm like, he got two verses. for what for the running back

he got two versions for what for the whole massive and he's like yo I need you to hear this so like I said you'll send me to join and like yo I mean that and the verse that made it is the first verse he played no that verse

and the stuff he's addressing on there is super important to everything I love that he shouted out Dochi I love Doja's a like I loved everything that he shouted out to Shibuz like he made points on there that that's up there BDAT at the end of the year

that one might be verse of the year It's gonna be talking about It's definitely one of those He definitely body that Yeah not Nas has been in I mean it's Nas So yeah yeah yeah

But he's been in a different type of shape this year Every time he shows up on these projects That's how it should be Yeah That's how it should be Again a different error Yeah Like whenever you all year

I gotta make sure like It's always A1 because again You know, you don't want to give none of these new cats room to be like, yeah, he's falling off. Yeah. 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 you come up with the name? Beautiful title, by the way.

Thank you, man. Just watching TV one day, I'm on prime video, trying to find a movie, and this movie, Cabin and Sky comes up. I had never heard of the movie, didn't know it was a play as well. see the names. I see Lino Horns in his movie. But as soon as I saw the title, I was like, wow, this is a dope title for the album.

Because it just immediately made me think of Dave. Immediately, whatever the reason. Like, before you even know the reason, like, you're already thinking it. Yeah. 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 going to maybe think about it

and maybe share it with Mace. And it was something like, after the finish line, then subtitle like, where do you go? I had that. I liked that. Well, it was cool. But then me and Sean

have been texting me back and forth that day. So when I just came on to the title of Cabin and Scott, I called this thing like, yo, what do you think of Cabin and Scott? And he was like, what? For the title of hour?

He was like, yo, that's dope. That's it. Your Morris, that's it. And I was like, well, I got to talk to base. And I told him the one title, the, you know, the, after the finish line, he said, no, I see where you're going with that. But he's like, yo, cabin in the sky, like, 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 this said, they lost a new album, 2025. And then I was just trying to point. 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. And I was like, that's it. This is the title. Yeah. This is it. Yeah.

What's Dave's legacy to you on a personal level? Not in music. Just who he was as a human being. Dave was my brother, my mentor. He was my judge. He was a judgy ass motherfucker. He was my judge and juror. Oh, my God.

Yeah, I mean, that man being, I love that dude. 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. Yeah, he meant a lot to both of us. Yeah, like, he was my big brother. His approval. Yeah, it meant a lot, you know? because Dave was picky.

Very picky. Aiden like a lot of shit. Love it today, hate it tomorrow. Yeah. You need that. That's so necessary. I should be like, yo,

you don't like me, man? Is it me? What happened? And now you're in the booth not even doing it from you. He does it to everybody. You know what I'm saying? Dave didn't give a shit about this industry.

I would challenge him, I would really challenge him on coming out of his comfort zone. Because he falls into a comfort zone. And I'm like, especially with working with Prime. It was like, nah, man, you got to, Prime like Dizzy Gillespie. We got to go to the studio and work with this dude. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

You got to cook the way he cook. You know what I mean? Yeah. You know, we're not sending the meal. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, we're going to cook up in the trash. Yeah, yeah. Yeah.

You're going to eat at the dinner table. You know what I'm saying? You don't want to be cooked. Yeah. Yeah. And taste it, say, nah. Right. He'll just move another kitchen and cook another.

Right, right, right. Before we let you go, I have a few things I want to touch on. One being the Chappelle Show was a huge part of my teenage years. 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? Did you guys know how impactful that first season? I know Dave was your man before that.

But if you go through the first season of performances, is fucking insane. That could be a greatest hits album based off what he did with that. Did y'all know how culturally impactful that was going to be at the time? Was that just a, hey, we get on the tour bus, let's you shoot something?

Yeah, like it was like we had our idea, like, yo, let's try it on a 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 yes this makes something yeah same way like yo Dave we know you like you got this show cool like you need us to perform and it was more or less

following Dave's lead yeah just more than what his vision was yeah how how important is yummy to De La yeah yeah me is like my little sister my sister I've been on her we've been on She was a baby. You know what I'm like, I don't know, maybe 15. She smokes this album, by the way. Shocker Khan is her godmother. Right. You know what I mean?

Right. So her DNA is solidified. Yeah. Yeah. And I, 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 you know, me outside of us.

it's not the same. It's good. You got new shit. She is one of those unique voices. It's crazy. Yeah, I mean. In the past, not the same. You know what I mean?

When she was with the rain, remember the group's rain? It was cool, but it was not the same as when it was with us. 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. She was like, Niggins, stop hating. She's so fucking talented. One thing 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. Yeah. I mean. Who are some of the artists that y'all sit back, you know, and y'all downtime and be like

I like these guys? In terms of the, like, being new or does anybody today? Yeah. Oh, today. I mean, Anderson Pack, he not new, but he's one of my favorites, man. Yeah. Oh, super talent.

Yeah, yeah. Like, super. He definitely has some of y'all DNA in him for sure. 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 Dayline. Really? He was more educated on tribe.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. And he said that. Yeah. And I can understand that. Yeah. And I can understand that. His big homies knew what. The fun side he has to me is more daylaw than this tribe.

Like that's interesting. No, that's real. But when he heard our stuff, he was like, yo, man. And I was overwhelmed because he's like, Macyo, your voice, man. Yeah. I want to produce your voice. I'm like, I'm down for that.

I'm down for that. I have some questions from some amazing emcees. J. Electronica wanted to ask you guys, How and when did you realize that you were this good at live performances? It took a while. When we really suck. It took a while. No, 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 it was Chuck. LL. NW. Yeah, all them.

But, yo, man, do this. Make sure you're doing that. Make sure if Dave goes to this end of the stage pause, this is Dougie telling me. Like, yo, you go to that. It's not like, have balance. Let the crowd see it look uniformed. So we, it was just trial in there.

Rebecca Foster, who's like to spend the sound engineer for everyone, fellas stop cuffing the mic. Yeah. 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 Cannabis Tour and 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, you're like outside of hip-hop, outside of daylight, I don't really fuck with hip-hop. You know what I'm saying? So we have to learn how to perform for that crowd. We had to learn how to perform at these festival crowds. which is a whole different crowd because it'll be someone there early waiting for Lenny Kravitz

to get over. Yeah. But you're in the way. How do you approach those, though? You have to learn how to be like, all right. And I would be like, I'm going to make him smile before it's over. Yeah. Once I was learning how to get to him.

Like, 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 got getting better and better at it. It's like it's introducing yourself to a new friend. Yeah. You know, you can't expect them to be all warm and fuzzy. Right.

In the beginning, people got to warm up to each other. Yeah, yeah. So it takes some time, and you've got to be humbly your approach. Yeah. You know? This is from Fonte, from Little Brother. Oh, man. Fonte asked, ask about the responsibility of ownership.

Everybody says, own your masters, but very few could pull off the campaign that you guys have been doing. with your catalog. What's the importance of money? 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, 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're willing to give up or not willing to give up. But owning your masters and your publishing is very, very important. Absolutely. Yeah.

Rapper Big Pool, also from Little Brother, I thought it had an amazing question. You said, ask them, How does a group survive over three decades when 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 just math it a lot. Yeah. Which I thought Poo asked an incredible question.

I mean, it was a common goal to be a group. Yeah. You know, it's been God's blessing to stay a group. Yeah. You know, it shows a testament of our brotherhood because we've definitely been through some things, you know. But the importance is how you come out the other side. Yeah. 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 actually happened, you know.

And we had some strenuous moments, but we always resort back to us three and we took our problems home. Yeah. And we were brothers. Like, we were truly like, family fight. Yeah. You know what I mean? It ain't a family fight. Now I got to go make a dish record.

It was like, this is my brother. Right. This is a regular holiday. And then after the fight, you caught, you feel bad. Yeah. You do feel bad. You know what I mean? I didn't like if I'm on a tour bus and I want it warm and these two motherfuckers need

really cold. Yeah. But you know what? You know what? You know what I'm with you? You know what I'm saying? Yeah. I got to sleep with my hoodie tonight.

He camps out in the back of the bus and take the whole shit over and smoke weed. Yeah, yeah, yeah. You know, and that type of shit. All right, we're going to get him extra blankets. You know what I'm saying? I'm going to buy some fragrances to come up. Put some towel in the door and all right.

Make it work. Make it work. We're a compromise. That's what it was. Compromise, as he said, just we always saw ourselves as a group. No one could come and be like, you should do this solo record.

You know, all right, whatever. Like, we are a group. We're brothers, man. Yeah. Love each other. Yeah. In the event, you guys grew up in this era. Who would have tweeted jaw problems first?

Yeah. Yeah, I can see that. I'm sneaky like that. I don't want no nigga know what I'm doing. Yeah, yeah. Damn sure wouldn't be me. Yeah, yeah. And I'm not trying to say like he would do it.

But if I went to put it in order, it was probably you. Probably you. Then me and and Dave, Dave was in the truth. Dave never gave a fuck. That was the Haitian, him. He was in the truth. He didn't find that nigga. Yeah, yeah.

Dave would give up. Dave wouldn't say shit. Yeah. Man, this was, I don't even want to say like buggerless. This, this was an honor to have y'all. Oh, man. I feel so privileged to have y'all. Thank you, man.

You don't come to our studio and speak with us, like, mere mortals. Like, literally, like, I used to run home because you can't, I can't miss day on video. I miss it. That's it. You got to wait till. You know what I'm saying? So it's like literally, I remember those days.

Like I got to catch the day live video. For real, man. So to have you out here in the studio today. Have Sean C here, like fucking legend. It's just a lot of, you know, just history and culture and just thank y'all for everything that y'all have done. Yeah. Give it to the culture.

Thank you all for the inspiration. Thank you all for everything that y'all continue to do. Thank you all for continuing to approach it in the same way you did in 89, 88, or just that attention to detail. And Kevin in the Sky does not sound like y'all chasing. Like, it sounds like 2025. Like, it sounds like 2025. Like, it sounds like 2025.

Because it's like, they're not going to 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. And was their healthy competition? Indeed. Yeah, yeah. Because you know the P Miguel album coming.

You know the Mobb Deep one coming. You know, it's like Rick coming. You know, ghost here. You know, right here. I got no problem. holding my hand up. Yeah, yeah. When I was in the early sessions.

Yo, Shawnee, what's Ghost doing over there? No, please. Yeah, yeah. I was part of the pivot from the people and clean. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. No, well, that's what we had said earlier.

Like, I knew in the early sessions that Massap, what Massapil brought us together and is Minas or. Ray ghost and we're bugging out. But I'm looking at these niggas like, yo, I'm not going to be a slouch. Yeah, I'm not playing.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Ghost is playing shit. Yeah. I'm like, yo, this nigga has some shit. Supreme Clientel, too, is crazy.

Ray is telling them this wild thing, like, yo, your cover should be, you robbing yourself. We're 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 got to open this up from being a Pete Rock premiere thing because I got to kill these niggas. Yeah. And in a real, like, honorable way, because that's how much I respect them. Yeah.

Like, I got to make sure that my album is nowhere near whack. Like, I can't have that. You know what I'm saying? Yeah. Because I have that healthy level of not only competition, but being scared. You know what I'm saying? Like, for me, like, I can't look. whack.

Yeah. Black Thought is going to get on a record with me. Yeah. I know he's going to kill it. Andy or Leo? Right. Yo, shit. I know he's going to write the right.

I know. I know thought is going to write his right and like 12 minutes. Yeah. But I got to like, Jesus, I got to make sure that at least I got some quotables. Yeah. Because I'm standing next to that dude or my brother, calm and like, that's how I looked at it. And that's how I looked at, nah. I'm going to get on this record with.

Nah, is like. What's crazy is though, I feel like, calm and black thought, nah, Naz, ghosts. I feel like that's how they view y'all. 100%. Like, I think the way you looking at them, I think they're looking like, nah, I'm with De La.

I got to get my shit off. Like, I got to. They know that they can come over here and go for it. And it's about quality with us. It's not a styling thing. I don't need you on my records just so I can come on your show and tell. Right. Right. Nah, like, that's how we feel, man.

We love what we do, bro. No, it's, we hear it. We've seen it. And again, man, It's just been an honor and a privilege. I think that's what we're catching in this day and age. Who really loves it? Oh, yeah.

Yeah. It'll weed itself out. The trash will take yourself out. The DSPs don't pay. Right. So it's got to be able to rock. It's going to short testament who really loves this. Absolutely.

Before I let you go, are y'all re-releasing the dunks? Is there talks to Nike? Like, I need to know before I pay this heavy tickets. I'm just trying to say, I would love to. I mean, it's just not on me. It's like, you know, my people's Dorney Baxter over there at Nike. Shout out to Dawn. You know what I mean?

Yeah. I kind of like try to throw like a little like, yo, you know, and she'd be like, she'll be silent. Yeah. So I'd be like, I don't know. No, that means to, that needs to come back. That needs to, that. We need the cabin. That don't know.

We would love to do that. There you go. That is an incredible, incredible sneaky. And I know we have a mass appeal here as well. Shout to my guy. with everything you're talking about, was that documented? Because I know Mass Appeal does incredible documentaries. There's no fucking way that Peter was just like,

we're not going to film this. No, no, no. People was definitely coming through filming. Okay. Okay, yeah. Okay. I can't wait to see that footage. And do we get a tour?

I would love to. Gavin Scott. I mean, we're always doing shows. We always. Yeah. But specifically for this album to talk. Hopefully. Hopefully.

Yeah. Yeah. We're putting it in the ether. Yeah. For sure. Well, listen, man, thank you. We appreciate y'all. Thank you, my brother.

I appreciate y'all as well. Y'all are holding it down with integrity. Thank you, much love, respect. Thank you. You stick to your guns. Keep it going, man. And 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, nigger, we, like, geeked out that we want your show. You know what I'm saying? You know, me and my wife, fuck with y'all. Like, we know y'all. We watch y'all. Just idiot fans with microphones. Yeah. Yeah.

Like, good, though. This is like, no. Y'all, man. Y'all define the culture that we love. We're just guys that have electricity. You're covering it responsibly. Yeah. And I love that.

We definitely, that's definitely one of the conversations we have. Yeah, brother. We want to make sure that we talk about the right shit. 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 as long as we...

It never comes off as hating. Yeah, no. I'm never, I never walk up and hated. Yeah. There's none of that. I don't do that. It ain't gossipy. This shit is real deal.

We definitely. We really appreciate those words. But thank you all. Cabin in the sky. November 71st, download that screen. That support Daylaz-O. I'm that Nick. Eisha's Ginger.

That's DayLaw. November 21st, please. This is an I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed human.