What Had Happened Was Illadelph Halflife Part 3
4 snips
Dec 6, 2023 Questlove concludes the story of The Roots' Illadelph Halflife album with the fallout from their breakthrough single 'What They Do'. The episode explores the impact of the Source Awards in 1995, their admiration for D'Angelo, finishing the album and releasing the single, the power of therapy, creating a music video, and their experience with MTV and Biggie.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Offbeat Drumming as New Language
- The Roots embraced a unique, offbeat drumming style influenced by J Dilla to express a new musical language.- Questlove threw out meticulous timing for a human, imperfect feel that challenged norms.
Creating "What They Do"
- Questlove tells how the "What They Do" song was finished on the last day of "Illadelph Halflife" and first day of "Voodoo."- The creation involved a fun session at Raphael Saadiq's house, including some creative recording techniques.
Biggie's Reaction to the Video
- Questlove recounts how Biggie had hurt feelings about The Roots' video "What They Do."- He describes receiving a warning call about Biggie's reaction leading to a tense industry moment.