DE LA SOUL (May 2005) | Interview By: Yash

       Dubcnn.com had the amazing opportunity to do an exclusive interview with one of the biggest and first hiphop groups ever. Im talking about the Legendary De La Soul!. Dubcnn got the inside scoop on their influences, De La Dunk Shoes, Why their video was cut of BET, the secret ingredients of being in the game for so long, and more. We also have a few minutes of footage from their live performance at the show in Sweden. Feel free to send any feedback regarding the interview to: yash@dubcnn.com

 

Huge thanks to Chris Smiles and De La Soul for taking time out to answer the questions fans wanted to know! (Interview was done by camcorder on May 9th 2005)

Questions Asked By : Yash

Filmed By Tiina

De La Soul Gave Dubcnn.com A Shoutout! Check That Here

Watch the interview by clicking: Here

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Dubcnn: How did you guys get started with the group back in the days?

Well you know just like any other group back in the days we where just making tapes of music in our homes. In the basement so myself and pras just from highschool you know seeing the groups like Run DMC, Kurtis Blow and so many other old groups was just something we wanted to try.

Mase came around Mase was like our DJ so we all got together and started making songs together. And then we eventually met up with Prince Paul who was our producer at the time. Played some of our stuff for him and he was really interested. But it was just a hobby at the time.

Dubcnn: Who influenced you guys to get into the music business?

I mean you know it was a whole lot it wasn't only artists we listened to people like Ultramagneticals, KRS One umm we listened to Public Enemy those groups
definetely inspired us and people like LL...
(manager says) Then they started cooking they own crack na I mean??
*Laughs* Yea!

Dubcnn: How do you think the group has evolved since 89 til now?

I mean not to sound bold or cocky or anything but I think we're the best at the game. I think the game takes alot more than just making great records I think being able to be viewable for people who wanna see you or wanna find your records. I dont think to be great you have to sell like 3 million records you gotto exist. I think people like LL Cool J people like The RZA people like who still exist from when they started since greatness, I think what we do as De La Soul if the artists know our music we are great for what we do because we're still here.

Dubcnn: Not many people have survived as long as you have and become legends, what do you think is the key factor that you guys been doing it for so long and doing it on top?

I think it's all about loving what you do you gotto respect and love it we not gone compromise who you are where you gone take your music and sometimes when you slip and fall you learn to get up and keep on going you can't be embarrased that you only sold 1000 or even 5 records at a time you get up and start over and keep trying for us there's a love behind that. If you love something you don't give up on that so lovin what we do and a toast to that!

Toast to the love of hiphop I love you!

Dubcnn: What happened to the shoes you guys where gonna do with Nike?

Yo that shit is FIRE!

(manager says: Can I say it? YO I seen that shit right it's like yellow but the back is green but then the whole outside that shit is like orange and brown.)

Yea the sneakers are incredible just like what he said! lookout for the De La Dunk that shit is fire!!!

Dubcnn: So what have you guys been up too since the latest album dropped?

Fucking! *Laughs* Totally we been just fucking everyday thats it! *laughs*

Dubcnn: Will you guys work with Prince Paul again? any chance of that collabo going down again?

Yea I mean that's definetly something that we wanna do Prince Paul has always been a friend to us respected what we do and we respect what he does.

*Yash sips a little bit of that Hennessey*

Put that on camera you got the Hen shot right there! Na I mean! *laughs*
DUbcnn give one to the camera girl too!!!

But yea we gone do something with Prince Paul he's a good friend of ours he's our teacher he taught us alot so we will work with him again.

Dubcnn: I heare'd BET pulled one of your videos can you speak on that?

Well yea BET basically felt like the music that De La Soul was doing did not fit their listening and viweing audience. That's something that they chose to do no ??? man we move on man and that's that you know what im saying.

We have alot of other supporters and fans outthere in the media world man BET is an important part but if they didn't feel like we was good enough for them so be it we just move on we still here BET ain't stopped De La!

Dubcnn: Any plans for solo albums from any of you guys?

I mean you know we always got ideas we're working on a little different things it's something like we're always trying to do. Whether its me going off doing something or Pos going or Mase.

So it's something that we would obviously give eachother the blessings right now it's not planned but if it was we would just do it!

Dubcnn: Can you describe a typical day for you guys when you're not working in the studio are you with the family or?

It's absolutely just what you said it's family we stay home whether it's extended family from our friends, people we travel with or we stay at home with the kids or with the women in our lives and we just take care of business we're older men now 35, 37 and 36 we got other responcebilities besides just hiphop.

So on a average regular day we might be mowing the lawn, we might be doing laundry, we might be washing dishes know what I mean other than that we love music and outside of music is just like yourself regular everyday person.