Questlove talks Drums, Dilla, and D'Angelo | Red Bull Music Academy
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Drummer and producer Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson is a Quincy Jones for our times: a living link between the digital science of modern hip hop and the flesh-and-blood textures of vintage r&b.
In this lecture at the 2013 Red Bull Music Academy, Questlove returned to the couch for a deep dive into drumming, Dilla and D’Angelo.
► More info at www.redbullmus...
#Questlove #RedBullMusicAcademy #TheRoots
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A Philadelphia native, Questlove co-founded The Roots in 1987. The band soon rejuvenated hip-hop with a flurry of instrumental and vocal energy. As the band gained global notoriety, Questlove became involved in the Soulquarians project, a production team featuring fellow Philly musician James Poyser, D’Angelo, members of A Tribe Called Quest and the late Jay Dee.
Having helped shape the sound of live hip-hop and neo-soul, Questlove continued to feed his creative hunger with collaborations, writing, and DJing. In 2009 The Roots became the house band for Jimmy Fallon’s late-night show, cementing their place in popular culture.
TOPICS:
8:16 - Childhood and his musician parents
21:10 - Hip-Hop history and breakbeat drumming
33:32 - Drumming with Dilla and D'Angelo
45:59 - The Soulquarians
1:02:12 - Critical acclaim
1:25:17 - Black Messiah
MUSIC:
18:20 - Jay-Z - “Show Me What You Got” • JAY-Z - Show Me What Y...
27:39 - The Emotions - “Blind Alley” • The Emotions - Blind A...
45:59 - Common - “Time Travelin’” • Time Travelin' (A Trib...
1:38:58 - Jay Dee / Roy Ayers - “Ain’t Got Time” reconstruction
The Red Bull Music Academy is a global music institution committed to fostering creativity in music. We celebrate music, its culture, and the transformative minds behind it. Begun in 1998, the Academy has taken the core principles that underlie its annual workshop for selected participants and applied this curatorial approach to events, lectures, and city-wide festivals throughout the year.
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Пікірлер: 520
The way he talks about dilla's feel is life changing. 35:25 - 36:06
West Philadelphia born and raised on the drum kit is where he spent most of his days....... and it shows... what a great and down to earth drummer..... respect.
@dakine4238
6 жыл бұрын
hahhaha that tune came into my head right away too, nice addition
@jamalalqassem5079
6 ай бұрын
boooo
33 years old and just beginning to understand that Questlove is the core of the modern music industry.
Its crazy to think Dilla humanized a human drummer, using his MPC
@vznquest
Жыл бұрын
Lol, great observation
@86Sentra
Жыл бұрын
insane
@margateswede
10 күн бұрын
It is, but in a way his drums were often him playing along to unquantized samples to make them fit a loop point rather than a grid. Like a drummer at a jam session playing on an electronic kit. So it’s wild but it kind of makes sense if you come from a pre DAW or a jazz / improvisational background.
Quest is one of those people that I would pay to watch him talk about anything. He’s such a intelligent man.
@dreamcrusher3648
Жыл бұрын
Get a life
the dilla part at around 1:37:25 was really great
@Sssteelo
Жыл бұрын
Bump
Well, those were the best 2 hours I've spent in my recent years... Unlike everything at school, I actually learned something that interests me from watching this. God bless you Questlove, god bless...
@jingijazz9480
7 жыл бұрын
Ya need to get out more man
@edn3065
5 жыл бұрын
.
@edn3065
5 жыл бұрын
Fwoodmac235@gmail.comwhat
@TheOverpowered1
3 жыл бұрын
@@jingijazz9480 wdym
@JohnDoe-vv3id
3 жыл бұрын
If you’ve never learned anything at school you are not thinking.
Quesltlove is a gifted honest speaker among other talents..he deserves to be paid for these...I want a podcast...
@nathanscott3589
4 жыл бұрын
Zachary Kingston he has one. Quest love Supreme
@Stoney-Jacksman
4 жыл бұрын
money is not the (only) form of recognition. Maybe nowadays all you dumb ass western people think so...but its not. And he's rich already. Go and beg for the poor instead you schmuck.
I want those hidden Dilla tapes so bad ...
@nastynate838
7 жыл бұрын
Nicolas .Strange mannnnnnn
@ndujamz
4 жыл бұрын
Questlove has hidden gems of Dilla stuff.
@Russum1
3 жыл бұрын
You can find them , but they are kinda hard to find
@TheOverpowered1
3 жыл бұрын
@@Russum1 did u you find any
@Russum1
3 жыл бұрын
@@TheOverpowered1 I got the instrumental to 44:24 if u want it
"Even if he was wrong, he was still right", the definition of fatherhood.
His father loved him, while he imposed his discipline, he challenged him in his mind--and developed the style that was more flourished and spontaneous. Like Prince, he studied his music and had it down. This man is truly an amazing human in so many ways. A musician's musician.
Wow, it is really surprising to hear that he EVER had timing issues. This man IS A CLOCK!
Marvin Gaye " Hear, My Dear. " is incredible! Never gets old, never.
This entire interview is fantastic, but 37:27 absolutely blew my mind
That look he gives at 15:50 hurt my soul, damn Quest was so sad for a brief second. Love you Quest!
Damn! Questlove drops SO MANY GEMS for up and coming artists. This interview is hard to ignore plus I love the fact that he's super humble whilst promoting the culture. Thank you Red Bull Music Academy for making this series happen ❤️🙌🙌
@PHlophe
2 жыл бұрын
Bob , how is Rachel doing these days
man Quest looks comfortable everywhere he goes, gotta admire that shit.
Questloves in the house!?
@joonpark2144
8 жыл бұрын
Questlove your not in the house man.
@russ6541
5 жыл бұрын
wait a minute, Questlove owns a house?!?!?
@prod.sanchezv2293
5 жыл бұрын
iwillheadlockyournan he’s not in the house man
@PaulTheSkeptic
5 жыл бұрын
Yes. Questlove is in the house. ... Your question mark confused me.
@ladyheroin.v4143
5 жыл бұрын
@@PaulTheSkeptic Dude, Questlove is not in the house
I love seeing the inner workings of musical geniuses minds i could sit for days and listen to this passion
20:33 I totally relate. My dad turned me unto rap unknowingly by buying James Brown records by the crate. One of those records was Unity with Baam and I was hooked. One day he saw me watching a video of "You must learn" by BDP and told me to turn off that "Hoodlum Noise". Too bad cuz he would've really dug the message. May he R.I.P
Its insane to think the last track of things fall apart leads into the first track of voodoo, what a crazy and revolutionary way of recording. Imagine if they did that across all the soulquarion/electric lady/the ummah albums up to now, that would just be SICK to def.
@henrywebster5130
4 жыл бұрын
leads into how? I just tried it and don't see it
@Rappatiligoe0419
4 жыл бұрын
@@henrywebster5130 I actually think I once heard someone say that the song "The Hypnotic" off Illadelph Halflife transitions into "Playa Playa"
@henrywebster5130
4 жыл бұрын
@@Rappatiligoe0419 Yeah you're right, the drums and tempo sound pretty much identical. Still aint as smooth as I thought itd be, was expecting kinda like the pink floyd album that loops but its still cool
@crosssection6289
Жыл бұрын
// Yo.! Wait a minute. Hold up. EM + Henry Webster + Rappatiligoe... don't move.! I gotta hear this.........
@crosssection6289
Жыл бұрын
@@henrywebster5130 // I don't know if it's just wishful thinking.... but the melody and tempo of the keys .... It can't be though...
2023 and this Interviewer is still the MVP!! He doesn’t over talk or interrupt them during their talking, we actually get jewels and information. Salute to you man!! (That’s a lost art in 2023) smh
@dreamrestore213
Жыл бұрын
He's wak AF..... Showing no appreciation for the history he's being exposed to. Pathetic.
Pharoah Sanders...love how his whole life has been music - a real connoisseur my kinda dude
As a producer this is the most inspiring thing i have ever heard..
Someone needs to hack his laptop and get those D'Angelo demos
@KingEversProduction
6 жыл бұрын
Tito Idriess I just got that same cassette he played at 43:00.
@xydex99
5 жыл бұрын
@@KingEversProduction bro don't hold out
@el.blanco8961
4 жыл бұрын
@@KingEversProduction my man....
@tomlebeau7921
4 жыл бұрын
KingEversProduction please do share
@poor_impulsive
4 жыл бұрын
@@KingEversProduction come on bruhhhhhhhh driver dot anthony gmail yo!
33:07 Just Blaze on the left in the audience. Explains the whole "you enabled the gospel drummer musicianship" phrase earlier with "Show Me What You Got". The drummer on that track was Aaron Spears btw.
the dude thought he'd do a interview, but he was so wrong xD questlove is love
Questlove !!!!!!!! This man's musical knowledge is staggering!!!!!
@jerimccombs6245
5 жыл бұрын
👍 yeah!
@nagichampa9866
4 жыл бұрын
It's like Tarantino talking about movies or Chomsky about language!
@Afrimusican
3 жыл бұрын
Right?! Also why is this just getting to me wtf YT
My piano professor always said, ‘ practice doesn’t make perfect; it makes permanent.’ This is in connection to the tendency as kids not to practice properly, just going through the motions, Great podcast guys.
44:24 tears of joy.. feels like i’m on a flight sitting in the window seat 😭
@raihanshrk1955
2 жыл бұрын
What beat?
@raihanshrk1955
2 жыл бұрын
Ya know?
@TahjAmir96
2 жыл бұрын
@@raihanshrk1955 The J. Dilla beat
Damn that sounds so cool, Laying on the couch while you are snowed in hearing dilla cooking up that beat.
Hearing Questlove speak on Dillas mind is vocally beautiful i could hear him talk about those experiences all day #PiKaHsSo
Amazing to have a musicologist like Quest alive, well, and working in such a public sphere re; fallon...can't wait for his Sly Stone documentary...though, I will say, the last question brought a pretty blue tone to his talk...really happy he met Grace Harry - hope they have kids, he would be an amazing father !
wow, got me listening to MJ now. It's really important for even his fans to go back and remember who he was and even what he looked like. It's crazy how part of the population doesn't see what was done to that young man. No one truly understood and cared for him.
If that laptop could talk, it would go Platinum.
Bird used to practice 13 hours a day to perfect his craft. And he still hadn't reached his prime when he died
Doing such a good job of explaining the various eras of hip hop. Certainly interpreted through a biased lens, but it's quite an accurate account nonetheless.
this dude is the Noam Chomsky of hip-hop
@movimentodoscacos
5 жыл бұрын
lmao yes
@jimflauntt683
4 жыл бұрын
Wtf? Keep politics away from music they should never mix like two dicks and no chic
@Guitfiddlejase
4 жыл бұрын
That was a helluva’ comment ..wish I’d thought of that myself!
@uzumakiangelus
4 жыл бұрын
@@jimflauntt683 Noam Chomsky is one of the most distinguished scholars of our time. THAT'S the comparison cos Questlove is just an absolute wealth of this musical knowledge. That you think politics have anything to do with it is just silly.
@jimflauntt683
4 жыл бұрын
@@uzumakiangelus really because the fact that they both are one step away from being communists and claimed liberals you could of fooled me. The funny thing is neithers professional lives could of never existed without capitalism is funny to me
Questlove speaks like a time traveler no one man is louder or more clear than Dr. Thompson If music had a voice it would be this guy he's like musik's subconscious.
The bodyguard “moment” was a class comment. Very enjoyable lecture/ interview.
Epic interview. Could listen to this guy for days. His perspectives and insights are fascinating and inspiring. Love his story telling too 👍🏾 😎
First hip hop show at Philharmonic Hall Lincoln Center N.Y.C..included the ROOTS and Jay Z..
Illadelph is my favorite Roots abum production is so textured and psychedelic🔰
1:04:05 - I never get tired of this story
this show was good for my soul
I'm not sure how I got here, but this was actually great! I just woke up and it was on. I went from Igbo movies to this lol.
some classic albums: Dangerous - MJ Black Messiah - D'Angelo Spice World - Spice Girls Bush - Snoop Dogg albums that SHOUT identidy and compressed HUGE AMOUNT of knowledge and joy about a type of sound/feeling.
@jazzbrew68
8 жыл бұрын
It's cool to see Dangerous on that list. I've always LOVED that album. People sleep on it.
@rickylovesyou
5 жыл бұрын
Voodoo and Illadelph way above black messiah.
@DH-ij9pe
4 жыл бұрын
Voodoo? And you have the fucking Spice Girls on that list. Your opinion is irrelevant.
Love his takes on Gospel drumming. It's chop city and those linear fills sound so all over the place and over the top. Granted, they can play my ass under the table all day.
I would eat a shit to be in Questloves music class. So much knowledge
Wow this was amazing, thank you Redbull and Questlove
43:52 I love this unreleased J Dilla material
this might just be my favorite video on youtube
One of the most interesting people I ever heard talk..pure genius
44:11 damn thats soulful asf i hope it gets released on dilla day
@ladyheroin.v4143
4 жыл бұрын
I NEED IT
@yogicbeats
4 жыл бұрын
Lemme know if it does
Bernard Purdie did The "Purdie Shuffle" .. Most famously known as the drums for Steely Dan's "Babylon Sisters"
Love hearing all of Questlove's wisdom and experience. The interviewer comes across as cocky sometimes.
?uestlove’s breakdown of hip hop’s 5-year periods: 77-82 Initial/Fossil period - recreational coke/post-disco sounding 82-87 Golden Age - cokey 900, 40 oz stage - quasi modern, big & sparse drums 87-92 Classic Age - crack era 92-97 (4th age) Renaissance Period ( (97-02, 02-07 not mentioned) 07-12 Scissor period 12-17 Molly phase
@nullunit
3 жыл бұрын
Not Scissors, Sizzurp, slang for codeine cough syrup, also called Lean, also called purple drank. QL called the late 90s to 2ks "Cristal+Xtasy" at one point.
Thank you for Histus Kaiyote!! They sre absoluteky BRILLIANT!
Much love and respect to dilla and brotha question.
59:47 there’s an interview with rick Rubin and Andre 3000 where they talk about artists reinventing themselves, and Rick literally cites the exact same examples that ?uest provides, great minds really do think alike
Yo go Quest it’s crazy when you learn more about somebody you know your a amazing person keep up the good work!
Dude love your explanation about pocket vs chops
I need the dilla beat at 44:30 , god damnnnn
@mariadasg6645
5 жыл бұрын
We all need
@Chevy-jordan
5 жыл бұрын
@@mariadasg6645 search 'J dilla unrelased beat' < [yes spelt wrong] on YT he's wearing a black coat against a green background as the thumbnail
@mariadasg6645
5 жыл бұрын
@@Chevy-jordan thanks a lot! (:
@Chevy-jordan
5 жыл бұрын
Maria Dasg hope you found it :)
@mariadasg6645
5 жыл бұрын
@@Chevy-jordan the vid with 14 min had a better version. The cover is dilla wearing white
35:00 "the first song they opened with was bullshit, no no no, the title was called bullshit" lmao. Love that. And how quest went on to say how dilla changed the way he drummed....that's a powerful statement.
This is inspiration
@edn3065
5 жыл бұрын
Time for you and I have to be at the top of the list of the most common form of dementia and I have to be at the airport and I have to be in this position is a good thing to do it for you and I have to be at the top of the list of the best way to do it for you and I have to be at the top of the list of the best way to get some sleep now I am going to be at the airport and only to be at the airport and I have to be in this position will have to be at the airport and only one of the best in the world Hi to be at the airport and I have to be in this position will be a good thing I have to be at the airport and I have to be in this positio
an encyclopaedia of music knowledge and extremely humble person
Questlove's in the house
I need those dilla/d'angelo demos❤🌹
Questlove rockin a Unibody MacBook, hell yeah
Gotta love Questlove
This was a PHENOMENAL interview, listen closely future artists and nappy heads 💯👍
J Dilla is a GOD
Like water for chocolate is my favorite album "OF ALL TIME". Don't ask me why. It just is
@syckindahead
2 жыл бұрын
🤔intrastin
Ahaha D'Angelo - 'USE THE FORCE'
Classic interview!! QuestLove the master!!
Questlove sighs almost as much as my dad.
Nice to hear a pre-QLS interview...2014 was a year
Hey, Questlove's in the house.
Phrenology has always been my favourite from The Roots and the story behind is always fascinating (second time watching this after some years have passed).
Practice makes permanent.
I hear you Quest. Single and older and life is good. Holidays are way different than other people share.....not worse, different. Not a big deal for me. The other side of being totally independent and free to live otherwise.
"a band with who, that hoodlum Tariq?!" classic dad verbage. lol..
When I heard that Aint no half stepping sample, It freaked me out cause thats is the ringtone I use.
The 10k hours part is the truest thing I’ve ever heard.
Even Questlove, one of the world's biggest music nerds, is mistaken about "Secret Life of Plants" being the follow-up to "Songs in the Key of Life". In actuality, it was "Hotter Than July", another classic.
QUEST DAYS (THE 9 LIVES OF H.I.P.-H.O.P.) . . . Moving forward, sometimes require the stern SECOND GLANCE; plus a heartfelt peering all the weigh back. Prince, one of our most sincere artist; has an album legended MUSICOLOGY…and it makes me consider times past. I’m raised on MOTOWN; however, I grew up on H.I.P-H.O.P., and the latter genre of music, is the central focus of this write. My cousin Tiffany Hicks-Rodriguez and I attended Barnard-White Middle, and it was during this time, that H.I.P.-H.O.P. made a profound impact on life; especially, my life. So it’s inevitable that this piece is being composed as well as exposed. Many groups were producing tapes. Amongst these were: 3rd Bass, Salt-N-Peppa, The Flava Unit, The Juice Crew/ Cold Chillin’ , Boogie Down Productions and A Tribe Called Quest. The feeling from H.I.P.-H.O.P. at the time, was one of togetherness coupled with harmony. (Back then, my cousin Tiffany were infamously known for dancing together at the House Parties) . . . DJ DIRTY RED
Nunca me canso de esta entrevista, muchas gracias!
If that wasn't enough of a Questlove fix, then you can read more about his early days on stage, more on the Roots and producing for Al Green: daily.redbullmusicacademy.com/2019/02/give-the-drummer-some-questlove
Thanks erykah. Dont know if youll read this comment, thank you for your music.
I like what he said about doing the opposite of what you normally would do. It's true what he said about Michael. But you know that album that Michael recorded was out of the norm for him at the time. Off The Wall. Right after his huge hit album Destiny with his Brothers. The fact he(Michael) wanted to top Thriller, which was impossible. Mainly because of the circumstances which was implemented and occurred for the success of that masterpiece.
1:33:00 D's new project was that the Vanguard album🧐
if i could simply share a meal with this brother and we just kick it about music...damn. that would be wonderful!! I'd even pay for the meal!
Nice lessons .REAL teaching.....each bar moves into an algorithm of perpetual motion. ROtations and formations of beats. BEAT WRITE ON NOTES amplified
Practice doesn't make perfect. Practice makes permanent. You practice wrong and it'll become permanent. Same if you practice right. You gotta practice perfect if you want to be perfect. You don't get perfect from half-assed practicing, etc...
Fruit from a Giving Tree. Thank you
triple plus on this video! many thanks, very informative and questlove really pounds out some deep knowledge like never seen before (for my turns) ...
I'm bout to sample the mess out of these drums lol
@bobvanluijt897
5 жыл бұрын
Haha, that's why I'm here :-P
@drunkunc83
5 жыл бұрын
Ditto
@kyleholman7191
4 жыл бұрын
Crappy ass MP3 audio quality? Lol.
@djkurse9209
4 жыл бұрын
Buy a sampler and use records not garbage mp3 KZread rips
@thenathanrox
4 жыл бұрын
Yeah bro go buy this on vinyl
Best music leason I ever learned
He really teased us Dilla heads at 44:00. Cmon man!!!!!!!!!!
44:29 in the vault!! A dilla blessing that'll never get heard!! 🙈🙈🙉🙉
@Russum1
3 жыл бұрын
I got the instrumental link if u want that
@Xcel1999
3 жыл бұрын
@@Russum1 where it @
@Russum1
3 жыл бұрын
kzread.info/dash/bejne/Y5aOvNGOetDAZ7A.html
@lenenigma2977
3 жыл бұрын
@@Russum1 fasho!! Appreciate that link!!
@Russum1
3 жыл бұрын
@@lenenigma2977 No problem