![]() THE ROOTS, THINGS FALL APARTĢ0 years ago, when he was still just 29, Q-Tip had already fronted and produced five A Tribe Called Quest records, three of which are among alternative hip hop’s finest moments. As we sit in the midst of these albums turning 20, we picked seven of the Soulquarians’ best records, presented in chronological order. The Soulquarians began a run of stellar albums in 1999 that continued into 2000, arguably peaking with D’Angelo’s Voodoo – which just turned 20 years old, marking the middle point of the collective’s winning streak. Paak and Thundercat, while they’re also a noted influence for Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly and perhaps the reason modern jazz musicians like Kamasi Washington and soul queen Celeste feel contemporary – it isn’t an exaggeration to see the Soulquarians as the gatekeeper to the live instrumentation, and jazz and soul influence within contemporary hip hop. Looking at the collective’s discography today, it’s easy to see the link between them and the likes of Anderson. ![]() The Soulquarians era was criminally underrated. They collaborated a lot, often working on three albums at a time and using all three of Electric Lady Studios’ recording rooms at once, swapping songs between albums even late into recording (the beat behind D’Angelo’s “ Chicken Grease”, for example, was originally recorded for Common’s Like Water For Chocolate). In late 1996, the rotating dozen-or-so musicians took over the entirety of Electric Lady Studios, a studio Jimi Hendix built in New York City, and lived there for over half a decade. The Soulquarians first formed in 1996 when D’Angelo, Questlove, and J Dilla (all Aquarians, hence the name) collaborated on D’Angelo’s Voodoo and The Roots’ Things Fall Apart, bringing a cast of like-minded bandmates and colleagues with them. They also played a wealth of instruments, gravitating away from the sample-heavy sound of late 90s hip hop in favour of the intricate melodies, dynamics, and rich textures of live instrumentation. The Soulquarians were known for their intense collaborations, technically ambitious music, and their progressive, good-natured lyricism. Even if you don’t recognise the ‘ Soulquarians’ name, you’ll almost certainly be familiar with the people involved: D’Angelo, Questlove, and J Dilla were all founding members of the hip hop-informed neo-soul collective, with artists like Erykah Badu, Q-Tip, Common, Mos Def, Talib Kweli, and more later joining their ranks.
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