February 09, 2018

Soulquarians in Vibe Magazine (2000) & Pitchfork (Video)


"... when the members of the Soulquarians (Questlove, D'Angelo, Jay Dee and James Poyser) realized that we all share a love for the "sickness" in our work -- offbeat rhythms, unorthodox chords, stacks of harmony, an overall rebellious attitude to the status quo -- and to top it off, that we're all Aquarians, we knew it wasn't just a coincidence. Perhaps the stars did play a role in our genuine love for the unknown," said Questlove in Vibe, 9/2000. Additional members include: Bilal, Common, Roy Hargrove (R.I.P.), Erykah Badu, Mos Def, Q-Tip, Talib Kweli, and Pino Palladino (bass). Pitchfork recently did an illustrated short on the group, saying "In 1998, the neo soul movement was near its peak when a collective of like-minded artists came together to push the wave even higher. They called themselves the Soulquarians, and before the decade ended they’d help birth some of the modern era’s greatest recordings." The following albums are credited in their discography (in full or part): Things Fall Apart, Black On Both Sides, Amplified, Voodoo, Like Water For Chocolate, Fantastic, Vol.2, Mama's Gun, 1st Born Second, Quality, Phrenology, and Electric Circus. Classics on classics!