Posdnuos Praises Childish Gambino For Keeping De La Soul’s Name Alive

De La Soul is forever. The legendary group is finally on streaming, and as such, an entire generation of fans are hearing them for the first time. Posdnuos has had to wait decades for his flowers, but they have finally come. The rapper credits streaming, of course, but he also credits the younger artists for keeping De La Soul relevant. In particular, Childish Gambino. Posdnuos and Gambino linked up backstage during a recent show, and the former had nothing but praise for the latter.

The link up happened at Childish Gambino’s concert in Tampa, Florida. Posdnuos posed for a series of photos with the rapper, and included them in a heartfelt Instagram post. “We caught @donaldglover & @willowsmith at the @amaliearena last night,” the De La rapper wrote. “Both shows were spectacular! My brother Donald, thank you for the kind words on @wearedelasoul legacy.” Posdnuos also had kind words for Gambino’s musical output. “We as well stand as students amongst your beautiful art. & will always be here to support,” he asserted.

Childish Gambino’s alternative style can be directly linked to De La Soul and the “Daisy Age” movement. The movement reached its peak in the early 1990s, and saw artists adopt a more challenging and varied sound. Childish Gambino famously covered “I’d Die Without You” on BBC Radio in 2014. The song was originated by another “Daisy Age” staple, P.M. Dawn. Gambino’s embrace of 70s funk and odd samples on his new album can also be attributed (at least somewhat) to De La. Posdnuos being a fan makes all the sense in the world.

Posdnuos is grateful for the popularity that the “Daisy Age” aesthetic brought to De La Soul, but he also acknowledged that it got old fast. He told Spin Magazine that the group didn’t want to be defined, and in breaking free of a mainstream sound, they got defined as “other.” “Every photo shoot we were going to, the photographer wanted to have a bag of daisies,” he lamented. “It was just too much.” Fortunately, the music has endured, and Posdnuos can take solace in having shaped hip hop history.