The Roots recently re-signed with Def Jam, inking a new contract with the legendary label to release more albums. Speaking with Complex.com, band leader ?uestlove explained why the group decided to stick with the imprint and how most labels don’t expect their signees to last as long as they have.
“We just [sign for] two records at a time. We have the advantage because even if we don’t sell a gazillion records, there’s still a prestige left that we carry that makes them look good, which is important. I look at it like we’re a prestige artist. I’m sure Joni Mitchell doesn’t move millions and we’re in that plane now,” he said. “We been without a label president for a second. I’ve yet to meet Joey IE though. In fact, I found out [Joey IE became the president of Def Jam] on Twitter. Barry Weiss has always been our [point person with Def Jam] so we’ve been negotiating that. It’s so ironic; for all the speculation that we’ve switched labels, we’ve always been on Universal.”
You can read the full interview over at Complex.com.
questlove is a good drummer and a god damn dork for using the word prestige while talking about himself.