De La Soul‘s Posdnuos and Maseo were back in New York City, where they held an “Oodles of O’s” pop-up donut shop event on Friday (July 26) at Cafe Joah.
Common, Questlove, Statik Selektah and an elusive Q-Tip of A Tribe Called Quest were among the many special guests who showed up to the one-day only soirée. Hundreds of people lined up for a chance to get their albums signed and meet two of the men behind the iconic Hip-Hop trio.
They were also able to try several specialty donuts, including “The Dove” (named after the late, great Dave Jolicoeur also known as Trugoy the Dove), “The Twizness,” “The Bear Cinnamon” and “The O.”
On Saturday (July 27), De La Soul posted several Instagram photos of the event. In one of them, Questlove commented on Q-Tip’s surprising appearance, writing, “Dad Came Out The House!” J Rocc, meanwhile, called for a pop-up donut shop in Los Angeles and DJ Spinna called it “fun and legendary times.”
Of course, the event’s name was taken from the 1991 De La Soul is Dead track “Oodles of O’s.”
As a Pix 11 News reporter explained in the clip, “It only took three decades for the inspiration for Oodles of O’s to become a reality. Posdnuos and Maseo welcomed fellow Hip-Hop pioneers Common and Questlove to be part of the De La donut atmosphere in the East Village Friday, filming the first-ever video for ‘Oodles of O’s,” which was the nostalgic backdrop for their one-day only pop-up shop.”
Maseo noted it was a “somber” moment for them due to Trugoy the Dove—who died suddenly in February 2023—not being there. He likened it to “losing a limb.” Nonetheless, Pos said he felt his spirit.
Both Q-Tip and De La Soul were integral to the Native Tongues movement, a collective of Hip-Hop artists that blossomed in the late 1980s and early ’90s. Known for its Afrocentric lyrics, positive messages and eclectic sampling, it boasted influential members like A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul, Queen Latifah, Monie Love, Black Sheep and the Jungle Brothers, among others.
Q-Tip has collaborated with De La Soul on multiple tracks, including another De La Soul is Dead song, “A Roller Skating Jam Named ‘Saturdays.” Both acts have influenced each other’s work and supported each other throughout their careers.
