Rap Icon Doug E. Fresh Discusses Hip-Hop and his friendship with Prince on Tamron Hall

Rap icon Doug E. Fresh guested on “Tamron Hall.” The popular rapper joined the show to talk about the success of his ‘80s hit, “La Di Da Di,” the 50th anniversary of Hip-Hop and his and Tamaron’s relationship and friendship with Prince.

On Doug E. Fresh and Tamron’s on their relationship with Prince, “The energy with me and him was serious. It was just like a magical connection, you know? And I toured with him from 1999 all the way until he transitioned,” Fresh said. “The last big concert we did was the one he did in Baltimore and he didn’t want anything, he didn’t even want you to know anything about anything he did. So we had that kind of energy in common. Like, I live by a code, ‘I don’t say a lot, but I do sure enough pray a lot.’ That was such a special thing because he would allow me to show him things that was different than what he would normally do and I was willing to accept what he was showing me. We used to hang out and he told me ‘I don’t know why the Creator brought us together and maybe it’s something you’re supposed to give to me and it’s something I’m supposed to give to you but I appreciate the relationship.’ I never forgot that!”

During the conversation, Fresh discussed the five elements of Hip-Hop music and the success of his hit song “La Di Da Di,” which has been sampled by such artists as Beyonce and Miley Cyrus. “Yeah, even Miley Cyrus just recently [used it],” Frsh said of the song. “But you know, what’s so interesting is that ‘La Di Da Di’ is nothing but me and Rick [MC Ricky D (later known as Slick Rick)], there was no other instrument and people don’t know that. So you know, the way we grew up, we grew up dealing with pure hip-hop, uncut. So you had to come up with your own style so there’s five elements to hip-hop – there’s the DJ, the MC, the graffiti artists, the breakdancers. Some of us if we tried to breakdance now, we might break so we ain’t going to do that! And then the fifth element of the beatbox and I’m the creator of the fifth element.”

Fresh is currently on tour with LL Cool J on “The F.O.R.C.E. Live” Tour. He is also working with Dr. Olajide Williams to motivate kids and their families to live healthier lifestyles.

On the next “Tamaron Hall, Monday, May 8: singer Kierra Sheard; actress, Arsema Thomas from “Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story,” and Karen Houck.

The Emmy-nominated Tamron Hall Show airs weekdays on ABC. Check your local listings.