"I'd been wibblin' and wobblin' on this issue for a while," Speech begins. "The music industry does not really make a lot of money from record sales at all and touring is hard because of COVID. And you just start to wonder: 'What am I doing this for?' and is it worth it anymore?"
The Atlanta collective has built a legacy on artistry and integrity. And their latest album, the Configa-produced For The FKN Love, dropped in December to positive reviews from fans and critics, continuing the hot streak the group has been on since 2020s Don't Fight Your Demons. Speech isn't afraid to acknowledge that A.D.'s is enjoying something of a resurgence, the warmest reviews since the collective's 1990s heyday and heightened visibility in classic Hip-Hop spaces. Even the album itself is a love letter to the music; and with appearances from luminaries such as Masta Ace, Fatman Scoop and Big Daddy Kane, a shout-out to their peers.
"This record is called For The FKN Love. And the reason we recorded this record is because of how much we love the artform and how much we love the music; and then we got the chance to collaborate with a ton of artists. But yeah, it seems like this is gonna be the last Arrested Development record. I say 'seems like' because, y'know, there's talks. Some of the members don't agree with that and we're trying to weigh some things out. It's a business and our world—for [all of us]. [We] have dedicated so much time to this. [So] it's something that we're weighing out, basically."
But Speech sounds resigned to the limitations of an industry that is buckling under the weight of technology and indifference.
"I'm 53 years old. There's a point where...[after] you've [been] doing this for 30 years," he says, before collecting his thoughts. "And for me at least, I've always wanted to be more secure as the years went on. And because of things way beyond my control—like the way the music industry has gotten—it's less secure. And I'm young enough that I could do many other things. I have many passions."