De La Soul
Encyclopedia
De La Soul is an American hip hop
trio
formed in 1987 on Long Island
, New York. The band is best known for their eclectic sampling, quirky lyrics, and their contributions to the evolution of the jazz rap
and alternative hip hop
subgenres. The members are Kelvin Mercer
(Posdnuos, Mercenary, Plug Wonder Why, Plug One), David Jude Jolicoeur
(Trugoy the Dove, Dave, Plug Two) and Vincent Mason
(P.A. Pasemaster Mase, Maseo, Plug Three, Baby Huey). The three formed the group in high school and caught the attention of producer
Prince Paul with a demo tape of the song "Plug Tunin'
". Prince Paul was also sometimes referred to as Plug Four. The Plug names are alleged to come from the numbers that each bandmate's microphone was labeled on the soundboard. Posdnuos was always plugged into plug one, Trugoy was plugged into plug two, and so forth.
With its playful wordplay, innovative sampling, and witty skits, the band's debut album, 3 Feet High and Rising
, is considered a hip hop masterpiece. It is also the band's biggest commercial success to date, with their subsequent albums selling progressively less, despite receiving high praise from critics. A measure of 3 Feet High and Risings cross-over appeal was the fact that it was voted Album of the Year
by NME
, a title better known for its taste in guitar-based music. De La Soul has influenced numerous other hip hop artists such as Camp Lo
, The Black Eyed Peas
, and Digable Planets
. They were also influential in the early stages of rapper/actor Mos Def
's career, and are a core part of the Spitkicker collective. They are the second longest standing Native Tongues Posse
group, after the Jungle Brothers
.
In 2006, the group won a Grammy
for their collaboration with Gorillaz
on the single "Feel Good Inc.
"
, released in 1989, was a critical smash hit in the hip hop genre. They quickly became prominent members of the Native Tongues Posse
along with A Tribe Called Quest
, Black Sheep, Queen Latifah
, the Jungle Brothers
and others. The single "Me Myself and I
" became a huge hit, further cementing the group's popularity. However, the sixties pop group The Turtles
sued De La Soul for using a sample
from their 1969 hit "You Showed Me" for the interlude track "Transmitting Live from Mars", despite the fact that The Turtles did not actually write the original song.
Lyrically, much of 3 Feet High and Rising focused on striving for peace and harmony — a message that was slowly fading from the rap community in the late 1980s. 3 Feet High and Rising also introduced De La Soul's concept of the "D.A.I.S.Y. Age" (an acronym standing for "da inner sound, y'all"). As a result, audiences were quick to peg the members of De La Soul as a species of hippie
. This stereotype greatly agitated the group's members, as they always envisioned their career as a constantly changing style; this frustration would influence their next recording sessions. In the press kit
for 3 Feet High and Rising, the members explained their stage names
: Trugoy when reversed spells yogurt, because he likes yogurt, and Posdnuos spelled backwards is "sound sop". The album artwork was designed by radical British artist collective the Grey Organisation
De La Soul's second album, De La Soul Is Dead
(1991) was a much more mature album. It featured a wealth of material that criticized the violent, careless direction that hip hop was heading in at the time, though it still managed to maintain a light, absurd sense of humor. The cover of the album features a broken daisy flower pot, symbolizing the death of the "D.A.I.S.Y. Age" and the imagery that went along with it. The album spawned several singles, including the dark "Millie Pulled a Pistol on Santa", a tale of a young girl who could no longer take the sexual abuse from her father, and the lead single "Ring Ring Ring (Ha Ha Hey)
", a story about the people who used De La's recent fame to try to launch their own careers.
De La collaborated with the Black Sheep
on "Fanatic of the B Word," Q-Tip
from A Tribe Called Quest
on "A Roller Skating Jam Named "Saturdays"", and Prince Paul
makes an appearance on the mic in "Pass the Plugs" with a verse of his own. The album also more prominently featured Vincent Mason
as a rapper, providing verses of his own on "Bitties in the BK Lounge," "Afro Connections at a Hi-5," and "Ring Ring Ring (Ha Ha Hey)
".
Though it received mixed reviews and did not sell as well as 3 Feet High and Rising
it eventually became a cult classic. "Source" magazine listed the album as one of their top 100 Hip Hop albums of all time, stating that "its true genius is rarely understood". There are several major differences between the CD version of this album and the other formats, as the tracks "Johnny's Dead AKA Vincent Mason", "My Brother's a Basehead", "Kicked Out the House", and "Who Do U Worship?" are only available on the CD. The limited edition double vinyl promotional copies of the album distributed to the media before the official release did not feature these.
1993's Buhloone Mindstate
saw the group evolve a new sound and cemented their position as mainstays of the alternative hip hop
movement. There were several moments on the album which proved the band had matured. "I Be Blowin'" was a departure as the track was an instrumental featuring saxophone playing by the legendary Maceo Parker
. The introspective "I Am I Be" showed De La Soul at their most self referential to date with subject matter about Pos' daughter Ayana Monet as well as his grandmother. "Long Island Wildin'" was a collaboration with Japanese hip hop artists Kan Takagi (Major Force) and trio Scha Dara Parr (SDP). The album's first single, "Breakadawn
", used a sample of Michael Jackson's "I Can't Help It" and Smokey Robinson's "Quiet Storm". De La Soul collaborated for the first time with Gang Starr
's Guru
on "Patti Dooke", female MC Shortie No Mas, a cousin of Posdnuos, was prominent on many tracks on the album, showcased particularly "In The Woods". The album ended with an old school Biz Markie collaboration called "Stone Age". Missing from vocal duties is Mase, whose voice can only be heard on "Area" in a break near the end of the track. Also rarely featured is his scratching which was heard often on previous albums, with only "In the Woods" showcasing his talent in that area. The album was a critical success, but it was the biggest commercial failure for the group at the time of its release. Many publications, such as Rolling Stone, have listed this album as one of the best hip hop albums of all time.
In 1994, 500 copies of a promotional EP
called Clear Lake Audiotorium
were released on clear vinyl and CD. The 6 track EP contained edited versions of tracks off of Buhloone Mindstate but also featured the tracks "Sh.Fe.MC's" (Shocking Female MC's) which was a collaboration with A Tribe Called Quest, and "Stix & Stonz" which featured old-school hip hop artists Grandmaster Caz, Tito of Fearless Four, Whipper Whip, LA Sunshine and Superstar. The EP was widely bootlegged afterwards.
1996's Stakes Is High
was the first album not produced by Prince Paul, with overall production credits given solely to the trio. Although it was met with poor sales, it has been critically lauded for its music, lyricism, and its overall message concerning the artistic decline rap music began to face in the mid-90s. The title track and first single
, produced by Jay Dee, was not a hit, but the album's second single, "Itsoweezee (HOT)", with only Dave on vocals, did fare better due to its creative music video. The album spawned a third single "4 More
", featuring Zhane
which peaked at #52 in the UK. The album did provide a launching pad for future star rapper and actor Mos Def
, who appeared on the track "Big Brother Beat". The album also featured collaborations with Common
, Truth Enola, and the Jazzyfatnastees
.
. This was followed by AOI: Bionix
in late 2001. After this, however, the third and final album in the AOI series was never released. For the next two years, the only De La Soul releases were singles or remix compilations. David Jude Jolicoeur stated in an interview that it usually takes about four years for the group to record an album, promote it with advertisements, touring and so on. The group was having trouble finishing the last AOI installment for many reasons, one of which being an ongoing struggle with Tommy Boy Records
, which had been releasing its albums ever since its debut.
In the summer of 2002, De La Soul toured with Cake
, Modest Mouse
, The Flaming Lips
, Kinky
, and the Hackensaw Boys during the Unlimited Sunshine Tour. The band was briefly featured in the video game PaRappa the Rapper 2
with the song "Say "I Gotta Believe!"", featuring Double
, and also appeared on the soundtrack of the game.
In 2004, De La Soul released a new full album: The Grind Date
on Sanctuary/BMG Records because the venture between Tommy Boy and Warner Bros. Records was shut down and the group's contract was shopped to the other WEA
labels. The band thought about having its contract absorbed by Elektra Records
, but it decided to leave WEA altogether. Although it was not the third AOI album fans had been expecting, the album was released to some critical acclaim and was well-received by most fans. The album features guests MF Doom
, Ghostface Killah
, Butta Verses and Flavor Flav
, with production from 9th Wonder
, Jake One
, Madlib
and more. The lead single "Shopping Bags (She Got from You)
" did not fare very well and set the tone for disappointing commercial acceptance. In conjunction with the album's release, the group also offered up the track "Come on Down" featuring Flavor Flav for remixing on Sony's Acid Planet website. The winning remix was "Come On Down (KY Raised NY Glazed)" by Interlude Jones who said he tried to "take the influential sound of old New York hip hop and marry it back to its roots."
on the hit single "Feel Good Inc.
," which won a Grammy
for Best Pop Vocal Collaboration
(the first Grammy win in the group's career) after being nominated for a total of three Grammys. De La Soul also appeared on the LA Symphony
single "Universal" and Posdnuos collaborated with the Portuguese MC Boss AC
on a track called "Yo (Não Brinques Com Esta Merda)" (which translates to "Don't Play with This Shit").
In 2006, De La Soul released a mixtape of new and old songs titled Hip-Hop Mixtape. This album was covermount
into British dance magazine Mixmag
. The same year, De La Soul released another mixtape of new and old songs, this time titled The Impossible: Mission TV Series - Pt. 1
on its AOI Records label. De La Soul collaborated with the athletic sneaker giant Nike
to produce two versions of the Nike Dunk under their skateboarding division, Nike SB. The sneakers were an instant hit and sold out at most retail stores.
In 2008, the group joined A Tribe Called Quest
, Nas
, The Pharcyde
and others on the annual Rock the Bells
tour. De La Soul were honorees at the 5th Annual VH1 Hip Hop Honors
on October 6, 2008. In late 2008 the group collaborated with Dan Le Sac vs Scroobius Pip
and re-recorded its debut single "Thou Shalt Always Kill
."
De La Soul returned as a guest on the third Gorillaz
studio album, Plastic Beach
alongside Super Furry Animals
frontman Gruff Rhys
on the song "Superfast Jellyfish
". They were also apparently supposed to appear on a track entitled 'Sloped Tropics', though this song did not make the final cut for Plastic Beach
. They also apparently co-wrote the song "Electric Shock", which features Derby-based Orchestra sinfonia ViVA
. This song does not appear on the album either, but does contain certain elements in the Gorilaz' track Rhinestone Eyes
. Gorillaz
' frontman Damon Albarn
played the song when he filled in for Zane Lowe
on BBC Radio 1
.
In 2010, De La Soul remixed indie rockers Yo La Tengo
's single, Here To Fall for the Here To Fall Remixes EP which included remixes by RJD2
and Pete Rock
.
De La Soul and Nike
released Are You In?: Nike+ Original Run, which was the group's first original material since The Impossible: Mission TV Series - Pt. 1
. The album features Raheem DeVaughn
as well as production from the Chicago based duo Flosstradamus. The recording is a single-track recording at 44 minutes, 17 seconds and was made available exclusively through iTunes
. It is part of a continuing series of releases through the "Nike+ Sport Music" section of the online store. Are You In? was scheduled for release on 28 April 2009, but was not immediately available due to technical issues. Group member Posdnuos said to ClashMusic.com of Are You In?, "It had to feel like a De La album that wasn't just a poster for Nike – we wanted people to feel it was a great album on its own terms. We always think things through and put quality into anything we do – we never look to just take the cheque and run."
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
trio
Trio (music)
Trio is generally used in any of the following ways:* A group of three musicians playing the same or different musical instrument.* The performance of a piece of music by three people.* The contrasting section of a piece in ternary form...
formed in 1987 on Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
, New York. The band is best known for their eclectic sampling, quirky lyrics, and their contributions to the evolution of the jazz rap
Jazz rap
Jazz rap is a sub-genre of hip hop which incorporates jazz influences, developed in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The lyrics are often based on political consciousness, Afrocentricity, and general positivism...
and alternative hip hop
Alternative hip hop
Alternative hip hop is a sub-genre of hip hop music. Allmusic defines it as follows: -Origin:...
subgenres. The members are Kelvin Mercer
Kelvin Mercer
Kelvin Mercer is a rapper, producer, and one-third of the hip hop trio De La Soul. He is known more famously by his alias Posdnuos, or simply Pos. He was born in the Bronx, New York and grew up in East Massapequa, New York.Mercer and David Jude Jolicoeur were childhood friends...
(Posdnuos, Mercenary, Plug Wonder Why, Plug One), David Jude Jolicoeur
David Jude Jolicoeur
David Jude Jolicoeur , also known under the stage name Trugoy and more recently Dave, is an American rapper, producer, and one third of groundbreaking hip hop trio De La Soul....
(Trugoy the Dove, Dave, Plug Two) and Vincent Mason
Vincent Mason
Vincent Mason , is a rapper, producer, DJ, and one third of groundbreaking hip hop trio, De La Soul. He is also known as Maseo.-Career:...
(P.A. Pasemaster Mase, Maseo, Plug Three, Baby Huey). The three formed the group in high school and caught the attention of producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
Prince Paul with a demo tape of the song "Plug Tunin'
Plug Tunin'
"Plug Tunin" is a 1988 single by the influential hip hop trio De La Soul released as the second single from their album 3 Feet High and Rising....
". Prince Paul was also sometimes referred to as Plug Four. The Plug names are alleged to come from the numbers that each bandmate's microphone was labeled on the soundboard. Posdnuos was always plugged into plug one, Trugoy was plugged into plug two, and so forth.
With its playful wordplay, innovative sampling, and witty skits, the band's debut album, 3 Feet High and Rising
3 Feet High and Rising
3 Feet High and Rising is the debut album from American hip hop trio De La Soul, released in 1989.The album marked the first of three full-length collaborations with producer Prince Paul, which would become the critical and commercial peak of both parties. It is consistently placed on 'greatest...
, is considered a hip hop masterpiece. It is also the band's biggest commercial success to date, with their subsequent albums selling progressively less, despite receiving high praise from critics. A measure of 3 Feet High and Risings cross-over appeal was the fact that it was voted Album of the Year
NME album of the year
Every December, British music magazine NME compiles a list of what it considers the best albums of the year. It was started in 1974. The list is usually published in one of the issues sold before Christmas – in 2006 it was published in the issue for December the 9th...
by NME
NME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
, a title better known for its taste in guitar-based music. De La Soul has influenced numerous other hip hop artists such as Camp Lo
Camp Lo
Camp Lo is an American hip hop duo, formed in 1995, which hails from The Bronx, New York. The duo consists of rappers Sonny Cheeba and Geechi Suede , both of Muslim upbringing.-Career:...
, The Black Eyed Peas
The Black Eyed Peas
The Black Eyed Peas are an American pop group , formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1995. The group includes rappers will.i.am, apl.de.ap, and Taboo, and singer Fergie. Since the release of their third album Elephunk in 2003, the group has sold an estimated 56 million records worldwide...
, and Digable Planets
Digable Planets
Digable Planets is an American alternative hip hop trio based in New York City, composed of Ishmael "Butterfly" Butler , Mary Ann "Ladybug Mecca" Vieira and Craig "Doodlebug" Irving . They released their debut album Reachin' in 1993, and their follow-up album Blowout Comb in 1994...
. They were also influential in the early stages of rapper/actor Mos Def
Mos Def
Dante Terrell Smith is an American actor and Emcee known by the stage names Mos Def and Yasiin Bey. He started his hip hop career in a group called Urban Thermo Dynamics, after which he appeared on albums by Da Bush Babees and De La Soul. With Talib Kweli, he formed the duo Black Star, which...
's career, and are a core part of the Spitkicker collective. They are the second longest standing Native Tongues Posse
Native Tongues Posse
The Native Tongues is a collective of late 1980s and early 1990s hip-hop artists known for their positive-minded, good-natured Afrocentric lyrics, and for pioneering the use of eclectic sampling and later jazz-influenced beats. Its principal members are the Jungle Brothers, De La Soul, and A Tribe...
group, after the Jungle Brothers
Jungle Brothers
The Jungle Brothers are an American hip hop group that pioneered the fusion of jazz and hip-hop and also became the first hip-hop group to use a house-music producer. The group began performing in the mid-1980s and released its first album, Straight Out the Jungle, in July 1988...
.
In 2006, the group won a Grammy
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
for their collaboration with Gorillaz
Gorillaz
Gorillaz is an English musical project created in 1998 by Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett. This project consists of Gorillaz music itself and an extensive fictional universe depicting a "virtual band" of cartoon characters...
on the single "Feel Good Inc.
Feel Good Inc.
"Feel Good Inc." is a song by Gorillaz, on their album Demon Days, featuring De La Soul. The song was released as the lead single from the album on 9 May 2005 in the United Kingdom . "Feel Good Inc." peaked at #2 in the United Kingdom and #14 in the United States, at the time the band's highest...
"
Early period
De La Soul's debut album, 3 Feet High and Rising3 Feet High and Rising
3 Feet High and Rising is the debut album from American hip hop trio De La Soul, released in 1989.The album marked the first of three full-length collaborations with producer Prince Paul, which would become the critical and commercial peak of both parties. It is consistently placed on 'greatest...
, released in 1989, was a critical smash hit in the hip hop genre. They quickly became prominent members of the Native Tongues Posse
Native Tongues Posse
The Native Tongues is a collective of late 1980s and early 1990s hip-hop artists known for their positive-minded, good-natured Afrocentric lyrics, and for pioneering the use of eclectic sampling and later jazz-influenced beats. Its principal members are the Jungle Brothers, De La Soul, and A Tribe...
along with A Tribe Called Quest
A Tribe Called Quest
A Tribe Called Quest is an American hip hop group, formed in 1985, and is composed of rapper/producer Q-Tip , rapper Phife Dawg , and DJ/producer Ali Shaheed Muhammad. A fourth member, rapper Jarobi White, left the group after their first album but rejoined in 2006...
, Black Sheep, Queen Latifah
Queen Latifah
Dana Elaine Owens , better known by her stage name Queen Latifah, is an American singer, rapper, and actress. Her work in music, film and television has earned her a Golden Globe award, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, two Image Awards, a Grammy Award, six additional Grammy nominations, an Emmy...
, the Jungle Brothers
Jungle Brothers
The Jungle Brothers are an American hip hop group that pioneered the fusion of jazz and hip-hop and also became the first hip-hop group to use a house-music producer. The group began performing in the mid-1980s and released its first album, Straight Out the Jungle, in July 1988...
and others. The single "Me Myself and I
Me Myself and I (De La Soul song)
"Me Myself and I" is a single by De La Soul, released in 1989.It established the group's characteristic style of combining hip hop with humor and social commentary. The group's frustration concerning their forced-upon hippie label is addressed in the typically dry humor which became the De La Soul...
" became a huge hit, further cementing the group's popularity. However, the sixties pop group The Turtles
The Turtles
The Turtles are an American rock group led by vocalists Howard Kaylan and Mark Volman. The band became notable for several Top 40 hits beginning with its cover version of Bob Dylan's "It Ain't Me Babe" in 1965...
sued De La Soul for using a sample
Sampling (music)
In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically...
from their 1969 hit "You Showed Me" for the interlude track "Transmitting Live from Mars", despite the fact that The Turtles did not actually write the original song.
Lyrically, much of 3 Feet High and Rising focused on striving for peace and harmony — a message that was slowly fading from the rap community in the late 1980s. 3 Feet High and Rising also introduced De La Soul's concept of the "D.A.I.S.Y. Age" (an acronym standing for "da inner sound, y'all"). As a result, audiences were quick to peg the members of De La Soul as a species of hippie
Hippie
The hippie subculture was originally a youth movement that arose in the United States during the mid-1960s and spread to other countries around the world. The etymology of the term 'hippie' is from hipster, and was initially used to describe beatniks who had moved into San Francisco's...
. This stereotype greatly agitated the group's members, as they always envisioned their career as a constantly changing style; this frustration would influence their next recording sessions. In the press kit
Press kit
A press kit, often referred to as a media kit in business environments, is a pre-packaged set of promotional materials of a person, company, or organization distributed to members of the media for promotional use...
for 3 Feet High and Rising, the members explained their stage names
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
: Trugoy when reversed spells yogurt, because he likes yogurt, and Posdnuos spelled backwards is "sound sop". The album artwork was designed by radical British artist collective the Grey Organisation
Grey Organisation
The Grey Organisation were an Artist collective active from 1983 to 1991. GO worked in several mediums including film and video and participated in over 20 international exhibitions....
De La Soul's second album, De La Soul Is Dead
De La Soul Is Dead
De La Soul Is Dead is De La Soul's second full-length album, released in 1991 . The album was produced by Prince Paul, whose work on 3 Feet High and Rising was highly praised by music critics. The album was one of the first to receive a five mic rating in the Hip hop magazine The Source...
(1991) was a much more mature album. It featured a wealth of material that criticized the violent, careless direction that hip hop was heading in at the time, though it still managed to maintain a light, absurd sense of humor. The cover of the album features a broken daisy flower pot, symbolizing the death of the "D.A.I.S.Y. Age" and the imagery that went along with it. The album spawned several singles, including the dark "Millie Pulled a Pistol on Santa", a tale of a young girl who could no longer take the sexual abuse from her father, and the lead single "Ring Ring Ring (Ha Ha Hey)
Ring Ring Ring (Ha Ha Hey)
"Ring Ring Ring " is the second single released by De La Soul from their second album De La Soul Is Dead, in 1991. The song is a party jam about overzealous fans who pursue the group with demo tapes in their efforts to obtain an endorsement from the group...
", a story about the people who used De La's recent fame to try to launch their own careers.
De La collaborated with the Black Sheep
Black Sheep (hip hop group)
Black Sheep is an alternative hip hop duo from Queens, New York, composed of Andres "Dres" Titus and William "Mista Lawnge" McLean. The duo is from New York but met as teenagers in North Carolina, where both of their families relocated. The group was an affiliate of the Native Tongues, which...
on "Fanatic of the B Word," Q-Tip
Q-Tip (rapper)
Kamaal Ibn John Fareed , better known by his stage name Q-Tip, is an American hip hop artist, producer, singer, and actor from St. Albans, Queens, New York, part of the critically acclaimed group A Tribe Called Quest...
from A Tribe Called Quest
A Tribe Called Quest
A Tribe Called Quest is an American hip hop group, formed in 1985, and is composed of rapper/producer Q-Tip , rapper Phife Dawg , and DJ/producer Ali Shaheed Muhammad. A fourth member, rapper Jarobi White, left the group after their first album but rejoined in 2006...
on "A Roller Skating Jam Named "Saturdays"", and Prince Paul
Prince Paul
Paul Huston, better known by the stage name Prince Paul, is an American disc jockey and hip-hop record producer. He was also a founding member of the Gravediggaz where he used the name The Undertaker.- Biography :...
makes an appearance on the mic in "Pass the Plugs" with a verse of his own. The album also more prominently featured Vincent Mason
Vincent Mason
Vincent Mason , is a rapper, producer, DJ, and one third of groundbreaking hip hop trio, De La Soul. He is also known as Maseo.-Career:...
as a rapper, providing verses of his own on "Bitties in the BK Lounge," "Afro Connections at a Hi-5," and "Ring Ring Ring (Ha Ha Hey)
Ring Ring Ring (Ha Ha Hey)
"Ring Ring Ring " is the second single released by De La Soul from their second album De La Soul Is Dead, in 1991. The song is a party jam about overzealous fans who pursue the group with demo tapes in their efforts to obtain an endorsement from the group...
".
Though it received mixed reviews and did not sell as well as 3 Feet High and Rising
3 Feet High and Rising
3 Feet High and Rising is the debut album from American hip hop trio De La Soul, released in 1989.The album marked the first of three full-length collaborations with producer Prince Paul, which would become the critical and commercial peak of both parties. It is consistently placed on 'greatest...
it eventually became a cult classic. "Source" magazine listed the album as one of their top 100 Hip Hop albums of all time, stating that "its true genius is rarely understood". There are several major differences between the CD version of this album and the other formats, as the tracks "Johnny's Dead AKA Vincent Mason", "My Brother's a Basehead", "Kicked Out the House", and "Who Do U Worship?" are only available on the CD. The limited edition double vinyl promotional copies of the album distributed to the media before the official release did not feature these.
Middle period
Buhloone Mindstate
Buhloone Mindstate is De La Soul's third full-length album. It was the last De La Soul album to be produced with Prince Paul. Comedian Chris Rock ranked it 10th in his list of the top 25 hip-hop albums of all time that was published in Rolling Stone in 2005.- Title significance :The title refers...
saw the group evolve a new sound and cemented their position as mainstays of the alternative hip hop
Alternative hip hop
Alternative hip hop is a sub-genre of hip hop music. Allmusic defines it as follows: -Origin:...
movement. There were several moments on the album which proved the band had matured. "I Be Blowin'" was a departure as the track was an instrumental featuring saxophone playing by the legendary Maceo Parker
Maceo Parker
Maceo Parker is an American funk and soul jazz saxophonist, best known for his work with James Brown in the 1960s, as well as Parliament-Funkadelic in the 1970s. Parker was a prominent soloist on many of Brown's hit recordings, and a key part of his band, playing alto, tenor and baritone saxophones...
. The introspective "I Am I Be" showed De La Soul at their most self referential to date with subject matter about Pos' daughter Ayana Monet as well as his grandmother. "Long Island Wildin'" was a collaboration with Japanese hip hop artists Kan Takagi (Major Force) and trio Scha Dara Parr (SDP). The album's first single, "Breakadawn
Breakadawn
"Breakadawn" is a 1993 single by hip hop group De La Soul, released from their third album Buhloone Mindstate. The song marked a slightly different approach from the group, who up until that point were still seen as the hippies of hip hop music and had tried to shake off the image with their second...
", used a sample of Michael Jackson's "I Can't Help It" and Smokey Robinson's "Quiet Storm". De La Soul collaborated for the first time with Gang Starr
Gang Starr
Gang Starr was an influential East Coast hip hop duo that consisted of the late MC Guru and DJ/producer DJ Premier. Their style combined elements of New York jazz and hip hop.-Background:...
's Guru
Guru
A guru is one who is regarded as having great knowledge, wisdom, and authority in a certain area, and who uses it to guide others . Other forms of manifestation of this principle can include parents, school teachers, non-human objects and even one's own intellectual discipline, if the...
on "Patti Dooke", female MC Shortie No Mas, a cousin of Posdnuos, was prominent on many tracks on the album, showcased particularly "In The Woods". The album ended with an old school Biz Markie collaboration called "Stone Age". Missing from vocal duties is Mase, whose voice can only be heard on "Area" in a break near the end of the track. Also rarely featured is his scratching which was heard often on previous albums, with only "In the Woods" showcasing his talent in that area. The album was a critical success, but it was the biggest commercial failure for the group at the time of its release. Many publications, such as Rolling Stone, have listed this album as one of the best hip hop albums of all time.
In 1994, 500 copies of a promotional EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
called Clear Lake Audiotorium
Clear Lake Audiotorium (EP)
Clear Lake Audiotorium is a six track promo EP by De La Soul given out to A-list DJ's in 1994. It composed of four tracks from their album, Buhloone Mindstate, as well as two non-album tracks—"Sh.Fe.Mc's" featuring A Tribe Called Quest, and "Stix & Stonz" featuring The Fearless Four, Grandmaster...
were released on clear vinyl and CD. The 6 track EP contained edited versions of tracks off of Buhloone Mindstate but also featured the tracks "Sh.Fe.MC's" (Shocking Female MC's) which was a collaboration with A Tribe Called Quest, and "Stix & Stonz" which featured old-school hip hop artists Grandmaster Caz, Tito of Fearless Four, Whipper Whip, LA Sunshine and Superstar. The EP was widely bootlegged afterwards.
1996's Stakes Is High
Stakes Is High
Stakes Is High is De La Soul's fourth full-length album, released during the summer of 1996. The album marked a change in the groups sound and direction as it was their first release not to be produced by Prince Paul. Stakes Is High was mainly produced by the group themeselves with additional...
was the first album not produced by Prince Paul, with overall production credits given solely to the trio. Although it was met with poor sales, it has been critically lauded for its music, lyricism, and its overall message concerning the artistic decline rap music began to face in the mid-90s. The title track and first single
Stakes Is High (song)
"Stakes Is High" is a single by De La Soul released in 1996 from their album Stakes Is High.-Overview:Released during the height of the East Vs. West rap rivalries, "Stakes..." was a relentless attack on what De La saw as a decline, not only in hip hop music, but also in hip hop culture...
, produced by Jay Dee, was not a hit, but the album's second single, "Itsoweezee (HOT)", with only Dave on vocals, did fare better due to its creative music video. The album spawned a third single "4 More
4 More
"4 More" is the third and final single to be released by De La Soul from their fourth album, Stakes Is High. The song deals with relationships, and features R&B duo, Zhane.-Track listing:#"4 More " - 4:19#*Guest Appearances: Zhane...
", featuring Zhane
Zhane
Zhané was an American R&B/hip hop soul duo, best known for their 1994 hit "Hey Mr. D.J.", which reached #6 in the U.S. Other popular hits include "Groove Thang" and minor hit "Sending My Love," both released in 1994...
which peaked at #52 in the UK. The album did provide a launching pad for future star rapper and actor Mos Def
Mos Def
Dante Terrell Smith is an American actor and Emcee known by the stage names Mos Def and Yasiin Bey. He started his hip hop career in a group called Urban Thermo Dynamics, after which he appeared on albums by Da Bush Babees and De La Soul. With Talib Kweli, he formed the duo Black Star, which...
, who appeared on the track "Big Brother Beat". The album also featured collaborations with Common
Common (rapper)
Lonnie Rashid Lynn, Jr. , better known by his stage name Common , is an American hip-hop artist and actor....
, Truth Enola, and the Jazzyfatnastees
Jazzyfatnastees
Jazzyfatnastees is a vocal duo, Tracey Moore and Mercedes Martinez . Originally, a vocal quartet, they landed a deal with Tommy Boy in 1993...
.
Later period
Four years later, De La Soul announced that they would release a triple album series entitled "Art Official Intelligence" (or AOI). All three albums were intended to be released within a year, beginning with the release of Art Official Intelligence: Mosaic ThumpArt Official Intelligence: Mosaic Thump
Art Official Intelligence: Mosaic Thump is De La Soul's fifth full-length studio album, released on August 8, 2000.- Overview :The album was the first in a planned three-disc installment, which was originally intended to be a three-disc album...
. This was followed by AOI: Bionix
AOI: Bionix
AOI: Bionix is De La Soul's sixth full-length album, released in 2001. The album was the second in a planned three-disc installment, which was originally intended to be a three-disc album.- Overview :...
in late 2001. After this, however, the third and final album in the AOI series was never released. For the next two years, the only De La Soul releases were singles or remix compilations. David Jude Jolicoeur stated in an interview that it usually takes about four years for the group to record an album, promote it with advertisements, touring and so on. The group was having trouble finishing the last AOI installment for many reasons, one of which being an ongoing struggle with Tommy Boy Records
Tommy Boy Records
Tommy Boy Entertainment is an independent record label started in 1981 by Tom Silverman.-History:...
, which had been releasing its albums ever since its debut.
In the summer of 2002, De La Soul toured with Cake
Cake (band)
Cake is an American alternative rock band from Sacramento, California. Consisting of singer John McCrea, trumpeter Vince DiFiore, guitarist Xan McCurdy, bassist Gabe Nelson and drummer Paulo Baldi, the band has been noted for McCrea's sarcastic lyrics and deadpan voice, DiFiore's trumpet parts, and...
, Modest Mouse
Modest Mouse
Modest Mouse is an American indie rock band formed in 1993 in Issaquah, Washington, by singer/lyricist/guitarist Isaac Brock, drummer Jeremiah Green, and bassist Eric Judy. They are based in Portland, Oregon. Since their 1996 debut album, This Is a Long Drive for Someone with Nothing to Think...
, The Flaming Lips
The Flaming Lips
The Flaming Lips are an American alternative rock band, formed in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma in 1983.Melodically, their sound contains lush, multi-layered, psychedelic rock arrangements, but lyrically their compositions show elements of space rock, including unusual song and album titles—such as "What...
, Kinky
Kinky
Kinky may refer to:*Kinky , a five-member band from Monterrey, Mexico**Kinky , their self-titled album*Kinky *Kink , unconventional sexual practices...
, and the Hackensaw Boys during the Unlimited Sunshine Tour. The band was briefly featured in the video game PaRappa the Rapper 2
PaRappa the Rapper 2
is a PlayStation 2 rhythm video game and the sequel to PaRappa the Rapper, although it is actually the third game in the series following UmJammer Lammy...
with the song "Say "I Gotta Believe!"", featuring Double
Double (singer)
Double is the stage name for Japanese R&B singer . Double used to be the name for the two member R&B group consisting of Takako and her sister Sachiko. After the death of her sister in May 1999, Takako started her solo career adopting Double as her stage name...
, and also appeared on the soundtrack of the game.
In 2004, De La Soul released a new full album: The Grind Date
The Grind Date
The Grind Date is the seventh album from hip-hop group De La Soul, released on October 5, 2004. The album was originally intended to be the final album of the Art Official Intelligence trilogy, but as the album quickly changed focus, the group decided to put AOI III on hold and finish The Grind...
on Sanctuary/BMG Records because the venture between Tommy Boy and Warner Bros. Records was shut down and the group's contract was shopped to the other WEA
Warner Music Group
Warner Music Group is the third largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry, making it one of the big four record companies...
labels. The band thought about having its contract absorbed by Elektra Records
Elektra Records
Elektra Records is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group. In 2004, it was consolidated into WMG's Atlantic Records Group. After five years of dormancy, the label was revived by Atlantic in 2009....
, but it decided to leave WEA altogether. Although it was not the third AOI album fans had been expecting, the album was released to some critical acclaim and was well-received by most fans. The album features guests MF Doom
MF Doom
Daniel Dumile is a hip hop artist who has taken on several stage names in his career, most notably MF DOOM, where the "MF" stands for metal face, and for tracks he has produced, metal fingers...
, Ghostface Killah
Ghostface Killah
Dennis Coles , better known by his stage name Ghostface Killah, is an American rapper and prominent member of the Wu-Tang Clan. After the group achieved breakthrough success in the aftermath of Enter the Wu-Tang , the members went on to pursue solo careers to varying levels of success...
, Butta Verses and Flavor Flav
Flavor Flav
William Jonathan Drayton, Jr. , better known by his stage name Flavor Flav, is an American rapper and television personality who rose to prominence as a member of the rap group Public Enemy...
, with production from 9th Wonder
9th Wonder
Patrick Douthit , better known as 9th Wonder is a hip hop record producer, record executive, DJ, professor, and lyricist from Raleigh, North Carolina, U.S.A. He began his career as the main producer for the hip hop group Little Brother, and has also worked with Mary J...
, Jake One
Jake One
Jacob Dutton, better known as Jake One, is an American hip hop record producer from Seattle, Washington.-Biography:Dutton grew up in Capitol Hill and moved to the North End of Seattle when he was 15. He started making music on a Casio keyboard in 1992. He attended the University of Washington and...
, Madlib
Madlib
Otis Jackson Jr. in Oxnard, California, known professionally as Madlib, is a Los Angeles-based DJ, multi-instrumentalist, rapper, and music producer...
and more. The lead single "Shopping Bags (She Got from You)
Shopping Bags (She Got From You)
"Shopping Bags " is the first official single to be released by De La Soul, from their seventh studio album, The Grind Date. The song was a diatribe about gold-diggers, and was produced by California-based producer, Madlib...
" did not fare very well and set the tone for disappointing commercial acceptance. In conjunction with the album's release, the group also offered up the track "Come on Down" featuring Flavor Flav for remixing on Sony's Acid Planet website. The winning remix was "Come On Down (KY Raised NY Glazed)" by Interlude Jones who said he tried to "take the influential sound of old New York hip hop and marry it back to its roots."
Since "The Grind Date"
In 2005, De La Soul collaborated with GorillazGorillaz
Gorillaz is an English musical project created in 1998 by Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett. This project consists of Gorillaz music itself and an extensive fictional universe depicting a "virtual band" of cartoon characters...
on the hit single "Feel Good Inc.
Feel Good Inc.
"Feel Good Inc." is a song by Gorillaz, on their album Demon Days, featuring De La Soul. The song was released as the lead single from the album on 9 May 2005 in the United Kingdom . "Feel Good Inc." peaked at #2 in the United Kingdom and #14 in the United States, at the time the band's highest...
," which won a Grammy
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
for Best Pop Vocal Collaboration
Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals
The Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals was an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for quality pop songs on which singers collaborate...
(the first Grammy win in the group's career) after being nominated for a total of three Grammys. De La Soul also appeared on the LA Symphony
LA Symphony
L.A. Symphony is an independent hip hop group from Los Angeles, California. Current members of L.A. Symphony are FLYNN , UNO Mas, CookBook, Joey the Jerk, and Sharlok Poems. Past members include Pigeon John and BTwice, J-Beits a.k.a...
single "Universal" and Posdnuos collaborated with the Portuguese MC Boss AC
Boss AC
Boss AC is a Portuguese rapper originally from Cape Verde. His albums include "Preto no Branco","Ritmo, Amor e Palavras" , "Rimar contra a Maré" and "TPC"....
on a track called "Yo (Não Brinques Com Esta Merda)" (which translates to "Don't Play with This Shit").
In 2006, De La Soul released a mixtape of new and old songs titled Hip-Hop Mixtape. This album was covermount
Covermount
Covermount is the name given to storage media or other products packaged as part of a magazine or newspaper...
into British dance magazine Mixmag
Mixmag
Mixmag is a British dance music and clubbing magazine. It styles itself as "the world's biggest selling dance music magazine", with an Audit Bureau of Circulations audited circulation of approximately 21,250...
. The same year, De La Soul released another mixtape of new and old songs, this time titled The Impossible: Mission TV Series - Pt. 1
The Impossible: Mission TV Series - Pt. 1
The Impossible: Mission TV Series - Pt. 1 is an album of unreleased material by De La Soul. It contains material recorded over a period of years , and was made available through the group's imprint AOI Records. The album's title, and cover, are a reference to the popular action adventure TV series...
on its AOI Records label. De La Soul collaborated with the athletic sneaker giant Nike
Nike, Inc.
Nike, Inc. is a major publicly traded sportswear and equipment supplier based in the United States. The company is headquartered near Beaverton, Oregon, which is part of the Portland metropolitan area...
to produce two versions of the Nike Dunk under their skateboarding division, Nike SB. The sneakers were an instant hit and sold out at most retail stores.
In 2008, the group joined A Tribe Called Quest
A Tribe Called Quest
A Tribe Called Quest is an American hip hop group, formed in 1985, and is composed of rapper/producer Q-Tip , rapper Phife Dawg , and DJ/producer Ali Shaheed Muhammad. A fourth member, rapper Jarobi White, left the group after their first album but rejoined in 2006...
, Nas
Nas
Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones, who performs under the name Nas , formerly Nasty Nas, is an American rapper and actor. He is regarded as one of the most important figures in hip hop and one of the most skilled and influential rappers of all-time...
, The Pharcyde
The Pharcyde
The Pharcyde are an alternative hip hop group based in South Central Los Angeles. The original four members of the group are Imani , Slimkid3 , Bootie Brown and Fatlip . DJ Mark Luv was the group's first DJ, followed by producer J-Swift and then J Dilla...
and others on the annual Rock the Bells
Rock the Bells
Rock the Bells is an annual hip hop festival that originally took place in Southern California only, but has since toured throughout the world. The concert features a lineup of high-profile alternative hip hop artists, often headlined by a more mainstream artist...
tour. De La Soul were honorees at the 5th Annual VH1 Hip Hop Honors
Vh1 Hip Hop Honors
Vh1 Hip Hop Honors is an annual event that airs on VH1. The television special honors old school and golden age hip hop rappers and contributors. It features live performances by most of the honorees along with new school artists who have been influenced by them...
on October 6, 2008. In late 2008 the group collaborated with Dan Le Sac vs Scroobius Pip
Dan Le Sac Vs Scroobius Pip
dan le sac Vs Scroobius Pip are a hip-hop duo, combining electronic beats with sung, spoken, and rapped lyrics. The pair are Daniel Stephens , and David Peter Meads...
and re-recorded its debut single "Thou Shalt Always Kill
Thou Shalt Always Kill
"Thou Shalt Always Kill" is a 2007 song by Dan Le Sac Vs Scroobius Pip.The song comprises an electronic dance beat with the vocals taking the form of a satirical rant at aspects of modern British culture. The pivotal message is to "think for yourselves" rather than to follow current trends or get...
."
De La Soul returned as a guest on the third Gorillaz
Gorillaz
Gorillaz is an English musical project created in 1998 by Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett. This project consists of Gorillaz music itself and an extensive fictional universe depicting a "virtual band" of cartoon characters...
studio album, Plastic Beach
Plastic Beach
Plastic Beach is the third studio album by British virtual band and alternative hip hop supergroup Gorillaz, released 3 March 2010 on Parlophone and Virgin Records. Conceived from an unfinished Gorillaz project called Carousel, the album was recorded during June 2008 to November 2009 and produced...
alongside Super Furry Animals
Super Furry Animals
Super Furry Animals are a Welsh rock band that lean towards psychedelic rock and electronic experimentation. Since their formation in Cardiff, Wales in 1993, the band has consisted of Gruff Rhys , Huw Bunford , Guto Pryce , Cian Ciaran and Dafydd Ieuan Super Furry Animals are a Welsh rock band...
frontman Gruff Rhys
Gruff Rhys
Gruffydd Maredudd Bowen Rhys is a Welsh musician, performing solo and with several bands, including Super Furry Animals who obtained mainstream success in the 1990s. He also most recently formed the electro-pop outfit Neon Neon with Boom Bip. Their album Stainless Style was nominated for the 2008...
on the song "Superfast Jellyfish
Superfast Jellyfish
"Superfast Jellyfish" is a song from Gorillaz's third album Plastic Beach. It features Gruff Rhys, lead singer of Super Furry Animals, and De La Soul, who were previously featured on the hit Gorillaz' song "Feel Good Inc."...
". They were also apparently supposed to appear on a track entitled 'Sloped Tropics', though this song did not make the final cut for Plastic Beach
Plastic Beach
Plastic Beach is the third studio album by British virtual band and alternative hip hop supergroup Gorillaz, released 3 March 2010 on Parlophone and Virgin Records. Conceived from an unfinished Gorillaz project called Carousel, the album was recorded during June 2008 to November 2009 and produced...
. They also apparently co-wrote the song "Electric Shock", which features Derby-based Orchestra sinfonia ViVA
Sinfonia ViVA
Sinfonia ViVA is a British orchestra based in Derby, United Kingdom, a professional orchestra in the East Midlands. Sinfonia ViVA gives concerts in a number of cities and venues, including the following:* Cleethorpes * Derby...
. This song does not appear on the album either, but does contain certain elements in the Gorilaz' track Rhinestone Eyes
Rhinestone Eyes
"Rhinestone Eyes" is a single from Gorillaz's third studio album, Plastic Beach. Fictional band member, Murdoc Niccals, stated the following about "Rhinestone Eyes" in a 'Track by Track' commentary:...
. Gorillaz
Gorillaz
Gorillaz is an English musical project created in 1998 by Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett. This project consists of Gorillaz music itself and an extensive fictional universe depicting a "virtual band" of cartoon characters...
' frontman Damon Albarn
Damon Albarn
Damon Albarn is an English singer-songwriter and record producer who has been involved in many high profile projects, coming to prominence as the frontman and primary songwriter of Britpop band Blur...
played the song when he filled in for Zane Lowe
Zane Lowe
Zane Lowe also known as 'Zipper', is a radio DJ and television presenter. He was born in New Zealand and grew up in Auckland, where he was a presenter on the local music station Max TV, before moving to England...
on BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
.
In 2010, De La Soul remixed indie rockers Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo, sometimes abbreviated as YLT, is an American alternative rock band formed in Hoboken, New Jersey in 1984. Since 1992, the lineup has consisted of Ira Kaplan , Georgia Hubley , and James McNew .Despite achieving limited mainstream success, Yo La Tengo has been called "the quintessential...
's single, Here To Fall for the Here To Fall Remixes EP which included remixes by RJD2
RJD2
RJD2 is an American music producer, singer and musician. RJD2 was born in Eugene, Oregon, and raised in Columbus, Ohio. He currently resides in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was signed to the Definitive Jux label where he released two largely instrumental hip hop albums and has produced tracks...
and Pete Rock
Pete Rock
Peter Phillips , better known by his stage name Pete Rock, is an American record producer, DJ and rapper. He rose to prominence in the early 1990s as one half of the critically acclaimed group Pete Rock & CL Smooth...
.
De La Soul and Nike
Nike, Inc.
Nike, Inc. is a major publicly traded sportswear and equipment supplier based in the United States. The company is headquartered near Beaverton, Oregon, which is part of the Portland metropolitan area...
released Are You In?: Nike+ Original Run, which was the group's first original material since The Impossible: Mission TV Series - Pt. 1
The Impossible: Mission TV Series - Pt. 1
The Impossible: Mission TV Series - Pt. 1 is an album of unreleased material by De La Soul. It contains material recorded over a period of years , and was made available through the group's imprint AOI Records. The album's title, and cover, are a reference to the popular action adventure TV series...
. The album features Raheem DeVaughn
Raheem DeVaughn
Raheem DeVaughn is an American singer and songwriter. His debut album, The Love Experience , reached No. 46 on the Billboard 200 album chart. It featured the singles "Guess Who Loves You More" and "You". His second album Love Behind the Melody was released in January 2008...
as well as production from the Chicago based duo Flosstradamus. The recording is a single-track recording at 44 minutes, 17 seconds and was made available exclusively through iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
. It is part of a continuing series of releases through the "Nike+ Sport Music" section of the online store. Are You In? was scheduled for release on 28 April 2009, but was not immediately available due to technical issues. Group member Posdnuos said to ClashMusic.com of Are You In?, "It had to feel like a De La album that wasn't just a poster for Nike – we wanted people to feel it was a great album on its own terms. We always think things through and put quality into anything we do – we never look to just take the cheque and run."
Discography
- 3 Feet High and Rising3 Feet High and Rising3 Feet High and Rising is the debut album from American hip hop trio De La Soul, released in 1989.The album marked the first of three full-length collaborations with producer Prince Paul, which would become the critical and commercial peak of both parties. It is consistently placed on 'greatest...
(1989) - De La Soul is DeadDe La Soul Is DeadDe La Soul Is Dead is De La Soul's second full-length album, released in 1991 . The album was produced by Prince Paul, whose work on 3 Feet High and Rising was highly praised by music critics. The album was one of the first to receive a five mic rating in the Hip hop magazine The Source...
(1991) - Buhloone MindstateBuhloone MindstateBuhloone Mindstate is De La Soul's third full-length album. It was the last De La Soul album to be produced with Prince Paul. Comedian Chris Rock ranked it 10th in his list of the top 25 hip-hop albums of all time that was published in Rolling Stone in 2005.- Title significance :The title refers...
(1993) - Stakes Is HighStakes Is HighStakes Is High is De La Soul's fourth full-length album, released during the summer of 1996. The album marked a change in the groups sound and direction as it was their first release not to be produced by Prince Paul. Stakes Is High was mainly produced by the group themeselves with additional...
(1996) - Art Official Intelligence: Mosaic ThumpArt Official Intelligence: Mosaic ThumpArt Official Intelligence: Mosaic Thump is De La Soul's fifth full-length studio album, released on August 8, 2000.- Overview :The album was the first in a planned three-disc installment, which was originally intended to be a three-disc album...
(2000) - AOI: BionixAOI: BionixAOI: Bionix is De La Soul's sixth full-length album, released in 2001. The album was the second in a planned three-disc installment, which was originally intended to be a three-disc album.- Overview :...
(2001) - The Grind DateThe Grind DateThe Grind Date is the seventh album from hip-hop group De La Soul, released on October 5, 2004. The album was originally intended to be the final album of the Art Official Intelligence trilogy, but as the album quickly changed focus, the group decided to put AOI III on hold and finish The Grind...
(2004)