De La Soul | ||
| Allmusic Biography : At the time of its 1989 release, De La Souls debut album, 3 Feet High and Rising, was hailed as the future of hip-hop. With its colorful, neo-psychedelic collage of samples and styles, plus the Long Island trios low-key, clever rhymes and goofy humor, the album sounded like nothing else in hip-hop. Where most of their contemporaries drew directly from old-school rap, funk, or Public Enemys dense sonic barrage, De La Soul were gentler and more eclectic, taking in not only funk and soul, but also pop, jazz, reggae, and psychedelia. Though their style initially earned both critical raves and strong sales, De La Soul found it hard to sustain their commercial momentum in the 90s as their alternative rap was sidetracked by the popularity of considerably harder-edged gangsta rap. De La Soul formed while the trio members -- Posdnuos (born Kelvin Mercer, August 17, 1969), Trugoy the Dove (born David Jude Jolicoeur, September 21, 1968), and Pasemaster Mase (born Vincent Lamont Mason, Jr., March 27, 1970) -- were attending high school in the late 80s. The stage names of all of the members derived from in-jokes: Posdnuos was an inversion of Mercers DJ name, Sound-Sop; Trugoy was an inversion of Jolicoeurs favorite food, yogurt. De La Souls demo tape, Plug Tunin, came to the attention of Prince Paul, the leader and producer of the New York rap outfit Stetsasonic. Prince Paul played the tape to several colleagues and helped the trio land a contract with Tommy Boy Records. Prince Paul produced De La Souls debut album, 3 Feet High and Rising, which was released in the spring of 1989. Several critics and observers labeled the group as a neo-hippie band because the record praised peace and love as well as proclaiming the dawning of "the D.A.I.S.Y. age" (Da Inner Sound, Yall). Though the trio was uncomfortable with the hippie label, there was no denying that the humor and eclecticism presented an alternative to the hardcore rap that dominated hip-hop. De La Soul were quickly perceived as the leaders of a contingent of New York-based alternative rappers that also included A Tribe Called Quest, Queen Latifah, the Jungle Brothers, and Monie Love; all of these artists dubbed themselves the Native Tongues posse. For a while, it looked as if De La Soul and the Native Tongues posse would eclipse hardcore hip-hop in terms of popularity. "Me, Myself and I" became a Top 40 pop hit in the U.S. (number one R&B;), while the album reached number 24 (number one R&B;) and went gold. At the end of the year, 3 Feet High and Rising topped many best-of-the-year lists, including the Village Voices. With all of the acclaim came some unwanted attention, most notably in the form of a lawsuit by the Turtles. De La Soul had sampled the Turtles "You Showed Me" and layered it with a French lesson on a track on 3 Feet High called "Transmitting Live from Mars," without getting the permission of the 60s pop group. The Turtles won the case, and the decision not only had a substantial impact on De La Soul, but on rap in general. Following the suit, all samples had to be legally cleared before an album could be released. Not only did this have the end result of rap reverting back to instrumentation, thereby altering how the artists worked, it also meant that several albums in the pipeline had to be delayed in order for samples to clear. One of those was De La Souls second album, De La Soul Is Dead. When De La Soul Is Dead was finally released in the spring of 1991, it received decidedly mixed reviews, and its darker, more introspective tone didnt attract as big an audience as its lighter predecessor. The album peaked at number 26 pop on the U.S. charts, number 24 R&B;, and spawned only one minor hit, the number 22 R&B; single "Ring Ring Ring (Ha Ha Hey)." De La Soul worked hard on their third album, finally releasing the record in late 1993. The result, entitled Buhloone Mindstate, was harder and funkier than either of its predecessors, yet it didnt succumb to gangsta rap. Though it received strong reviews, the album quickly fell off the charts after peaking at number 40, and only "Breakadawn" broke the R&B; Top 40. The same fate greeted the trios fourth album, Stakes Is High. Released in the summer of 1996, the record was well reviewed, yet it didnt find a large audience and quickly disappeared from the charts. Four years later, De La Soul initiated what promised to be a three-album series with the release of Art Official Intelligence: Mosaic Thump; though reviews were mixed, it was greeted warmly by record buyers, debuting in the Top Ten. The second title in the series, AOI: Bionix, even featured a video hit with "Baby Phat," but Tommy Boy and the trio decided to end their relationship soon after. De La Soul subsequently signed their AOI label to Sanctuary Urban (run by Beyoncés father, Mathew Knowles) and released The Grind Date in October 2004. Two years later the group issued Impossible Mission: TV Series, Pt. 1, a collection of new and previously unreleased material. The group then went on hiatus with only the splinter release De La Souls Plug 1 & Plug 2 Presents...First Serve released in 2012. A year later, the group created a free download of all their early albums and packaged the set as Youre Welcome, though it wasnt available for long thanks to the legal efforts of their former label, Warner Bros. A crowd-funding campaign for a new album was launched in 2015, and after successful funding, the LP And the Anonymous Nobody was self-released in August of 2016. The nearly sample-free album featured the trios live band and assorted friends playing live instruments, along with a guest list that included Usher, David Byrne, 2 Chainz, and Damon Albarn, among many others. | ||
 | Album: 1 of 24 Title: 3 Feet High and Rising Released: 1989 Tracks: 24 Duration: 1:07:17 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Intro (01:41) 2 The Magic Number (03:16) 3 Change in Speak (02:32) 4 Cool Breeze on the Rocks (00:48) 5 Can U Keep a Secret (01:40) 6 Jenifa Taught Me (Derwin’s Revenge) (03:25) 7 Ghetto Thang (03:35) 8 Transmitting Live From Mars (01:11) 9 Eye Know (04:12) 10 Take It Off (01:52) 11 A Little Bit of Soap (00:56) 12 Tread Water (03:46) 13 Potholes in My Lawn (03:50) 14 Say No Go (04:20) 15 Do as De La Does (02:12) 16 Plug Tunin’ (Last Chance to Comprehend) (04:06) 17 De La Orgee (01:13) 18 Buddy (04:55) 19 Description (01:31) 20 Me Myself and I (03:50) 21 This Is a Recording 4 Living in a Fulltime Era (L.I.F.E.) (03:09) 22 I Can Do Anything (Delacratic) (00:41) 23 D.A.I.S.Y. Age (04:42) 24 Plug Tunin’ (original 12″ version) (03:43) |
| 3 Feet High and Rising : Allmusic album Review : The most inventive, assured, and playful debut in hip-hop history, 3 Feet High and Rising not only proved that rappers didnt have to talk about the streets to succeed, but also expanded the palette of sampling material with a kaleidoscope of sounds and references culled from pop, soul, disco, and even country music. Weaving clever wordplay and deft rhymes across two dozen tracks loosely organized around a game-show theme, De La Soul broke down boundaries all over the LP, moving easily from the groovy my-philosophy intro "The Magic Number" to an intelligent, caring inner-city vignette named "Ghetto Thang" to the freewheeling end-of-innocence tale "Jenifa Taught Me (Derwins Revenge)." Rappers Posdnuos and Trugoy the Dove talked about anything they wanted (up to and including body odor), playing fast and loose on the mic like Biz Markie. Thinly disguised under a layer of humor, their lyrical themes ranged from true love ("Eye Know") to the destructive power of drugs ("Say No Go") to Daisy Age philosophy ("Tread Water") to sex ("Buddy"). Prince Paul (from Stetsasonic) and DJ Pasemaster Mase led the way on the production end, with dozens of samples from all sorts of left-field artists -- including Johnny Cash, the Mad Lads, Steely Dan, Public Enemy, Hall & Oates, and the Turtles. The pair didnt just use those samples as hooks or drumbreaks -- like most hip-hop producers had in the past -- but as split-second fills and in-jokes that made some tracks sound more like DJ records. Even "Potholes on My Lawn," which samples a mouth harp and yodeling (for the chorus, no less), became a big R&B hit. If it was easy to believe the revolution was here from listening to the rapping and production on Public Enemys It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back, with De La Soul the Daisy Age seemed to promise a new era of positivity in hip-hop. | ||
 | Album: 2 of 24 Title: De La Soul Is Dead Released: 1991-05-13 Tracks: 27 Duration: 1:13:57 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Intro (02:14) 2 Oodles of O’s (03:33) 3 Talkin’ Bout Hey Love (02:27) 4 Pease Porridge (05:02) 5 Skit 1 (00:26) 6 Johnny’s Dead aka Vincent Mason (live from the BK Lounge) (01:57) 7 A Roller Skating Jam Named “Saturdays” (04:02) 8 WRMS’ Dedication to the Bitty (00:46) 9 Bitties in the BK Lounge (05:40) 10 Skit 2 (00:31) 11 My Brother’s a Basehead (04:20) 12 Let, Let Me In (03:26) 13 Afro Connections at a Hi 5 (In the Eyes of the Hoodlum) (04:03) 14 Rap De Rap Show (02:20) 15 Millie Pulled a Pistol on Santa (Full mix) (04:09) 16 Who Do U Worship? (02:00) 17 Skit 3 (00:33) 18 Kicked Out the House (01:56) 19 Pass the Plugs (03:30) 20 Not Over Till the Fat Lady Plays the Demo (01:30) 21 Ring Ring Ring (Ha Ha Hey) (05:06) 22 WRMS: Cat’s in Control (00:34) 23 Skit 4 (00:12) 24 Shwingalokate (04:13) 25 Fanatic of the B Word (04:09) 26 Keepin the Faith (LP version) (04:45) 27 Skit 5 (00:33) |
| De La Soul Is Dead : Allmusic album Review : On their notorious second album, De La Soul went to great lengths to debunk the daisy-age hippie image theyd been pigeonholed with, titling the record De La Soul Is Dead and putting a picture of wilting daisies in a broken flowerpot on the cover. Critics and fans alike were puzzled as to why the group was seemingly rejecting what had been hailed as the future of hip-hop, and neither the reviews nor the charts were kind to the album. It isnt that De La try to remake their sound here -- Dead keeps the skit-heavy structure of the debut, and the surreal tone and inventive sampling techniques are still very much in evidence. But, despite a few lighthearted moments ("Bitties in the BK Lounge," the disco-flavored "A Roller Skating Jam Named Saturdays"), a distinct note of bitterness has crept into De Las once-sunny outlook. On the one hand, theyre willing to take on more serious subject matter; two of the albums most powerful moments are the unsettling incest tale "Millie Pulled a Pistol on Santa" and Posdnuos drug-addiction chronicle "My Brothers a Basehead," both true-life occurrences. Yet other tracks betray a brittle, insular state of mind; one running skit features a group of street thugs who ultimately throw the album in the trash for not having enough pimps, guns, or curse words. There are vicious parodies of hip-house and hardcore rap, and the single "Ring Ring Ring (Ha Ha Hey)" complains about being harassed into listening to lousy demo tapes. Plus, the negativity of the bizarre, half-sung "Johnnys Dead" and the hostile narrator on "Who Do U Worship?" seemingly comes out of nowhere. Dead is clearly the product of a group staggering under the weight of expectations, yet even if its less cohesive and engaging, its still often fascinating in spite of its flaws. | ||
 | Album: 3 of 24 Title: De La Remix Released: 1992 Tracks: 16 Duration: 1:02:13 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Jenifa (Taught Me) (04:46) 2 Skip 2 My Loop (01:07) 3 They Don’t Know That the Soul Dont Go for That (Potholes instrumental) (03:25) 4 Me, Myself and I (Oblados Mode) (03:38) 5 Freedom of Speak (02:53) 6 Strictly Dan Stuckie (A Home Production) (00:38) 7 Brain Washed Follower (03:01) 8 Ghetto Thang (Ghetto Ximer) (03:45) 9 Ain’t Hip to Be Labelled a Hippie (01:54) 10 What’s More (from O.S.T. “Hell on 1st Ave.”) (02:10) 11 The Mack Daddy on the Left (02:33) 12 Say No Go (Say No Dope mix) (06:09) 13 Buddy (Native Tongue Decision) (07:17) 14 Ring, Ring, Ring, (Party Line mix) (06:56) 15 A Roller Skating Jam Named “Saturdays” (Dave’s Home mix) (06:23) 16 Keeping the Faith (Just a Touch mix) (05:38) |
 | Album: 4 of 24 Title: The Best Released: 1992 Tracks: 18 Duration: 1:14:45 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Tread Water (Stonebridges Pumpin mix) (06:54) 2 Skip 2 My Loop (01:08) 3 They Dont Know That The Soul Dont Go for That (Potholes in My Lawn instrumental) (03:25) 4 Freedom of Speak (03:08) 5 Strictly Dan Stuckie (00:26) 6 Me Myself and I (03:38) 7 Brainwashed Follower (03:03) 8 Ghetto Thang (03:55) 9 Aint Hip to Be Labelled a Hippie (01:54) 10 Whats More (02:09) 11 Say No Go (Say No Dope mix) (06:14) 12 Eye Know (03:59) 13 Buddy (Native Tongue Decision) (07:16) 14 Ring Ring Ring (Ha Ha Hey) (Party Line mix) (06:05) 15 A Roller Skating Jam Named "Saturdays" (Daves Home mix) (06:23) 16 Keeping the Faith (Just a Touch mix) (05:38) 17 Ring Ring Ring (Ha Ha Hey) (Sax mix) (05:13) 18 Tread Water (Stonebridges Local mix) (04:09) |
 | Album: 5 of 24 Title: Buhlo͞one Mind State Released: 1993-09-21 Tracks: 15 Duration: 48:17 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Intro (00:52) 2 Eye Patch (02:28) 3 En Focus (03:15) 4 Patti Dooke (05:54) 5 I Be Blowin’ (04:58) 6 Long Island Wildin’ (01:30) 7 Ego Trippin’, Part Two (03:52) 8 Paul’s Revenge (00:43) 9 3 Days Later (02:39) 10 Area (03:31) 11 I Am I Be (05:03) 12 In the Woods (04:03) 13 Breakadawn (04:15) 14 Dave Has a Problem… Seriously (00:54) 15 Stone Age (04:14) |
 | Album: 6 of 24 Title: Clear Lake Audiotorium Released: 1994 Tracks: 6 Duration: 31:45 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 In the Woods (04:02) 2 I Am I Be (05:03) 3 Sh.Fe.MC’s (04:35) 4 I Be Blowin’ (05:01) 5 Patti Dooke (05:40) 6 Stix & Stonz (07:22) |
 | Album: 7 of 24 Title: More Supa Sweet Stakes, Baby Released: 1996 Tracks: 6 Duration: 23:16 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 4 More (clean version) (04:16) 2 4 More (Junod clean remix) (04:33) 3 Baby Baby Baby Baby Ooh Baby (New LP version) (03:11) 4 Supa Emcees (clean version) (03:39) 5 Sweet Dreams (clean version) (03:24) 6 Stakes Is High (Spinna clean remix) (04:13) |
 | Album: 8 of 24 Title: Stakes Is High Released: 1996-06-28 Tracks: 17 Duration: 1:08:17 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Intro (02:36) 2 Supa Emcees (03:40) 3 The Bizness (05:42) 4 Wonce Again Long Island (03:39) 5 Dinninit (04:21) 6 Brakes (04:07) 7 Dog Eat Dog (03:38) 8 Baby Baby Baby Baby Ooh Baby (02:08) 9 Long Island Degrees (03:27) 10 Betta Listen (04:28) 11 Itzsoweezee (Hot) (04:48) 12 4 More (04:18) 13 Big Brother Beat (03:43) 14 Down Syndrome (03:04) 15 Pony Ride (05:27) 16 Stakes Is High (05:30) 17 Sunshine (03:41) |
| Stakes Is High : Allmusic album Review : Stakes Is High is often overshadowed by its predecessors in the De La Soul discography and, upon its release, it was lost in a summer of great import and consequence. Released on the same day as Nas alter-ego epic It Was Written and sandwiched between albums like Jay-Zs Reasonable Doubt and OutKasts ATLiens, its very possible that Stakes Is High didnt get its rightful burn in respective tape decks and CD players. Aside from that, hip-hop was fully embroiled in the East Coast vs. West Coast beef, something in which the Native Tongues vanguards were seeming nonplayers. But its under these conditions that De La offered an album that was not only sonically excellent and creative and pure, but an album with the years most relevant and prescient message. The stakes were indeed high. Inter-genre violence was bubbling beneath the surface, overshadowing the turn hip-hop was taking -- a turn away from what was a mid-90s renaissance of the late-80s golden age excellence, quickly evolving into what is now known as the jiggy era. On "The Bizness" -- a song featuring the quickly maturing Common before his lyrical touchstone One Day Itll All Makes Sense -- Dave spits "Do not connect us with those champagne-sippin money-fakers." Hip-hop was at a crossroads, a precipice -- whatever youd like to call it -- and De La were concerned. "Supa Emcees" asked "Whatever happened to the MC?" and cautioned "MCing aint for you!" "Dog Eat Dog" asserted that folks were "fucking my love in all the wrong places" -- an obvious metaphor. "Baby Baby Baby Baby Ooh Baby" is a sharp satire of the Bad Boy-style hip-hop that was beginning its reign, fit with a beat as Hitmen-esque as an 80s R&B revision with Posdnuos rhyming in a conspicuously Biggie-like cadence. No, this was not an unabashed hip-hop classic like 3 Feet High and Rising and De La Soul Is Dead, or as provocative and fresh as some of its 1996 peers. It was, however, an entertaining and unapologetic De La album that placed hip-hop in front of a mirror. Its also an album that did its part to solve what De La were articulating as a problem, ushering in what would become the newer version of the Native Tongues, with multi-production from a young Jay Dee, Mos Defs introduction to most listeners, the aforementioned Common cameo, and hooks from Erykah Badu and Zhané, artists leading the burgeoning neo-soul movement of the time. It was as if De La were providing an antidote. Stakes Is High is an important album of this era, an album of great production and the most skilled of MCs who diagnosed symptoms of what they believed were hip-hop health complications -- but it offered the medicine. | ||
 | Album: 9 of 24 Title: Remixes Released: 1996-08-21 Tracks: 13 Duration: 52:32 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Skip 2 My Loop (01:10) 2 Strictly Dan Stuckie (00:43) 3 Freedom of Speak (We Got More Than Three) (04:19) 4 The Magic Number (Too Mad mix) (04:57) 5 Me Myself and I/Say No Go (The Unity mix) (04:18) 6 Say No Go (House of Love mix) (05:56) 7 Eye Know (The Kiss mix) (04:50) 8 Brain Washed Follower (03:02) 9 Aint Hip to Be Labelled a Hippie (01:56) 10 Ring Ring Ring (Ha Ha Hey) (Party Line mix) (04:09) 11 Ring Ring Ring (Ha Ha Hey) / Piles and Piles of Demo Tapes Bi-Da Miles (Conleys Decision) (04:08) 12 A Roller Skating Jam Named Saturdays (disco Fever mix) (06:56) 13 A Roller Skating Jam Named Saturdays (6:00 AM mix) (06:08) |
 | Album: 10 of 24 Title: Art Official Intelligence: Mosaic Thump Released: 2000-08-08 Tracks: 17 Duration: 1:06:43 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Spitkicker.com / Say R (01:19) 2 U Can Do (Life) (04:23) 3 My Writes (05:29) 4 Oooh (05:24) 5 Thru Ya City (03:29) 6 I.C. Y’All (03:21) 7 View (04:18) 8 Set the Mood (04:23) 9 All Good? (04:59) 10 Declaration (02:56) 11 Squat! (04:14) 12 Words From the Chief Rocker (01:01) 13 With Me (04:50) 14 Copa (Cabanga) (04:06) 15 Foolin’ (04:22) 16 The Art of Getting Jumped (03:48) 17 U Don’t Wanna B.D.S. (04:13) |
| Art Official Intelligence: Mosaic Thump : Allmusic album Review : De La Soul came storming back after four years of recording inactivity -- and practically a decade out of the hip-hop limelight -- with a promise to release three full albums in a series they dubbed Art Official Intelligence. From the first volume, Mosaic Thump, its clear that despite laudable ambitions, comeback albums should be focused and lean, not as flabby as this one. Unfortunately, the trio of Posdnuos, PA Mase, and Dave (formerly Trugoy the Dove) fall into the same trap they did on 1991s De La Soul Is Dead; an inventive, intelligent group attempts to prove themselves flexible enough to survive in a changing music world, and subsequently loses most of their appeal in the process. Mosaic Thump begins with "U Can Do (Life)," a surprisingly weak attempt at hip-hop soul. Posdnuos raps are occasionally thoughtful and clever, but he seems obsessed with being as hardcore as DMX or Jay-Z. Aside from a few solid productions by outsiders (Ad Libs "My Writes," Jaydees "Thru Ya City," Rockwilders "I.C. YAll." with Busta Rhymes), most of Mosaic Thump was produced by De La Soul themselves, and the music is just as limpid and flat as the rapping. | ||
 | Album: 11 of 24 Title: AOI: Bionix Released: 2001-12-04 Tracks: 18 Duration: 55:16 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Intro (00:29) 2 Bionix (02:43) 3 Baby Phat (03:50) 4 Simply (04:05) 5 Simply Havin (00:48) 6 Held Down (04:54) 7 Reverend Do Good #1 (01:05) 8 Watch Out (03:37) 9 Special (03:36) 10 Reverend Do Good #2 (01:14) 11 The Sauce (02:25) 12 Am I Worth You? (04:01) 13 Pawn Star (04:06) 14 What We Do (for Love) (05:04) 15 Reverend Do Good #3 (02:20) 16 Peer Pressure (05:09) 17 It’s American (01:10) 18 Trying People (04:31) |
| AOI: Bionix : Allmusic album Review : Ever since their 1989 debut with 3 Feet High and Rising, De La Soul have puzzled fans by continually resisting the laid-back grooves and intelligent message tracks of hip-hops best first album ever. From their sophomore rebuke, De La Soul Is Dead, to the harder-than-thou Mosaic Thump, the trio has often sacrificed happiness for hardcore, even when its clear they do positivity better than any other rap group. Bionix, the second volume in De La Souls comeback trilogy, Art Official Intelligence, presents the trio in astronaut gear on the cover, while inside a female-vocal intro proclaims the new De La Soul: "Better, stronger, faster." Listeners a bit doubtful after the rapid disappearance of first installment Mosaic Thump can rest easy; the trio sounds positively refreshed here, finally content to concentrate on its specialties: wrapping groovy, sparkling productions around smart, sympathetic themes with rapping that doesnt scrimp just because theyre not gangsta. "Baby Phat" is first, a wickedly wonderful tribute to the beautiful black woman in all of her various shapes and figures. Producer Dave West spins a beautiful sample (from Wings "Wonderful Christmas Time") for the highlight, a mid-tempo hand-waver named "Simply." Though this is by no means a hardcore album, the trio also spits a few bars, criticizing the easy answers of organized religion on "Held Down" (as well as on the three "Rev. Do Good" interludes scattered during the rest of the LP). De La Soul handed virtually all of the production duties over to the talented West, and it pays off doubly, not only giving Bionix a great sense of album flow, but freeing up the trio to concentrate on its excellent rapping (probably the best since their debut). It hardly seemed possible that De La Soul were capable of such incredible work after being lapped by most of the hip-hop world, but Bionix ranks right up there with 3 Feet High and Rising. | ||
 | Album: 12 of 24 Title: The Works Released: 2002-07 Tracks: 15 Duration: 1:17:24 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 The Magic Number (Too Mad mix) (04:56) 2 Jenifa (Taught Me) (12″ version) (04:42) 3 Me, Myself and I (Badmarsh & Shri remix) (04:01) 4 The Mack Daddy on the Left (02:34) 5 Say No Go (Say No Dope mix) (06:15) 6 Buddy (Native Tongue Decision) (07:16) 7 Ring, Ring, Ring (Ha Ha Hey) (Party Line mix) (06:51) 8 A Roller Skating Jam Named “Saturdays” (06:23) 9 Keeping the Faith (Just a Touch mix) (05:39) 10 Stakes Is High (original) (05:30) 11 Itsoweezee (Hot) (04:48) 12 Oooh (original) (03:34) 13 All Good (Ugo & Sanz Chaka’s Affair) (07:25) 14 Baby Phat (dirty) (03:52) 15 Simply (French radio edit) (03:32) |
 | Album: 13 of 24 Title: Timeless: The Singles Collection Released: 2003-05-27 Tracks: 19 Duration: 1:18:48 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Eye Know (04:12) 2 Say No Go (04:20) 3 En Focus (03:15) 4 Me, Myself and I (03:41) 5 Buddy (04:55) 6 Ring Ring (Hey Hey Hey) (05:07) 7 Roller Skating Jam Named Saturdays (04:02) 8 Jenifa Taught Me (Derwin’s Revenge) (03:25) 9 Breakadawn (04:15) 10 Keepin the Faith (LP version) (04:45) 11 Thru Ya City (03:29) 12 Simply (04:05) 13 Watch Out (03:37) 14 Held Down (04:54) 15 Millie Pulled a Pistol on Santa (Full mix) (04:09) 16 Copa (Cabanga) (04:06) 17 Baby Phat (03:50) 18 Oooh (03:38) 19 All Good? (04:59) |
| Timeless: The Singles Collection : Allmusic album Review : A singles collection from the authors of hip-hops greatest full-length? True, De La Soul may not be as desperate for this type of compilation as a notoriously album-weak rapper like Busta Rhymes, but Rhinos Timeless: The Singles Collection is an excellent alternate look at one of alternative raps finest crews. As with nearly every other Rhino compilation to hit the shelves, its presented in chronological order, with no major (or minor) highlights missing, emphasizing the best periods but also stubbornly refusing to shirk latter-day material (yes, taking four tracks from 1996s Stakes Is High is definitely pushing things). In direct opposition to the usual Rhino compilation, however, over half of the versions here are remixes -- and mostly superior versions at that, not radically different from the familiar album tracks -- taken from singles. For instance, each of the six tracks here from their masterpiece, 3 Feet High and Rising, are mixes, including a skeletal, hard-hitting rework of "Plug Tunin," the far superior posse version of "Buddy" (featuring Jungle Brothers, Q-Tip and Phife, Queen Latifah, and Monie Love), and the radio version of the P-Funk classic "Me Myself and I" (their biggest hit, natch). The disc also includes nearly all the cant-miss jams from later albums ("A Roller Skating Jam Named Saturdays," "Breakadawn," "Ego Trippin," "Stakes Is High," "Baby Phat"), making it the perfect complement for fans who thought they only needed one De La Soul disc. | ||
 | Album: 14 of 24 Title: The Best Of Released: 2003-06-02 Tracks: 17 Duration: 1:10:48 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Me Myself and I (03:44) 2 Say No Go (04:20) 3 Eye Know (04:12) 4 The Magic Number (03:16) 5 Potholes in My Lawn (03:49) 6 Buddy (04:55) 7 Ring Ring Ring (Ha Ha Hey) (04:07) 8 A Roller Skating Jam Named “Saturdays” (04:02) 9 Keepin the Faith (LP version) (04:45) 10 Breakadawn (04:15) 11 Stakes Is High (05:30) 12 4 More (04:18) 13 Oooh (03:34) 14 All Good? (04:59) 15 Thru Ya City (03:29) 16 Baby Phat (03:50) 17 Watch Out (03:37) |
 | Album: 15 of 24 Title: Live at Tramps NYC 1996 Released: 2004 Tracks: 15 Duration: 40:38 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Maseo Intro (00:42) 2 Breakadawn (03:02) 3 Supa Emcees (03:09) 4 Potholes in My Lawn (02:37) 5 Big Brother Beat (03:57) 6 Me Myself and I (02:19) 7 Shwingalokate (01:48) 8 Ego Trippin, Part 2 (03:37) 9 Oodles of Os (02:36) 10 The Bitch in Yoo (01:37) 11 The Bizness (04:21) 12 Itzsoweezee (Hot) (02:15) 13 Buddy (03:01) 14 Stakes Is High (04:42) 15 Goodbyes (00:48) |
| Live at Tramps NYC 1996 : Allmusic album Review : From the days of the earliest Cold Crush battle tapes, live hip-hop on record has been a sketchy proposition. Theres simply no way to transmit the energy and community feeling of a live show onto wax or tape or disc, and sludgy audio quality has rarely convinced anyone other than the hardcore to risk an investment. For reasons unknown, De La Soul, those ambassadors of hip-hop exuberance despite their professorial inclinations, were gifted by Tommy Boy/Rhino with a release of one of their live shows -- a May 13, 1996, gig at Tramps in New York City. First, the date raises a question: why target the year when De La Soul released their most bungled LP? Worse yet, the sound quality is barely at the level of an audience recording; the vocals arent balanced and make up nearly 75 percent of the mix, while beats, basslines, and an occasional sample are left to wallow in the murk. The core trio are joined by several guests, including Mos Def, then an unknown property but just about to make his De La debut on Stakes Is High. Common stops by for a pair of tracks, and the Jungle Brothers take the stage for one of the few highlights, a reprise of their 1989 single "Buddy." | ||
 | Album: 16 of 24 Title: De La Mix Tape: Remixes, Rarities & Classics Released: 2004-06-08 Tracks: 14 Duration: 54:15 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Stakes Is High (remix) (04:49) 2 Oodles of O’s (03:33) 3 Trouble in the Water (03:45) 4 Piles and Piles of Demo Tapes Bi‐Da Miles (Conley’s Decision) (04:06) 5 I.C. Y’all (03:20) 6 Big Brother Beat (03:43) 7 More Than U Know (04:23) 8 Sweet Dreams (03:27) 9 The Magic Number (03:16) 10 Potholes in My Lawn (live 1996) (02:36) 11 The Hustle (03:53) 12 Itz Soweezee (Hot) (De La Soul remix) (04:38) 13 Stakes Is High (DJ Spinna – original vocal) (04:41) 14 My Myself and I (Badmarsh + Shri remix) (04:02) |
 | Album: 17 of 24 Title: The Grind Date Released: 2004-10-04 Tracks: 12 Duration: 49:00 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 The Future (03:50) 2 Verbal Clap (03:17) 3 Much More (04:05) 4 Shopping Bags (She Got From You) (03:57) 5 The Grind Date (03:23) 6 Church (05:33) 7 It’s Like That (04:37) 8 He Comes (03:44) 9 Days of Our Lives (03:52) 10 Come On Down (05:02) 11 No (04:35) 12 Rock Co.Kane Flow (03:05) |
| The Grind Date : Allmusic album Review : De La Soul were interrupted just before they could deliver the third volume in their AOI series -- projected to be a DJ album -- to Tommy Boy. (The label perhaps bailed out from a 15-year relationship precisely because the group was going to release such a commercially bankrupt title, one that was planned instead to appear on an independent label run by Maseo.) De La Soul quickly realized they couldnt go ahead with the plan after signing their AOI label to Sanctuary, so they wrote a new record, The Grind Date. Although it may see them settling into a holding pattern, at least the pattern of 2001s AOI: Bionix is one that any hip-hop fan wont mind hearing repeated. Better yet, it boasts productions from an excellent cast of figures -- partner in crime Supa Dave West, author of the best tracks on their AOI series, J-Dilla, whos stretching out his patented (read: overdone) sound to embrace classic hip-hop, an only slightly commercialized Madlib, and young phenom 9th Wonder. Madlib gets what must be the first lead single of his career, a bright, antimaterialist tale called "Shopping Bags (She Got From You)" that thumps like a club tune, but lurches as only the Beat Conductor could do it. "Verbal Clap" finds J-Dilla allowing some grit into his productions, and Supa Dave only continues floating the most fluidly catchy productions of any rap producer in action. Meanwhile, De La Soul voices Posdnuos and Dave balance their time breezing easy on bumping message tracks with a few old-school shots that show them a bit defensive about the passing of time. (Check out "Come On Down," a Madlib-produced shot with Flava Flav, or "Days of Our Lives" featuring Common.) Without a concept to tout, The Grind Date doesnt gel like AOI: Bionix, but it does show De La Soul keeping everything together more than 15 years after their debut. After all, you certainly wouldnt see MF Doom guesting on a Tone-Loc record. | ||
 | Album: 18 of 24 Title: The Impossible: Mission TV Series, Part 1 Released: 2006-10-24 Tracks: 33 Duration: 54:04 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Impossible Intro (01:03) 2 Live @ the Dugout 87’ (02:48) 3 Voodoo Circus (02:52) 4 Friends (02:43) 5 What the Fuck #1 (01:49) 6 Go Out and Get It (02:33) 7 Respect (03:33) 8 Beef (00:58) 9 Reverse Your Steps (02:13) 10 You Got It (02:16) 11 What the Fuck #2 (04:06) 12 Just Havin’ a Ball (02:53) 13 What If? (00:31) 14 Relax (02:59) 15 Wasn’t for You (04:50) 16 The Corner (02:58) 17 Freestyle (Dat Shit) 2006 (02:38) 18 What the Fuck #3 (01:57) 19 Freedom Train (02:47) 20 [silence] (00:04) 21 [silence] (00:04) 22 [silence] (00:04) 23 [silence] (00:04) 24 [silence] (00:04) 25 [silence] (00:04) 26 [silence] (00:04) 27 [silence] (00:04) 28 [silence] (00:04) 29 [silence] (00:04) 30 [silence] (00:04) 31 [silence] (00:04) 32 [silence] (00:04) 33 Buddy (live in Tokyo) (04:38) |
 | Album: 19 of 24 Title: The Platinum Collection Released: 2007-10-29 Tracks: 16 Duration: 1:11:39 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Me Myself and I (03:50) 2 Say No Go (04:20) 3 Jenifa Taught Me (Derwin’s Revenge) (03:25) 4 Buddy (04:55) 5 Ring Ring Ring (Ha Ha Hey) (05:06) 6 Keepin the Faith (LP version) (04:45) 7 Breakadawn (04:15) 8 In the Woods (04:03) 9 Ego Trippin (Part 2) (03:52) 10 4 More (04:18) 11 The Bizness (05:42) 12 Stakes Is High (05:30) 13 Long Island Degrees (03:27) 14 All Good? (04:59) 15 Baby Phat (03:50) 16 Oooh (05:20) |
 | Album: 20 of 24 Title: Are You In?: Nike+ Original Run Released: 2009-04-28 Tracks: 1 Duration: 44:17 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Are You In?: Nike+ Original Run (Continuous mix) (44:17) |
 | Album: 21 of 24 Title: Original Album Series Released: 2012-09-03 Tracks: 101 Duration: 5:13:06 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Intro (01:41) 2 The Magic Number (03:16) 3 Change in Speak (02:32) 4 Cool Breeze on the Rocks (00:48) 5 Can U Keep a Secret (01:40) 6 Jenifa Taught Me (Derwin’s Revenge) (03:25) 7 Ghetto Thang (03:35) 8 Transmitting Live From Mars (01:11) 9 Eye Know (04:12) 10 Take It Off (01:52) 11 A Little Bit of Soap (00:56) 12 Tread Water (03:46) 13 Potholes in My Lawn (03:50) 14 Say No Go (04:20) 15 Do as De La Does (02:12) 16 Plug Tunin’ (Last Chance to Comprehend) (04:06) 17 De La Orgee (01:13) 18 Buddy (04:55) 19 Description (01:31) 20 Me Myself and I (03:50) 21 This Is a Recording 4 Living in a Fulltime Era (L.I.F.E.) (03:09) 22 I Can Do Anything (Delacratic) (00:41) 23 D.A.I.S.Y. Age (04:42) 24 Plug Tunin’ (original 12″ version) (03:43) 1 Intro (02:14) 2 Oodles of O’s (03:33) 3 Talkin’ Bout Hey Love (02:27) 4 Pease Porridge (05:02) 5 Skit 1 (00:26) 6 Johnny’s Dead aka Vincent Mason (live from the BK Lounge) (01:57) 7 A Roller Skating Jam Named “Saturdays” (04:02) 8 WRMS’ Dedication to the Bitty (00:46) 9 Bitties in the BK Lounge (05:40) 10 Skit 2 (00:31) 11 My Brother’s a Basehead (04:20) 12 Let, Let Me In (03:26) 13 Afro Connections at a Hi 5 (In the Eyes of the Hoodlum) (04:03) 14 Rap De Rap Show (02:20) 15 Millie Pulled a Pistol on Santa (Full mix) (04:09) 16 Who Do U Worship? (02:00) 17 Skit 3 (00:33) 18 Kicked Out the House (01:56) 19 Pass the Plugs (03:30) 20 Not Over Till the Fat Lady Plays the Demo (01:30) 21 Ring Ring Ring (Ha Ha Hey) (05:06) 22 WRMS: Cat’s in Control (00:34) 23 Skit 4 (00:12) 24 Shwingalokate (04:13) 25 Fanatic of the B Word (04:09) 26 Keepin the Faith (LP version) (04:45) 27 Skit 5 (00:33) 1 Intro (00:52) 2 Eye Patch (02:28) 3 En Focus (03:15) 4 Patti Dooke (05:54) 5 I Be Blowin’ (04:58) 6 Long Island Wildin’ (01:30) 7 Ego Trippin’, Part Two (03:52) 8 Paul’s Revenge (00:43) 9 3 Days Later (02:39) 10 Area (03:31) 11 I Am I Be (05:03) 12 In the Woods (04:03) 13 Breakadawn (04:15) 14 Dave Has a Problem… Seriously (00:54) 15 Stone Age (04:14) 1 Intro (02:36) 2 Supa Emcees (03:40) 3 The Bizness (05:42) 4 Wonce Again Long Island (03:39) 5 Dinninit (04:21) 6 Brakes (04:07) 7 Dog Eat Dog (03:38) 8 Baby Baby Baby Baby Ooh Baby (02:08) 9 Long Island Degrees (03:27) 10 Betta Listen (04:28) 11 Itzsoweezee (Hot) (04:48) 12 4 More (04:18) 13 Big Brother Beat (03:43) 14 Down Syndrome (03:04) 15 Pony Ride (05:27) 16 Stakes Is High (05:30) 17 Sunshine (03:41) 1 Intro (00:29) 2 Bionix (02:43) 3 Baby Phat (03:50) 4 Simply (04:05) 5 Simply Havin (00:48) 6 Held Down (04:54) 7 Reverend Do Good #1 (01:05) 8 Watch Out (03:37) 9 Special (03:36) 10 Reverend Do Good #2 (01:14) 11 The Sauce (02:25) 12 Am I Worth You? (04:01) 13 Pawn Star (04:06) 14 What We Do (for Love) (05:04) 15 Reverend Do Good #3 (02:20) 16 Peer Pressure (05:09) 17 It’s American (01:10) 18 Trying People (04:31) |
 | Album: 22 of 24 Title: Smell the Da.I.S.Y. (Da Inner Soul of Yancy) Released: 2014-03-26 Tracks: 11 Duration: 29:07 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Let the King Ascend (01:05) 2 Who (02:07) 3 Dilla Plugged In (03:11) 4 Goes With the Word (02:38) 5 Vocabulary Spills (02:28) 6 The Pitch (01:54) 7 Taking the Train (03:35) 8 Leave Your Cares Behind (02:54) 9 O’Shut Up (02:36) 10 No More No Less (01:56) 11 Marvin Jaye (04:43) |
 | Album: 23 of 24 Title: For Your Pain & Suffering Released: 2016-04-29 Tracks: 4 Duration: 12:49 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 The Devil Likes Candy (02:07) 2 TrainWreck (03:17) 3 Beautiful Night (03:13) 4 Schoolyard Studios (04:12) |
 | Album: 24 of 24 Title: And the Anonymous Nobody Released: 2016-08-16 Tracks: 17 Duration: 1:08:07 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Genesis (01:36) 2 Royalty Capes (03:46) 3 Pain (04:39) 4 Property of Spitkicker.com (05:32) 5 Memory of… (US) (04:55) 6 CBGB’s (01:20) 7 Lord Intended (07:16) 8 Snoopies (04:15) 9 Greyhounds (05:26) 10 Sexy Bitch (01:31) 11 Trainwreck (03:17) 12 Drawn (05:33) 13 Whoodeeni (04:31) 14 Nosed Up (03:57) 15 You Go Dave (A Goldblatt Presentation) (01:20) 16 Here in After (05:41) 17 Exodus (03:24) |
| And the Anonymous Nobody : Allmusic album Review : After releasing The Grind Date in 2004, the venerable hip hop pioneers De La Soul were quiet on the album front until 2016s And the Anonymous Nobody. They were pretty busy otherwise though, working with the Gorillaz, making mixtapes, touring, and attempting to release their back catalog for free, much to Warner Bros. dismay. Dave and Posdnuos even made an album together, 2012s De La Souls Plug 1 & Plug 2 Presents... By 2015, the trio were ready to make another record, this time without record label politics or samples. After a successful Kickstarter campaign raised some funds, they gathered up a group of friends and musicians from their live band, then began recording beats and jams, almost 200 hours worth. They then took the best bits, constructed a batch of songs, and started working on a guest list. Though Willie Nelson and Axl Rose turned them down, old pal Damon Albarn and an impressive array of people like Usher, Jill Scott, Snoop Dogg, 2Chainz, and David Byrne did sign on. Working with live musicians and guests inspired the group to take their sound to new places, along with their laid-back golden age rap style. "Lord Intended," which features vocals by Darkness frontman Justin Hawkins, swerves into hard-rocking, guitar soloing territory, the Damon Albarn feature "Here in After" is jangling indie rock, and "Unfold" dips into Wild West cowboy balladry. Whether these tracks work might depend on the listeners tolerance for rock-rap crossovers, but unlike most artists this late in their career, at least the band is trying new things. The best of the left-field collabos is the Afrofunk-sampling, David Byrne-sung "Snoopies," which sounds like a Talking Heads song and a classic De La song jammed together in slapdash fashion. Like most of the others though, its still a bit too contrived to succeed. Where the album shines is when the band loses any experimental pretense and just drops some solid hip-hop. Tracks like "Pain" and "Trainwreck" are funky and loose, "Royalty Capes" is tough and tight, "Whoodeeni" is lots of fun, and "Memory Of..." is a sweet, nostalgic, and sad ballad with classic Pete Rock production and lovely vocals by Estelle. In a better world, it would be a radio hit. On these tracks, Dave and Pos drop memorable lines and nimbly thread their raps through the live instrumentation like the seasoned pros they are, sounding like they havent aged much at all since Three Feet High, though their lyrical concerns are definitely more grown up at this point. Strip away the failed experiments and odd left turns (like the pointlessly aggressive "CBGBs" or the sappy pop-R&B ballad with Usher, "Greyhounds") and theres a really good hip hop album left at the core. If they had stuck with what they do best, it would have been one of their stronger albums. As it is, its a bit of a confused mess that needs some serious editing. | ||