De La Soul Is Not Dead takes it all the way back to Amityville, Long Island — a suburban hip hop mecca where three highly creative individuals and high school classmates linked up with DJ Prince Paul and shopped a demo tape to Tommy Boy Records. The label that brought the world “Planet Rock” would soon have another smash hit on their hands with “Me Myself and I” and De La Soul, the so-called “Hippies of Hip Hop.” But little did they know what the future would hold.
Many of De La Soul’s early classics are difficult to find on digital music platforms due to complex sample clearance issues. As a result, their impact on the development of hip hop is felt from the group’s Native Tongues affiliates through Kanye West, Pharrell, and Kendrick Lamar.
It’s been twenty-five years since “De La Soul Is Dead,” the group’s iconoclastic sophomore album, and twenty years since “Stakes Is High,” their first project without Prince Paul at the helm. These two pivotal releases positioned the group on the career trajectory that leads them to this extraordinary moment. Last week De La Soul’s latest release, “And The Anonymous Nobody,” topped Billboard’s Rap Albums Chart. Funded by a half-million-dollar Kickstarter bonanza, the group’s first new album in over a decade features diverse guest spots from Snoop Dogg to David Byrne. What better time to look back at the legendary trio’s rise through the rap game?
Don’t sleep on these Long Island cats. They’re definitely onto something.
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I love Dela… Fun Fact: Dela Soul and Prince Paul are the reason why they have copyright infringement laws lol. First rap group to get sued for sampling without permission
One of the greatest groups in Music..Period
i like how tommy records are saying that de la soul is great, but they don't even put they're albums in no Spotify or apple music
It’s how the life learned me hip-hop ! I feel gratefull to be there for this lesson. That made my education ( sorry for my english from France)
maseo's voice! always feel like im listening to an interlude when he talks
Great doc thanks for the upload cheers from montreal
We need a de la tv show like wu tang
MASS APPEAL.
THE MERGING OF THE 3 GREATEST MINDS IN HIPHOP, GURU, PREMO AND NAS AS THE OWNER.
EDUCATING US ON THE GREATEST TRIO TO EVER DO IT
MASS APPEAL'S ALWAYS GONNA TRUMP REVOLT!
interesting they didn't mention AOI series at all LOL – it was a difficult concept to grasp with De La doing all that futuristic nonsense.
@10:00 from the great Documentary 'history of electronic music' or something like that. LOL
Salute to De La Soul for getting their Masters
So glad that they came along and stayed here.
Congratz on DeLa getting their masters!!!
Yes! They got their masters back yeah!
Tommy donated. Donate their catalog!
sometimes i think about the homeless man who talks at the intro to 'stakes is high' and wonder where/how he is now
My day 1's.. de la soul.. me myself and I
These brothas are still dope!
These brothas are still dope!
The Stakes Is High is my favourite rap record of all time.
It’s shame how white people control black art and how it’s assimilate to the mass. They can’t understand it completely or feel it.
The most influential group of all time! Love you guys from the hiphop community!!!
De La Soul was a revolution ❤️
Love this
BUHLOON MINDSTATE IS UNTOUCHABLE
Give THEM THEIR ART BACK!!! OR YOU WILL PAY THE ULTIMATE PRICE…
These guys are poets…it makes the route they took make sense when I realized that.
Classic group. One of my most favorite!
In a time of violence I looked forward to listening to these Rap beast!!!
Luv De La Soul ,,, As ya do!!!
De La Soul should be eating off their music Tommy Boy is doing them dirty smh
We need de la soul world tour. 2021 peace.
Looking at this is making me smile so big…
tryna drain jus-in-gzusus…
Will always be legends in my books…
It will always remind me of being 16/17 and not giving a 2 piece
I will always love them
I love Dela… Fun Fact: Dela Soul and Prince Paul are the reason why they have copyright infringement laws lol. First rap group to get sued for sampling without permission
Hardest working men in hip hop