De La Soul

De La Soul is a massively influential alternative rap group, best known for innovating the jazz rap style. Posdnuos, Trugoy the Dove and Pasemaster Mase formed the group in high school and caught the attention of producer Prince Paul with a demo tape of the song "Plug Tunin'". Their debut album, 3 Feet High and Rising, was a critical smash that saw the group labeled hippies due to the message of peace and love. They quickly became the leaders of the Native Tongues Posse, along with A Tribe Called Quest, Black Sheep, Queen Latifah, The Jungle Brothers and others. "Me, Myself and I" became a huge hit, further cementing the group's popularity. However, rock group the Turtles sued the group for sampling "You Showed Me" without permission on De La Soul's "Transmitting Live from Mars". From that point on, sampling required permission from the sources before it was released.

De La Soul's second album, De La Soul Is Dead (1991) received mixed reviews and did not sell as well. 1993's Buhloone Mindstate and 1996's Stakes Is High saw the group evolve a new sound, that although again did not garner commercial success, did cement their position as mainstays of the alternative rap movement. Four years following that, De La Soul made a sort of comeback with the first of a three-part series entitled Art Official Intelligence: Mosaic Thump.

latest album

Art Official Intelligence vol.2: Bionix