De La Soul

De La Soul

Artist

De La Soul is the Long Island, New York trio consisting of Posdnous, Trugoy the Dove and Maseo. They began as ushers of the “D.A.I.S.Y. Age,” which helped earn them a label of “hip-hop hippies” when they dropped their 1989 debut album, 3 Feet High and Rising.

Along with A Tribe Called Quest and Jungle Brothers, De La Soul were founding members of the Native Tongues collective, a crew that released lighthearted and witty tracks, including De La Soul singles such as “Me, Myself and I,” “Potholes in My Lawn,” “Ring Ring Ring (Ha Ha Hey),” “A Roller Skating Jam Named "Saturdays”," “Breakadawn,” and “Stakes is High” among others.

Their first four albums (3 Feet High and Rising, De La Soul is Dead, Buhloone Mindstate, and Stakes is High) were all critically acclaimed and have each been included on “best of” lists. Their 2016 album, and the Anonymous Nobody, generated buzz as the group raised money on the crowdfunding site Kickstarter to produce the album. They are also known for their multiple collaborations with the animated group Gorillaz, most notably on the single “Feel Good Inc.”

After a long legal battle, it was announced on January 3, 2023 that De La Soul’s first six albums on Tommy Boy would finally be available on streaming platforms on March 1st. On February 5, 2023, Posdnous represented the group at the Grammy Awards as he performed his verse from “Buddy” during a medley performance celebrating the 50th anniversary of hip-hop. One week later, tragedy struck the group as Dave “Trugoy the Dove” Jolicoeur passed away on February 12th at the age of 54. Pos and Maseo celebrated Dave’s life and the release of their music to streaming services at Webster Hall in New York City on March 2nd with “The D.A.I.S.Y. Experience.”