De La Soul

De La Soul is a massively influential alternative hip hop group, best known for their eclectic sampling and quirky, surreal lyrics, and their contributions to the evolution of the jazz rap subgenre. Kelvin Mercer (Pos, Posdnuos, Plug One), David Jude Jolic?ur (Trugoy, Trugoy the Dove, Dave, Plug Two) and Vincent Mason (Pasemaster Mase, Maseo, Plug Three) formed the group in high school and caught the attention of producer Paul Huston (Prince Paul) with a demo tape of the song "Plug Tunin'".

Related Topics:
Alternative hip hop - Jazz rap - Producer - Prince Paul

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Their debut album, 3 Feet High and Rising (1989), was a critical smash that saw the group labeled hippies due to the message of peace and love. They quickly became prominent members of the Zulu Nation, 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.

Related Topics:
3 Feet High and Rising - 1989 - Hippie - Zulu Nation - A Tribe Called Quest - Black Sheep - Queen Latifah - The Jungle Brothers - The Turtles - Sampling

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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 '. This was followed by ' in late 2001. In 2004 De La Soul released The Grind Date, their seventh album.

Related Topics:
De La Soul Is Dead - 1991 - 1993 - Buhloone Mindstate - 1996 - Stakes Is High - Alternative rap - The Grind Date

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In 2005, they featured on the new Gorillaz single, "Feel Good Inc." and on the LA Symphony single "Universal".

Related Topics:
2005 - Gorillaz - LA Symphony

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