De La Soul
Veteran New York City hip-hop outfit De La Soul have denounced a new book about the trio, taking to social media to tell followers they’re “exploring” legal options in the wake of its publication.
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The book in question is High And Rising: A Book About De La Soul, published by writer Marcus J. Moore on Tuesday (Nov. 19). Moore, who had previously published The Butterfly Effect: How Kendrick Lamar Ignited the Soul of Black America in 2020 described his decision to write about the group as coming from a desire to talk about “subjects that are somewhat — if not completely — underappreciated in the literary space”.
“The first book about De La Soul, High and Rising shows that De La Soul is Black history, American history, world history, our history,” a synopsis for the book reads. “This is a tale about staying the course, and how holding true to your virtue can lead to dynamic results.”
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However, the very subject of the volume have since denounced its publication, with De La Soul noting they “want to make it absolutely clear: this is an unauthorized book, and we are not connected to it in any way.”
“For years, you’ve stood with us in our fight for ownership of our catalog and the right to benefit from the music we created. That same dedication to protecting what’s ours extends to being the ones who tell OUR story—something deeply personal and ‘De La’ to the core,” they wrote. “Our story will be told in our words, in our way, with the style you’ve come to know and love. Until then, we encourage you to indulge in the authentic DA.I.S.Y. Age by supporting projects backed by us.
“If you choose to support this book, that’s your right. We just want it to be clear that we do not and we are exploring all of our legal options. Even within this book’s title, the ‘3’ Is missing which shows how inauthentic it is because for us, ‘3’ will always be the magic number.”
De La Soul’s post closed by noting they’re “cooking up something special for Spring 2025”, with many fans in the comment section requestion they reconsider their decision, and sharing support for Moore and his work.
Formed in 1988, De La Soul quickly rose to fame in 1989 with the release of their debut album, 3 Feet High and Rising, which peaked at No. 15 on the Billboard 200 and has since been viewed as one of the greatest hip-hop albums of all time.
The group released their ninth album, And the Anonymous Nobody…, in 2016, peaking at No. 9 and serving as their last record to date. Founding member Trugoy the Dove (aka Dave Jolicoeur) passed away in 2023, just weeks before the trio’s protracted battle to bring their catalog to streaming came to an end.
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OG Hip-Hoppers know the impact that De La Soul had on the rap game when they burst onto the scene with 3 Feet High and Rising and like many Hip-Hop OG’s, the group have branched out to other business ventures and for their latest offering they showcase just what they’ve been up to and it looks hella delicious.
For their visuals to “Oodles Of O’s,” De La Soul hold court in the donut shop they opened up this past July where they’re joined by the likes of Common and Black Thought who indulge in the sugary goodness that De La Soul have been cooking up in the kitchen. R.I.P David “Trugoy the Dove” Jolicoeur.
Speaking of cookin in the kitchen, Benny The Butcher keeps on baking his own pies and for the clip to “Internal Affairs,” he, 38 Spesh and OT The Real politic on a roof in the dead of night to spit some bars, flex some jewels and drop some gems. Lowkey Griselda feels here.
Check out the rest of today’s drops including work from Nino Breeze, Rick Ross and Moneybagg Yo, A$AP Ferg, and more.
DE LA SOUL – “OODLES OF O’S”
BENNY THE BUTCHER, 38 SPESH & OT THE REAL – “INTERNAL AFFAIRS”
NINO BREEZE, RICK ROSS & MONEYBAGG YO – “TYPE A N***A”
A$AP FERG – “THOUGHT I WAS DEAD”
AB-SOUL FT. JASONMARTIN & THIRSTY P – “ALL THAT”
ARI LENNOX – “SMOKE”
FOGGIERAW – “LOVE DON’T COST A THING”
FMB DZ – “STFU”
GT STAR – “WORK”
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OG Hip-Hoppers know what De La Soul brought to the rap game when they burst onto the scene with their classic debut album, 3 Feet High and Rising, in 1989. Lucky for us, their catalog was finally made available to stream just last year—though, unfortunately, Dave aka Trugoy The Dove passed away just before it came to fruition.
In a new documentary dubbed De La Soul: Chapter 3, the group takes viewers on the painstaking journey they went through to get their music on digital platforms so us older Hip-Hop heads could once again vibe and groove to the sounds that changed the culture in the late ’80s and early ’90s. Whether it was due to sample clearances or just the contractual drama the group had with their old label, Tommy Boy, the Long Island, N.Y., representatives had a tough time getting their art into the (digital) hands and ears of their hardcore day ones for quite some time.
Now that it’s finally out for all to enjoy, we’re going to see the raw emotions and moments it took for them to get there.
In an IG post for the upcoming documentary, the caption describes just how deep this mission was for the group and why we should all pay attention once it drops.
“‘Chapter 3’ chronicles the iconic studio sessions leading up to the 2023 re-release and remaster of De La Soul’s catalog, one of the most storied music collections in hip-hop. These sessions marked the first time in almost three decades that Posdnuos, Dave, Maseo, and producer Prince Paul ventured into the same studio together in service of a De La Soul project.”
“‘Chapter 3’ captures the journey of these four grown men with a legacy to protect, as well as the memories and moments that helped them build it. The documentary provides an intimate look at the creative process, camaraderie, and passion that has defined De La Soul’s enduring legacy.”
Chapter 3 is set to livestream on June at 3 p.m. local time on De La Soul’s pages on YouTube, Facebook, X and their official website as well.
June 7 — Los Angeles, CA @ 3 PM
June 8 — Sydney, Australia @ 3 PM
June 9 — Chicago, IL @ 3 PM
June 10 — London, UK @ 3 PM
June 11 — Paris, France @ 3 PM
June 12 — Seoul, South Korea @ 3 PM
June 13 — São Paulo, Brazil @ 3 PM
June 14 — New York, NY @ 3 PM
Check out the trailer for the upcoming documentary, and let us know if you’ll be tuning in when it drops in the comments section below.
RIP Dave.
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It’s been one year since the world lost Dave aka Trugoy The Dove of De La Soul. His bandmates celebrated him on the anniversary of his passing.
The late great Trugoy The Dove, born Dave Dave Jolicoeur met his ancestors on Feb. 12, 2023. This year his friends and family remembered him on social media.
Posdnuos wrote a touching message on his Instagram account about his former partner in rhyme. “I feel conflicted posting this on this date…Dave disliked when people were publicly remembered on the day they were lost….” he revealed. “The day they transitioned but I’m sure he also respected how people chose to remember those they love and have lost. So on this day I will stand alongside all the people who cherish him as well as kept @wearedelasoul in their prayers but to be clear I miss him in the physical everyday, rep for him everyday & will talk to someone about him everyday.”
The same day the “Rock Co. Kane Flow” rapper shared some never before seen footage of the two MC’s laying down some vocals in a home studio. The official De La Soul Instagram page also sourced sound bytes from his peers and collaborators in an effort to show the world how special Dave was as a person.
Jarobi White of A Tribe Called Quest paid his respect to him saying “My favorite memory with Dave is all of them; from playing Ruthless to pass the coodies. My favorite verse of his or song should I say “Itzsoweezee (Hot)””. Common also explained how the group changed his life when he first heard “Plug Tunin’”. He reminisced on how the legendary trio took Common to London for the first time. “A couple of ladies liked me in the crowd, and I was like a couple of ladies in the crowd and that’s when Dave gave me this name – Enrique” he laughed.
Trugoy revealed he was diagnosed with congestive heart failure back in 2017. The cause of his death has never been shared publicly.
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Hip-Hop fans are in for a treat. Amazon is set to livestream a show from Nas and Wu-Tang Clan’s N.Y. State of Mind Tour.
Hip Hop N More is reporting that the streaming platform is giving the culture an opportunity to attend one of the most anticipated concerts of the year virtually. In an effort to further honor the 50th anniversary of Hip-Hop, Amazon will telecast their respective sets from the Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Washington. This is a special date as De La Soul will join the bill as special guests.
Originally announced in February of 2022 the N.Y. State of Mind Tour brings two of the most iconic brands in Rap music together for their first ever co-headlining effort. The outing proved to be a major success; so much so the concert series was extended into 2023 with international dates. Produced by Live Nation this year’s run kicked off on Tuesday, May 9th in Auckland, New Zealand at Spark Arena. It has since traveled to New Zealand, Europe, and came back to the United States back in September.
Amazon Music will stream the N.Y. State of Mind Tour on Wednesday, October 18 at 8PM PST.
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Hip-Hop legends Common and Pete Rock are teaming up to incorporate the 90’s sound into today’s flows.
During a recent appearance on MSNBC’s The Beat With Ari Melber, the Grammy award-winning rapper confirmed he has a new project on the way with the legendary hitmaker and the project’s heartbeat will be centered around Hip-Hop from the 1990s.
“I [have] been listening to a lot of ’90s Hip Hop because I [have] been creating a new project,” Common said. “I’m working on a new album with Pete Rock and just, the energy of that music, whether it’s Brand Nubian, A Tribe Called Quest, or De La Soul because they just got their music on streaming, it’s been inspiring to hear. But I am creating new music right now. I’m in a great space.”
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Pete Rock also confirmed the news by sharing a screenshot of a post regarding the fact he was working with the Chi-Town wordsmith to Instagram on Wednesday (Sept. 13) and sounded off on what people can expect from the collaboration. “You ever miss that feeling of a good release in hip hop?” he asked in the caption. “Remember how exciting that felt??? We both excited as a mafugga. I always feel like I got something to prove but its just fun to me to make music,” the 53-year-old producer wrote. “Competing to make good music with all the different personalities involved today just gotten dry. We love hip hop and you will know just how much stay tuned!!!”
https://www.instagram.com/p/CxI4PK2LuxK/
The collab marks the third reunion between the dynamic duo. Common and Pete Rock first worked together over 25 years ago for “The B*tch In Yoo.” The 1996 track from the label compilation Relativity Urban Assault found Common responding to Ice Cube and Mack 10 for “Westside Slaughterhouse”—which appeared on Mack’s self-titled debut album, and marked an early Westside Connection posse cut whereby Cube jabbed Common for his lyrics in 1994 Resurrection single and video “I Used To Love H.E.R.”
Although “The B*tch In Yoo” landed on Common’s greatest hits compilation, that beef was later squashed, as Common and Cube worked together in film and music. Common would also guest appear on Pete Rock’s solo debut Soul Survivor on the verbal assault-driven track, “Verbal Murder 2,” alongside Big Pun and N.O.R.E.
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During a sit-down with The Tonight Show host Jimmy Fallon before their now-viral performance with The Roots, the remaining members of De La Soul recounted the band’s early days. They shared a touching moment with the enthusiastic audience.
Vincent “Maseo” Mason and Kelvin “Posdnuos” Mercer shared memories with Fallon about recording the group’s seminal debut, 3 Feet High and Rising. They also led the audience in a brief, heartfelt tribute to David “Trugoy The Dove” Jolicoeur who passed away last month at 54.
Jolicoeur died just weeks before the group’s catalog hit streaming services after years of legal disputes.
Maseo and Posdnuos told Fallon about how the group met in Amityville, Long Island and recalled their first public performance opening for Stetsasonic. “We did [one] song and I remember DMC came backstage and was like, ‘Yo, do the song again,’ it was just amazing,” Mercer said.
More recently, DJ Drama announced that he has a new Gangsta Grillz mixtape coming with the group, telling Elliot Wilson and Brian “B. Dot” Miller for a new episode of Rap Radar, “For me being a mixtape DJ I was always addicted to the new sh*t. I was a teenager in the 90’s so that’s my era; that’s what I ride around listening to” he explained. “De La Soul is coming to streaming [platforms] and I couldn’t be more excited. And we got a Gangsta Grillz coming. That’s a little sidebar.”
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At the conclusion of the interview, Maseo thanked Reservoir Media which secured the group’s six-album back catalog through its acquisition of the previous label, Tommy Boy Records in 2021. He also led the audience in thanking Trugoy the Dove.
“Can you please say for me ‘thank you, Dave?’” Mason asked the crowd.
“Thank you, Dave,” the crowd responded.
“Tonight, he’s watching,” Fallon added.
Later in the show, De La Soul and The Roots performed “Stakes Is High,” the titular Jay Dee-produced track from the group’s 1996 album. The moving performance made the rounds last week on social media with fans and other hip-hop connoisseurs calling the performance, “flawless.”
Watch the performance below.
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DJ Drama is full of surprises. He has announced that he is working on a De La Soul Gangsta Grillz mixtape.
As spotted on Hip-Hop N More the record executive and Rap curator recently sat down with Elliot Wilson and Brian “B. Dot” Miller for a new episode of Rap Radar. The trio got Mr. Thanksgiving to open up on a variety of topics regarding his career. When asked how he has been able to remain relevant for so long he attributed his success to his roots as a DJ. In that answer he revealed his newest project offering.
“For me being a mixtape DJ I was always addicted to the new sh*t. I was a teenager in the 90’s so that’s my era; that’s what I ride around listening to” he explained. “De La Soul is coming to streaming [platforms] and I couldn’t be more excited. And we got a Gangsta Grillz coming. That’s a little sidebar.”
For some time De La Soul’s catalog has not been available digitally due to bad contracts, corporate greed and other factors. Last year the iconic group announced that they had finally worked through all the legal hurdles. This month the catalog finally hit digital streaming platforms and Hip-Hop rejoiced. “It’s been 20 plus years overdue, but finally, we are here,” said DJ Maseo.
At this time there is no release date or title for the De La Soul Gangsta Grillz mixtape.
Photo: Radio One
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2023 has been a bittersweet year for Prince Paul. In a new interview, the pioneer discussed the passing of Dave aka Trugoy of, De La Soul and more.
Variety magazine caught up with the Long Island, New York native days after “The D.A.I.S.Y. Experience” event in New York, where he and other high-profile talents celebrated De La Soul’s catalog finally being made available on streaming platforms. In an in depth Q&A with journalist Todd Gilchrist, Prince Paul discussed reuniting, his contributions to the seminal 3 Feet High and Rising and more.
When asked about the “The D.A.I.S.Y. Experience” he admitted that the evening brought him back to simpler times with the legendary trio. “It felt like a reunion of sorts because I haven’t seen some people in 30 years — since De La Soul is from Amityville, we all have mutual friends, so they brought out a lot of those people” he revealed.
He also added that the amount of people that pulled up for it was also humbling. “The rappers that came out, the artists, the support was overwhelming. You knew people supported De La Soul, but you don’t really know — at least I didn’t really know — until that day. I haven’t felt that much love in one Hip-Hop event, I think, ever in my life.”
Paul also revealed that is he currently working on restoring the debut album for the digital era. To hear him tell it, the task at hand isn’t an easy one as he recognizes that he could be potentially mishandling a masterpiece. “You’ve got to figure out, okay, let me restore it. What’s the sample? Do we sample it again or do we replay it? And if we replay it, what’s the level of accuracy?” he explained.
Paul also reveals that he too was fearful that their sophomore album De La Soul is Dead, which was drastically different than its predecessor, would not be received well by fans. “I was like, ‘I don’t know how people are going to take this.’ That’s why I did the skit at the front, where the guy was like, ‘This is garbage!’ Because I was like, ‘I don’t know if people going to accept [this new attitude]’ so I’m going to beat them to the punch. I’m going to create a scenario that the record is already scrutinized. We’ll do it for you!”
You can read the interview in its entirety here.
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Metro Boomin has joined the ranks of musical artists selling their publishing catalogs, recently making a deal that earns him $70 million.
According to reports, the producer behind hits from Migos, Kanye West, and Future has sold off part of his existing publishing catalog to the Shamrock Capital firm. Sources with knowledge of the deal estimate that the “Jumpman” producer received close to $70 million. Representatives for Metro Boomin’ declined to comment on the transaction, and Shamrock Capital didn’t respond to press inquiries.
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News of the deal comes as Metro Boomin’ has recently released a new album, HEROES & VILLAINS. The album contains features from Takeoff, Future, Chris Brown, 21 Savage, and The Weeknd. The deal is only for “part” of the catalog, but there is no information as to what that includes.
Music catalog purchases have held the attention of those in the music industry as well as observers. Last month, reports stated that the estate of the late superstar Michael Jackson is planning to sell half of its interests in his music catalog for an estimated price of $800 to $900 million. Hip-Hop artists are now finding themselves in the eyesight of interested firms – Dr. Dre sold a collection of music streams and other assets to Shamrock Holdings and Universal Music Group for a sum close to $250 million.Justin Bieber has also taken the plunge and sold the rights to his music catalog in January for an estimated $200 million.
The discussion over artists’ catalogs and Hip-Hop have also been in the spotlight due to the recent arrival of the entire catalog of the iconic group De La Soul last Friday (March 3rd). The catalog had been withheld from digital streaming platforms for years in a fight with their label, Tommy Boy Records and its parent company, Warner Music Group. In addition, the Quality Control independent label which is home to Migos, Lil Yachty and Lil Baby was acquired in a major deal by the South Korean entertainment firm Hybe America for $320 million.