De La Soul
20th Anniversary
2009-04-30
To celebrate the 20th anniversary of their debut album 3 Feet High And Rising, the seminal hip-hop trio De La Soul is dropping a new album and launching a world tour. The group caused a paradigm shift with 3 Feet, hailed as the future of hip hop at the time of its release in 1989. Save for their dope beats, the group sounded like no one else on the scene.
Their style was a combination of mad rhymes, Fresh Prince humor and an eclectic sampling of funk, reggae, pop and jazz. Their genre-busting sound caused fans and critics alike to categorize them as “alternative,” “neo hippie” -- everything but rap. Outside of the box or not, fans loved it from the first, sending that debut release straight to the number one R & B spot (24 on the Top 40) and on to gold. The group went on to produce
15 more albums.
The anniversary launched a wave of creativity in several artistic mediums, resulting in an art exhibit of the group’s album covers over the last 20 years, and artists in several cities paying homage through the creation of works inspired by the de la sound. To launch the tour, the group did a special appearance sponsored by Sprite Green at Chicago’s River Arts Center. Maruice Cooper of Coca-Cola North America said of the partnership, “Our association with De La Soul is a reflection of the brand. Just as the group represents a fresh alternative, we are tapping into that lifestyle and giving consumers a different perspective.”
EbonyJet.com caught up with Posdnous (Kelvin Mercer) and Trugoy the Dove (David Jude Jolicoeur) for a sit down during the set.
EBONYJET.COM: Early on, your sound was described as “hip-hop hippie,” and “alternative.” Was that ever troublesome?
POS: After a while it was frustrating when folks didn’t understand what we were doing. But the fans always supported us --- gave us the support to keep doing what we were doing.
EBJ: Your sound brought in a new way to think about hip-hop, then it was overshadowed by the harder gansta style. Is there a place now for the de la sound – tracks reflecting on peace and positivity?
TD: You just have to always challenge yourself; challenge your ideas. It’s what we’ve always done. We come from the school of the masters – Chuck D, KRS One, Prince Paul. They set the standard, brought the sound they wanted to bring. And look at how it has dominated the music scene. As long as you remain true to what you’re after, you will rise.
POS: We are students. Just because we’ve been around for 20 years doesn’t mean we can’t learn.
EBJ: Given what you’ve seen evolve in music over the last 20 years, where do you see music going in the next five?
POS: It won’t be so much the music – the creativity has always been there – so much as the ability to use technology to put your brand out there. The Internet has changed so much that the artist can have an entirely different relationship with the fans.
TD: There’s not much inspiring in music right now. I need to look to the world for inspiration. So if you want to talk about family, about children, talk about that. If you want to talk about the birth of a baby, talk about that.
EBJ: You have a new release coming up?
POS: It’s called “You’re Welcome” It’s a collection of runners tracks – a lot of beats, modulations and peaks – just like a runner’s rhythm. We’re really excited about it.
TD: That, and the tour. Looking forward to connecting with all our fans here in the States, in Europe – all over. The new album drops on April 28th.
Look for new track info, tour dates and more at www.delasoul.com
