
De La Soul is an American hip hop trio formed in 1987 on Long Island, New York. The band is best known for their eclectic sampling, quirky lyrics, and their contributions to the evolution of the jazz rap and alternative hip hop subgenres. The members are Kelvin Mercer (Posdnuos, Mercenary, Plug Wonder Why, Plug One), David Jude Jolicoeur (Trugoy the Dove, Dave, Plug Two) and Vincent Mason (P.A. Pasemaster Mase, Maseo, Plug Three, Baby Huey). The three formed the group in high school and caught the attention of producer Prince Paul with a demo tape of the song "Plug Tunin'". With its playful wordplay, innovative sampling, and witty skits, the band's debut album, 3 Feet High and Rising, is considered a hip hop masterpiece. It is also the band's biggest commercial success to date, with their subsequent albums selling progressively less, despite receiving high praise from critics. A measure of 3 Feet High and Rising's cross-over appeal was the fact that it was voted Album of the Year by NME, a title better known for its taste in indie-based music. De La Soul has influenced numerous other hip hop artists such as Camp Lo, The Black Eyed Peas, and Digable Planets. They were also influential in the early stages of rapper/actor Mos Def's career, and are a core part of the Spitkicker collective. They are the second longest standing Native Tongues Posse group, after the Jungle Brothers. In 2006, the group won a Grammy for their collaboration with Gorillaz on the single "Feel Good Inc."
Links To Peel[]
Peel heard the group through Tommy Boy Records, whose hip hop artists were regularly played by Peel in the late 80's. The group were played quite frequently on Peel's show between 1988 and 1989, which attracted many NME listeners, who voted their album "3 Feet High" as the NME album of the year of 1989. After the early 90's, De La Soul's music rarely got played by Peel, as he started to listen to more of British rap acts such as Credit To The Nation and Senser.
Festive Fifty Entries[]
- 1989 Festive Fifty: Eye Know #34
Shows Played[]
(The list is incomplete. Please add further information if known.)
- 1988
- 18 April 1988: Plug Tunin' (12" - Plug Tunin' / Freedom Of Speak) Tommy Boy
- 20 April 1988: Freedom Of Speak (12" - Plug Tunin' / Freedom Of Speak) Tommy Boy
- 03 May 1988: Plug Tunin' (12") Tommy Boy TB 910
- 18 May 1988 (Rockradio): Plug Tunin' (Are You Ready For This?) (12" - Plug Tunin' ) Tommy Boy
De La Soul - Eye Know
'Eye Know', #34 in the 1989 Festive Fifty
- 08 March 1989: Brain Washed Follower (single - Me Myself And I)
- 08 March 1989: Me Myself And I (single)
- 13 March 1989: Potholes On My Lawn / Change In Speak (album - 3 Feet High And Rising) Big Life
- 15 March 1989: The Magic Number (album - 3 Feet High And Rising) Big Life DLSLP 1
- Peel March 1989 Lee Tape 32: Can U Keep A Secret (album - 3 Feet High And Rising) Big Life DLSLP 1
- 20 March 1989: Plug Tunin' (Last Chance To Comprehend) (album - 3 Feet High And Rising) Big Life
- 22 March 1989: Ghetto Thang (album - 3 Feet High And Rising) Big Life
- 25 March 1989 (BFBS): Say No Go () Big Life
- Peel March April 1989 Lee Tape 33: Eye Know (album - 3 Feet High And Rising) Big Life DLSLP 1
- 29 March 1989: Take It Off (LP - 3 Feet High And Rising) Big Life
- 29 March 1989: A Little Bit Of Soap (LP - 3 Feet High And Rising) Big Life
- 04 April 1989: Potholes In My Lawn (LP - 3 Feet High And Rising) Tommy Boy
- 05 April 1989 (BFBS): That Magic Number (LP - 3 Feet High And Rising) Big Life
- 12 April 1989 (BFBS): Potholes On My Lawn (album - 3 Feet High And Rising) Big Life
- 18 April 1989: Ain't Hip To Be Labelled A Hippie (12" - Me Myself And I) Big Life
- 20 April 1989: Tread Water (album - 3 Feet High And Rising) Big Life
- 20 April 1989 (Rockradio): Eye Know (album - 3 Feet High And Rising) Tommy Boy
- 14 June 1989: Say No Go (12") Big Life
- 21 June 1989: Say No Go (Say No Dope Mix) (12") Big Life BLR 10T
- 12 July 1989 (BFBS): Say No Go (Remix) () Big Life
- 03 October 1989: The Mack Daddy On The Left (7" - Eye Know) Big Life
- 21 December 1989: 'Eye Know (LP-3 Feet High And Rising' (Big Life) FF #34
- 1990
- 23 July 1990: Doin' Our Own Dang (Norman Cook Remix) Eternal
- 1991
- 31 March 1991: Ring Ring Ring (7": Ring Ring Ring (Ha Ha Hey)) Big Life
- 13 April 1991 (BFBS): 'Ring Ring Ring (Ha Ha Hey) (12")' (Tommy Boy)
- 25 May 1991: A Rollerskating Jam Named "Saturdays" (album - De La Soul Is Dead) Big Life
- 1993
- 01 October 1993 (& Teenage Fanclub): ‘Fallin’(Various Artists CD – OST Judgement Night)’ (Epic)
- 2004
- 14 December 2004 (Rob Da Bank): 'Eye Know' (LP- 3 Feet High And Rising) - (Tommy Boy)