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De La Soul|De La Soul is Dead

De La Soul is Dead

De La Soul

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3 Feet High and Rising was almost universally acclaimed, but De La Soul still felt a bit misunderstood—and even a bit defensive about it. So while the title De La Soul is Dead is just as much a hyperbolic "wouldn't this be a funny title for a second album" gag as it is an actual mission statement, it's also a way of reining in the debut's we-can-do-anything sprawl to focus a bit more on some of the things people didn't necessarily expect of them. De La Soul is Dead refines the known quantities of their style: Pos and Dave are still every bit the kind of MCs who will sound approachably conversational and unpredictably complex in their flows, Maseo and Prince Paul's DJ/production flourishes are still hilariously tongue-in-cheek and filled with inspired post-genre juxtapositions (the first bassline on the album, in "Oodles of O's," comes from an early Tom Waits song), and the humor is still frenetic and idiosyncratic and crammed with elaborate inside jokes. But the mood's soured noticeably, and in ways that add a quickly-earned cynicism to the mix. That's clear from the framing skits where a bunch of teens roast the album for not being "hardcore" enough, the fame-fatigued stories of getting into fistfights on tour ("Pease Porridge") and dealing with people fiending for a co-sign foot in the door ("Ring Ring Ring (Ha Ha Hey)"), and a handful of highlights that draw on the bleaker moments of their real-world experience—molestation victim revenge story "Millie Pulled a Pistol on Santa" chief amongst them. But that these moments are expertly mixed in with some of their most upbeat material—the comedic dozens in "Bitties in the BK Lounge," the euphoric roller-disco nostalgia of "A Roller Skating Jam Named 'Saturdays,'" a three-song run at the end ("Shwingalokate," "Fanatic of the B Word," and "Keepin' the Faith") which leaves an outwardly bitter album on a glorious high note of funky boom-bap party jams—that leave an unspoken long live De La Soul lingering at the end of that title. De La Soul is Dead might've cast a pall on the day-glo rep burnished by their debut but another facet to the group was revealed that would not only sustain them but gave them even more freedom to be who they wanted. © Nate Patrin/Qobuz

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De La Soul is Dead

De La Soul

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1
Intro Explicit
00:02:14

David Jolicoeur, Composer - Kelvin Mercer, Composer - Prince Paul, Producer - Michael Fossenkemper, MasteringEngineer - De La Soul, Producer, MainArtist - Paul Huston, Composer - Vincent Mason, Composer - Scotty Hard, MixingEngineer - Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Co/Daisy Age Music, MusicPublisher - Prinse Pawl Musick Inc (BMI), MusicPublisher

2023 A.O.I., LLC under exclusive license to Chrysalis Records Limited 2023 A.O.I., LLC under exclusive license to Chrysalis Records Limited

2
Oodles of O's
00:03:32

Lee Oskar, Composer - Sylvester Allen, Composer - David Jolicoeur, Composer - Kelvin Mercer, Composer - Prince Paul, Producer - JAMES BROWN, Composer - Michael Fossenkemper, MasteringEngineer - De La Soul, Producer, MainArtist - Paul Huston, Composer - Morris Dewayne Dickerson, Composer - Charles William Miller, Composer - Harold Ray Brown, Composer - Vincent Mason, Composer - Warner Chappell Music, MusicPublisher - Thomas Waits, Composer - Le Roy Lonnie Jordan, Composer - Double B, Producer - Jalma Music, MusicPublisher - Scotty Hard, MixingEngineer - HOWARD E SCOTT, Composer - Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Co/Daisy Age Music, MusicPublisher - Prinse Pawl Musick Inc (BMI), MusicPublisher - BMG Gold Songs/Far Out Music Inc. (ASCAP), MusicPublisher

2023 A.O.I., LLC under exclusive license to Chrysalis Records Limited 2023 A.O.I., LLC under exclusive license to Chrysalis Records Limited

3
Talkin' Bout Hey Love
00:02:27

David Jolicoeur, Composer - Kelvin Mercer, Composer - Prince Paul, Producer - Morris Ervin Broadnax, Composer - Stevie Wonder, Composer - Clarence Paul, Composer - Michael Fossenkemper, MasteringEngineer - Serge Gainsbourg, Composer - De La Soul, Producer, MainArtist - Paul Huston, Composer - Vincent Mason, Composer - Scotty Hard, MixingEngineer - Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Co/Daisy Age Music, MusicPublisher - Prinse Pawl Musick Inc (BMI), MusicPublisher - Bourne Co c/o Warner Chappell Music France, MusicPublisher - Black Bull Music c/o Jobete Music Co Inc, MusicPublisher - Sawandi Music c/o Stone Agate Music (BMI), MusicPublisher

2023 A.O.I., LLC under exclusive license to Chrysalis Records Limited 2023 A.O.I., LLC under exclusive license to Chrysalis Records Limited

4
Pease Porridge Explicit
00:05:01

David Jolicoeur, Composer - Kelvin Mercer, Composer - Prince Paul, Producer - Michael Fossenkemper, MasteringEngineer - De La Soul, Producer, MainArtist - Paul Huston, Composer - Vincent Mason, Composer - Scotty Hard, MixingEngineer - Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Co/Daisy Age Music, MusicPublisher - Prinse Pawl Musick Inc (BMI), MusicPublisher - EMI Music Catalog Inc (ASCAP), MusicPublisher

2023 A.O.I., LLC under exclusive license to Chrysalis Records Limited 2023 A.O.I., LLC under exclusive license to Chrysalis Records Limited

5
Skit 1 Explicit
00:00:25

David Jolicoeur, Composer - Kelvin Mercer, Composer - Prince Paul, Producer - Michael Fossenkemper, MasteringEngineer - De La Soul, Producer, MainArtist - Paul Huston, Composer - Vincent Mason, Composer - Scotty Hard, MixingEngineer - Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Co/Daisy Age Music, MusicPublisher - Prinse Pawl Musick Inc (BMI), MusicPublisher

2023 A.O.I., LLC under exclusive license to Chrysalis Records Limited 2023 A.O.I., LLC under exclusive license to Chrysalis Records Limited

6
Johnny's Dead AKA Vincent Mason (Live from the BK Lounge)
00:01:56

David Jolicoeur, Composer - Kelvin Mercer, Composer - Prince Paul, Producer - Michael Fossenkemper, MasteringEngineer - De La Soul, Producer, MainArtist - Paul Huston, Composer - Vincent Mason, Composer - Scotty Hard, MixingEngineer - Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Co/Daisy Age Music, MusicPublisher - Prinse Pawl Musick Inc (BMI), MusicPublisher

2023 A.O.I., LLC under exclusive license to Chrysalis Records Limited 2023 A.O.I., LLC under exclusive license to Chrysalis Records Limited

7
A Roller Skating Jam Named "Saturdays"
00:04:02

Scott Miller, Composer - David Jolicoeur, Composer - Kelvin Mercer, Composer - Prince Paul, Producer - NILE RODGERS, Composer - BERNARD EDWARDS, Composer - Michael Fossenkemper, MasteringEngineer - Q-Tip, FeaturedArtist - De La Soul, Producer, MainArtist - Vinia Mojica, FeaturedArtist - BARRY ALAN GIBB, Composer - Paul Huston, Composer - Kim Miller, Composer - Kamaal Ibn Fareed, Composer - Vincent Mason, Composer - Sony/ATV Songs LLC, MusicPublisher - Raymond Earl, Composer - Scotty Hard, MixingEngineer - Rod Mathews, Composer - Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Co/Daisy Age Music, MusicPublisher - Prinse Pawl Musick Inc (BMI), MusicPublisher - Upward Bound Music (BMI), MusicPublisher - Bernard's Other Music/Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., MusicPublisher - Universal Music-Z Tunes/Jazz Merchant Music, MusicPublisher - VMG Worldwide c/o BMG Platinum Songs (BMI), MusicPublisher - Crompton Songs c/o Songs of Universal Inc. (BMI), MusicPublisher

2023 A.O.I., LLC under exclusive license to Chrysalis Records Limited 2023 A.O.I., LLC under exclusive license to Chrysalis Records Limited

8
WRMS' Dedication to the Bitty
00:00:46

David Jolicoeur, Composer - Kelvin Mercer, Composer - Prince Paul, Producer - Michael Fossenkemper, MasteringEngineer - De La Soul, Producer, MainArtist - Paul Huston, Composer - Joseph Sample, Composer - Vincent Mason, Composer - Scotty Hard, MixingEngineer - BMG Rights Management (BMI), MusicPublisher - Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Co/Daisy Age Music, MusicPublisher - Prinse Pawl Musick Inc (BMI), MusicPublisher

2023 A.O.I., LLC under exclusive license to Chrysalis Records Limited 2023 A.O.I., LLC under exclusive license to Chrysalis Records Limited

9
Bitties in the BK Lounge
00:05:39

O'Kelly Isley, Composer - David Jolicoeur, Composer - Kelvin Mercer, Composer - Prince Paul, Producer - Kenton Nix, Composer - Michael Fossenkemper, MasteringEngineer - Ronald Isley, Composer - RUDOLPH ISLEY, Composer - De La Soul, Producer, MainArtist - Paul Huston, Composer - Vincent Mason, Composer - Scotty Hard, MixingEngineer - Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Co/Daisy Age Music, MusicPublisher - Prinse Pawl Musick Inc (BMI), MusicPublisher - Triple Three Music c/o EMI Blackwood Music, MusicPublisher - VMG West End Copyrights LLC c/o BMG Golf Songs, MusicPublisher

2023 A.O.I., LLC under exclusive license to Chrysalis Records Limited 2023 A.O.I., LLC under exclusive license to Chrysalis Records Limited

10
Skit 2
00:00:30

David Jolicoeur, Composer - Kelvin Mercer, Composer - Prince Paul, Producer - Michael Fossenkemper, MasteringEngineer - De La Soul, Producer, MainArtist - Paul Huston, Composer - Vincent Mason, Composer - Scotty Hard, MixingEngineer - Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Co/Daisy Age Music, MusicPublisher - Prinse Pawl Musick Inc (BMI), MusicPublisher

2023 A.O.I., LLC under exclusive license to Chrysalis Records Limited 2023 A.O.I., LLC under exclusive license to Chrysalis Records Limited

11
My Brother's a Basehead Explicit
00:04:20

David Jolicoeur, Composer - Kelvin Mercer, Composer - Mark Morales, Composer - Prince Paul, Producer - Michael Fossenkemper, MasteringEngineer - De La Soul, Producer, MainArtist - Paul Huston, Composer - Darren Robinson, Composer - Vincent Mason, Composer - Clint Ballard Jr, Composer - EMI LONGITUDE MUSIC, MusicPublisher - Beardog Publishing Company, MusicPublisher - Scotty Hard, MixingEngineer - Damon Yul Wimbley, Composer - Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Co/Daisy Age Music, MusicPublisher - Prinse Pawl Musick Inc (BMI), MusicPublisher

2023 A.O.I., LLC under exclusive license to Chrysalis Records Limited 2023 A.O.I., LLC under exclusive license to Chrysalis Records Limited

12
Let, Let Me In
00:03:25

David Jolicoeur, Composer - Kelvin Mercer, Composer - Prince Paul, Producer - Jimmy Mccracklin, Composer - Lowell Fulson, Composer - Michael Fossenkemper, MasteringEngineer - De La Soul, Producer, MainArtist - Paul Huston, Composer - Vincent Mason, Composer - Universal Music Careers (BMI), MusicPublisher - Double B, Producer - Scotty Hard, MixingEngineer - BMG Bumblebee (BMI), MusicPublisher - Ewart G Abner Jr, Composer - John C Moore, Composer - Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Co/Daisy Age Music, MusicPublisher - Prinse Pawl Musick Inc (BMI), MusicPublisher - Conrad Music c/o BMG Platinum Songs US (BMI), MusicPublisher

2023 A.O.I., LLC under exclusive license to Chrysalis Records Limited 2023 A.O.I., LLC under exclusive license to Chrysalis Records Limited

13
Afro Connections at a Hi 5 (In the Eyes of the Hoodlum) Explicit
00:04:03

David Jolicoeur, Composer - Kelvin Mercer, Composer - Prince Paul, Producer - JAMES BROWN, Composer - Michael Fossenkemper, MasteringEngineer - De La Soul, Producer, MainArtist - Paul Huston, Composer - Vincent Mason, Composer - Scotty Hard, MixingEngineer - Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Co/Daisy Age Music, MusicPublisher - Prinse Pawl Musick Inc (BMI), MusicPublisher - Dynatone Publishing Company/Unichappell Music Inc., MusicPublisher

2023 A.O.I., LLC under exclusive license to Chrysalis Records Limited 2023 A.O.I., LLC under exclusive license to Chrysalis Records Limited

14
Rap De Rap Show
00:02:19

David Jolicoeur, Composer - Kelvin Mercer, Composer - Prince Paul, Producer - Michael Fossenkemper, MasteringEngineer - De La Soul, Producer, MainArtist - Lawrence Farrow, Composer - Carolyn Johns, Composer - Vincent Mason, Composer - Scotty Hard, MixingEngineer - Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Co/Daisy Age Music, MusicPublisher - Prinse Pawl Musick Inc (BMI), MusicPublisher - Funky Caroline Music c/o Universal Music - Careers, MusicPublisher

2023 A.O.I., LLC under exclusive license to Chrysalis Records Limited 2023 A.O.I., LLC under exclusive license to Chrysalis Records Limited

15
Millie Pulled a Pistol on Santa
00:04:09

David Jolicoeur, Composer - Kelvin Mercer, Composer - Prince Paul, Producer - Michael Fossenkemper, MasteringEngineer - George Clinton Jr., Composer - De La Soul, Producer, MainArtist - Paul Huston, Composer - Vincent Mason, Composer - Scotty Hard, MixingEngineer - Bridgeport Music Inc. (BMI), MusicPublisher - Grace Cook, Composer - Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Co/Daisy Age Music, MusicPublisher - Prinse Pawl Musick Inc (BMI), MusicPublisher

2023 A.O.I., LLC under exclusive license to Chrysalis Records Limited 2023 A.O.I., LLC under exclusive license to Chrysalis Records Limited

16
Who Do U Worship? Explicit
00:01:59

David Jolicoeur, Composer - Kelvin Mercer, Composer - Prince Paul, Producer - Michael Fossenkemper, MasteringEngineer - De La Soul, Producer, MainArtist - Paul Huston, Composer - Vincent Mason, Composer - Scotty Hard, MixingEngineer - Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Co/Daisy Age Music, MusicPublisher - Prinse Pawl Musick Inc (BMI), MusicPublisher

2023 A.O.I., LLC under exclusive license to Chrysalis Records Limited 2023 A.O.I., LLC under exclusive license to Chrysalis Records Limited

17
Skit 3
00:00:32

David Jolicoeur, Composer - Kelvin Mercer, Composer - Prince Paul, Producer - Michael Fossenkemper, MasteringEngineer - De La Soul, Producer, MainArtist - Paul Huston, Composer - Vincent Mason, Composer - Scotty Hard, MixingEngineer - Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Co/Daisy Age Music, MusicPublisher - Prinse Pawl Musick Inc (BMI), MusicPublisher

2023 A.O.I., LLC under exclusive license to Chrysalis Records Limited 2023 A.O.I., LLC under exclusive license to Chrysalis Records Limited

18
Kicked Out the House
00:01:55

David Jolicoeur, Composer - Kelvin Mercer, Composer - Prince Paul, Producer - Michael Fossenkemper, MasteringEngineer - De La Soul, Producer, MainArtist - Paul Huston, Composer - Vincent Mason, Composer - Scotty Hard, MixingEngineer - Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Co/Daisy Age Music, MusicPublisher - Prinse Pawl Musick Inc (BMI), MusicPublisher

2023 A.O.I., LLC under exclusive license to Chrysalis Records Limited 2023 A.O.I., LLC under exclusive license to Chrysalis Records Limited

19
Pass the Plugs
00:03:29

David Jolicoeur, Composer - Kelvin Mercer, Composer - Prince Paul, Producer - Edna Wright, Composer - Michael Fossenkemper, MasteringEngineer - De La Soul, Producer, MainArtist - Paul Huston, Composer - Vincent Mason, Composer - Scotty Hard, MixingEngineer - Gregory Stephen Perry, Composer - William Marvin Smith, Composer - Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Co/Daisy Age Music, MusicPublisher - Prinse Pawl Musick Inc (BMI), MusicPublisher - Peabody and Co c/o Warner-Tamerlan Publishing Co (BMI), MusicPublisher

2023 A.O.I., LLC under exclusive license to Chrysalis Records Limited 2023 A.O.I., LLC under exclusive license to Chrysalis Records Limited

20
Not Over Till the Fat Lady Plays the Demo Explicit
00:01:29

Ronald Miller, Composer - Kurtis Walker, Composer - William Waring, Composer - David Jolicoeur, Composer - Kelvin Mercer, Composer - Mark Morales, Composer - Prince Paul, Producer - Michael Fossenkemper, MasteringEngineer - Serge Gainsbourg, Composer - De La Soul, Producer, MainArtist - Paul Huston, Composer - Vincent Mason, Composer - EMI Longitude Music (BMI), MusicPublisher - Universal Music - MGB Songs (ASCAP), MusicPublisher - EMI Blackwood Music Inc. (BMI), MusicPublisher - Scotty Hard, MixingEngineer - Damon Yul Wimbley, Composer - Jean-claude Michel Vannier, Composer - Fresh Ideas (ASCAP), MusicPublisher - Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Co/Daisy Age Music, MusicPublisher - Prinse Pawl Musick Inc (BMI), MusicPublisher - MOFUNK MUsic (ASCAP), MusicPublisher - KUWA Music (ASCAP), MusicPublisher - Fat Brothers Music (BMI), MusicPublisher

2023 A.O.I., LLC under exclusive license to Chrysalis Records Limited 2023 A.O.I., LLC under exclusive license to Chrysalis Records Limited

21
Ring Ring Ring (Ha Ha Hey)
00:05:05

David Jolicoeur, Composer - Kelvin Mercer, Composer - Prince Paul, Producer - Allen Toussaint, Composer - Michael Fossenkemper, MasteringEngineer - Miguel Drummond, Composer - Nick Thorp, Composer - De La Soul, Producer, MainArtist - Paul Huston, Composer - Julian Godfrey Brookhouse, Composer - Martin Benedict Volpeliere-Pierrot, Composer - Glenn Skinner, Composer - Vincent Mason, Composer - Warner Chappell Music Ltd, MusicPublisher - Michael McEvoy, Composer - Screen Gems-EMI Music, Inc. (BMI), MusicPublisher - Scotty Hard, MixingEngineer - Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Co/Daisy Age Music, MusicPublisher - Prinse Pawl Musick Inc (BMI), MusicPublisher - Universal Polygram Int. Publishing Inc. (ASCAP), MusicPublisher

2023 A.O.I., LLC under exclusive license to Chrysalis Records Limited 2023 A.O.I., LLC under exclusive license to Chrysalis Records Limited

22
WRMS: Cat's in Control
00:00:33

David Jolicoeur, Composer - Kelvin Mercer, Composer - Prince Paul, Producer - Michael Fossenkemper, MasteringEngineer - De La Soul, Producer, MainArtist - Paul Huston, Composer - Joseph Sample, Composer - Vincent Mason, Composer - Scotty Hard, MixingEngineer - BMG Rights Management (BMI), MusicPublisher - Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Co/Daisy Age Music, MusicPublisher - Prinse Pawl Musick Inc (BMI), MusicPublisher

2023 A.O.I., LLC under exclusive license to Chrysalis Records Limited 2023 A.O.I., LLC under exclusive license to Chrysalis Records Limited

23
Skit 4
00:00:12

David Jolicoeur, Composer - Kelvin Mercer, Composer - Prince Paul, Producer - Michael Fossenkemper, MasteringEngineer - De La Soul, Producer, MainArtist - Paul Huston, Composer - Vincent Mason, Composer - Scotty Hard, MixingEngineer - Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Co/Daisy Age Music, MusicPublisher - Prinse Pawl Musick Inc (BMI), MusicPublisher

2023 A.O.I., LLC under exclusive license to Chrysalis Records Limited 2023 A.O.I., LLC under exclusive license to Chrysalis Records Limited

24
Shwingalokate
00:04:13

William Earl Collins, Composer - David Jolicoeur, Composer - Kelvin Mercer, Composer - Prince Paul, Producer - Michael Fossenkemper, MasteringEngineer - George Clinton Jr., Composer - De La Soul, Producer, MainArtist - Kevin Duane Mccord, Composer - Paul Huston, Composer - Vincent Mason, Composer - Songs Of Universal Inc (BMI), MusicPublisher - Scotty Hard, MixingEngineer - Bridgeport Music Inc. (BMI), MusicPublisher - William Nelson Jr, Composer - G. Bernard Worrell, Composer - Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Co/Daisy Age Music, MusicPublisher - Prinse Pawl Musick Inc (BMI), MusicPublisher - Rubber Band Music c/o Modern Works Music Publishing (BMI), MusicPublisher

2023 A.O.I., LLC under exclusive license to Chrysalis Records Limited 2023 A.O.I., LLC under exclusive license to Chrysalis Records Limited

25
Fanatic of the B Word
00:04:09

David Jolicoeur, Composer - Kelvin Mercer, Composer - Andres Titus, Composer - Prince Paul, Producer - Michael Fossenkemper, MasteringEngineer - De La Soul, Producer, MainArtist - Paul Huston, Composer - Busta Cherry Jones, Composer - Vincent Mason, Composer - Scotty Hard, MixingEngineer - Dres, FeaturedArtist - Donald Edward Kinsey, Composer - Ralph Edward Kinsey, Composer - Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Co/Daisy Age Music, MusicPublisher - Prinse Pawl Musick Inc (BMI), MusicPublisher - Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Co (ASCAP), MusicPublisher - Kenites publishing c/o Roynet (ASCAP), MusicPublisher

2023 A.O.I., LLC under exclusive license to Chrysalis Records Limited 2023 A.O.I., LLC under exclusive license to Chrysalis Records Limited

26
Keepin' the Faith
00:04:44

David Jolicoeur, Composer - Kelvin Mercer, Composer - STEVE ARRINGTON, Composer - Prince Paul, Producer - Harry Palmer, Composer - Bob Marley, Composer - Michael Fossenkemper, MasteringEngineer - De La Soul, Producer, MainArtist - Starleana Young, Composer - Mark Hicks, Composer - Paul Huston, Composer - Daniel Webster, Composer - Raymond Guy Turner, Composer - Vincent Mason, Composer - Rodney Lynn Temperton, Composer - Universal Music Corporation (ASCAP), MusicPublisher - Scotty Hard, MixingEngineer - Mark L Adams, Composer - Thomas Henry Lockett, Composer - Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Co/Daisy Age Music, MusicPublisher - Prinse Pawl Musick Inc (BMI), MusicPublisher - Cotillion Music Inc c/o Warner Chappell Music (BMI), MusicPublisher - Phoenix Music International (BMI), MusicPublisher - Rod Songs c/o WB Music Corp (BMI), MusicPublisher

2023 A.O.I., LLC under exclusive license to Chrysalis Records Limited 2023 A.O.I., LLC under exclusive license to Chrysalis Records Limited

27
Skit 5
00:00:32

David Jolicoeur, Composer - Kelvin Mercer, Composer - Prince Paul, Producer - Michael Fossenkemper, MasteringEngineer - De La Soul, Producer, MainArtist - Paul Huston, Composer - Vincent Mason, Composer - Scotty Hard, MixingEngineer - Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Co/Daisy Age Music, MusicPublisher - Prinse Pawl Musick Inc (BMI), MusicPublisher

2023 A.O.I., LLC under exclusive license to Chrysalis Records Limited 2023 A.O.I., LLC under exclusive license to Chrysalis Records Limited

Album review

3 Feet High and Rising was almost universally acclaimed, but De La Soul still felt a bit misunderstood—and even a bit defensive about it. So while the title De La Soul is Dead is just as much a hyperbolic "wouldn't this be a funny title for a second album" gag as it is an actual mission statement, it's also a way of reining in the debut's we-can-do-anything sprawl to focus a bit more on some of the things people didn't necessarily expect of them. De La Soul is Dead refines the known quantities of their style: Pos and Dave are still every bit the kind of MCs who will sound approachably conversational and unpredictably complex in their flows, Maseo and Prince Paul's DJ/production flourishes are still hilariously tongue-in-cheek and filled with inspired post-genre juxtapositions (the first bassline on the album, in "Oodles of O's," comes from an early Tom Waits song), and the humor is still frenetic and idiosyncratic and crammed with elaborate inside jokes. But the mood's soured noticeably, and in ways that add a quickly-earned cynicism to the mix. That's clear from the framing skits where a bunch of teens roast the album for not being "hardcore" enough, the fame-fatigued stories of getting into fistfights on tour ("Pease Porridge") and dealing with people fiending for a co-sign foot in the door ("Ring Ring Ring (Ha Ha Hey)"), and a handful of highlights that draw on the bleaker moments of their real-world experience—molestation victim revenge story "Millie Pulled a Pistol on Santa" chief amongst them. But that these moments are expertly mixed in with some of their most upbeat material—the comedic dozens in "Bitties in the BK Lounge," the euphoric roller-disco nostalgia of "A Roller Skating Jam Named 'Saturdays,'" a three-song run at the end ("Shwingalokate," "Fanatic of the B Word," and "Keepin' the Faith") which leaves an outwardly bitter album on a glorious high note of funky boom-bap party jams—that leave an unspoken long live De La Soul lingering at the end of that title. De La Soul is Dead might've cast a pall on the day-glo rep burnished by their debut but another facet to the group was revealed that would not only sustain them but gave them even more freedom to be who they wanted. © Nate Patrin/Qobuz

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