De La Soul - 3 Feet High And Rising (1989)

My DNA should be called De La Soul.

They are among my top 3 most important hip hop acts.

It has been said that a reader does not choose a book, the book chooses the reader. There are some pieces of art that speak directly to us from some reason or another, as if they were made for us. This is my connection to De La Soul's debut.

3 Feet High and Rising is one of the most important albums of my life, hip hop or otherwise. It is most probably contains the formula to my music knowledge and taste. The group, albums and music are my most important sources of creative inspiration. It is with ultimate pride and privilege I write about this monumental music.

3 Feet High & Rising celebrates its 37th anniversary this year.

The entire De La Soul catalog was available for free download in 2014.

Thank you Prince Paul.

De La Soul - Jenifa (Taught Me) & Potholes In My Lawn (1988)

Hip hop came to me and I took it all. I wanted to know, hear and have more in high school. Here's a little story that must be told.

One day I was hanging near the high school lounge and heard a song that blew me away. I asked the guy that brought the tape to school for the name of the song and the group. He knew neither.  I was left to fend for myself and remembered hearing the name Jennifer, Oh Jenny. The group was still unknown. I got my answer when I went to Dutchy's Record Cave and saw a pink 12" with three guys doing landscaping. The group name was De La Soul.

They looked nothing like any of the rappers of the day. They had no gold chains. Their rhymes & songs were as varied as the samples they used. Something about them and those songs called to me.

The Jenifa 12" was among the three first hip hop vinyl purchases of my life. I would later buy nearly all the De La Soul 12" I could find for 3 Feet High & Rising and in my folly, I would eventually sell them. When I got back into vinyl a few years ago, I realized what a colossal mistake it was to part with my De La Soul vinyls. My quest was to find them all, those I had before or not, and guard them with my life. 

I've been pretty succesful on that front.

Please make yourself familiar with the link below for more

Below is a playlist of a podcast to bring you up to speed. 

Click here to download.



The Suite Delight February 18, 2014 Playlist:

1. The Incredible Bongo Band - Let There Be Drums
2. The Incredible Bongo Band - Bongo Rock
3. Aretha Franklin - Chain of Fools
4. Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway - Back Together Again
5. The Souljazz Orchestra - Rejoice Pt. 2
6. Gil Scott-Heron - The Revolution Will Not Be Televised
7. Otis Redding - These Arms of Mine
8. Asheru & Blue Black of The Unspoken Heard - B-Boy
9. Roc C - Don't Stop feat. Oh No & Pox Dog
10. De La Soul - Potholes In My Lawn 
11. Superlover Cee & Casanova Rud - Do The James
12. Master Ace - Go Where I Will Send Thee
13. Koncept – Aspirations feat. Soul Khan
14. Abdominal - T.Ode feat. Notes to Self

De La Soul

In 2008, De La Soul performed at the Montreal Jazz Festival.

I arrived too late for their Metropolis show for my liking, but seeing those three hip hop icons on the stage NEARLY brought a tear to my eye.

They said they were returning to commemorate the anniversary of 3 Feet High & Rising. I was happy to hear they would be back, but not happy any and every time I've been told what I missed when they came to Montreal in 1993.

They were joined by A Tribe Called Quest and Souls of Mischief and according to who you talk to, it was the best concert Montreal ever had. Considering how much De La Soul and A Tribe Called Quest mean to me, I can't believe I missed that show. I guess you can't win or see them all.

 

RIP Trugoy.

Below are two playlists to bring you up to speed.  Click here to download .

The Suite Delight - 2014-05-13 Playlist:

1. Ice Cube - Check Yo Self (Remix) feat. Das-Efx
2. Kurious - Baby Bust It
3. De La Soul - Breakadawn
4. Gang Starr - Code of the Streets
5. Souls of Mischief - That's When Ya Lost
6. Del - Mistadobalina (Remix)
7. Snoop Dogg - Ain't No Fun (If The Homies Can't Have None)
8. Keith Murray - Incredible feat. LL Cool J
9. Jay-Z - (Always Be My) Sunshine featuring Babyface & Foxy Brown
10. Queen Latifah - Latifah's Had It Up 2 Here
11. The Roots - Adrenaline
12. Poor Righteous Teachers - Rock Dis Funky Joint
13. Digable Planets ‎– 9th Wonder (Blackitolism)
14. Camp Lo - Luchini (This Is It)

The Suite Delight - March 4, 2013 Playlist:

1. Kokolo - Soul Power (Lack Of Afro Remix)
2. Kelis - Trick Me
3. Nickodemus – 2 Sips & Magic (Second Sky & Thomas Blondet Remix)
4. The Souljazz Orchestra - Celestial Blues
5. Fabolous - So Into You feat Tamia
6. DJ Honda - When You Hot, You Hot feat. No I.D. & Dug Infinite
7. Fashawn - LIfe As a Shorty
8. Oh No - Beware feat. Cali Agents
9. Brand Nubian - Punks Jump Up To Get Beat Down (Remix) Featuring Diamond D
10. Souls of Mischief - Good Feeling
11. De La Soul - Afro Connections At A Hi 5
12. Moka Only & Chief - Crickets
13. Grand Analog - Take It Slow (Spaces & Places)

Hip Hop Artists with Most Airplay on The Radio Show

I have been privy to some crucial data, facts and figures since moving The Suite Delight blog & radio show to CKUT 90.3FM.

After some number-crunching, the 10 hip hop artists below have the distinct honor of being the most spun of my radio show's playlists since last year winter 2013.

Life goes on and so do statistics.  The list will be updated to reflect the current reality.

 #1 - Moka Only

#2 - Talib Kweli 

#3 - Masta Ace

#4 - Common

#5 - Planet Asia

#6 - Mos Def

#7 - Gang Starr

#8 - Nas

#9 - Souls of Mischief 

#10 - De La Soul