FLASHBACK.FRIDAYZ: De La Soul

FLASHBACK.FRIDAYZ

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De La Soul

We would like to dedicate this flashback friday to one of our favorite Hip-Hop groups De La SoulDe La Soul is one of the many artists and groups who give Hip-Hop a conscious sound, a soul.  With a genre dominated today by mainstream club hits, De La Soul gives Hip-Hop a refreshing, fun, laid back, unique, jazzy and electironic sound.  




 In 1987, high school co-eds Vincent Mason, Kelvin Mercer and David Jude Jolicoeur caught the attention of producer Prince Paul with the demo of their song "Plug Tunin".






In 1989,  De La Soul  released their debut album 3 Feet High and Rising.






Fun Fact: Trough backward spelling David Jolicoeur became "Trugoy the Dove" (yogurt, his favorite food, spelled backwards); Kelvin Mercer derived "Posdnuos" (his nickname as a high school DJ, "Sound-Sop").  Read more here









1988/1989 De La Soul joins the Natives Tongues.





pictures provided by http://ositanopolis.tumblr.com

The Natives tongues was fostered by Kool DJ Red Alert. The earlier success of the Jungle Brothers had paved the way for the success of  De La Soul and  A Tribe Called Quest own albums. These three groups  formed the core of the Natives, which ultimately lead to the creation of Zulu Nation, which was fostered by Natives member Afrika Bambaataa.  In 1989 they had been joined by Queen Latifah, the UK’s Monie Love, and also by the Black Sheep & Chi-Ali


pictures provided by http://ositanopolis.tumblr.com

The Native Tongues had a huge impact on the style and trends of hip hop. Bring awareness to the mainstream of the "alternative" African American youth style during the the golden age of hip hop.



                             
                                pictures provided by http://ositanopolis.tumblr.com


Fast forward to March 2014, in honor of their 25th anniversary of the release of  their debut album, “3 Feet High and Rising,” the group offered their fans their entire discography for free. The offer was only available for 25 hours on the groups site, but fans had the option of  downloading one or all their albums! The only catch was that you had subscribe to the De La Soul's email letter. Not bad at all! Don't miss out next time and subscribe today. 



You might also notice that there is a FREE mixtape available for download on the groups web site. Your eyes are not lying to you! Go ahead and click that button :). Earlier this week the group dropped  a new mix tape , which used the recorded sounds of the recently deceased J Dilla beats (R.I.P). Don't miss out on your copy and download it today HERE.





Entitled Smell The D.A.I.S.Y. (Da Inner Soul of Yancey),  the mixtape is a tribute to producer and rapper James Yancey aka J Dilla. Yancey passed away on February 7, 2006 due to the blood disease thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura. 





 According to The Microscopic Giant  "The beats were taken from his old demo tapes. With the blessing of Dilla’s moms, Maureen “Ma Dukes” Yancey, De La took the demos and reworked some of their classic material over the instrumentals. Their tape serves as an ode to Dilla and a reminder of his prolific production. It also serves as promotion for Ma Dukes’ J Dilla Foundation, a organization who’s goal is to help support and fund music education for inner city youth. Donations are welcomed (in a loud ringing blow horn echoing voice, not obnoxious though)." The mixtape is also available on  BitTorrent Bundle , w which includes the Still Shinning Dilla documentary. 




FUN FACT:  "De La Soul’s name literally means from the soul and their mantra, “da inner sound y’all,” reflected an introspection unseen in rap at the time and an intense desire to resist the waste and uniformity of American popular culture" Read more here





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