For Promotional Use Only: De La Soul - The Impossible: Mission TV Series: Pt. 1 (October 20, 2006)

In 2006, De La Soul found themselves in a situation they were unfamiliar with: for the first time in their long and storied career, they were without a label home. Their deal with Tommy Boy Records effectively ended when the label folded in the early part of the millennium, and the group’s second partnership, with Sanctuary/BMI, ended after the release of a single album, The Grind Date. So Posdnuos, Dave, and Maseo decided that keeping the trio’s legacy alive was priority one, touring all over the globe while recording new music whenever the muse struck.

One of the ways they kept the De La Soul name active within the culture was by embracing an artform that isn’t exclusive to the genre, but was certainly defined by it: the mixtape.

De La Soul - The Grind Date (October 5, 2004)

Thanks to my Reader Review program, I don’t have to write about De La Soul’s AOI: Bionix in order to proceed with the trio’s discography. So for today’s post, I get to jump straight to their seventh full-length album in fifteen years, 2004’s The Grind Date, which may be best known for being the exact opposite of what a De La Soul album typically consisted of: the skits and other general filler have been dropped in favor of a leaner, tighter product made up of just the music, for better or for worse.

De La Soul - Art Official Intelligence: Mosaic Thump (August 8, 2000)

Four years after the release of their fourth full-length album, Stakes Is High, the rap trio De La Soul, made up of Posdnuos, Dave, and Maseo, announced an ambitious follow-up project to be distributed by their label, Tommy Boy Records. It was to be a trilogy entitled Art Official Intelligence, and all three discs were to be released separately, but within the span of a year. Both De La and Tommy Boy were all-in on the concept: the group talked it up in the press, while the label even made plans to distribute a box-set version of the first entry in the series, Art Official Intelligence: Mosaic Thump, with two additional, empty slots for fans to collect every disc into.

I’m writing this intro in 2018, and to date, part three still hasn’t seen a release of any sort, De La Soul is no longer signed to Tommy Boy Records, and Art Official Intelligence: Mosaic Thump is generally considered to be a low point in the group’s career. This doesn’t mean it’ll never happen, of course, but it’s been eighteen goddamn years: at this point I fully expect for Pos, Dave, and Maseo to turn in the finale to whatever label they’re currently signed to, stare into the heavens with smiles on their faces, and quietly pass away, their souls finally freed from serving their sentence on Earth.

For The Max-Approved Mixtape: De La Soul - "Big Brother Beat"

Artist: De La Soul featuring Mos Def

Title: "Big Brother Beat"

Producer: Skeff Anselm

Album: Stakes Is High (1996)

Stakes Is High is a De La Soul album that I think a lot of people like well enough, but it won't ever come up in a discussion of finest Native Tongues projects.  Posdnuos, Dave, and Maseo were venturing out on their own without producer Prince Paul, who worked the boards for their first three full-length efforts (although, to hear them tell it, Paul's contributions weren't quite as all-encompassing as hip hop heads would like to believe).  Stakes Is High was also released three years after their previous album, Buhloone Mindstate, and the hip hop landscape had changed dramatically during their absence: gangsta rap's dominance of the culture had paved the way for New York's fascination with Italian mobster fantasies, leaving De La Soul on the outside looking in even more so than they normally would be.

The straight butter hit "Big Brother Beat" served as my introduction to rapper-slash-singer-slash-actor Mos Def, who hadn't yet changed his moniker to Yaasin Bey.  As the song dropped two years before the rest of the hip hop world caught up with his collaboration with Talib Kweli, Black Star, The Mighty Mos is positioned as merely a newcomer in the game, albeit one who found himself underneath the wing of the Native Tongues (which most certainly resulted in his collaborations with Q-Tip of A Tribe Called Quest and, more indirectly, his partnership with Native Tongue superfan Kanye West).  His breakthrough with Da Bush Babees, "The Love Song", most likely reached more people (since it was released as a single, whereas "Big Brother Beat" was not), and his work with Reflection Eternal, Medina Green, Urban Thermo Dynamics, and pretty much the entire Rawkus Records roster sealed his fate as an underground stalwart with lots of connections, but "Big Brother Beat" is where it all started for me, anyway.

Over a simple, melodic "oh shit, Skeff Anselm, he gets props too" instrumental (word to Phife Dawg), Pos and Dave (who was still going by Trugoy the Dove back then) share screen time with their guest, passing the microphone around while spending the duration of the track spitting the type of boasts that were popular at the time: that's why both Dave and Yaasin both have lines about making money (although Dave's description is funnier: "See, I'm out to get the coin like in them rainbow pots").  The Mighty Mos also points out Posdnuos's ability to "bag dimes", which, again, isn't the kind of thing one would expect from a bunch of conscious rappers.  But it's clear that these guys are just fucking around, and their playfulness is as infectious as Anselm's beat.

"Big Brother Beat" isn't entirely successful at introducing Mos Def as someone who could be the second coming of the D.A.I.S.Y Age: the dude spits his bars with the confidence of a guy who had already been rhyming for ten years, and it was painfully obvious that he would find the success he craved, at least before changing his name and opting to never release his collaborative project with producer Mannie Fresh, apparently.  But as a posse cut, it works wonders, as Dave and Pos both sound rejuvenated with the injection of youthful energy in the booth.  "Big Brother Beat" might not have been the springboard "The Love Song" ended up being for Yaasin Bey, but it's still an enjoyable song, one of many from Stakes Is High, an album you two should revisit.

Do you agree or disagree with this selection?  Discuss below.

-Max

RELATED POST:

De La Soul - Stakes Is High (review)

Reader Review: De La Soul - AOI: Bionix (December 4, 2001)

(Today's Reader Review comes from Justa, who skips ahead in De La Soul's catalog to talk about their sixth full-length, AOI: Bionix, the second act in a three-part series that has yet to be completed, although rumor has it that De La might just finish this up sooner rather than later.  Anyway, leave your thoughts for Justa below.)

De La Soul - Stakes Is High (July 2, 1996)

The last time I wrote about De La Soul was back in August of 2009.  Seriously.  I realize that doesn't sound appropriate: I'm actually surprised at how long ago it was.  I swear I was jotting down my notes on Buhloone Mindstate just yesterday.  But the proof can be found right there on the sidebar with one click.  I suppose I don't really have much of an excuse, but now is as good a time as any to revisit one of the founding members of the Native Tongues movement, so here we go.

De La Soul's fourth album, Stakes Is High, dropped in 1996, three years after their previous effort, the aforementioned Buhloone Mindstate, polarized their audience.  Although the trio still consisted of Posdnuos, Trugoy the Dove, and Maseo, and they were still signed to Tommy Boy Records, there were some marked differences between this effort and their other releases.  For one, Trugoy decided that he liked the rap name "Dave" better.  And Stakes Is High features the group at their angriest: although De La Soul Is Dead and Buhloone Mindstate found De La fighting the stigma of being hip hop's resident hippies (thanks to the response to their debut, 3 Feet High and Rising), this project was a reactionary one, targeting the issues they were having with the rap music of the day, which ditched creativity and nuance in favor of materialism, sexism, and organized crime, making this a far cry from the happy-go-lucky songs from their freshman effort.  

But the most noticeable difference between this product and De La Soul's past work was, of course, the absence of their longtime producer (and unofficial fourth member), Prince Paul.  The breakup appeared to be amicable: in fact, Pos and Dave still turn up on Prince Paul's many side projects to this day.  But it was time for the group to switch up its approach, and they felt the best way to accomplish that was to change its sound: Paul doesn't even manage to score one production credit on Stakes Is High.  De La Soul was fucking serious about their craft this time around: save for a few tracks, they even handled all of the musical backing themselves.

Stakes Is High didn't sell very well (a major label album lashing out at commercialism isn't exactly going to do well commercially itself, you see), but it was very highly acclaimed by music critics, most of whom ranked it among their best work.  There are even folks out there who believe it to be their best work.  While I don't fall into the latter category, I can say this: Stakes Is High was the first De La Soul album I ever purchased, and even though my younger self was more prone to skipping tracks within the first two seconds than I am now, what I heard was still good enough to warrant me looking into their back catalog as soon as I could.  (The association with Prince Paul, admittedly, played a strong supporting role in that.)

Longtime readers may recall that there was actually a Reader Review of Stakes Is High published way back in July of 2009.  However, this write-up is not intended to signify that I'm now going to write up every single album that you two have reviewed.  I just believe that I have something worth saying (and reading) about the project, and enough time has passed that I can write this post without fear of it being influenced by Jos-B's original review.  

Also, only two people commented on his Stakes Is High write-up.  The fuck?  De La Soul are fucking legends!  Hopefully this newer post will garner a bit more appreciation.

1. INTRO

After a documentary-style intro, featuring faceless voices discussing where they were wand how they felt when they first listened to Criminal Minded from Boogie Down productions, a minimalist drum track kicks in for Pos and Dave to destroy. Already with this intro, you find that Prince Paul's influence has officially left the building, as this sounds nothing like De La's first three albums, and yet, it still rocks. Maybe these guys don't always need to have Paul hanging around. This intro is notorious for inciting a goofy beef between Treach (of Naughty By Nature and softcore porn fame) and Posdnuos, because of the latter's “Stick to your Naughty By Natures and your Kanes” line, which Treach misheard as a correlation between liking Naughty and being high on Charlie Sheen, as the line directly before that talks about weed. I understand they actually had a physical altercation because of it. Misinterpretation can be a bitch, right?

2. SUPA EMCEES

This track goes a long way toward eradicating the “hip hop hippies” label that De La have had affixed to their collective forehead ever since 3 Feet High and Rising dropped. Over a fucking dope beat, Dave and Pos each take a single verse to display their mic prowess, thereby helping to explain what they're still doing in the rap game after having already released three critically-acclaimed albums. Pos uses a single line to bring relevancy back to his crew: “While others are representing, I present my rep”. Which says everything you need to know about this song, really. Pretty fucking good.

3. THE BIZNESS (FEAT. COMMON)

“The Bizness” was actually my introduction to the Stakes Is High project: I heard it on the radio, and its stark, hypnotic minimalism put me in a chokehold, refusing to release me and allow oxygen into my lungs until I bought the goddamn album. The track still works today, too: De La Soul's collaboration with Common, a like-minded artist in the field of “conscious” rap when he isn't obsessed with getting his dick sucked, knocks with the best of them, and the Craig Mack sound bite at the beginning, taken from his “Get Down”, even fits in pretty nicely. There is no standout here: each rapper brings the best out of the others involved, so all three end up sounding great, although you'll probably remember Lonnie's verse more, thanks to his censored comment about Olympic swimmer Greg Louganis and his “sick ass” (Louganis is HIV-positive), which goes a bit off-color for Common, which might be why it was censored in the first place. De La even found a way to fit two interludes between “The Bizness” and the next track, so that was...okay, that was actually unnecessary, but one of those interludes is a verse, so it's not a complete waste of time.

4. WONCE AGAIN LONG ISLAND

When I bought Stakes Is High back in 1996, this was always the point where I started skipping ahead, but in listening to it today, it turns out that I was a fucking idiot when I was younger, as this Posdnuos solo shot is really good. Plug One goes for broke over three verses, sounding like the rarest of all creatures: the seasoned veteran who hasn't yet run out of ideas. The instrumental is pretty good, and it evolves as the track goes on (I think I might have heard a swatch of the same song that was used for the “Hip Hop Remix” of The Notorious B.I.G.'s “One More Chance”). While Dave is missed, this shit still rocked.

5. DINNINIT

My younger self may have been correct about this song, though, as “Dinninit” sounds about as boring as I remember. My issue isn't so much with the lyrics, which are as playful as ever (Trugoy professes his love for various R&B singers (although two out of the three artists he names on here would have been traded out for others had this been recorded today – guess which two!) while Pos goes out of his way to explain how much he hates “busters...unless their name is Busta Rhymes”), but with Spearhead X's instrumental, which doesn't fit the sound established thus far on Stakes Is High, nor does it match the urgency that the album title suggests. Also, the song's very name is pretty fucking stupid. That is all.

6. BRAKES

“Brakes” fares a bit better than I originally gave it credit for. Utilizing a piano-dominated instrumental, Pos and Dave attempt to evoke the feeling of old school hip hop, most specifically referring to a certain Kurtis Blow song whose title is a homonym of “Brakes” with a “The” thrown in front. It sounds ridiculous and impossible to remind listeners of the feel-good party atmosphere of the golden age in our chosen genre while using a beat that sounds so cold and modern (and perfect to leave on the radio when you're doing chores around the house, another visual image De La evokes on here), but the trio manage to pull it off, turning “Brakes” into a nostalgic drive back into your old neighborhood, the one that you would absolutely positively never want to live in again, but is good to see every once in a while.

7. DOG EAT DOG

I didn't care for this song. I appreciate the concept: I get that De La Soul recorded Stakes Is High as a response to how they felt hip hop was being mistreated during the Puff Daddy jiggy era, and this song is just one of many direct attacks (Dave's verse is, anyway). But the hook is terrible. And since Dave runs through it four fucking times before the first verse even begins, you'll be tempted to cut the cord immediately and skip ahead to the next track. Go with your gut on this one.

8. BABY BABY BABY BABY OHH BABY

This satirical track, which is really more of an interlude, is an obvious potshot at the radio-friendly, sample-heavy rap songs that were flooding the airwaves at the time, but the thing is, it kind of holds up on its own, especially if you're already in on the joke. The cameo from Fatman Scoop at the end only adds to the ambiance.

9. LONG ISLAND DEGREES

Meh.

10. BETTA LISTEN

The brief interlude at the end of “Long Island Degrees” doesn't really lead into this track, but De La attempt to force a connection anyway, with discouraging results. Combined with the previous track, De La Soul has brought listeners a one-two punch of mediocrity. It is what it is.

11. ITZSOWEEZEE (HOT)

The recipient of the second video from the Stakes Is High publicity machine helps right the ship, as Dave goes for dolo, chastising all other rappers by questioning their obsession and dependence on organized crime (“Them Cubans don't care what y'all n----z do / Colombians ain't never ran with your crew...The only Italian you know is Ice-y”) over a simple instrumental that helps punctuate just how silly New York hip hop was back in 1996. As Dave's argument has merit, the song is that much better in my mind (and ears). Still holds up well today, too. I've never cared too much for the remix featuring Truth Enola, though.

12. 4 MORE (FEAT. ZHANE)

I couldn't really get into this song. Although De La Soul are no strangers to hiring R&B singers for their hooks (“A Roller Skating Jam Named 'Saturdays'” is still one of the greatest De La songs ever recorded), calling in the duo Zhane is a mixed blessing, as they sound decent enough, but not so much that “4 More” actually fits with the rest of Stakes Is High. If anything, this track sounds like a forfeit: De La is now tired of fighting the good fight and will now fall in line with all other rappers who want their shit played on the radio.

13. BIG BROTHER BEAT (FEAT. MOS DEF)

Although this was never an official single, “Big Brother Beat” will be forever referred to in the hip hop history books as the song that introduced Mos Def to a wider audience, and for a relative newcomer, it's amazing how fully formed he sounded right out of the gate. Skeff Anslem's instrumental is a mini-masterpiece of simplicity, which makes sense when you realize that he already has previous experience working with fellow Native Tongues founders A Tribe Called Quest. I found the song to still be fun and engaging today, even if the lyrics themselves are a bit slight.

14. DOWN SYNDROME

The sneak preview aired after “The Bizness” (which was, admittedly, not set up as foreshadowing or anything) finally pays off in the form of the full song. Pos and Dave ignore traditional song structure norms in favor of spitting their rhymes with brute force, which makes the track entertaining while still sounding out of place for a crew calling themselves De La Soul. Even with the hint provided earlier, I had completely forgotten about the existence of this song, so it was nice to throw into the mix as a way to lead up to the massive title track.

15. PONY RIDE (FEAT. TRUTH ENOLA)

But before we can get to “Stakes Is High”, we have to politely sit through this exercise in futility, which features Pos and Dave rhyming over an instrumental that doesn't suit their style, while a Truth Enola guest verse (laid over an entirely different beat) is shoehorned into the middle of the track, like the creamy center of a sandwich cookie that tastes like ass. Although the interlude at the end eventually leads into the next song, it's best for everyone involved to simply hit that “skip” button...now.

16. STAKES IS HIGH

De La Soul's manifesto-masquerading-as-a-title-track features Pos and Dave at their angriest, upset at how hip hop has glorified violence and wealth, treating them as the main focus instead of actively trying to make better-sounding music. (Dave, in particular, is “sick of R&B bitches over bullshit tracks”. Um, “4 More” much?) De La co-produced this song with the late J. Dilla, and their combined efforts are displayed in a powerful anthem-like offering that may not provide much in the way of solutions, but at least acknowledges that we have a motherfucking problem. Because acceptance is the first step toward getting help, you see. The interludes bookending the track weren't really necessary, though.

17. SUNSHINE

The one thing I remember clearly from Jos-B's Reader Review of Stakes Is High is that he really loved the final song, “Sunshine”. Personally, I don't see it: the music is pleasant and all, but not enough so to ground the bombastic heights of the previous track. It's as though “Sunshine” is meant to be a theme for a victorious effort, but De La Soul have hardly won anything. (Addressing the problem is very much appreciated, but the cynic in me would like to point out that hip hop has only gotten worse since Stakes Is High dropped.) However, I loved how the ending of the track takes us right back to the beginning of the album, with the talking heads now discussing 3 Feet High and Rising instead of Criminal Minded. Circle of life, and all that shit.

FINAL THOUGHTS: Okay, I was a bit harsh on Stakes Is High during the second half, but that's just because I really wanted it to sound better than it truly does. However, even with their missteps, De La Soul prove without a doubt that they are capable of operating without the Prince Paul filter, turning in a product that has several outright bangers and that sounds more consistent than Buhloone Mindstate. Although Posdnuos mentions during the title track that “the Native Tongues have officially been reinstated”, that doesn't mean that Stakes Is High is a straight-through conscious effort: in fact, Pos, Dave, and Maseo (mostly resigned to production on Stakes Is High) spend the majority of the album's runtime really fucking pissed off at the new direction hip hop has taken during their brief absence. The playfulness of 3 Feet High and Rising is sorely missed, but then again, De La Soul haven't been feel-good artists for several albums now. Stakes Is High may not sound as urgent as it did back in 1996, but it is an entertaining album that deserves more attention from today's audience than it's been receiving.

BUY OR BURN? Buy this album and listen to it while wondering if there will ever be an official Native Tongues re-reunion. (The answer is no, by the way.) It'll help you pass the time, and you'll be listening to some good music to boot.

BEST TRACKS: “Stakes Is High”; “Big Brother Beat”; “The Bizness”; “Brakes”; “Wonce Again Long Island”; “Supa Emcees”; “Down Syndrome”; “Intro” (yeah, that's right, I listed the fucking intro)

-Max

RELATED POSTS:

Here's a link to all of the previous De La Soul posts, including the Reader review of Stakes Is High. Enjoy!

De La Soul - Buhloone Mindstate (September 21, 1993)

De La Soul's third album, Buhloone Mindstate, saw its release in 1993, two years after the trio (well, quartet, if you count producer Prince Paul) attempted to dispel their image as hip hop hippies, which manifested itself in the audience reaction to their classic debut, 3 Feet High & Rising. They were categorized as such primarily because they didn't rhyme about killing anybody: De La Soul were obsessed with women, sex, having fun, and, um, personal hygiene, and their musical backing (with input from both Paul and the group itself) was borderline goofy, and I mean that in the best way possible. De La Soul Is Dead saw the group take a turn down a darker alley, but even with a bleaker outlook, they still ended up with "A Roller Skating Jam Named Saturdays", which just fucking rocks. So, in an effort to escape this classification, De La Soul naturally turned to jazz.

Buhloone Mindstate revisits Posdnuos, Trugoy the Dove, and Maseo as they navigate through hip hop with an eye on remembering their roots even though their record label, Tommy Boy, was doing their part to turn them into stars. At this point, De La Soul was, for lack of a better way to put it, popular: they hadn't sold billions of records, but as the recipients of both critical and commercial acclaim, they had to accept that anything they did would garner attention of some sort.

Buhloone Mindstate was their attempt to deviate from the norm and to make the music they wanted to make. In doing so, they eschewed hip hop convention and created an album that is their most inaccessible to date. While, yes, there are actual rap songs on this disc, its musical peers aren't other rappers: this can only be described as an experimental jazz project, as it doesn't even sound like fellow Native Tongues founders A Tribe Called Quest's foray into jazz, The Low End Theory. To aid and abet, they enlisted the likes of jazz veterans Maceo Parker, Fred Wesley, and Pee Wee Ellis for musical backing on a few of the songs, and they ran amok with their ideas and crazy concepts for the rest. De La Soul also avoided including eight billion skits, which already makes this disc appear to be much more compact than its predecessors.

With their conscious effort to create something that is outright difficult to listen to, creepy-ass artwork, and much darker dedications in the liner notes (Pos asks someone named McRae, "If you read my thoughts, would I still be a monster?", and Prince Paul takes time out to thank everyone who ever screwed him over for turning him into a "gravedigga!"; 6 Feet Deep, his fuck you to the record industry alongside the other Gravediggaz (The Rza, Frukwan, and Poetic) would see release the following year), De La Soul and Prince Paul earned some of the best reviews of their careers, mainly from critics who go out of their way to praise uniqueness in a sea of bland, regardless of the actual quality of the information received. Buhloone Mindstate ended up being the last album that De La and Paul Huston would collaborate on together, although they still enjoy a fine working relationship, as both Pos and Dave continue to pop up on Prince Paul's multiple side projects.

Fun fact: in 1992, around the time Buhloone Mindstate was being recorded, Tommy Boy was having a company-wide issue with bootlegging, so in an effort to trick the label reps, De La Soul and Prince Paul set off to record a fake album for the label to "enjoy" while they created the real thing in secret. They only ended up recording two "fake" tracks, one of which ended up on Prince Paul's Hip Hop Gold Dust compilation album a few years back, and the label ended up loving those songs, which completely defeated the purpose, so the four men scrapped that idea and just went to work.

1. INTRO
Clearly they're not talking about balloons.

2. EYE PATCH
This track is really difficult to get into. The guitar sample is not appealing, and it sounds as if Dave and Posdnuos just stopped caring after recording De La Soul Is Dead. You almost welcome the brief interlude that interrupts the song toward the end (especially since it recalls the crew's debut album).

3. EN FOCUS (FEAT DRES & SHORTIE NO MASS)
The beat picks up the energy a bit, but I still can't remember any redeeming qualities of this song.

4. PATTI DOOKE (FEAT MACEO PARKER, FRED WESLEY, PEE WEE ELLIS, MELVIN PARKER, RODNEY JONES, LARRY GOLDINGS, FRANK WES, & GURU)
This is a bit better. Hated the hook, but at least you'll actually pay attention to this ultimately nonthreatening diatribe against sucker emcees (with a subliminal thread decrying the idea of artists selling out). The Run DMC vocal sample is also appreciated. Having Guru appear at the end, saying “Peace to my man Premier”, makes me wish that Gangstarr would just get back together already, though.

5. I BE BLOWIN' (FEAT MACEO PARKER)
A jazzy instrumental track. Hearing the horn (provided by Maceo Parker) unencumbered is a bit off-putting, but after a full minute, other instruments are introduced into the fold, and the listening experience is improved greatly. Listen to this shit on your way to work and tell me it doesn't set up the right mood for the day. You may find it weird that nobody bothers to rhyme (nay, appear) on here, though, but all will be explained later.

6. LONG ISLAND WILDIN' (FEAT SDP & TAKAGI KAN)
Goofy as fuck. Japanese rappers SDP And Takagi Kan spit a couple of quick verses, seemingly for no other reason except that Prince Paul and De La Soul asked them to. This is the type of excursion that critics find appealing and regular listeners skip after the one listen. Do with that comment what you will.

7. EGO TRIPPIN' (PART TWO)
Actually really good. (Don't bother looking for De La Soul's first chapter in the series, though: this song is meant as a companion piece to an older song by the Ultramagnetic MC's.) This starts off as an ode to hip hop cliches, but it quickly morphs into straight spitting (and some ridiculous, but catchy, shouting on the hook). The video for this song started a beef between 2Pac and De La Soul, thanks to a scene that takes place around a pool (see above, “hip hop cliches”), which looked similar to Pac's own video for “I Get Around”, which takes place in and around a pool. The Beastie Boys reference at the end of the track is as good a conclusion as any: by the way, it's good to hear that MCA is recovering nicely.

8. PAUL'S REVENGE
I don't think I've ever heard Prince Paul angry before I copped Buhloone Mindstate. You see, he was pissed off at The Source long before the Eminem and Ray Benzino beef. Having this as a skit on a De La Soul album is kind of ridiculous, though, and that isn't meant to be a compliment.

9. 3 DAYS LATER
I liked the drums, but I still couldn't get into this track.

10. AREA
Pretty good, even though it pales in comparison to the crew's best songs from the first two albums. The beat deftly enters your subconscious, and “We whupped that ass!” may become your newest catchphrase. As one of the few straight-up rap songs on here, the extra effort is much appreciated.

11. I AM I BE (FEAT MACEO PARKER, FRED WESLEY, PEE WEE ELLIS, BUSTA RHYMES, MAY MAY ALI, CHIP FU, & DRES)
Starts off sounding like one of those horrible independent films in which people describe themselves instead of actively engaging in conversation (or, at least, it sounds like one of those old fragrance ads of yore), but then Pos takes over the same music that appeared on “I Be Blowin'” and rips shit up. Dave does the same, turning this into the best song on Buhloone Mindstate by far. The guitar added to the music is a nice touch. Pos also attempts to completely abandon the D.A.I.S.Y. Age theme from De La's first two albums, and it must be noted that he does so almost entirely successfully.

12. IN THE WOODS (FEAT SHORTIE NO MASS)
The Shorty No Mas ad libs throughoutare annoying as shit, but she sounds alright when she finally gets a chance to spit her own verse. I find it interesting that none of the De La members interrupt her flow, though. Hmmm. Anyway, while I loved the beat (Prince Paul and De La are typically nice with theirs, although a lot of Buhloone Mindstate feels like a misstep), I found the song to be not very interesting.

13. BREAKADAWN
This isn't bad, but it is kind of boring. (Yeah, I said it.) Lyrically, everyone is on point (and the chanting that was swiped by Will Smith for his “Gettin' Jiggy Wit It” was unexpected), but this will put you to sleep faster than taking eight Ambien with a bottle of Jack. Which, by the way, HHID doesn't endorse.

14. DAVE HAS A PROBLEM...SERIOUSLY
If this skit were part of an installation in a museum specializing in modern and contemporary works, the artist would say that this symbolizes the loneliness that artists can feel within the music industry confines, even when they are pretending to have a good time (as evidenced by the dope breakbeat). As a part of an album, though, it's very divisive, and I fall into the faction that calls this some straight-up bullshit. And yes, I realize I just dissed a Prince Paul-produced skit.

15. STONE AGE (FEAT BIZ MARKIE)
Meh.

FINAL THOUGHTS: If it weren't for a handful of really good rap tracks, I would call Buhloone Mindstate an anti-hip hop album. As it stands, De La Soul turned in an album that was as far removed from 3 Feet High & Rising that you could get without simply switching genres. Even with Prince Paul with the assist, a lot of Buhloone Mindstate is inaccessible to the average listener, even while under the influence of the most uncontrolled of substances. It certainly doesn't help that your enjoyment of at least a small portion of this is dependent on the listener being familiar with De La Soul's other work, but then again, who the fuck would buy Buhloone Mindstate without also owning the rest of the crew's catalog? I'm all for exploring new territory in my hip hop, but this experiment didn't work, and it damn sure doesn't hold up today. Other than the tracks listed below, this one veers off into shark-infested waters relatively quickly, and you won't be inclined to follow them this time.

BUY OR BURN? Burn this if you must. Its limited appeal and small number of actual good songs seals its fate. This is for De La Soul completists only. Sorry, but it is what it is. You can speak your mind in the comments below.

BEST TRACKS: “I Am I Be”; “Ego Trippin' (Part Two)”; “Area”

-Max

RELATED POSTS:
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Reader Review: De La Soul - Stakes Is High (July 2, 1996)

(Here's an album that I haven't yet gotten to because I'm trying to go in the order of the group's releases. Jos-B (who has a blog called Comin' Through) elected to skip Buhloone Mindstate and jump right to De La Soul's fourth album, Stakes Is High. Whenever I finally get to it, I'll try to do it justice, but for now, here's one reader's take.)

I’ll keep this short.

Stakes Is High is De La Soul’s fourth album, and their first without assistance from member by proxy/daddy dearest Prince Paul, which greatly altered the music laid behind Kelvin Mercer and David Jude Jolicoeur’s potent words. However, compared to De La Soul’s happy-go-lucky, almost-but-not-quite naive approach to hip-hop upon their debut, by the time Stakes Is High was released, De La Soul had become more of the pensive, cautious voice of hip-hop they are today, concerned with its future and disapproving of many of the genre's bad habits. Stakes Is High was released the same day as It Was Written (the second album from Nas) as well as in close proximity to 2Pac’s All Eyez on Me, Jay-Z’s Reasonable Doubt, and OutKast’s ATLiens. There’s no argument that Stakes Is High pales in comparison to those albums when it comes to widespread influence in hip-hop. But can 10,000 adamant bloggers be wrong when they proclaim this album as a classic? Let’s find out.

1. INTRO
You’d think this were an intro for an album by KRS-One’s self-righteous ass, at least for the first 40 seconds, as it consists of a patchwork of heads reminiscing fondly about the first time they ever heard Criminal Minded (from Boogie Down Productions, for those of you who are unaware). Thankfully, I don’t have to review a song consisting of people reviewing another album filled with other songs, because De La rushes in with some rather dope verses over tight drums and a “Long Red”-esque shouting sample. Stand-out line: “De La Soul is hear to stay like racism.” Sidebar: WAY too long of a blurb for the f’n intro. Moving on.

2. SUPA EMCEES
Ricky D samples never go out of style, much like his eyepatch and dookie chains. Posdnuos and Trugoy contemplate what’s wrong with emcees, as well as hip-hop (pay attention class: this is foreshadowing to a recurring theme later in the album). De La manages to be preachy without being that annoying, and by not letting a message make the actual music fall by the wayside. So far, 1 for 1.

3. THE BIZNESS (FEAT COMMON)
I’ll be honest, I usually skipped this C-to the-O-double-M-O-N featured track; but truth be told, it’s also pretty damn good. The old-school, name-spellin’ hook is enjoyable, as is hearing Lonnie Lynn declare his supremacy, not in emceeing, but in NBA Live (I was always partial to the 2K games myself). I’ve heard almost every single line Plug Wonder Why spits in his verse sampled later by other artists, so props to him. Oh, and WTF does Common mean at the end when he says his flow is “so fluid, it ain’t even a flow no more” ? Umm…what? (I've always been more intrigued as to why Common felt the need to diss HIV-positive Greg Louganis and his “sick ass” (a phrase that was edited out by the label): seriously, what was the point? That just comes off as kind of mean.) There are also two mini-songs tacked onto the end of this track, the first consisting of shoutouts to a gaggle of Native Tongues card-carrying members over a beat doper than the main song, and the second being Mr. Mercer dropping an absolutely FIERCE couple of bars.

4. WONCE AGAIN LONG ISLAND
This song’s good, but I don’t have much to say about it. Perhaps it’s because I’m not from Long Island: do they actually spell ‘once’ with a W over there?

5. DINNINIT
I remember Max praising the chorus (true story) of “Ring Ring Ring (Ha Ha Hey)” off of De La Soul Is Dead, although that chorus essentially consists of an excited, jazzy De La Soul answering machine message. That said, here’s another example of a simple, but great hook; Dove shouts out the ladies, Pos shouts out the fellas, then they repeat the title of the song, which is a nonsensical sound effect. Excelsior!

6. BRAKES
Rick the Ruler sample #2; Kelvin sounds like he’s yelling quietly here, which is odd. The beat is too smoothed-out and jazzy for me, especially for the subject matter, which includes, among other things, the experience of being robbed by a crackhead.

7. DOG EAT DOG
Again, the beat almost acts as a natural Quaalude (still a’ight though), contrasting with Plug One crooning over his love “getting fucked in all the wrong places”, which is a pretty gross metaphor.

8. BABY, BABY, BABY, BABY, OOH BABY (FEAT JAZZYFATNASTEES)
With the help of the Jazzyfatnastees, De La spoof really shitty R&B/rap…successfully, I might add, since this song is OBNOXIOUS.

9. LONG ISLAND DEGREES
More “afternoon nap” music. Oh, how’s the song? At one point (taken drastically out of context), it mentions rap is just “n----s talking”. Just listen to the last few seconds before you dust off your torch and pitchfork.

10. BETTA LISTEN
Don’t tell me what to do, De La.

11. ITSOWEEZEE (HOT)
Excluding “Baby Baby Squared, Ooh Baby”, this song contrasts (at least musically) the most from the rest of the album so far, although it does host another Slick Rick sample (I think), and echoes De La’s lovers quarrel with hip-hop. I always loved this horn-laden instrumental, it’s the perfect backdrop to a lazy summer day spent sitting on a sizzling porch eating ice pops, if you’ll forgive the sappy imagery. Also, 2 for 2 for De La with being preachy but enjoyable.

12. 4 MORE (FEAT ZHANE)
Pleasant, but bo-o-o-o-ring.

13. BIG BROTHER BEAT (FEAT MOS DEF)
A refreshing change of pace, beatwise. Mos Def flashes his Native Tongues Junior Detective card here; eight more features and he gets that free Icee. How’s the song? You’d love to know, wouldn’t you… (For the record, I like this track a lot.)

14. DOWN SYNDROME
I thought I was listening to “Betta Listen” again, and we ALL know how I feel about that song, am I right, ladies and gentlemen, or should I say, Max’s two fans? *cue applause*

15. PONY RIDE (FEAT TRUTH ENOLA)
This song sounds like when you keep cranking the volume back and forth from loud to silent really fast so all your friends will think you’re hilarious in the car on the way to Burger King. That’s all that needs to be said.

16. STAKES IS HIGH
SO GOOD. Plugs One through Three pull the trifecta on preachy-not-whiny songs. Pos definitely justifies his claim within his verse that “everything [he] says should be a hip-hop quotable”, and you couldn’t ask for a better beat from James ‘Jay “J Dilla” Dee’ Yancey. Lovin’ it.

17. SUNSHINE
I honestly didn’t even remember this song existed; I assume upon previous album listens, I would just listen to the previous track multiple times, then call it a day. However, this song is also really good. A fitting way to end the album, dropping all the “hip-hop’s got problems” stuff for some uplifting, feel good music.

FINAL THOUGHTS: I’ll put it this way. If you listen to hip-hop with headphones on or alone more than you do with your homeys in the car, then you’ll probably like Stakes Is High. If you don’t fall under the last category of people, but you still like this album, then your friends are either also hip-hop heads, or you just don’t have exciting car rides. Take that how you will.

BUY OR BURN?: Buy it, as the great songs are excellent, and the rest are listenable. Grab a copy, then go see De La live. Seriously.

BEST TRACKS: “Supa Emcees”, “Dinninnit”, “Itsoweezee (Hot)”, “Stakes Is High”

- Jos-B

(Be sure to leave questions, comments, and concerns below. And hit me up at the address on the side if you want to contribute your own Reader Review.)

De La Soul - De La Soul Is Dead (May 14, 1991)

De La Soul released their second album, De La Soul Is Dead, in 1991, two years after they found success and praise with their Prince Paul-produced debut, 3 Feet High & Rising. Their first album was made up of songs that sounded gleeful, creative, and fucking happy, dammit, so much so that you would probably let your children listen to it about twelve times in a row before you remembered that there were, in fact, curse words on the disc. However, their happy-go-lucky attitude and approach to life (which, in my opinion, was manufactured more by Tommy Boy Records than by the group itself) led them to be labeled as hip hop hippies, a term they hated. As such, De La Soul Is Dead was recorded with more than a little bit of anger boiling up the blood.

Teaming up with Prince Paul once again, Posdnuos, Trugoy (or "Dave", as I will call him later on), and Maseo approach the struggles with the minutiae of life with a much darker sensibility than what pervaded their debut. With that, De La Soul trashed their "D.A.I.S.Y. Age" theme completely (it stood for "Da Inner Sound, Y'all", and contributed to the trio being labelled as hippies: the broken flower pot on the cover of De La Soul Is Dead essentially kills that movement with one swift blow). The group chose a children's storybook format to help move things along, which is easily followed thanks to the comic strip they included in the liner notes. As if to take the piss out of any potential critics of their work, they even refer to their own music as boring, although the songs themselves are far from it.

De La Soul Is Dead may not have sold as many copies as 3 Feet High & Rising, and may not have as many fans (I'm excluding bloggers in that last statement, of course), but it should be seen as proof that you can shed your image in hip hop without sacrificing anything. (Of course, the lack of sales may have something to do with the fact that Maseo tells the Amityville community to go fuck themselves, but if you read through his liner notes, his reasons are valid.)

Anyway.

1. INTRO
The album-as-children's storybook format is always a good one whenever Prince Paul is somehow involved. Although this story is already a lot darker than the debut album, it is pretty genius to have the intro end the same way as 3 Feet High & Rising.

2. OODLES OF O'S
De La Soul Is Dead may be considered much more mature than the debut, but the songs still sound playful. The elasticity of this instrumental aids the transition between albums in a substantial way.

3. TALKIN' BOUT HEY LOVE
The first of many musical interludes that serve their purpose (making you question how musical concepts should be presented), even though they have the tendency to bring the album's flow to a screeching halt.

4. PEASE PORRIDGE
I was actually annoyed as shit during this song. For such a ridiculous premise, there's too much going on here, and the verses consist of a gimmick which features Pos and Dave rhyming with a fake stutter for the majority of their bars. Somehow A Tribe Called Quest's Jarobi was roped into appearing towards the end, but not to rap, which I suppose is alright, since he was never known for spitting, but it's still pretty random.

5. SKIT 1
...

6. JOHNNY'S DEAD AKA VINCENT MASON (LIVE FROM THE BK LOUNGE)
This shit is just goofy.
7. A ROLLER SKATING JAM NAMED "SATURDAYS" (FEAT Q-TIP & VINIA MOJICA)
Thankfully, the disco sound presented at the beginning is mostly abandoned, giving listeners a fun-filled De La Soul take on what A Tribe Called Quest may have recorded for their first album. Hell, even Q-Tip appears for good measure. This is just a great fucking song. In contrast, there's a version of this track simply called "Saturdays" that uses a different beat, and that song blows. You see, kids, the musical backdrop can make or break a song.

8. WRMS' DEDICATION TO THE BITTY
Skit...

9. BITTIES IN THE BK LOUNGE
During Dave's first verse, the song is boring as shit. Afterward. the beat does switch itself up, but the song is already a lost cause at this point.

10. SKIT 2
...

11. MY BROTHER'S A BASEHEAD

Meh.

12. LET, LET ME IN
I kind of dug this one. It was probably the instrumental work more than anything else, though.

13. AFRO CONNECTIONS AT THE HI 5 (IN THE EYES OF THE HOODLUM)
This song took aim at what would soon become the dominating force in hip hop in the early 1990's, gangsta rap. It's a weird title, sure, but the song itself is not bad. The airtight drums are especially awesome-sounding.

14. RAP DE RAP SHOW
Considering that Prince Paul was only barely a member of De La Soul (and by "barely" I mean "not really"), it's awfully nice of the group to include this long-ass interlude, which features many day players (and Q-Tip and the Jungle Brothers) praising Paul's alter ego, the Dew Doo Man. However, when Paul appears to give himself a shout-out, the entire experience turns a bit meta.

15. MILLIE PULLED A PISTOL ON SANTA
One of the better story-drive tracks in hip hop, this song is impressive in its attention to detail. It's also dark as hell, so you two should be forewarned about the disturbing shit that's presented. The song itself is really good, though, and deserves your attention.

16. WHO DO U WORSHIP?
A bizarre interlude, albeit one with some interesting musical choices.

17. SKIT 3
...

18. KICKED OUT THE HOUSE
De La may have been too nice to say outright that they're making fun of house music, but Max has no qualms with disrespecting one of the most boring forms of club music ever created. I'll say it again, for those in the back: House music sucks. As a result, this song also sucks, but it was intended to suck, so I guess De La Soul wins.

19. PASS THE PLUGS
A serious reflection on their career so far, with all of the issues and concerns that most folks don't really think about when they want to hear music (read: record label issues and the like). Still, to hear it come straight from the artists involved is interesting, and this song is all the better for it.

20. NOT OVER TILL THE FAT LADY PLAYS THE DEMO
With a title like that, I would certainly hope this was just an interlude. I found myself annoyed at the sound of this track, almost as much as I was with "Pease Porridge", but for different reasons entirely.

21. RING RING RING (HA HA HEY)
This will sound strange coming from me, but I actually liked the hook on here. I know, right? The song itself is decent, I suppose, but the chorus is as catchy as bird flu. When you consider that the hook is essentially an answering machine greeting, this song is even more impressive.

22. WRMS - CAT'S IN CONTROL
If there were a radio station in real life that played nothing but De La Soul music, I would imagine it would run out of songs to play within about eight hours.

23. SKIT 4
...

24. SHWINGALOKATE
I didn't care for this song.

25. FANATIC OF THE B WORD (FEAT MIKE G)
I have a soft spot for Native Tongues collaborations. (Mike G is from the Jungle Brothers). This is certainly one of them.

26. KEEPIN' THE FAITH
How is it possible that a song can be both upbeat and boring at the same time?

27. SKIT 5
Really more of an outro than a regular skit.

FINAL THOUGHTS: De La Soul Is Dead is 3 Feet High & Rising without the whimsy. It's a good direction for De La Soul to go, since they felt the need to prove to the world that they were not the hip hop hippies that their record label made them out to be, and, thankfully, they opted to retain Prince Paul's sensibilities (although he actually had less input in the crew's direction this go round), which helped De La Soul present another facet of the Native Tongues diamond. Its dark themes (ranging from fear of failure to child molestation) may keep some folks away, but readers of this blog owe De La Soul Is Dead at least one listen in its entirety.

BUY OR BURN? Unlike most Prince Paul-produced albums, I felt there were too many skits on this disc, which disrupted the flow a good number of times. Still, the good songs on here are fucking great, and I think you should run out and buy it, but I don't personally find it more appealing than 3 Feet High & Rising. I repeat: you should buy this one, though.

BEST TRACKS: "A Roller Skating Jam Named 'Saturdays'"; "Pass The Plugs"; "Oodles Of O's"; "Millie Pulled A Pistol On Santa"

-Max

RELATED POSTS:
De La Soul - 3 Feet High & Rising

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

So, three guys (Kelvin Mercer, David Jolicoeur, and Vincent Mason) formed a rap crew in high school, calling themselves De La Soul ("from the soul"). Their demo tape, featuring a song called "Plug Tunin'", found its way into the hands of one of my favoritest producers ever, Prince Paul Huston, and the four men quickly created what is considered to be one of the greatest hip hop debuts of all time in 3 Feet High and Rising.

The title was jacked from some Johnny Cash lyrics, but otherwise 3 Feet High and Rising is both entirely original in its composition (with the use of highly unorthodox samples and ridiculous skits as a partial framing device) and derivative (thanks to all of the samples). Or, at least it sounds that way today, considering the fact that De La opted to work without Paul in their pocket a long time ago, and folks may be more used to them spitting over more conventional beats. Posdnuos, Trugoy the Dove, and Maseo (as they would soon become in the rap world) became known for their positive lyrics in a overly negative world (well, Pos and Trugoy more so, since Maseo is more the crew's deejay than a rapper, although that hasn't stopped him before), so, of course, this means that they were labeled as fucking hippies, a term that they probably hate as much as I do.

The lyricism in general landed the crew a spot in the Native Tongues collective, which also featured the like-minded rappers in A Tribe Called Quest and the Jungle Brothers (before they went all "house" on us). 3 Feet High and Rising was met with all sorts of critical acclaim and sold tons of copies, a feat which the group was never able to repeat, regardless of how many albums they've had a hand in creating. This is one of the classics, folks, although that doesn't automatically mean it'll hold up today.

Just like with my Tribe experience, this was not the first De La Soul disc I picked up. It was actually Stakes Is High, an album which I'm sure is held in high regard with some of my two readers out there. After picking that up, I went through a completely unrelated Prince Paul phase, having recently discovered that he produced their first three albums, and after remaining stagnant for several years, decided to pick them up. My copy of 3 Feet High and Rising was picked up at a Best Buy in a deluxe package Tommy Boy Records put out, with a bonus disc containing a lot of random outtakes, B-sides, and unused skits (but, oddly, not the remix to "Buddy" that's so fucking popular). However, I have no idea where the second disc is right now, so all you folks will get is the original album.

So there.
1. INTRO
The questions posed on Prince Paul's ridiculous game show introductory skit get me every time. But, to be honest, the joke gets old very quickly.

2. THE MAGIC NUMBER
As an opening song, kind of weird, and corny as hell, but at the same time wholly representative of what De La was bringing to the table. Yes, the song starts off with some Sesame Street-ish sing-songy shit, but so what?

3. CHANGE IN SPEAK
Personally, I feel that this track would have worked better as the first true song on here.

4. COOL BREEZE ON THE ROCKS
Although he was never officially part of the group, Prince Paul uses his DJ hands to make an effective argument for inclusion.

5. CAN U KEEP A SECRET
I thought this skit/interlude was funny, but I can see how it would turn off today's rap audience. Press on, my two readers.

6. JENIFA TAUGHT ME (DERWIN'S REVENGE)
See? If you hadn't pressed on, you wouldn't have heard De La's take on the mandatory sex rap. Thanks to the inherent sense of humor present all over 3 Feet High and Rising, this isn't as embarrassing to listen to as some of these other "artists" out there.

7. GHETTO THANG
I'm more impressed with the fact that this song was apparently written by Q-Tip from A Tribe Called Quest. Otherwise, this song kind of sucks balls. Then again, the liner notes are pretty fucked up anyway, so it's entirely possible that Kamaal had nothing to do with this song, and in that case, it would suck balls on its own accord. Whatever.

8. TRANSMITTING LIVE FROM MARS
Also known as "the skit that got De La Soul sued". The Turtles went after the group (several years after the release of this disc, if I remember correctly) for their unauthorized sampling of their "You Showed Me" (which is a good song by itself, by the way, even if the Turtles didn't actually write it themselves), and De La's songs haven't sounded the same since.

9. EYE KNOW
This is enjoyable as hell.

10. TAKE IT OFF
You may feel compelled to listen to this entire glorified skit in order to hear the punchline. Resist that urge, folks.

11. A LITTLE BIT OF SOAP
A bizarre one-verse wonder, which was mixed, arranged, and performed by Posdnuos. It isn't bad, but at the same time, I'm grateful that it's short.

12. TREAD WATER
This song is simply awesome. No, really, it is.

13. POTHOLES IN MY LAWN
I've always liked this song, and not simply because it uses the same Melvin Bliss sample that the Ultramagnetic MC's used on their "Ego Trippin'". But, in listening to it today, it isn't grabbing me in the same manner as it has in the past.

14. SAY NO GO
Indistinguishable from some of the other tracks on here.

15. DO AS DE LA DOES
A goofy parody of rap music that comes off sounding more like an outtake from Prince Paul's Psychoanalysis (What Is It?) project, which is impossible, since this disc came out long before the other's inception. Paul fans may be impressed with the fact that the Popmaster character pops up on here (as does Q-Tip and MC Lyte, according to the liner notes), but otherwise, the skip button will have already been pressed.

16. PLUG TUNIN' (LAST CHANCE TO COMPREHEND)
Is that a harp? This track is easily the best song on the album: it's a perfect marriage of Paul's antiestablishment beats and the capable Native Tongue rhymes of Pos and Dave. This shit is just great. And, as an added bonus, it features the lyrics which were sampled for one of my favorite Gravediggaz tracks, "Defective Trip (Trippin')", which, conveniently enough, was also produced by Prince Paul. Coincidence?

17. DE LA ORGEE
This is just fucking ridiculous.

18. BUDDY (FEAT JUNGLE BROTHERS & Q-TIP)
Q-Tip is one of my favorite emcees to listen to (or at least he was, prior to Amplified, even though some of the tracks on there are really good), so I found myself looking forward to his contributions more so than anybody else on this song. This song pales in comparison to its monster of a remix, "Buddy (Native Tongue Decision)", which also included Queen Latifah and Monie Love, and is probably the version you two are more familiar with. Still, not bad.

19. DESCRIPTION
The flow is elementary (from everybody involved, including an uncredited Q-Tip, along with two female rappers named China and Jette), but I loved this fucking beat. Also, Paul actually rhymes on here, which is just weird in and of itself.

20. ME MYSELF AND I
This song sounds completely out of place compared to the rest of 3 Feet High and Rising, which may be why it appears close to the end of the disc. This single still gets some major burn around my way, and is still a pretty decent song, but overall it isn't that great, especially since it sounds almost nothing like the rest of De La's entire catalog. It's discussed ad nauseam that this track essentially introduced the idea of sampling George Clinton songs to the East Coast audience, and while that may be the case, Dr. Dre did it better a few years later.

21. THIS IS A RECORDING 4 LIVING IN A FULLTIME ERA (L.I.F.E.)
I didn't like the beat. (I know I'm always tripping over myself with new ways to praise the brilliance that is Prince Paul, but even I know when to quit.) However, the rhymes rock, so the song isn't a complete loss.

22. I CAN DO ANYTHING (DELACRATIC)
Lame ass skit.

23. D.A.I.S.Y. AGE
Meh.
24. PLUG TUNIN' (ORIGINAL 12" VERSION)
I have no clue if this version of the song appeared on the original release of the disc, but it's on the version that I bought, so there we go. I prefer the regular album version more, but this song is great all by itself: it helps that some of the lyrics are different.

FINAL THOUGHTS: 3 Feet High and Rising is good, but not great. The game show skits get old incredibly quickly, and you may find yourself believing that the album is more skit than actual music. You wouldn't be that far off: this album plays like an unnatural combination of Prince Paul's wacky fucked-up sensibilities and a good old fashioned hip hop album, but when it clicks, it fucking rocks. Luckily, it clicks more often than not, and there are a lot of bonafide classics on here, but don't be fooled, folks: some of these skits are annoying as shit, and I'm a Prince Paul stan.

BUY OR BURN? Even with that bizarre rant above, I would still recommend a purchase, because the songs that work are fucking awesome, and De La Soul deserves your lunch money. It's your call if you want to get the deluxe version, though: if I remember correctly, there wasn't really anything on there that was worth hunting down.

BEST TRACKS: "Jenifa Taught Me (Derwin's Revenge)"; "Tread Water"; "Description"; "Eye Know"; "Plug Tunin' (Last Chance To Comprehend)"; "Plug Tunin' (Original 12" Version)"

-Max