3 Feet High and Rising

Goofy and fun. I feel like I saw them at Red Rocks with Flaming Lips and Cake. I remember it being a great night.

meh

It was pretty good. Improvement over the snoop dogg album I listened to for sure. Lots of really good samples, loved hearing Steely Dan in Eye Know. Sounds pretty ahead of its time; difficult to tell it was made in ‘89 - three years after Peter Gabriel’s ‘So’, for example. Will definitely return to this in the future even though I’m not a big fan of hip-hop stuff. 6.5/10

Classic.

Fun early hip hop 6/10

If only all hip-hop was this much fun. Magic Number suffers badly from overplay, but the rest bounced along with great lyrics, production and them.

It's fine but I wanted to like it more than I did. Favourite track: Me Myself and I.

Pretty cool but not necessarily my style of rap

Not the best for listening in the office

This album was fun! Don’t know how much I’ll return to it but an enjoyable listen

Enjoyed this enough while listening to it but probably won’t ever return to it

They’re fun but they leave me wanting more

I must be missing something... this record comes up every so often, and I mean it's ok, but...

Sounds pretty decent for an album that’s clearly just some friends fucking around making music. 3.4 stars

Not too many band include an introduction track at the beginning of an album and it’s just garage band stuff kind of just playing around in the basement but not bad in spots

anal bum a day 1 My first experience with De La Soul was right when I was getting into music, I found out about their stuff through a frequent collaborator of theirs, Damon Albarn with Gorillaz. Unfortunately, I think this album falls a little flat compared to the praise that it gets. There's some fantastic stuff on here, but the album is so bloated that it's just a slog to get through. There's really only 3 standout tracks, those being: The Magic Number, Eye Know, and Me Myself and I. All that being said, it's still a great album. While the verses really aren't all that crazy, the high points are high enough for me to enjoy it. 7/10

its 90's hip-hop and i like 90's hip-hop but it drags on and gets repetitive after the first half of the album

This album was going fairly good for the first few tracks but I soon became tired of listening to it as I felt I was listening to the same track over and over again throughout the latter half of the album. I feel like the main issue with this album is that it drags out way too long

overall okay album. unreasonabley long for what the album is making it super repetetive for me atleast. overall though the production is very nice

#49 - I enjoyed some of the songs in the album, and the positive vibes. Might want to revisit.

It's good.

fav song – “Jenifa Taught Me (Derwin’s Revenge)”

I love 'Buddy'. I could listen to that forever. 'Say No Go' is also very good with its extensive sample from Hall & Oates. Overall, this album is a walk down memory lane, but a lot of it falls somewhat flat.

I always want to like De La Soul more than I actually do when I listen. And I can never quite put my finger on the disconnect. Don’t get me wrong, it’s good alternative hip hop. It’s chill and enlightened and everything, but I always walk away thinking that Tribe, Jurassic 5, and Dilated Peoples all click much better for me. But that “High and Rising” book I mentioned in the Tribe interview digs into De La’s incredibly important place in the history of hip hop, and their discomfort with aspects of that place. Label disputes and artistic reinvention left them on the outside looking in. Meanwhile, the violence and misogyny they were providing an alternative for went mainstream.

I always think I like De La Soul, and I do, but the problem is there is not much differentiation across the album. They have a solid vibe but its only one flavor.

I don’t know how accurate this take is, but it seems like too many albums from the late 80s and especially the 90s are way too long. 65 minutes is a lot to ask. Big shout out for the Steely Dan sample on Eye Know though.

Album with a funny vibe Favourite tracks: The Magic Number Ghetto Thang Say No Go Buddy Description D.A.I.S.Y. Age

first listen in entirety. ive been meaning to check this record out properly for years. I enjoyed it but I'm also not blown away

Too long for its frugal sprinkling of strong tunes, it’s kept aloft by the charm of the style it mints. I’ve owned this for years, but never could concentrate long enough to hear the whole record. Overall glad I just did.

I mean what to do with it. I think it was probably really popular for how new it was when it was released, but it is just a little odd now.

Pretty good beats. A little bit narrow on the spoken word range. Older hip hop. Fairly good. A little Avant gard

Really not my style of music, but enjoyed The Magic Number and Me Myself and I.

I know this is a seminal album in the progression to alternative hip hop but there just didn’t seem to be enough for me to go on.

A very influential group that were early pioneers in the Hip-Hop genre. While I only keep a small amount on rotation with De La Soul, their music aged very well for being so early in the genre

Funny and groovy. A classic old school hip hop album.

I don't like everything, but it's quite decent. They use good samples and their flow is good for the most part. I can do without the skits though. The best song was Eye Know.

A truly delightful hip hop record that embodies the playful and freewheeling late 80's spirit of the genre. Good times tunes packing much more than meets the eye.

Want to like this so much more than I actually do. The humour and sass is fantastic just gets a bit samey fairly quickly

This one defo has the feel of a debut album. Seems to vary quite a lot between the jazzier hip hop and a more stripped back old school hip hop sound. Clearly a tonne of in jokes and they’re defo having fun making it. It’s all ok, and I preferred the jazzier stuff, but no single song (including ‘the hits’) really stands out to me.

I suppose it's a good antidote to all the bitching and shooting going on but it's just a little too chirpy for me. It's sample heavy but I like the jazzy nature of some of the tracks. Eye Know always works for me but album as a whole slightly annoying.

There's so much about this album that I love, but the faux game-show nonsense risks turning it into a novelty record. At best that stuff is very annoying. I still need to listen to this album again though.

Ludique, tant au plan des textes et de l'interprétation qu'à celui de la mise en valeur des échantillons.

Chill

Check again when in mood for rap

Not my thing, but it’s not really bad.

interesting - a bit dated - kind of the last run of 'innocence' in hip hop, feels a bit 'childish' compared to what came next (cypress hill, beastie boys, Wu Tang, NWA, etc) VERY cool sampling techniques - bit time props to the producer

One of the first ever rap albums. While overall fairly simplistic in composition and lyrics, several songs were pretty catchy. Notably absent were the typical guns, drugs, and violence we all associate with rap (there were those weird sex noises however).

I enjoyed this. Not my favorite.

Fun old school hip hop with some brass.

The production and energy really saves it, but it is a little too 'all over the place' for my liking. You can't judge the level of rapping too much for the time it came out, and for being an hour long it doesn't feel that long.

It has an air of the rap of the time. I didn't know anything about this genre except pokerap. Nice album. Curiosity: "A little bit of soap" samples "Don't Play That Song (You Lied)", a song by Ben E King. Which samples "Stand by Me" and hence the similarity in the melody with such a well-known song.

Back in '94 i was listening alot to Arrested Development's Zingalamaduni, and this album takes me right back. Positive, lyrical and poetic hiphop. Playfull sampling and oldschool scratching. Im all in. I love this album. Top tracks: "The Magic Number", "Change in me", and "Me Myself and I"

This one brings me feelings of nostalgia. At the time, my brother listened to gangster rap, like NWA, Too Short, Ice-T, and the like. My sister listened to mostly metal music, but some 2 Live Crew, JJ Fad, and other party type groups. While I liked all that other stuff my siblings forced me to listen to, I really feel like De La Soul and groups like them spoke to me. I had this cassette, and played it regularly. Late 80's early 90's conscious hip hop holds a special place in my memory, and De La Soul were are the start of that journey. Buddy is a favorite on this one.

I've never sat and listened to this album before, but I am slightly familiar with them. I had the kids with me all day yesterday, driving far out to a garden center and back. If I'd been alone it would have been the perfect time to listen to this album, but I wasn't sure if it was going to be suitable for young ears, so I had to wait until later in the evening to start listening. I listen to it while at the gym, but even still, I didn't get a chance to finish it. So many interstitials! I was feeling like I was running behind and as fun as they are, I was getting annoyed with those interludes that reminded me of boys clowning around in school. Get on with it! Suffice to say, being in a rush is no way to really listen to or evaluate an album. I probably could have listened to it even with the kids present, because references to baseheads and gardening tools wouldn't have meant much to them. Except when I was peeling out of the gym parking lot in my minivan blasting sounds of an orgy, well I guess I made the right call after all. I LOVE all of the sampling and mixing, and the energy and fun. It transported me to another world, late 80's New York. I expected to see Spike Lee pop out from around the corner, with, I don't know, Rosie Perez wearing giant gold door-knocker earrings and bike shorts. Even though I was pretty young at the time, I feel like late 80s/early 90s was such a special and exciting time for music and hip hop. Listening to this makes me feel young, remembering hearing stuff like this from my childhood, but also old, realizing that mainstream music isn't often like this anymore. I'd be happy to hear some of this come on at a party, and I'm interested to hear more of their catalog.

I liked this. I was a bit of a late comer to hip hop. Being from the Caribbean I grew up on a lot of Calypso and Reggae. Trying to look back at hip hop objectively though there seems to be a sort of golden age of innovation and creativity. Maybe something like 1988 to 1994? Del La Soul seems to be coming from that old school golden age approach of creativity, and positivity. Lots of sampling and a DJ scratching. I didn't listen to all of every song, but it was noticable that rapping primarily about bitches and hoes, wrist watches and cars was absent on most of this. With the current state of a lot of hip hop I wonder if younger generations would even recognize this as being hip hop? I've never listened to this album but was familiar with 'Me, Myself and I'. The sampling on this album is great. I picked up on 'I Can't Go For That' by Hall and Oates 'The Crunge' by Led Zeppelin and of course inklings of James Brown songs....or what sounded like James Brown. It took real skill for a DJ to carve up a break in a song and set it to the right tempo to make a new song out of it. I like The Magic Number,.Ghetto Thang, Eye Know and Daisy Age. I'll definitely be looking into their later stuff.

maybe an important hiphop album.

beste rap album tot nu toe... leuke deuntjes, vrolijke muziek, hoewel rap niet mijn smaak is

Enjoyed most of the vibes, some songs and lyrics a bit sexually aggressive in an unpleasant way

Remember loving the hits, and it was fun to hear the first couple of skits. This was revolutionary - shame rap ended up more on the sexist, gun tilt than this whirligig of old soul and beats

Fun old skool hip hop

Nice album. Fun album.

Fun!

I liked the samples used. I like this sort of old school rap.

2.7 did nothing for me.

Fun, definitely silly. But a long album. I don’t need that many songs by anyone!

When it’s good it’s really good. But in my opinion it’s too long and a bit too childish at times.

Interesting album. Worth a listen

This is highly respected hip hop which I think influenced a lot of later alternative rap music like OutKast.

i dont like hip hop but this is the best hip hop album ive listened to

3.5, some good songs, not among the best rap albums I’ve heard though

Weirder than MFDOOM without the cool

Went in expecting to not like it much but was pleasantly surprised. I enjoyed all the samples they used.

Pretty good, would like to delve into it a little more.

Not terrible, but I'm not a massive fan of the game show stuff going on. I don't think it improves the album. The music is pretty decent in places and goes on a bit in others. It was pleasant enough but lacks the edge that I look for in the sort of hip hop I come back to.

fun album, but a bit too long. and i can do without the cheesy skits.

It is a really nice album. Far from the style we have been accustomed to.

Super fun

Liked some of it, really the ones I know from the 80s/90s. Not really my thing, but it's ok.

This is a fun album! Great use of samples, good rapping and many good songs. However, as often before with hip-hop, the album is far too long. I'm full after 40 minutes and then it goes on and on. As a sidenote; there is not enough scratching on newer hip-hop!

I enjoyed this one mostly, a low 3.

Going in I already knew this wouldn't be my jam cause I'm not a big fan of hip hop. But I enjoyed listening to this as I found I have heard many songs from De La Soul in samples within other bands music (Lovage, and maybe Portishead) and can see how influential this album is stylistically.

3.5 Overall too long and a lot of throwaway tracks that do nothing for the album. But that was common for hip-hop back then. Love the flow and Eye Know is an incredible track

Funky beats. Easy listen

Pretty sure this already came up for me. First rap album I ever owned, on cassette. I think at the time I just listened to The Magic Number and not much else. Pretty sure I'm not alone in that. I liked them, but they weren't no Vanilla Ice or MC Hammer, now that's some legit rapping right there.

A really enjoyable record! Loved the late 80’s east coast hip hop vibes lots of cool samples. A bit too long for repeat listens but I really enjoyed the back half of the album 😊 Definitely will be adding a few tunes into my playlists Highlight: me myself and I

Ah, such joy and good times with some great samples. But I can almost taste the bright yellow Reeboks.

It's different, I liked the flow of it overall.

Fun old school hip hop album. Standout songs: Tread Water Buddy

Eye know is the clear standout. A little soap cracked me up. A fun enjoyable listen. Clever

Feels basic

Top Three Songs: 1) Transmitting Live from Mars 2) The Magic Number 3) Description Bottom Three Songs: 1) De La Orgee 2) Take It Off 3) I Can Do Anything (Delacratic)

From an era or more intelligent hip-hop

Very hip-hop. I felt called out about my dandruff, and the Jennifer song was getting a bit personal :( there were some entertaining tracks, although I’ve got to give minus points for the sex sounds (what is it with these albums and soft porn???) Overall, it’s not bad, just not my thing

This was a fun, if cheesey 80s hop hop record. All the standard stuff that entails applies.

Some good innovative tracks but overall too long. Good use of samples.

Early hip-hop lite - kind of jokey and not overly serious. It was only okay but time doesn’t treat it well.

This is a goofy and fun album with some cool samples.

Its a pretty good early rap album

super fun listen. i thought the moaning track was a bit weird but. 3.5/5

Super jovial energy on this record, seems a little dorky (but I mean that as a compliment). It's fun, though admittedly, I find it to drag on a little. Favorite tracks: "Buddy", "Me, Myself, and I", "Potholes In My Lawn"

Rating: 7/10 - Solid, in rotation for genre. Might recommend, probably won't. Genre: 90's Hip Hop. Fun, good casual vibes. Solid drum kit beats. Underground feel. Not a must-listen but not bad either.

I'm not a huge fan of hip hop but this was a fun listen, I knew the singles of course, magic number, eye know and my favourite me, myself and I but there were other fun tracks, especially 'this is a recording' The downsides were it was a bit too long, some of the filler tracks I wasn't a huge fan of but overall glad I listened to this

3.5

Why do I have a feeling these guys are a precursor to the bloodhound gang

Good beats. Whimsical, unique and fun. Reminiscent of a simpler time. A bit too long. 3/5.

Full of life and fun, but ultimately not my thing. I didn't get past the first playing, but it was in the background whilst I was working and I somehow feel it deserved a little more attention. Hasn't made my list, but might well get a revisit

they know

Will need to listen to it again

I feel I should have liked this more than I did. Pleasantly surprised to hear the Jungle Brothers on one track.

Fun old-school rap album with classic rhyme schemes and solid beats. Definitely grew on me by the end of the album but I’m not sure if I’ll return to it.

Didnt really know what to expect but i liked it quite a bit. It was nice to put in the background and work on some other things. Didnt really like the orgy one though.

Didn't hit for me maybe revolutionary at the time, def a vibe but nothing stuck out. Wish I liked it more

Just fun old school hip hop

Two albums in a row where I've mentioned seeing them at a festival. This one was Glastonbury festival on the pyramid stage. We were walking generally past. The weather was utterly abject. Dark clouds overhead and rain coming down. I decided to buy a pear cider. We take a look at the main stage, and who is coming on? De La Soul. At that moment, the clouds part, a ray of sunshine breaks out, and I'm standing there with a pear cider in my hand and a big grin on my face, watching some super happy fun-time music. It was magical. Anyway, I like the upbeat energy of these guys, but most of the album isn't as good as the big hits. I guess we'll always have Glastonbury.

Twas a vibe. Started off strong and ended not as well. Added the magic number to my liked songs

This gave me a good mood :)

Album was okay. Respect the origins of some rap and hip-hop though.

Good album, it was fun.

Okay at best

Un 3 porque Jenifa Taught Me (Derwin's Revenge) me ha hecho gracia. Si no ...

Fun, but crude

Good

Nice, but a bit long

Vieux hip hop mais quelques banger

Con este luminoso disco de De La Soul el hip-hop amplió sus horizontes en formas y contenidos. En su paleta de sonidos coinciden pop, soul, disco e incluso country. Me gustan la optimista "Eye Know" y la sensual "Buddy".

Not heard of this. Hip-hop/Rap from 1989. Interesting way to start an album haha. Three is the magic number! Recognise that, added the song to the library. High 3.

see i just don’t feel like this needed to be an hour long. cool samples. wrap it up.

Interesting album. New to me

A nostalgic feel good classic

I had fun listening to this! I kind of wish they had leaned a little further into the silly, corny side of their sound. This feels a little like some deeply dorky guys who want you to think their cool but are ready to hastily play it off as ironic if you don’t.

Un 3 porque Jenifa Taught Me (Derwin's Revenge) me ha hecho gracia. Si no ...

300-odd albums in and I think I've finally found hip-hop that I can unequivocally say I like. There's a upbeat style and a jazzy, hippy vibe which makes the record far more feel-good than most of the genre's offerings. Plus I think it helps that in every video these guys look like they've walked off the set of Saved By The Bell Okay, I can do without the skits. And I'm not a fan of all the weird 'half-songs' that are more than a quick bit but also clearly not a full effort (Can U Keep a Secret, Take it Off, De La Orgee etc.) But there's a good half dozen or so solid tracks on this! 3.5/5

Yeah, ok.

Pues fue una grata sorpresa la verdad, so far is pretty good😌👍🏻

Classic.

So many songs! Felt like 6-8 not 24. Fun background party music. Nothing grabbed me.

Wow... that was unlike any hip hop album I have ever heard. It almost felt conversational at times or as if three dudes were just sitting on a couch and experimenting with harmonising and chanting mantras at one another about the most random, weird shit. Strangely upbeat, full of sounds and samples not often aligned with hip hop in the modern era. Never boring, occasionally bemusing, but consistently entertaining.

Fun and interesting but not quite my thing.

Something new for me - I liked that the lyrics and beats were a bit silly and that the sound samples were new and original for the time. I probably won’t listen again but am glad I did.

I don’t normally listen to hip hop/rap. I listened to the whole album while I was working out and working on a DIY project. It wasn’t bad. I liked some of the songs and the beat. Clever lyrics. Not what I expected.

Some modern songs some very old school however all generally pleasant and fun. 3.5/5

Three is the magic number.

3.5

I really liked Plug Tunin

This is tough album to rate, imo. But one thing for sure, De La Soul could have used a De la Rocha, as in Zach. Opening track is the best song off the album and a great opener. Took my son to realize this is from Schoolhouse Rock. Thought the music and sound was reasonably enjoying, but after a while, thought a lot of it started to run together. I rememeber Me Myself and I from my college days and is another solid song, but really, there is no oher song I could recall that stood out. Except the very cringeworthy, hope your coworkers don't hear, De La Orgee. What the hell? So different than every other sound and just terrible. Kinda felt a little like listening to the opening of the Fresh Price of Bel Air. Just too many times, though. Like I said, I struggled with this and thought pretty decent at times. At least it wasn't gangsta shit..... Conclusion, it was OK. Just OK. Nothing I would download or revisit. But nothing too bad either. 3

Cool concept...

Cool album, definitely to be part of the 1001 even though not my favorite genre.

Rap progresivo. Ni fu ni fa.

Not my favorite

I’m trying my best to embrace hip hop more. My brain is so geared to enjoy melody that when music prioritizes rhythm I tend to become bored very quickly. There’s still some fun to be had here. This comes across as a goofy concept album complete with samples from Liberace and random French speakers. I liked some of the tracks. But overall I thought this was just ok. 3/5

I was obsessed with this in 1989. In 2023, I think all of the bona fide songs still sound timeless, but all the skits and interstitial stuff have lost their charm and seem like filler. They contribute to the album's personality, but it's too much.

- The album is fresh and fun throughout. - A bit too long. - It's my first De La Soul album. Cool find!

I recognise De La Soul from their various contributions towards Gorillaz tracks. I’d argue that the rap is the best part of Feel Good Inc, so I go into this album feeling quite optimistic. Songs I already knew: The Magic Number Favourites: The Magic Number I quite enjoyed this, but I doubt it’s enough to have me coming back for more. The lyrics tended to be a little tongue in cheek and humorous at times, and the flow was great. It’s the funky style of old school rap that I tend to enjoy most, so I can’t fault that. I’m not sure why this didn’t knock my socks off like few other rap albums have, because I don’t feel I can fault much. It just felt fine.

It was ok

Good ole fashioned rap.

Good beats, but the skits were kind of weird and the album was way too long

Det här är ganska skönt. Kommer nog lyssna igen på en del låtar. Dock med tidig rap så tycker jag att den ibland tenderar att vara lite väl basic (gäller även nwa)

Det är ju kul och bra. Sen har man "levlat up" och mognat. Man lyssnar på annan hiphop, och detta blir lite barnsligt i jämförelse. Men många låtar är ändå rätt catchy.

Är man en äkta hiphopskalle är det här ju ett album man "ska" älska. För mig själv som fastnade för hiphop under den gyllene eran på 90-talet så har det dock alltid varit svårt att omfamna 80-talets hiphop (gudarna ska veta att jag har försökt), eftersom den objektivt inte är lika bra. Utvecklingen var verkligen exponentiell under den här tiden och det är stor skillnad på produktioner och beats, men framförallt på texter, flow och "rhyme skills" överlag. Ger albumet en trea för att det ändå är välproducerat och för sin tid var banrytande med mycket bra samplingar som tog steg mot den riktigt bra hip-hopen, men det finns mycket "nytt" som är så mycket bättre. De enda spåren jag verkligen gillar från den här skivan är Eye Know (där för övrigt Steely Dan är samplade) och Buddy.

This was a very funky listen and obviously a pretty influential album. I do like old school hip hop. I'm ashamed to say that this is the first time I have listened to this record and my fav track is Eye Know, but they are all awesome!

This was such a fun album - I really enjoyed it! I enjoy hiphop the most when the artist isn't taking themselves too seriously! Fave track: Buddy

It's good but it's not a favorite of mine. In the old school hip hop department I'd rather listen to stuff like A Tribe Called Quest or Pharcyde, which are both more engaging for my taste.

Meh. Uneventful east coast rap.

I can't tell how this formation made its way being surrounded by NWA, Run DMC, Public Enemy and Eric B. & Rakim... Maybe I just don't get it? It's not bad, just not something iconic for me as the others I just named.

meh, couldn't click with it

Finally! A decent hip-hop album that isn't loaded with the same cringeworthy sexism and tiresome self-promotion common to this genre. Most of the raps on "3 Feet High and Rising" are good, except for one track, "De La Orgee", which may unwittingly speak to De La Soul's lack of stamina ... the song lasts for just over a minute. ;-)

interesting to listen to some founding hip hop

This was pretty good

Groovy baby

Highlights: The Magic Number, Eye Know, Tread Water, Say No Go, In a nutshell: old school sampling meets late 80’s hip hop, but not as you know it. I don’t think anyone had heard anything like this album (maybe Public Enemy’s It Takes A Nation…?) at the time. It’s not my thing. I definitely appreciate this album’s importance to music history and I do like the fusion of rap, jazz and sampling. Also, damn you De La Soul for popularising the hip hop skit! (shakes fist at sky) Overall: 6/10

Generally good fun, not quite as good as I’d hoped when I saw it pop up but yep.

The samples are really the star of the show on this album. I liked how you could hear the start of some jazzrap in these beats. The rapping while not the most advanced flows is adequate with some fun stories and jokes thrown in. I find it interesting that this was released around the same time as "Straight Outta Compton" which really shows the difference in styles and subject matter in rap at the time. Some of my favourites samples include "Potholes in my lawn", "Jenifa Taught me" and "Eye Know" (where even Otis Redding) which I feel is the best song on the album. Main negative is that it is slightly too long.

I've tried to really get into certain hip hop but there's always something not quite there for me. Standout is Eye Know, obviously these guys are legendary but a lot of it just doesn't quite click for me.

Not a big fan of hardcore rap

C'est okay, ça me plaît, mais ça casse pas 3 pattes a un canard

très chouette hip hop à l'ancienne, je suis pas un fan du style en général mais chouette

De La was always fun

Eh, I’m still digesting it. I liked me myself and I, buddy, eye know, a little bit of soap. Need more time with it.

3-stars are the magic number I'm afraid. I've never been a big fan of De La Soul. This album was okay I guess, but the big hits are just pop songs and there's not really any depth to any of it. The skits have aged particularly badly. I know this was supposed to be ground breaking at the time, but there's other bands who did this better, much better. I did appreciate locating some samples that I knew had been used in hip-hop but I had never quite managed to place before though.

It had some bops, but I don't think I'll listen to it again.

Some bangers, some mid

pretty fun album 3 is the magic number

This was a ride. Really fun. The Magic Number, Eye Know, and Treading Water are favorite tracks, but unlikely to revisit the album as a whole.

Quite nice, cool songs but nothing I would hear everytime

not a huge fan of soul

Slaps hard, interesting move to call it an album I have to listen to before I die though

Чуваки читают о доброй дружбе, вкусной еде и твоей маме 6/10

It’s fine mid 90s hip hop none of the tracks are super great,i dont think im Eber going to revisit this album.

Very good - repetitive. Can see how it influenced 90s rap

I hated it and loved it at the same time. Solid 3

decent album but not really my taste? felt like rating this a 75 on aoty.org but the average score made me rethink it. i’ll have to relisten to this album, while reading all the lyrics next time. it’s annoying to have to keep genius open in a different tab for that. desperately need spotify to start showing lyrics again!

Quirky and kind of fun. Listenable, but not standout.

1989. I was a freshman in high school. I don’t remember this album, and as an almost 50 year old, one definitely has to be in the mood for it. I like it, but I’d like it better if I had time to listen in a better setting.

Classic early american rap

Rap progresivo. Ni fu ni fa.

Un 3 porque Jenifa Taught Me (Derwin's Revenge) me ha hecho gracia. Si no ...

Fun, interesting exploration of early mixing.

6.5/10 Clever, creative, dry Highlights: - Transmitting Live from Mars - Eye Know - Tread Water - This is a recording

I really like the hip hop beats - derry girls style. Less of a fan of the nonsense rapping - its a vibe but maybe not for an hour straight. I also really like the frame device of the gameshow, but the noises at the end of the orgy track - well lets just say im infinetely glad for headphones

I wasn’t feeling it at the time. I’ll have to give it another chance.

Awesome album for it's time, but I can't imagine listening to this again.

7/10 fave: me myself and I

Wish I could give this 3.5, I love this style and era. Really fun album. I’ll give it some more solid time.

This was just ok for me. The singles are fun but the rest ranged from meh to obnoxious.

Lots of cool ideas and samples and beats, but tooooooo long. Literally cut it in half and you’d have a top tier album

Samples kings in their best work. Inventive and original album, a brave movement in an era of gangstas and naughty hip hop machos

Good classic album, good songs.

Smart and fun.

Good

This was fun and had some solid stuff. Despite not being much of a rap/hip hop fan, i enjoyed it.

A good hip hop album. Liked a few tracks but probably wouldn’t listen to the full album in one go.

Not quite my thing. But fun

estuvo bueno pero se hace largo. 6.5/10

Fun rhythms, cool atmosphere, groovy style, but otherwise underwhelming and outdated. I felt like I was listening to soundtrack from "Fresh Prince of Bel-Air", but with no emotional baggage towards the series. Lyrics weren't especially interesting and I was slowly losing interest in the song as it went on. Interesting piece of trivia, but not a band I will remember for their music.

Good,but samples & daises

okay but not for me

Noice. Long enough for the novelty to wear off but that's fine. Much better than what I expected from this time period. Magic number/5

Yes but less skits next time please

Pretty mellow East coast vibes. A little punchy at moments, but never really reeled me in. 3.5

Good quality hip hop from the golden age always interesting to hear stuff before gangster rap took over. Goes on a bit though in places and the quiz show skit was a bit odd.

Not at all my thing To me, just standard rap, nothing special

aight, chachacha por los tetas salio de aqui

3 is the magic number and also the rating of this album. It was fun and I get why people like it so much.

Some good parts, lot of creativity

Je me suis retrouvé aussi désorienté que Sinclair à la Nouvelle Star lorsqu'il réalisait à chaque début de prestation que ça n'allait pas être de la funk. Car c'est tout sauf de la soul. C'est du préhistorique-rap.

J'ai oublié de parler de cet album, ça tombe bien je n'ai pas grand chose à en dire.

Hiphop not being my most favorite genre, there were definitely enjoyable somgs on the album

EHHHH some parts were a little more than weird to listen to at work. It wasn't bad. Even with the longer runtime, it didn't feel long and the skits weren't awful.

I like it, I like it. But “Me, Myself and I” is track twenty?? Twenty?!? Mannn, that takes way too long to get to, imo. Detrimentally too long. Really loved “Eye Know,” which isn’t a tune I was familiar with and I had fun with their spin on “The Magic Number.” (PSA: if you haven’t heard Blind Melon’s version of that song give it a listen! It’s sweet.) But, gents, there’s too much here that I could easily push to an outtakes album and I think we’d be left with a blessedly shorter and better collection of tunes. “Take it Off,” is a prime example. Don’t need it. Ditto the one about dandruff. Sorry dandruff song, you’re going on the outtakes album. But I also recognize that is just the playbook for a lot of these hip hop albums. To my ears I hear bloat and entirely forgettable, unnecessary interludes. Other ears are obviously a lot more forgiving and I probably just need to get over it. In the meantime, I’ll be here messing up the curve.

Fun goofy (in a good way) hip hop Great, great vibes More hip hop should take after this record

While I know music critics have a hard-on for this album, I found it to be just okay 90s rap. I'm probably missing some cultural significance or something.. All said the album is an enjoyable listen front to back held together by a game show concept that make up the intro and various interludes. The album starts strong with The Magic Number showing off the skills of the 3 MCs. Otherwise most songs are fine, but forgettable with a few exceptions. Me, Myself, and I is a jam, and Buddy is my personal favorite probably because Q-Tip steals the track. Only other memorable song is Can U Keep A Secret which is an interesting commitment to a concept -- whisper spoken word exposing "secrets" about different people. At the end of the day I like this album just fine, but don't understand the hype of De La Sould. 3 / 5

Enjoyed more tracks than I thought I would, as brought some memories back from that era. Not my bag, but glad I spent an hour giving it a listen!

It’s better than I expected. Some of the singles are excellent.

Lots of groovy/sampled tunes, another listen is needed as I didn't pay too much attention but has potential to be a 4/5. 3.5 rating upon first listen.

This was a cool hip hop album that differed entirely from what became popular in the 90s. These guys are almost entirely clean, funny, and witty. Their lyrics and stories are comical and yet they have the ability to make clever rhymes. The drawback on this album are the skits and some of the songs are less entertaining. There are a few songs that are great that would be replayed. For 23 songs this album did move pretty quickly too. 6.7/10

That's a mix of 4-score songs in the beginning with some 2's and 1's in the end. That's why "Three that's the magic number"

I don't know. I mostly liked the instrumental layer, but vocals and spoken intermissions were simply annoying. While in the beginning I could just concentrate on nicer parts, by the end the irritation definitely took over. 2,5/5

I like it when music is more funky.

Helt ait 3.5

This was an alright listen although it got a bit samey in the end. I really liked the two singles. Overall 3*

I'd somehow never really listened to De La Soul. This was great! Like what I was always promised with A Tribe Called Quest, but much more satisfying to me. Loved the one that mixed up Peg and Sitting On The Dock. I understand it's pretty brand new on streaming too so that's neat.

I'd have loved to have been alive when this album dropped, it represents a piece of Hip Hop History that is so radically different to what we get today that it's very refreshing. It's also just nice to listen to songs where it's not all about shooting someone and getting bitches which is also a nice change. Highly influential to what came after it you can tell that it inspired plenty of music because a lot of the songs here are uhh....well they're something alright. There's like 20+ tracks in this thing and a lot of them are dedicated to just them shooting the shit which is funny and it's nice to listen to something upbeat and trying to make you vibe with the song and make you laugh too. One of the songs randomly has one of the members doing an Italian impression like lmao what? While I appreciate what they go for I do have to admit I probably won't return to the album as a whole, all the songs have good beats and they definitely can rap. I just find a lot of it memorable more so because they chat shit rather than the songs actually being great. I think the two exceptions to this are Ghetto Thang because the beat is so smooth and Tread Water which impressively makes a catchy tune out of a guy seeing a crocodile or something. The album is a little corny but there's a lot to like here if you don't mind your hip hop being a little less serious. It's just a lot of fun isn't it?

Lots of samples and funky beats, with a very positive vibe that was quite different to where most of the gangsta rap was heading in the 80s and 90s. With lots of samples and various soundscapes, and conceptually was completed with game show segments interspersed between tracks. Interestingly it's been described as the first psychedelic hip-hop record. Best: The Magic Number Worst: De La Orgee

Finalmente um disco de rap fluiu bem, apresenta melodias com climas turvos que não incomodam.

It would benefit from being a little shorter; maybe remove the interstitial tracks, but it is a significant album in hip-hop.

pas mal mais bon

not my kind of hip-hop but I enjoyed and saved a few tracks and appreciated the producing and pacing of the record.

I wanted to like this album a lot more than I ended up doing so. Good production value and fun enough lyrics, but it never felt remarkable to me throughout the album. Favorite track: Eye Know

Few more songs in there than I expected. Some catchy, some very telling of their age.

Meget funky beats og samples. Med rap. Sketches er unødvendige. En del af numrene ikke så catchy igen. Minder lidt om Gorillaz.

Nao sou muito de hip hop mas ate que foi maneiro. Referencia ao 3 is the magic number pelo Ted Lasso! Altos gemidos desnecessauros tho

Mostly good. Influential but very dated.

Upbeat and poppy

Weird but good

Fun. Long. Good stuff, won't seek it out again tho, maybe.

Not my jam. A little to silly. I get real tired of drum loops.

-intro is HILARIOUS -the magic number is SO FUN -im loving this so far -i had a feeling it would be fun because of the album art but i LOVE it -favorites: magic number, eye know, say no go -change in speak is more chill -going back to the gameshow bit in the intro is SO FUNNY -idk if this is something i’d listen to all the time but its genuinely so much fun to listen to

de la soul's 3 feet high and rising is not your typical rap or hip hop! this album was released in 1989 and had an incredibly different tone in comparison to other rap and hip hop that was released at that time. truth be told, i think it still stands out from today's rap and hip hop! de la soul is playful in their lyrics and topics. i mean, who else would sample "magic number" from school house rock or a nursery rhyme?! or create some seventies game show as a running gag? de la soul's daring dissent is charming and admirable. yet it isn't always fun and games: they make sure to cover societal issues like many rap groups at this time. not limiting their music, sampling from a variety of genres or unusual sources--this formed the respect i have for this group and album! 3.5

Considering the direction that hip hop and rap was going at this point into the 1990s, this is really quite different than a lot of what was coming out of the genre at this time. The music found here when compared to other rap albums of the time is generally more progressive, sometimes jazzy, and definitely a bit psychedelic in parts (no surprises there given the album cover). The lyrics are also generally much less violent than a lot of the rising era's gangsta rap. While this has been a less traveled road in hip hop, this album definitely sent a message to hip hop artists that going more "artsy" with their craft is okay, too!

some real hidden gems in here, the talking "songs" kinda throw off the flow but overall unique and fun

Not really my cup of tea. I grew up as a new waiver but fell in love with l l cool j... This album is certainly listenable. I need to let it breathe and give it more time but I do like the back beat and the groove that comes along

not gonna revisit, it's dope

This was tough to rate, i liked it, yet also disliked it.

Not really interested in the skits, couple songs with really no point, a little long, many good songs though

It's soft enough to accept.

Pretty good for old school hip-hop but kinda redundant

Props to these guys for doing something different. 3 Feet High and Rising is fun, inoffensive, soulful, and bright - much like the floral album cover. Once again it suffers from being so long that you start to tune out during the weaker songs (a signature of hip-hop records, as it seems), but every so often it pulls you back in with a funky track or a weird lyric. Standout tracks are Jenifa Taught Me, Say No Go, and Me Myself & I.

Good groovy hip-hop. A nice listen with a lot of good samples. Not sure if it is something I will listen to again but I liked it.

couple of bangers but on the the general vibe is particularly uninspiring. would fit right in with 2023s glasto lineup.

3.75 I just can't give it a 4

Fun and upbeat hip-hop. Not my usual thing, but this was a pretty fun listen.

A great album. Loads of fun, such classics and the skits might even actually be funny, depending on my mood.

Fun album, saved a number of songs to an old-school hiphop playlist but that's only about a quarter of the tracks the rest didn't hit the mark for me overall it was ok.

Debuutalbum van Amerikaans hiphop trio De La Soul. Album is een luchtige breakaway van gangster rap met komische ondertonen. Door de variatie van de nummers en samples is 3 Feet High and Rising een van de betere hiphop albums. leukste nummer: Me Myself and I De titel van het album is een reference naar het nummer "5 Feet High and Rising" van Johnny Cash. In "The Magic Number" wordt een sample van dit nummer gebruikt.

Forgettable af

The number of feathers on a Perdue chicken can vary depending on the size and breed of the chicken. On average, a chicken can have around 8,000 to 10,000 feathers. The number of fibers intertwined in a Shredded Wheat biscuit can vary depending on the size of the biscuit. However, a typical biscuit may contain around 80-120 strands of shredded wheat. "Tuhs eht lleh pu" is a sentence that has been reversed. When read backwards, it reads "up hell the shut," which does not have a clear meaning or context. It's unclear how many times the Batmobile caught a flat tire, as this would depend on the specific iteration of the Batmobile and the stories in which it appeared. However, the Batmobile is generally depicted as a highly advanced and durable vehicle, so flat tires would likely be rare occurrences. 7/10 Highlights Eye Know Buddy Description

The music on this album has such a fun, positive and restless creative energy. Every song has a ton of different samples mashed together like a collage. This was no doubt a major leap forward for hip-hop production. But the album can feel a little too restless for me. There are so many skits and interludes and joke tracks that I can find it a bit hard to get into. And while the music is inventive and playful, I find the rapping underwhelming.

De La Soul to me are THE sound of funky rap in the 1990's. As soon as I hear a few seconds of their music I am brought back to the 1990s and watching movies / TV / commercials, and hearing them on the radio. They are inherently tied to that decade for me and really provided a backdrop to many moments of my youth. Unfortunately they have never really been an act that I would put on myself. Their sound is great but it's pretty specific, and not necessarily a universal sound that I would reach for often. It's a solid 3/5 record for me. Maybe a 3.6/5 but not quite high enough for a round-up.

okay rap album, interesting in its variety.

FUN (drie en een halve ster)

Þvílík nostalgía! Mikið pepp og mikið stuð!

Cat: definitely laid foundations for hip hop. Silly lyrics, I like that. Great groove.

Not bad

3.5

They went for "simple but next level" stuff and kinda made it.

I value the attitude of these musicians: unconventional, positive and honest. However, I am not really grabbed by most of the songs, even big hits like Me, myself and I.

This is a certified classic of the genre, but it is bloated with too much unnecessary skits and just plain awful songs. I think the sample usage was revolutionary for it's day, but I prefer less recognizable, more deep cut samples personally. Still, plenty of fantastic music. 🦶🦶🦶

2.5 Too much silliness for my liking

Pretty solid rap, especially for 89, the flow feels way head of the game. The skits were super cringey though. Could've trimmed a few of the shorter tracks too. But good verses on the main tracks

Yes

As someone who is very much not a fan of hip hop, I was able to listen to the entire album (despite it's length) and even found it interesting at times. Turns out that ditching the forced gangsta shtick and using interesting samples and instrumentation really helps.

3 instante classics. Rest sounds unrefined

trop longggggggarrfh

je suis superficielle ( je juge un peu les albums a leur couverture)

Nothing to really remember.

Not a lot of songs of this available on the internet so it's tough to rate it fairly

Kind of disappointing. Eye Know is such an amazing song but the rest was way stranger than I expected and not in a good way. It’s a fun sound when they’re rapping by altogether this didn’t do much for me.

It is a hip hop album. I was not familiar with any of the songs. It was a pretty good album. Not sure I would seek it out to listen to again but if it was playing I would listen.

An album of fillers around the classics. Not a keeper.

Rap from the time before it became foul mouthed, mysogynist, violent and unpleasant. This is relatively tuneful, albeit sampled from other people's music. Sampling was new at the time and seen as innovative by simpletons who couldn't spot that it was papering over a lack of creative talent. Hence, it isn't on Spotify yet because they don't have the necessary clearances. But I'll be generous, because at least they were pioneers in the genre.