Reviews (page 10 of 13)
As far as older rap albums I missed back when they were popular, this one was one the the few "new to me" albums that I quite enjoyed. "Me, Myself, and I" and "Eye Know" are the standouts for me but there were plenty of others that I enjoyed too. The rap skits here were dumb too. I guess I don't get the "art" of rap skits. I feel like an old man about this. Anywho, give me the tunes!
Very interesting/cool. Wasn't familiar with De La Soul at all but enjoyed what I heard and certain parts sounded familiar. Want to check out more.
Quite good! Favorite tracks: "The Magic Number" and "Eye Know." It's a fun, playful album.
An album that is generous and fun, covers alot of ground with lyrical invention not as much in music so I latch onto the tracks I like.
Ahhhh, this brings me back! De la is amazing and I was excited to see this album pop up. I had forgetten they use Wichita as a location for one of the contestants at the beginning of the album, which is where I’m from, so it was even better hearing it. You can’t not move to me myself and I. Loved the listen!
Last night, I had a dream. There's this woman - young, cool, big hair - driving down a packed New York street in a car with friends. Windows are down, sky is blue, there's an array of kitsch memorabilia in the back and on the dashboard. Hanging off the rear view mirror is a talking wireless speaker, probably voiced by Eddie Murphy. He yells that he wants to be played, and opts for De La Soul's "Me, Myself and I". There follows an extended dance sequence in which the woman driving the car, and then everybody around her, jumps out of their cars and dances on the roofs. Like that bit in "La La Land", but better, because… well, because it's soundtracked by De La Soul. And so I rest my case: after just a couple of days of listening, "3 Feet High and Rising" is an album with the power to send good vibes deep into the subconscious. Life is made surreal, technicolour, magical and fun with just an hour a day around these folks. That's something special. De La Soul's first full-length album is often credited as one of the progenitors of hip-hop's golden age. Besides the invader-of-my-dreams-smash-hit "Me Myself and I", there's "Eye Know", which draws together samples of Steely Dan and Otis Redding into a ecstatic, sunny jam. "The Magic Number" fuses Schoolhouse Rock with a drum sample originally from Led Zeppelin, while "Potholes in my Lawn", an allegory for other people stealing lines from the group, throws in a yodelling interlude for good measure. Two of the other hits, "Plug Tuning" and "Buddy" (with A Tribe Called Quest's Q-Tip), are more studied cool, but still get me nodding along every time. My other favourite tracks include "Tread Water", a spiritual journey disguised as an Alice in Wonderland-esque nursery rhyme, and "Change in Speak", with its irresistible horns and wriggling bassline sample. That's quite a hit ratio. While many of the rhymes may be sneered at by serious hip-hop heads (there's an awful lot of nursery-rhyme style trochaic meter, "De-la" prefixes and totally unserious tangents), the sense of fun cannot be surpassed and overrides everything. The humour is on point here: the quiz show framework baffled me at first but then won me over by the fourth or fifth listen. The schoolboy style chants like "Can U Keep A Secret", "Take It Off" and "Do as De-La Does" are ridiculous, but winningly high-spirited. And the interlude midway through "Jenifa Taught Me", in which little Darwin breaks into a rendition of "Chopsticks" while the rest of the group cheer him on, never fails to make me smile. This is my favourite hip-hop album on the list so far, and is going to be hard to top.
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
Fun, and it sounds like they were having fun too.
Ça c'est le genre de hip-hop/rap que je préfère: pas d'insultes aux 2 secondes, un travail d'instrumentation recherché et juste du monde qui ont du fun en faisant d'la musique
Fantastic really I think the slightly annoying skits are the only thing keeping it from 5⭐️ Which, considering hip hop is not my normal stomping ground, is a hell of a recommendation
TIL that 3 Feet High and Rising pioneered the trend of short skits between album tracks. Could I love this album more? It seems that there’s an argument for that but I doubt it. It’s the first hip hop album that I owned. I dunno if I’ve ever owned a better one. RIP Trugoy the Dove.
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
Great album! I’m more familiar with De La Soul is Dead, but this one holds up well in comparison.
Loses a star for the skits. Never was a fan of hip hop skits. Otherwise an underrated masterpiece debut from De La (and Prince Paul). Truly, this wouldn't have been as big a hit if Prince Paul hadn't worked his magic. Love the rap, but the beats so wonderful.
One of my favorite hip-hop albums. They also fell prey to the cutesy interludes.....unfortunately
Classic hip hop at its finest. Really good album some classics on here.
#49 - I enjoyed some of the songs in the album, and the positive vibes. Might want to revisit.
It's good.
Another great addition to the hip-hop selection here. Picked this one up on second-hand vinyl about 20 years ago and it was nice to get reacquainted today.
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.
Funny how something that once sounded groundbreaking now sounds almost amateurish.
Album with a funny vibe Favourite tracks: The Magic Number Ghetto Thang Say No Go Buddy Description D.A.I.S.Y. Age
Listened Before? N I enjoyed this one, more 90s hip hop that continues to move the needle in my collection. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Eye Know
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
Look, this is obviously an unimpeachable classic and five stars, but I started to skip the skits after learning that we only have a limited amount of time on earth and you don’t strictly have to use it listening to what teens in the gifted and talented program thought was funny 35 years ago.
Just the feel good album of all time! Guaranteed to lift your mood.
I get the appeal but this genre of music is not for me at all.
Hip hop is definitely not for me. I couldn't finish it.
lots of cool samples. Very old-school. I would listen again.
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 have this pretty much memorized despite never owning it. The songs would probably vaporize without the superlative sampling they are constructed around, but that's what makes it so much fun.
It was decent. Some of the songs were really fun. I'm sure it was influential at the time.
It seems like they had a lot of fun making this album. However, that did not lead to a fun listening experience. This album felt like it was 80% skits and bad joke songs. The joke songs seemed like they were written by 8 year olds. They were all about doo doo and bad breath and stinky people. The rest of the songs on here were mostly just ok rapping with a couple decent exceptions. The beats on the real songs were pretty cool though.
That album is a trip. This is the common mans rap album. It has funny, interesting lyrics and familiar music to go along with their quirky style. Of all the rap I have listened to, this is one I have enjoyed way more than I expected.
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.
Great summer listening!
Someone let these guys loose in the studio and it sounds like they had a great time. A landmark album in hip-hop. Clever, playful rhymes backed by clever, playful sampling. 10/10 Probably the most fun I've ever had with a hip-hop album.
Pretty good beats. A little bit narrow on the spoken word range. Older hip hop. Fairly good. A little Avant gard
It took me five days to finish listening this horrible album. Can we really call this music? The best music of the album is the last one, because after it there's no more suffering.
Hip hop classic full of joy.
just as good as I knew it'd be lol. shit bangs. especially when they just throw crazy samples at you like the cool breeze song, steely dan samples. funny sexual euphemism throughout
After getting past that opening skit, this album bursts energy in the opening song. Then the unique style of De LA Soul unveils itself throughout the album. This is a 5 star album for me, despite those skits.
I just never connected with this album. Seemed like the only songs that stood out were because of the sample used.
great interludes and also great tracks
Really not my style of music, but enjoyed The Magic Number and Me Myself and I.
goofy but in a good way
Loved this. Had no idea what to expect, but these guys were fun. Definitely coming back to it.
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.
Not my usual style but I enjoyed it. I liked The Magic Number, A Little Bit Of Soap, Tread Water and Me Myself And I.
Super fun old-school hip-hop album with catchy beats and rhymes.
Perfect album!
Amazing! Very fun, I’m feeling good listening to it.
Fun, funny, bangin', psychedelic, all around great. Absolutely essential listening.
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
One of the most childish records I have ever heard, that is nonetheless really good in its own way.
While not really my thing, I was intrigued by this. It was never boring. 3.51/5
I remembered I liked this, but I liked it better than I remembered. Sounds newer and fresher than it is. Favorite song: Eye know
One of the best hip-hop albums of all time, incredibly impressive debut (especially for the time period) production on this albums goes so hard.
I understand that at the time this must have been a groundbreaking album but I didn’t relate to it that much.
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.
Too many unfunny skits or gross out joke songs but every song that isnt one of those kills it
Their energy is infectious despite (or maybe because of) their juvenile behavior, much like watching children playing at recess. Guessing samples from songs of my youth is a game in itself.
Really good album with great sampling but longer than it needs to be.
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.
Fantastic hip hop album. The Steely Dan sample song was my favorite
This album was fun and goofy and was an enjoyable listen.
The intro track is fun. I'm not the biggest hip hop fan, but I am really enjoying their lighter, fun style. The Magic Number was very interesting to me. I don't know that I like it yet, but I'm definitely paying attention. It's almost avant garde hip hop. It reminds me of the progressive rock version of hip hop honestly lol. Jenifa Taught Me is a fun song, and the first one I truly enjoyed beyond just the novelty of a different type of hip hop. Eye Know is also nice. The lyrics of this whole album are fun and different. A Little Bit of Soap was hilarious! This whole album is just fun.
I found this to be a fun vibe! Just 3 friends fucking around. Not necessarily something I'll come back to, but definitely in the upper percentile of things to come out of long island.
Don't like hip hop that much.
An East Coast and hip-hop classic. This is an outlier in the hip-hop genre just because of how unique it is. I love how the lyrics on here range from goofy to conscious, While maintaining an upbeat and fun, listening experience.
Hip hop is better than rap
hard slay. loved every second of it. my bf also loves it so.... :)
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.
One of the greatest hip hop records ever released. Still a classic to this day.
maybe this record should have been called Costco.
This album is tough. It goes from excellent, to okay, to wtf, to I'm annoyed. The excellent first. The beats are exceptional. Easily a five. ten out of ten. Possibly in the top 5% of all rap albums. The rhymes, on the other hand. are just mid. That era of rap left a lot to be desired. As for the ugly, there's an orgy track. No thanks. Skipped. Unfortunately, the remain tracks just felt like filler. Kind of annoying.
I thought I had already rated this one, I know I listened to it (playing catch up is a struggle!)
Actually something that I haven't gotten around to listening to. Definitely a classic
This one's a bit unusual. Undeniably cool, fun, and great in many ways. Then again, it didn't age particularly well, and I don't see myself spinning it often. Not for everyday use, but very glad it exists. No Madvillain without this. Certainly expanded the genre's scope in an good way.
I can definitely see how this is influential in so many ways, however I really didn’t like it. For me, when there’s talking in an album it kind of ruins it and makes it less music. I can understand why people like it and the impact it’s had on music to come, however that’s where my compliments end.
Some albums/sounds hit harder as a throwback to a particular time and this is one. I wasn't even a fan of this or much hip-hop at all at the time but this is an immediate transport to younger/simpler days. Chill hip-hop that while sometimes approaches repetitive [although that's often the case with hip-hop overall] was and is so refreshing in its upbeat and fun sound. Non-aggressive rapping which fits the music perfectly - and the music is a blast. Excellent album - perfect summer playlist. 7/10 4 stars.
Ludique, tant au plan des textes et de l'interprétation qu'à celui de la mise en valeur des échantillons.
Classic record that has not lost it’s uniqueness or quality with time. Not my favourite De La Soul record overall, but still very deserving of the praise.
Chill
Of hip hop and rap I have said that it feels like I am eavesdropping, listening to music that wasn't made for me. I don't feel that way with this hip hop album and not just because they were sampling Hall and Oates. It's funky, it's fun. Never been a huge fan of skits between songs, they get repetitive after a few listens of an album, but this album is still a joy.
Check again when in mood for rap
Pot holes on my lawn. Fun sing along 90s hip hop. I miss this era of rap music. Creative samples and scratching
De La Soul introduce a new perspective in hip-hop and rap - this is positive, encouraging, and uplifting hip-hop. The band makes a funky, pop-song version of rap, with catchy rhymes that wander towards goofy. 3 Feet High and Rising is an amazing collection of songs that made international stars of the band, and expanded the world of rap and hip-hop.
I miss rap albums like this. I mean, they still exist clearly but this style of rap/hip-hop is just so satisfying to me. And the efforts that they take to be "clean" are really amusing - "she was a garden tool" made me chuckle... I love gangsta rap and later artists from the late 90s and early 00s but there is just something wholesome and comfy about these tracks. And the beats/drums/rhythm sections are just top tier. Very enjoyable!
O no, more rap... But a little bit musical than others... ⭐⭐ for this reason, not for more...
Very fun and incredibly clever. Many reviews compare this record to Sgt. Pepper but for hip pop.
Skimming the comments, I saw several bemoaning that this album wasn’t on Spotify. That has been rectified, it is on there today (05/29/2024). Meanwhile: I’m not a hip-hop fan, and nothing I’ve heard through this project has changed that. In clouding “2 Feet High and Rising”. On the plus side, it is not angry, violent and misogynistic. That sets it aside from most other hip-hop I’ve heard, and that’s good. It is also a bit more “hook-y” than most hip-hop. The sound is mostly open, no wall of sound. That said, the scratching / samples are still “not my thing”. I like the open sound, but the production / mixing just feel amateurish. Maybe that was intentional, though. I like the absence of angry, violent, profane lyrics, but these lyrics seem too far the other way, light and insubstantial. The interludes are stupid. I didn’t like it on The Who’s “Sell Out”, I don’t like it here. I’d like to give this a 3 as being the most listenable hip-hop I’ve come across here. But, I really didn’t enjoy it, and can’t imagine listening again. So…. 2/5
I forgot to listen to this album on Monday so I'm playing it and the next album on Tuesday. Tuesday Update: I'm now listening to it. The flows in a lot of songs here are very good. Some of the interludes suck though. But that doesn't stop "3 Feet High and Rising" from being great. 4 stars for this interesting listen.
Really fun album, I find albums with skits can live or die by how the skits are implemented because if they are annoying it won’t feel worth it, but that is no problem here. I really enjoy the flow and writing, and the instrumentals are also fun for what they are doing.
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.
Eh
Man nothing beats old school hip hop. The skits, the cadence, the rhymes, the beats. A great classic hip hop album
Fun old school hip hop with some brass.
A masterpiece. One of the greatest early era hip hop albums. So many amazing tracks, with “Eye Know” being one of my favorite songs ever. The skits kind of hurt the overall flow of the album, but they’re not that bad. 5/5 Listen frequently
Für HipHop ok 2/5
A hip-hop classic. Fun, funny, and danceable with just a hint of psychedelia. It’s impossible to put this on without smiling.
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.
Fire
Just a silly goofy album that also happens to be one of the most influential hip-hop releases of all time. Some incredibly catchy songs on here with virtuosic and innovative sampling throughout (to the extent that it pretty much singlehanded changed copyright laws, unfortunately to De La Soul’s detriment). It’s really nice to hear an album where everyone involved is clearly just having a lot of fun working on it
Good album. Funny, topical, good flow that still stands well today. I miss the skits from rap albums and it was refreshing to have so many that still fit well in the album flow.
This didn’t really speak to me.
My introduction to hip hop. The only group that has come close to this vibe is Tribe and Q-tip is in this album. Could be nostalgia but I think this album just slaps from front to back 10/10
A nice palate cleanser from all the gangsta rap. It's funny, silly and totally awesome. The production is incredible.
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.
Great album.
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"
I was so happy when I heard De La Soul’s music was finally coming to streaming services after a long battle with their former label over sample clearing issues. Then the sad news that Dave aka Trugoy the Dove had died just before those albums were rereleased to the world which made for bittersweet times for fans like myself after that. My favorite De La album is “Stakes Is High” but “3 Feet High and Rising” is the one that started it all. When this album came out I was too young to understand the art form of sampling, turntablism, beat production, lyricism and the craft and culture that went into hip hop, all I knew is that “Me, Myself and I” gave me a warm fuzzy feeling every time the video came on MTV. Even now when that song comes on I feel instantly connected to the kid bewildered by the sounds being produced and the stories being told. So listening to this album is always like an instant jolt back in time. Prince Paul’s production is so lush and intricate and really helped De La Soul to distinguish themselves from other hip hop artists from that time. Every song has so many layers to explore yielding new discoveries with each listen. All three MC’s aka Plugs One, Two and Three are in top form through out the entire album. Using their unique vocal delivery and rhyme schemes to tell quirky stories that no one else was telling in hip hop at that time. De La Soul’s lyrics were fun on the surface but made you feel like there’s more being said in the subtext, and usually there was. It’s funny to hear them take stabs at other hip hop artists and styles from that time. I also love that they included some of the other artists from the Native Tongues, it’s always good to hear “the Tribe the Jungle and De La Soul” on the same song. I feel like this was De La’s most psychedelic album, both musically and lyrically. While I may love Stakes Is High a little more for the darker tone and more serious content, this one is still just so much fun to listen to. I give it a 4.5.
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.
Kicking off the album mid-clapping, we're immediately thrust into a situation where we're looking around trying to figure out what is going on. We're in a game show, apparently hosted by DJ Lance. Ok, I'm buckled in . . . let's see where this goes. It's kind of cheating rapping over "Three is a Magic Number;" easily one of my very favorites from Schoolhouse Rock!, it's an instant win for me (Blind Melon did an amazing cover of the original, btw). The bright yellow album cover and hand-scrawled font sets you up for an expression of funk and joy, and they deliver in spades. This is the hip hop I love from my youth, when there was playfulness and themes beyond smoking weed, gang bangin', and hoes (though "Ghetto Thang" and Jenifa--"known as a gardening tool"--does represent, but at least less explicitly (save "De La Orgee")). Indeed, "Take it Off" seems more about discarding out-dated fashion than insinuating that it's business time. I like the skits interspersed with songs and shorter little ditties ("A Little Bit of Soap"). At 23 tracks, there's a continual entertaining jump between the three, and we get to hear James Brown "uh," some French verse from Mars, and learn that the whole world has dandruff. De La Soul takes the music seriously, but not the content. The samples are well-curated and stacked on each other to maximum groove potential. At its slowest, it's still mid-tempo; this album keeps moving and brings the party with it. I hear their lasagna is pretty good too.
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.
Røvgodt, grineren og indflydelserige
This album is perfectly on the line between goofy and extremely enjoyable. The drums are immaculate and I was bopping all the way through. 4/5
maybe an important hiphop album.
What a key album in hip hop that layed the groundwork for the genre to really blow up and diversify in the 90s. There is so much great stuff going on here, great flows from 3 amazing rappers, and the tongue and cheek interludes and skits really feel like a part of the album, and don't at all interrupt the flow.
This album felt like a trip, I didn't know where it was going at any point in time, but I enjoyed the sound overall. 4* Highlights: plug tunin, me myself and i
beste rap album tot nu toe... leuke deuntjes, vrolijke muziek, hoewel rap niet mijn smaak is
Yo!Yo!Yo! I think this has lots of energy. And it sounds like they are having a great time! Some tracks seem pointless - A Little Bit of Soap, to name but one. Not my thing. Too long! And a bit irritating. More playground thang than Ghetto Thang. 3, alas, is not the magic number from me.
This was huge. Hippy/trippy, fun, likeable, and so much in the melting pot. 'Eye Know' still stands out and 'A Little Bit of Soap' is hilarious! Overall it's too long for me, the best 40 minutes would make a much better album.1989 was a great year💛🩷🧡💚🌻🌼🌷
The first truly top tier album of this list I think! If you could tell me how it could be better at what it does then please tell me! Awesome influences, sampling, and bass-lines, with consistently great vocals on top. Game show skit to string it all together gives a reason to listen to it all in order! Favourite track: Tread Water
Great album. I love the fun, upbeat sound - complete contrast with the darker Public Enemy album we had previously. At an hour long I was worried the album would feel bloated but it didn’t at all. The skits throughout were fun and I read this album was the first to do it which is cool. Apart from De La Orgee - what was that! I liked the fact that it was loosely a concept album with the game show theme. The flow and wordplay were top notch throughout and the samples were brilliantly woven in. Can’t pick one favourite track but Tread Water, Jenifa Tought Me, Ghetto Thang and The Magic Number all stood out to me. Will be coming back to this for sure.
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
Poppy Hip hop
Nice album. Fun album.
Fun!
01) Intro - 7,0 02) The Magic Number - 8,5 03) Change In Speak - 8,0 04) Cool Breeze On The Rocks - 7,0 05) Can You Keep A Secret - 7,5 06) Jenifa Taught Me (Derwin's Revenge) - 8,5 07) Ghetto Thang - 8,5 08) Transmitting Live from Mars - 8,0 09) Eye Know - 9,0 10) Take It Off - 7,0 11) A Little Bit of Soap - 8,0 12) Tread Water - 8,5 13) Potholes in My Lawn - 9,0 14) Say No Go - 8,5 15) Do as De La Does - 7,0 16) Plug Tunin' (Last Chance to Comprehend) - 8,5 17) De La Orgee - 5,0 18) Buddy - 8,5 19) Description - 7,5 20) Me Myself and I - 9,0 21) This Is a Recording 4 Living in a Fulltime Era (L.I.F.E.) - 8,0 22) I Can Do Anything (Delacratic) - 7,0 23) D.A.I.S.Y. Age - 7,5 TOTAL: 7,87 (79/100) Current ranking: 75/175 Now this is the kind of rap I really like. Every song is different and interesting, I like the samples, and I like the lyrics and the avoidance of unnecessary swearing just "to sound badass" (we will forget the existence of "De La Orgee"). The album has 23 songs, but boy, sometimes five songs on the album sound like hell whilst this was one hell of the ride. Funky, sunny ride with a smile on my face.
A true classic from one of hip hop's most legendary trios. Sunny energy, a good sense of humor, and just overall good vibes all around.
This is great. Good beats and funny!
I liked it a lot. I listened to it twice (had it on in the background). I'm a huge fan of old school hip hop and this was something I wasn't very aware of. I like Heiroglyphics a lot, so this was a nice treat.
Ik las ergens dat dit album vergeleken wordt met the White Album. Enigszins is deze vergelijking wel te begrijpen. De standaard ondertoon van hiphop uit de tijd van dit album is vaak donker, grimmig en gangsta. De boys van De La Soul tappen uit een ander vaatje: blije hippie achtige teksten over tuinieren en andere ongevaarlijke zaken. Een fijne, welkome switchup, als het niet corny wordt. En bij veel nummers op deze plaat is dat het geval. Bij 1 of 2 nummers dacht ik wel: wat is dit in godsnaam... Maar... dat hoort bij deze experimentele en vernieuwende style van hiphop. Ik kan het goed waarderen, maar concluderend is het album niet voor iedereen weggelegd. Ik denk dat mijn uiteindelijke voorkeur binnen dit genre toch naar the Tribe Called Quest zou gaan. Toch moet gezegd worden dat hier absolute hip-hop classics op staan. Rating: 8/10 Highlights: The Magic Number, Eye Know, Transmitting Live From Mars, Me Myself and I
Eind jaren 80 gebeurde er iets bijzonders in de East Coast rap scene, waar de Golden Age of Hip Hop langzaam tot zijn kookpunt geraakte. De grote vormgevers tot dat moment waren de MC & DJ duo's, gekenmerkt door hun street-wise lyricism. Samples werden gedomineerd door de drumbeats van Clyde Stubblefield (De befaamde 'Funky Drummer' van James Brown), en de poëet rijmde over het leven in de hood, criminaliteit, geldzaken en racisme. Dat laatste liet al doorschemeren dat de 'consciousness' in het genre altijd al daar was, maar mede door De La Soul kregen filosofische denkbeelden en een erkentenis van de plaats van Afro-Amerikanen in het eind 20e-eeuwse USA steeds meer ruimte. Samen met onder andere de tijds- en bondgenoten Jungle Brothers en ATCQ werd er gezocht naar diepere, en soms spirituele, antwoorden op de vragen waar de zwarte jeugd op dat moment mee hadden te dealen. Dit 'Native Tongues' collectief onderscheidde zich van andere Hip Hop acts door deze problemen op een bijzonder positieve manier bij de hoorns te vatten. Er zijn issues, zeker, maar de trots van hun afkomst overstijgt alles. Dit album is eigenlijk het begin van het tijdperk waarin rap meer cartooneske vormen ging aannemen, waarin 'een beetje vreemd zijn' juist werd aangemoedigd. Deze speelse houding is onmiskenbaar op ''3 Feet High and Rising'', waar het album een virtuele gameshow als setting heeft. Aan de hand van creatieve skits worden allerlei thema's voorgeschoteld. Sommige zijn effectief, andere zorgen ervoor dat de flow wordt onderbroken. Ik besef dat de waarde van deze aanpak voor de experimentele/creatieve Hip Hop scene niet onderschat mag worden, maar het zorgt er wel voor dat het uiteindelijk een net iets te langdradig album is om de volledige concentratie bij te houden. Een ander sleutelkenmerk van deze plaat is het gebruik van samples, en vooral waar ze vandaan komen. Het is een ieder Hip Hop liefhebber wel bekend dat de discografie van De La Soul altijd onder de loep heeft gelegen van 'legal authorities', wat een gapend gat achterliet op verscheidene streamingsdiensten. Het gigantische aantal samples, uit allerlei ongrijpbare hoeken van de muziekwereld, leverde jarenlang gehannes op over de rechtmatigheid ervan. Waar de drumbeat van James Brown's Funky Drummer intussen wel kon rekenen op groen licht, trok De La Soul erop uit om elementen te 'lenen' uit minder voor de hand liggende bronnen (Psychedelica, kindermuziek). Dit - in combinatie met een aantal samples uit hit-songs - werd uiteindelijk een behoorlijk kluif voor de copyright department. Maar nu er eindelijk een akkoord is bevonden kan deze monumentale groep in de evolutie van het rap genre eindelijk digitaal bewonderd worden, want het zijn juist de samples die zoveel problemen veroorzaakte die het meeste bekijks trekken. De productie is enorm progressief. Waar de Jungle Brothers and ATCQ meer jazz-heavy waren, en meer voor de smoothness-factor gingen, is dit album een echte dansplaat. Nummers als 'Me Myself and I' en 'Jenifa Taught Me' zijn echt stevig geworteld in een voedingsbodem van housemuziek. De positieve vibe is erg aanstekelijk, wat vooral de song 'Tread Water' onweerstaanbaar maakt. De cartooneske beat matcht perfect met de vocalen van het trio, en doet me enorm denken aan het werk van KMD, de eerste groep van MF DOOM (Mr. Hood is een aanrader). Een soortgelijke aanpak horen we op 'Plug Tunin'', m'n favoriete beat van het album. Aan de andere kant van het De La Soul-spectrum vinden we de serieuzere toon van 'Ghetto Thang', waarin de groep maatschappijkritisch is op een wijze die wat meer overeenkomt met de 'mainstream' van die tijd (Eric B. & Rakim kwam bij me op). Toch blijft de groep heel dicht bij hun positieve, afro-centrische visie die ze zo deed onderscheiden van veel tijdsgenoten. Dit levert een muziekstuk op dat overspoelt van de catchy samples, vrolijke hooks, en slimme teksten, wat de luisteraar bij tijd en wijle laat lachen van oor tot oor. Hij duurt me wel altijd iets te lang, en een handvol songs komt ondanks hun vette productie niet helemaal uit de verf. Maar soms heb je een album dat niet perse hoeft te excelleren op muzikaal gebied om toch een vibe te vangen die erg aangenaam is. De esthetiek van deze plaat is on point. Vooral als het weer wat beter wordt en het zonnetje begint te schijnen. 8,5/10 Highlights: Tread Water Plug Tunin' Me Myself and I
Wat is lekker vind aan 3 Feet High and Rising ten opzichte van andere hip-hop albums uit dezelfde tijd is de kalmte. De flow en kalmte van de beats en ritmes en de rust die in de rap zit van het trio. De samples zijn zomerser en minder gangster dan veel andere hiphop. De rap daaroverheen is ontspannen en rustig. Dat maakt het geen vurig album, wat natuurlijk de aantrekkingskracht is van andere rap-platen. Maar het wel veel meer 'listenable'. En dus ook veel leuker om vaker aan te zetten. Bijvoorbeeld met een lekker zonnetje in huis. Dan schenk je je vriendin een lekker cocktail in. Paar toastje brie, wat stokjes bleekselderij en De La Soul door de speakers. Ik noem maar wat. Blijvertje. 8/10 Highlights The Magic Number Eye Know
Do as De La Does Me Myself and I
No thanks - not for me
I liked the samples used. I like this sort of old school rap.
I enjoy the concept and use of samples, but there is a bit too much filler.
This could come out tomorrow and it would still feel ahead of the curve. The skits and “joke” songs aren’t even a real distraction here, because they’re actually funny and actually sound like a group having fun together making music. Easily one of the most important hip-hop albums ever, but who gives a shit about influence, because as music, it’s flawless and so relistenable, and has basically everything you could ever want from a hip-hop album. It’s just one of those records that instantly inspires me to play it all again as soon as it’s over. And this is debatably not even their best album!! De La got played in the history books by not having an easily available back catalog for most of their career, but god do they deserve the praise. Stone cold classic.
I like Twizzlers and the alligator Bob, and my favorite drama movie is Bloodsucking Freaks, just like your mama
2/5 Enjoyed some of it but if you were to cut the stuff I didn’t like the album would probably be less than 15 minutes long. The lyrical content was also generally way too playful and childlike which isn’t for me but I suppose with albums like this you probably would not have gotten nwa
2.7 did nothing for me.
Fun, definitely silly. But a long album. I don’t need that many songs by anyone!
A classic hip hop album. I wish hip hop had gone more in this direction and evolved from here instead of turning towards gangsta rap. It’s a dated sound but there are some great tracks here.
Such good fun.
This was a good time.
This is a legendary album in a lot of ways, spoken of with such reverence by everyone who encountered it when it came out in 1989 and a bit of a holy grail album over all the years that it was widely unavailable. There was nothing else like it at the time it came out, and really nothing quite like it since. Whimsical, groovy and endlessly creative, with an artful use of sampling. It really cracked open the possibilities of what you can do with hip hop. Endlessly engaging and a true joy to listen to. Fave Songs: Me Myself and I, Eye Know, Say No Go, D.A.I.S.Y. Age, This Is a Recording 4 Living in a Fulltime Era (L.I.F.E.), Plug Tunin' (Last Chance to Comprehend), Buddy
I'm sure this was influential but I'm not vibing with it. Uh, searching for positives...I liked the bass on Ghetto Thang. Unfortunately some of the tracks were just bad (ex: Take it Off, Do As De La Does). Needs a lot of editing, but even then I'm struggling to imagine listening to this again.
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’m a sucker for samples, and this album hits really well. Old school hip hop that feels really pure. Definitely a great album to vibe to and simply enjoy. Agree when the reviews say it’s a masterpiece. You rarely hear a hip hop album so well put together, without profanity.
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
Liked the old school melodic rhyming. Just don’t get that anymore.
Loved this, had a groove to it that no other album so far has had. Very very fun.
Weirder than MFDOOM without the cool
What were they cooking
Such a fun album. So entertaining. Really enjoyable.
This one completely misses me, it’s not bad, but why is it considered a top hip-hop album?
7.8/10
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.
This is just good feel good music. I love that it doesn’t take itself too seriously. The game show idea pulls the whole thing together. The delivery on some of the bars are hilarious. When the more serious lyrics come in they feel a bit jarring, but not in a bad way. Some of these songs feel not fully fleshed out but more-so just ideas, which I think is cool and adds sort of a stream of consciousness to it. As soon as I saw Otis Redding feature I knew I’d love it. Yeah, now we’re getting into some heavier themes and I still love it. the playful music and storytelling narratives hides the deepness and darkness of the lyrics.
More RAP, which I do NOT consider music. The audio is nice but ruined by the "talking".
What a fun record!
Yeah this is not my jam. Too much rap, too little good songs. Some were a bit nice, but most I skipped.
Really, really close to 4 stars. Could get there one day. 3.5/5
It's a crime against music that this wasn't available for streaming until March of 2023.
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.
Really great vibe and production here. Love how this album flows on and has different sections.
A great album during the golden age of hip-hop.
Excellent. Joyful.
das smootheste hh end90er, läuft coil dahin und enthält Klassiker wie eye know oder say no go
Impossibly cool.
fun album, but a bit too long. and i can do without the cheesy skits.
That was actually a lot of fun.
Very irreverent and lots of good beats. This is definitely an enjoyable listen and I can hear fingerprints from this album all over the place.
kinda mid favourites: "The magic number", "eye know", "buddy"
One of the most original albums ever. Strickly dan stuckie.
I love this album. De La Soul is a treasure.
This was clearly a lot of fun for these guys to record. I enjoyed the light-hearted nature of the tracks. One listen is fine.
No soy muy fan del hip hop
One of hip-hop’s all time great debuts, joining the likes of Illmatic and Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City with vibrant production, tongue-twisting lyrics and an infectious sense of fun. And the best part is it’s FINALLY streaming!
Hip-Hop was the first truly Post-Modern Popular Music; it deconstructed what we understood, since Elvis (and before, really) what music WAS: Beats and Words. This upset people, particularly "Rock" People. What's more, it took existing recordings, and created sound collages. Sure, musicians had been quoting other artists forever. Modernism had established the rationale for quoting, elevating it to veneration of tradition. And Rock, the arty, self-conscious, child of Rock N Roll, is thoroughly Modernist, as was (and kinda still is) the critical apparatus that sought to describe it. There are rules, you know, and Hip-Hop didn't play that. While Modernists love ahistorical, transcendent meaning to their art, the Rock Modernists love the tradition and firm contexts with their hermetically sealed rock songs, and hip-hop ignored tradition, firm contexts, in their collages, grabbing from James Brown, Queen, Blondie, even each other, with gusto. Melody, schmelody, we got something to say. The tool of these collages, samples, we essentially free in the early days. You could borrow from anyone, without fear. And while there is certainly a conversation that could be had about the ethics of things, the money-go-round already decided that the owners of the master recordings, if they can't stop it, wanted a piece of it. Before Moloch boomed his heavy judgment on the industry, what emerged from HipHop was nothing short of astonishing, particularly with two master-classes in sampling as art: The Beastie Boy's Paul's Boutique, and Tribe Called Quest's Three Feet High and Rising. Neither of these albums could be made today, or would have a Marvel Blockbuster Budget if they were made. Gleefully sampling Classic Rock Gods, throwing these venerated musical utterances into a gumbo with film dialogue, news snippets, recorded skits, and the then ubiquitous James Brown samples, and you had something brand new. In Tribe's case, the ubiquitous samples were not James Brown so much as the kaleidescopic various releases of George Clinton and the Parliament-Funkadelic collective, providing a certain grooviness to the tracks, and really becoming not only the defining sound of the Native Tongue commune, but the next five years of Hip-Hop. Digital Underground came on the heels with Sex Packets, thick with Clinton-P-Funk Aquaboogie, and after, Dr. Dre built The Chronic on that rock. The influence of this album on popular music is incalculable, contrasting powerfully with the auto-tuned tales of bitches and money, "Dear God" hack confessionals, and minimalist, DJ free " beats", or the big money, legend in their own minds of Drake and the self-serious, self-parodic, Ye, with its freedom and abundant joy. These gents did not have time to beef; they were simply making some of the most vital music of this, or any era. They did not bite, they did not hack, they simply, for a while, were incapable of doing wrong. It is, perhaps, the judgment of Moloch, and his licensing demons, that kept this from streaming platforms and perhaps, allowed this gem to get overshadowed by the bullshit that passes for hip hop now. I loathe nostalgia, but I will gladly time machine my ass back to the Daisy Age.
A truly creative and unserious serious work of art, 3 Feet High and Rising is a diverse, absurdly funny mainstay in my daily rotation. “I could hold two pieces of doo-doo in my hand,” it’s “Delacratic.”
As my album history shows do not like Hip Hop or Rap music at all so I was not expecting much here. But at least this was in the main a fun album not full of gangster slang, shootin’ guns, knives and slapping bitches. Also not much in the way of profound language as far as my ears could tell. There is a skit which nods towards an orgy with accompanying sounds but I suppose it could be someone suffering from toothache or stomach cramps and i think it is meant to be taken in fun rather than intended misogyny. There are one or two tracks I could even listen to again but my memory tells me that they were hits when the album was released. Has not changed my views on this type of music but at least it made me smile (slightly!) 1.9/5 9/4/24
FUN!
Music is best when it allows you to feel what the artist was feeling when they created it, and this album certainly made me feel like I was stoned and goofing off with my buddies.
It is a really nice album. Far from the style we have been accustomed to.
Classic hiphop, goede beats, goede samples, vrolijk.
Great fking entertainig album. Really a great early project that aged great!
Super fun
Shit
Interesting ideas, but always ends up sounding like Sesame Street. 2.0/5.0: Disappointing
Didn't listen but they're one of my ex-husband's favorite bands, so have listened before and also have seen them live:p
I could see how this album was influential, but it just sounds messy and loud to me. Parts I did like, but then they became like a joke that went on too long.
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!
Fun!
I was waiting for this one. One of my favorite albums. They play with the form in a way that delights and surprises on every listen. Unreserved, completely deserved 5 stars.
Doesn’t have my fave De La Soul (“A Rollerskating Jam Named ‘Saturdays’”) but it’s pretty chock full of good ones. Skits are rather superfluous and it was longer than I remembered, but solid fun.
This was a fun album. I like this style of using sampling in fun ways.
So freaking good.
Meh, fun background music but no songs that I would save to listen to again. One song came on that I thought was cool and saved, and then realized it was from another of their albums.
Variety of hip-hop songs. Interesting mix tape.
No. Sketches are tedious, raps are ancient.
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
I dont have long history with Rap and Hip Hop but was told this was a great album and so finally listening to it I can see why it is considered a classic. Has some great lyrics, mixed well, all around great album.
A piece of history from the glory days of sampling. Not a day goes by where I don’t quote this album. Usually it’s because I need a haircut.
Probably they were good in the 80s. Some of the sampling is nice. But not my thing.
THREE 🗣️🗣️🗣️THATS THE MAGIC NUMBER 🗣️🗣️🗣️ a genuinely amazing album all throughout its got some heater tracks, good humour, insane sample work what more could you want FAT 5/5
Fun
Funky beats. Easy listen
4,5. full einhæft og ég hef ekki lengur þolinmæði fyrir innskotum.
Usually Hip Hop is not my cup of tea but this record is great. Absolutely fun listening to and I really enjoyed it! What happened to that kind of music?!
Hip Hop is definitely not my thing. But this was really good. I loved the beats, the vintage feeling with vinyl crackling and I loved the flow of the lyrics. I had a really good time listening to this
Great hip hop album with some misses on it
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.
The heart I was searching for on my last album was found here, a joyous and unique experience through late-80s hip hop. This was super a super fun time.
Soulful, funky, and fun hip hop album, De La Soul were at the top of their game on this one.
This took a few listens for me to vibe with. The first time I listened to it I just wasn't in the right head space and wasn't able to appreciate the lyrical complexity of De La Soul, nor how the humor contributes rather than detracts from the depth of the songs. I was so shocked by the positive reviews for this album that I had to give it a second listen on a later date, and that's where it really clicked. I'm glad I did cus this album absolutely slaps.
If this album was just music I would rate it higher. The odd interludes really date it as an early hip-hop album, but it doesn't age well.
A few of their songs were enjoyable. Way too many sketches and call me old fashioned, but an entire track of explicit sex sounds is just going to make me uncomfortable. Not an album I will be returning to, but i did enjoy enough of the album to keep it from a 1 star.
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
Top tier sampling
My eye! I felt like I was finding something new when I discovered this as a teen.
Ah, such joy and good times with some great samples. But I can almost taste the bright yellow Reeboks.
I don't know about this. It seems rather silly to me. The wife likes it better than the last two though. She said it didn't make her want to kill people, so there's that. I'm just not sure that this fits into my lifelong internal definition of "music."
I didn’t love it
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
I didn't remember how many amazing samples were on this album, including Hall & Oates and Steely Dan. The flows are amazing, and while the skits are pretty bad, especially at this point, the songs are strong from beginning to end, and it is an absolute classic that set a precedent only a couple years after rappers were speaking half the speed and with 10% of the variety and poetry and content.
I’m just never gonna like hip hop but I’m sure this is a great example of it.
I can see why it's important, I can appreciate the fun of it, but I didn't really connect.
Laid back, feel-good, old-school jazzy hip hop. It doesn't have any real standouts but the whole album is very listenable. (I could happily delete all the skits though). 3.5 stars
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)
The first album I get is one that I’ve listened to dozens of times. It’s a stone cold classic for a reason. The sampling is inventive and clever. The wordplay between Pos and Tru is amazing. There’s tons more to say but it’s all been said before.
An all time great hip hop album
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
Didn't think I'd like this much, but was a fun listen. Wouldn't listen to this every day, but It's very fun.
Całkiemprzyjmne, 4/5
When I met my soon-to-be ex-wife in Australia, she had this album amongst her CD collection. In hindsight, that should have been a massive red flag. Only a fucking sociopath could possibly enjoy this utter garbage, let alone buy the CD. What the fuck are those dumbass skits? Who is entertained by this? I could die from cringe listening to these goofballs. They're the antynom of comedy. Sadly, the skits are not even the worst thing on the album These guys are fucking nerds. If their skits didn't convince you of this, their birdbrained lyrics will. They constantly use children's rhymes in their raps and force in embarrassing "De La" themed play on words. Fucking lame. Once they hit me with "De La Orgee" it confirmed that I was listening to painfully juvenile nonsense. I literally laughed from embarrassment when he said, "If ya like to drink some soda, Let me hear ya say "Coca-Cola"." What the fuck, man? Cunts. They almost had something decent going with "Eye Candy". But then they followed it up with "Take It Off" and I was immediately reminded that "Eye Candy" was a one-off fluke by a group of geeks. De La Soul somehow make everything that's great about hip-hop seem unedgy, uninteresting, and uncool. 👎👎
early hip hop! cool. Very listenable. 4 star, bonus star for "De La Orgee" which would be embarrassing if I worked in a physical office, but funny as hell by myself.
I remember their positivity hiphop in the time of gangsta rap. Love(d) it!
This was a fun, if cheesey 80s hop hop record. All the standard stuff that entails applies.
This album had so many bangers (the orgee one I could do without though lol)
Some good innovative tracks but overall too long. Good use of samples.
Never heard of them. Find myself listening to a couple tracks a few times.
fun listen!
- Fresh, clever rhymes delivered with energetic, bouncy rhythms by young, passionate dudes that seem to be reading their raw, sincere bars off the notebooks they scrawled them into. Totally into this. - Not dated...honestly feels quite innovative for 1989. - Unfortunately, a couple of the singles (of which there were 8? Why?) stand out way more than the rest. - "The Magic Number" is frenetic and captivating. "Eye Know" is quietly confident and pulsating. I also like "Me Myself and I", but way more for the mixing than any of the rap.
Early hip-hop lite - kind of jokey and not overly serious. It was only okay but time doesn’t treat it well.
I feel like I remember that album being better. Still a classic.
Great album.
A truly fun album.
This is a goofy and fun album with some cool samples.
Its a pretty good early rap album
Awesome beats and flow but the lyrics were just to odd for me to really get into it. Will listen to some more of De La Sol though!
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.
No
Thought I was listening to music designed for children.
Delightful
I consider 3 stars to be a pretty good rating. This one is 3.5. Groundbreaking for its time, but some of it hasn't held up, but a lot has. I get bothered by repetition and rap back then had a ton of it. But its a classic.
Such a great album that is ruined by skits. Isn't that all the best 90s hip hop albums?
I have not heard of this album or hip hop group before. It reminds me a bit of OutKast because of the interludes on the album. I’m not the biggest fan of this genre so none of the songs stood out to me. I probably won’t listen again.
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
I enjoyed this a ton. Will probably go on semi regular rotation for me.
I don’t anything about Hip-Hop but this album was really fun
Didn't finish
3.5
It's a fun and creative album, breath of fresh air compared to more 'Gangster' hip hop which became popular later. 4.5/5
A bit boring, blended into the background and just sounded like a generic hip hop beat. Probably didn't give it the sit down and listen attention it needed, but not sure I want to now!
Love the straight up quirkiness of this album particularly on the production side, truly unique and possibly even risky in 1989 in a world where hip hop was still finding its feet to the masses. This album promotes a very different approach to a genre that has predominantly been taken seriously by artists from the start and to that end still holds a lot of relevance and influence today. Their style is brilliantly executed with a feature from Q tip being the cherry on top. A brilliant classic hip hop album that I will definitely listen to again!