Reviews (page 8 of 13)
It was alright. I enjoy soul music but none of the songs really stood out to me.
Pretty middle-of-the-road classic rap. There was one real funky song that I loved.
Five Fresh and Funky Stars
ludilo album, triput poslusala, bangeri i dalje bengaju
Meni ti je ovo jedan od najdražih albuma uopće. Sigurno top pet hip hop albuma i vjerojatno najdraži feelgood/pozitivan album uopće
A mix of 80s hip hop and what was yet to come in the 90s. Superb album. A bit too much filler and skits though.
Old school hip hop uit 1989. Solid productie, verschillende sausjes en met momenten wat abstracter. Voor de tijd begrijpelijk uniek en innovatief, interessante momenten en een paar headboppers voornamelijk dankzij de jazzy-ish instrumentals. Persoonlijk niet per se mijn ding, begrijp de cult status maar geen album waar ik snel naar terug zou keren. 6.5/10
Interesting track 9 Eye know
Fun early hiphop album, heard it a bunch of times. I like Steely Dan's Peg sample in "Eye Know" -The Magic Number -Eye Know
So glad it’s streaming now. I got to see De La Soul at Bumbershoot years ago, and briefly confused them for Yo La Tengo because I’m an idiot. I make it up to them by listening frequently. I’m not sure this one’s their best when there are so many to choose from. My name’s Plug Four.
aint too shabby actually quite fun
Classic and an enjoyable listen.
Loved the overall sound and vibe. Definitely deserves a fourth star for The Magic Number, Say No Go, Eye Know, Me Myself and I, and its sense of fun. I definitely get on with this kind of hip hop much more readily than with the sweary stuff that seemed to take over later on. A tad long, though.
Just not for me. Very much of its age.
Classic old school hip hop nonsense!
Like most millennials my age, my first exposure to De La Soul came from their numerous features and collaborations with Gorillaz. Being that Gorillaz is one of my favorite groups, I am very familiar with all of their featured songs but I've also heard a smattering of songs from De La Soul's discography - however - the only song on this record I was familiar with coming into this review was "Me Myself and I". The album provides a pleasant listen with lots of well done "boom-bap" beats to bob your head to and the lyrics on this record are fun and don't take themselves too seriously. Lots of tasteful turn table work as well. I generally enjoyed the chilled out vibe the album brings but also have to admit a lot of the songs blended together for me, so much so that it was difficult to pick out standout tracks, although I have a few. It feels to me very much like a first release. You can feel the group trying out a style to see if it fits and trying to throw darts at the wall and see what sticks. As I felt with the Talking Heads record I reviewed, I have a feeling I would like their later albums a lot more than "3 Feet High and Rising" but this one did not capture me as much as I would have hoped. Standout tracks to me were "Eye Know", "Ghetto Thang", "Plug Tunin' (Last Chance to Comprehend)", and of course "Me Myself and I".
This was amazing. Awesome and revolutionary production topped by clever wordplay along with funky chemistry between the three. This album revolutionized Hip-Hop and I can see why it's so highly rated. 4/5
It was a change to hear a rap album from a group that was very young when it was recorded. On the one hand, there is a youthful exuberance that isn’t full of weight from adult life and problems. On the other hand, there’s a lot of juvenile content like Orgee or the pointless skits that rap albums of the time had. When it hits, it really hits. But when it’s childish it becomes far less enjoyable.
5 stars , even though the skits are skippable !
Classic
Fine, sounded like fairly standard 90s hip hop to me. Enjoyed it but wouldn't go back
Dit is best wel vet Doen alsof het een soort freestyle rap-battle is waarbij mensen zelf beats kunnen kiezen, maar de beats zijn allemaal bekende melodieën. Vooral mooi dat ze ook van die tussenstukjes met aankondigen enzo hebben Zou dit wel als geheel luisteren maar losse nummers denk ik dat niet echt werkt in een playlist. Wel hard
Tiene sus momentos.
If I get anything out of this musical journey, it's a new appreciation for late 80s/early 90s hip hop.
Not my taste
Solid 3.5 here but expected some more jams.
oh this is cool, i've been getting a lot of old school h- STEELY DAN PEG????
Fun vibes. Especially like “Eye Know.”
De La debut still cooks
3.5 Fun, not spectacular but a fun listen faves: the magic in number, change in speak
This is what all hip hop should have aspired to and be the benchmark for any comparisons within the genre. Lyrics are witty and tightly woven, but more importantly, don’t lower themselves to the misogynistic drivel that is pumped out and hailed as being outstanding (looking at you Mr Lamar).
First Listen: Feb 14 2023 one of my favorite old-school rap albums. makes me so happy
Gear: Focalman Cleardara Artwork: 🟨🌼🔃 Production: 🎛️👍🕺 Music: 🎤🌈🔥 Rating: 🌼🌼🌼🌼(🌼)/5
This is the 67th album I’m rating. I haven’t listened to much but I’ve heard great things about the album and I’ve listened to The Magic Number. Adding to my Playlist - The Magic Number, Jenifa Taught Me (Derwin’s Revenge), Ghetto Thang, Eye Know, Tread Water, Potholes in my Lawn, Say On Go, Plug Tunin’ (Last Chance to Understand), Buddy, Me Myself and I, This is a Recording 4 Living in a Fulltime Era (L.I.F.E), and D.A.I.S.Y Age. Not Adding to my Playlist - Intro, Change in Speak, Cool Breeze on the Rocks, Can U Keep a Secret, Transmitting Live From Mars, Take It Off, A Little Bit of Soap, Do As De La Does, De La Orgee, Description, I Can Do Anything (Delacratic), and Plug Tunin’ (Original 12" Version). All in all I liked 12/24 songs. This wasn’t nearly as good as everyone said it was. There were a lot of truly awful songs on this album.
Aah! De La Soul! I didn't like their stuff back in the day, and I still don't like it now. This album bored the tits off me, with the exception of a couple of tracks. I'll give it a couple of stars, but that's all.
Smoove grooves. Added. Perfect music for getting work done.
This was fine. Better than a good bit of the late 80s hip hop. 3 stars.
Fun and funny. There's some great use of choice samples as well. Eye Know and Say No Go are highlights.
Great!
Was a little afraid of the length of the album but it was well composed and overall I really liked it. Original sound and awesome vibe.
funky
Just a fun, unserious album to groove to, even if most of the attempts at humor weren't funny
A scrapbook of ideas dense with detail. Should have been the future sound of hip-hop but sampling laws put a stop to that. There is a reason everyone adores this thing: it’s a complete blast!
Wtf
3.75/5
This however, was very cool
Got some fun old school beats. Overall though, not my favorite. Did like Me, Myself, and I quite a bit.
Alright
One of my favorites!! Can’t believe this was 36 years ago!!
1. I love how in early hip hop there was no concern about your samples having been “done before” so you would just throw in stand by me and sitting on the dock of the bay 2. Believe it or not this isn’t even the best de la soul album (DLS is dead)
Weird as hell, but in a fun way. Feels like a hip-hop record made by kids who grew up on Sesame Street and Parliament records. It's playful, full of samples stacked like a Jenga tower, yet somehow it holds up. It drags a little, but it's charming. Spins: 1 Playlist Additions: - The Magic Number - Eye Know - Me Myself And I
Great album overall. Plug Tunin’ is such a great throwback. ❤️ The tracks “Do as De La does” and “De La other” are trash, LOL.
This is one of those albums that hasn’t aged all that well. It definitely had a strong run for about 15 years, but listening to it now, over 30 years later, it just doesn’t hit the same. The humor that once made it stand out has worn thin, and overall, it doesn’t hold up as well as some other classic hip-hop albums.
I'm almost a full year into this and I have to say there's not enough hip hop on here. So I was very excited today when 3 Feet High and Rising came up. Especially after yesterday's stinker. I'd rate this album immediately if it let me. I rated it 35 years ago
Don't like old wrap that much
Not my style of rap. It’s kind of silly and old school sounding.
Yo, what if hiphop was, like, fun?? Is that anything??
Not normally my jam, but this is very solid. I was surprised how much I enjoyed it.
Niet perse mijn smaak
I would absolutely listen to this again. My favorites are the singles, but they're so good! I go gaga for any Q-Tip feature - he has one of my favorite voices ever - so I like Buddy, and I love the Otis whistle on Eye Know. I already knew and liked Me Myself and I and The Magic Number. I listened with headphones and was not prepared for an ASMR experience centered around dandruff, but otherwise really enjoyed this, ha.
This album is apparently critically and commercially successful, but I'm not sure exactly why. I think it's kind've fun, but it comes across as a bunch of quirky college kids making an experimental hip-hop album. Upon doing some research, I see that it's sampling techniques were very innovative for the genre, which is now a commonplace practice in rap/hip-hop. The whimsical nature backs off of the commonly aggressive approach by other artists, paving the way for alternative hip-hop. I can appreciate these sentiments, and for that I'll bump my rating up a star. But as a listener in 2025, it's not something I'll likely play again.
A classic!
3.5
This just absolutely rips. We need more Hip-Hop like this in 2025. Its goofy, its funny, and its good! Really good. Happy this is on streaming finally. Best Song: Buddy Rating: 8.5/10 5 Stars
classic. influential af. plenty of bangers but some of the skits are a bit of a chore. fun album tho
Incredibly light and fun. I wasn't familiar with De La Soul and this was an awesome first impression
So many great tracks on this. Can put it on and just let it spin, although have to take a break between the orgy and Me Myself and I, but then it's back to hitting.
A fun listen with good vibes. Would listen again.
Really really great. I loved this.
норм
This was a fun one. I almost gave it a 5, but there’s just a few too many misses for me. 4/5 Highlights: The Magic Number Eye Know Me Myself and I
me aburri al final. 2,5
Jazzy, uplifting and upbeat. Very fun album and very influential to a lot of artists I listen to regularly today.
It’s good, but idk. I think the increase in production over time hurts them, but that’s not their fault (3)
Weird fun boppy clever, never heard anything like it
Not bad - it was a bit bloated and while the skits were nice and short it didn't feel like they were used to their full potential. Some bops some flops. All around pretty good. 3/5
Nice
Mwah
Melodyjny rap z ciekawymi samplami. Zaskakująco mi się podobał, chociaż trochę za dużo tych kawałków jak na jedną płytę. Ale tak to jest jak się wrzuca coś poniżej minuty. 6.5/10 ale zaokrąglone w górę dla odmiany.
Catchy but not my sort of thing Not a massive fan of the skits, and also found it a bit too long 3 ⭐️
This was pretty good. It sounds dated though... it's so very obvious this is from the late 80's/ early 90's... but it's good, fun, and very original.
Definitely doesn't sound dated but I'm never gonna love this
2/5 this was fine
old school的 hip hop 听不太来诶
I feel like I lack the full knowledge/context to judge this. It holds up well and feels very influential. The beats in particular felt timeless. But, it didn’t really grab me.
2 , slabo
Muss ich noch einmal hören. Hat Spaß gemacht zu hören, aber kein individuelles Lied konnte mich zu sehr überzeugen
звучок хороший, чисто тех времен. q-tip поработал на славу. за остальных вот читак не скажу так, не хватило изюминки , харизмы
They really didn't knock themselves out with finding new beats along the way. I remember this coming out. It felt like the 'clean' rap that was being pushed out at the time. Pre or post Will Smith, I don't recall. Never grabbed me, and listening now there's a little - I remember this. But not a whole lot else.
-1 for inventing the hip hop skit
So bad. I thought it was a joke.
I dig the hyper-eloquent laid-back vibes.
Old school hip-hop. Not very interesting in 2025
Nope
2/5 not for me
Amazing vibe
Très cool. Je connaissais via leurs collaborations avec Gorillaz, mais j'avais jamais écouté leurs albums avant, et je dois dire que j'ai beaucoup aimé, de leur humour au choix des samples
This one sounded like it was Transmitting Live from Mars.
Del La Soul FOR THE SOUL. Lyrics that are sometimes serious, sometimes silly, but always well-crafted. The music production is unreal. Upon this re-listen I’ll have ‘The Magic Number’ stuck in my head for days.
This album gets repetitive after a few songs and as such is the nature of rap.
I haven't yet developed the skills to adaquately evaluate a hip-hop album. Do I admire the magpie eye and silver ear that samples Peg and Standing on the Dock of the Bay in the same song? Even if those moments don't go anywhere? That's unfair - Eye Know is great, but is it as great as Peg? Do I admire Eminem's dexterous music hall flow over the more pedestrian De La Soul vocalists? Even when they are warmer, more fun, and welcoming? I don't know. I like the Bonzo Dog Band, so I'm not opposed to skits in principle, but do they have to make the records so long? Are mixtapes that long? Are they actual C-90s? I don't know. I suppose a classic rap record should be something like the experience of a soundsystem at a street party. Three Feet and Rising is definitely the closest to this that we've heard: it feels like they're mixing in real-time, rapping in the same room. A positive addition to my 2345 train to Larne. Almost forgot that De La Orgee is awful. 3 The energetic sample-splicing is fun. And it almost felt sometimes like it put this album more in touch with Prince’s 1999 (yesterday’s album) than with the two rap albums at the start of the week (Eminem and Jeru the Damaja). Some of the raps were amusing - I enjoyed Tread Water especially - even if they felt a little flat in delivery. I think De La Soul genuinely uncovered a little musical gold as well - Eye Know. But… the skits are tiresome and after an hour I can’t have a sense of their ‘album’ as anything but an utter shambles; a 15 year old’s messy bedroom. Nice kid though. 2.5/5
One of my favorite hip hop albums ever. So fun
Great rap album. Thoroughly enjoyed
Really enjoyed this. 3 is the magic number
One of my all time favourite albums - never get tired of it
Hip hop is not my scene but this has some good moments. "The Magic Number" is still a good tune as is "Eye Know".
I was familiar with "Me, Myself, and I" and with the group's sound in general, but didn't know this album. I like overall groove. I also like that the content is not all gangsta-this-gangsta-that. In the end, while it's all pleasant to listen to and I could see myself trying this album again, I didn't feel hooked. Also, kind of random but the Ogree song was unexpected and not really SFW.
This week has given us a string of "4 stars that are almost 5 stars." Which is such a good place to be in, versus the usual 70s rock and 90s Brit band doldrums. Only the fact that overstay it's welcome a bit, and has a few misfires keeps this from being a 5 star. But still a classic.
The samples (Hall & Oates!) put this up there with Paul's Boutique, but the through line of repeated lyrics, story telling, and game / children's show skits give it a world-building feel that the Beastie Boys' album doesn't have. & while this feels like the antecedent to so many other hip hop subgenres, it's still so uniquely its own thing - and has a timeless feeling that very few other albums from this period have.
I thought I would hate this. Cheesy 80's rap? I mean, it begs to be hated! But, this was a surprisingly good listen
Fun and chill, a lot of notable tracks but also kinda long. Favorite track(s): Magic Number, Eye Know, Buddy, Me Myself and I Will I revisit?: high priority Current rating: 8/10
Classic. Fun. Hiphop
Oh hip hop
I am not a big rap fan, but I did enjoy a lot of the hip hop/jazz fusion that was present on the record. Each member has a presence on the mic that is undeniably fun. It's clear that they are having fun on the record with some of these goofy skits. At times I found some of these skits to be a bit much at times, but overall was pleasant. Fav Track: Change In Speak Least Fav: Take It Off 7/10
I enjoyed this much more than I expected to. I think it's the sense of humour that the lads bring to the music that lifts it above any similar effort.
its fine, 3/5
Funky
solid but did not blow me away
Fucking painful.
Fun, funky, fresh
ok de wurlitzer am afang isch fire ich merk irgendwie dasses guet gmacht isch und finds toll dass es e gschicht verzellt und e vision vertritt :) & die viele verschiedene instrument im hintergrund sust ischs eif grad weniger min mood 🤔, harmonisch-melodisch passiert halt nedeso viel
The group of MCs and producers who made this album couldn't get any cooler and it feels like they are letting the listener in on their coolness.
I love De La Soul and there are so many classic tracks on this album but sometimes they can be corny as hell, like in the song Tread Water. The skits are a major drag and completely ruin the otherwise wonderful track Buddy. All in all, still a good album and De La Soul rules
A straight up classic record. These beats hit the right spots for that nostalgia high. Great record.
3 Feet High and Rising has a sound that speaks straight to my childhood. De La Soul is from Amityville, New York, about an hour from where I grew up on Long Island. the group's suburban surroundings had a tremendous impact on their subject matter, sense of humor and overall musical dynamic. Prince Paul's groundbreaking production focuses heavily on samples from psych rock and funk, and the general theme of being true to yourself comes through in the trio's carefree flows (dated though they may sound today). that being said, this album invented (or at least pioneered) the skit and the sex skit, a sin for which it can never be forgiven. light 8/10.
The skits detract from the great music, but they are mercifully short so I'm not docking a star, although I was tempted. As for the music itself, I love it. Say No Go is probably my favourite track, but the whole album is strong.
Not for me
This is the 2nd album this week that I am questioning why it is on the list. It isn't innovative, it isn't poignant and quite frankly it isn't good. The songs are mostly nonsensical, and goofy. I think there are much better artist to represent the genre in this time frame. Is the album fun yes, is it a MUST LISTEN? ABSOLUTELY NOT.
Ooh De La. The hundreds of uncleared samples. The daft but fun lyrics littered throughout. The endless joyous beats. The constantly going on about plugs (I failed to comprehend) The run from Eye Know through to Say No Go. The magic number and me myself and i The offer of a grand prize - I want to know what it was!
The goofy vocals are.. goofy - but the beats and samples are so fantastic. The record is weighed down a bit by filler tracks and skits that don't always land, but in general, I had a good time with this album.
Everyone was right, this really is delightful Favourite track Eye Know Least fav track: Tread Water
Skön tidig hiphop!
Did not like.
None of the songs really jumped out at me.
Yeah, didn't swing me. Perhaps I'm missing the contribution of this album to the rap/hip-hop genre but don't think I "needed" to hear this album before I die.
meh
Un très bon album de hip-hop, je comprends pourquoi il est si bien perçu par la communauté. Je ne suis pas autant fan que d'autres albums qui sont son contemporain (particulièrement les skits), mais c'est un album vraiment amusant. 7.5/10
Love it, great start.
Hiphop de finales de los 80 que tiene momentos graciosos y bastante originales para la época, aunque dure 1 hora y pico no ha habido ningún momento de bajón, ni tan mal. Canción destacada: Eye Know
Muss man mal ausprobieren.
gostei demais
didn’t think it would be for me at first, but it just got better and better.
Love the intro. Feels like a very 90's album, so it's pretty forward thinking for 1989. Loses a lot of momentum in the second half, but is a decent album overall.
fun and refreshing, but a one-time thing for me. I can tell why it is a great and game-changing record though. I guess I am not really into hiphop. probably won’t come back. Eye Know is the best one.
Despite being an hour long it never got boring or felt overlong.
Se ve que se re divirtieron haciendo este álbum, también la pasé bien escuchándolo y me reí, está bueno
great
First De La Soul album. I like their sound- captures the early hip hop sound with great kyricism and backing vocals. However, some parts got a little one note with their attempy to be humourous, which didnt always land. Still, found myself enjoying a lot of the songs. Overall- 3.5/5, but not quite a 4
Like a lot of hip hop from the '80s, the beats sound a little old fashioned, and the flow is not all that technically impressive by modern standards. Even so, 3 Feet High and Rising just has some kind of special charm to it. It feels and sounds very relaxed, and the skits are fun without disrupting the album too much.
3.7 - Yeah this was great, but honestly a bit too long and felt a bit samey after a while
This album is a strange experience. On paper I love what De La Soul are doing. But I look through the track listing post-listening and I think do I really like many of these songs? Usually the moments that capture me are the fairly on-the-nose samples of my favourite songs - Peg in Eye Know, Hall & Oates in Say No Go, the very famous Me Myself and I Funkadelic sample. After hearing those samples I want to go and listen to the originals rather than appreciating what De La have done with it. Maybe Me Myself and I is an exception there. Fave Tracks: Eye Know, Me Myself and I, This is a Recording 3.4/5
Despite not being a hip-hop fan, I have to admit this album is pretty good. Not that surprising, honestly, since I've always favoured this type of jazzy early hip-hip. I'm probably not going to revisit this anytime soon, but I'm glad I listened to it. Key tracks: Me Myself & I
It's fucking annoying I wrote a track by track review and it disappeared. This was fucking great, but we'll never know how I really felt in the moment 4.5
Not my usual genre but I thought it was entertaining for one listen.
So good! Been meaning to check them out for a while now but kept forgetting, I’m so glad I got this album, its just excellent
ALL THE STARS
American hip hop shit
a perfect album. Maybe my favorite jazz rap album of all time and I only had first heard it in tenish years ago now. Very funny and fun. Clever. Great beats. What else is there to say?
ja heti the crunge rumpulinjaus, heh huomaan...huomaan.. Joko naurat hänen viestilleen tai otat sen sydämeesi ja saat elämäsi mahtavimmat harjoitukset eteenpäin. word to tha motha, word to tha motha, word to tha motha, word to tha motha, word to tha motha, word to tha motha, word to tha motha, word to tha motha... hip hop h h h HUMPUTUS !! on tässä hyvää... word to tha motha, word to tha motha, word to tha motha, word to tha motha, word to tha motha, word to tha motha, word to tha motha, word to tha motha, word to tha motha.. (tapa korostaa lausunnon totuutta tai vilpittömyyttä.) the magic number
The album is really cool. You can really hear the hip-hop color in this album. I'm not a fan of the "Game Show" bits that are sprickled in this album.
easy 4 stars lots of classic songs. great background album
Eye Know that this is classic. Fantastic release.
Not my fave...
Nicht meins
The samples are really cool, the artwork looks fun, and everyone could use a little more positivity in their lives like these lyrics bring.
Cool album, a bit long so i only listened fully once over. Very unique
So much fun and groove. Impossible to not smile or walk with a limp whilst listening.
Hip-hop classic, 2 songs that introduced me to the genre. So much funk and creativity. Imagine listening to this in 89 on vinyl for the 1st time, unlike anything you've ever heard!! Joyousness
A solid album but a little bit let down by the high number of tracks/filler. Very influential in hiphop, moving away from the heavier sound, also unfortunately started the trend of crappy skits. Some memorable bangers 3.5 / 5 for me, roundedup.
super catchy and fun loving album - a ton of fun
A fun listen that I have put off for many years. The runtime always prevented me, but finally, I listened. It was fun, but it’s way too long.
Not my cuppa, but kind of a fun one regardless.
Stone cold 5. Awesome use of samples and a breath of fresh air. Uplifting, unpredictable and trailblazing. Killer
3.5 Good stuff, don’t love all of it.
Bleh
Unique rap album. Pretty great!
Great album 5/5
classic hip hop. pretty good
Very groovy, fun, and catchy
Classic album from my youth
More like 4.5 but this is so fun so here we are
When people say "the vibes are immaculate", this is what they mean. An incredible debut
Definitely different for the time period music-wise. The relaxed flow is still a bit 80s sounding. I wish there were fewer skits/interludes. Highlights: "Change in Speak" (horn breaks are cool), "Eye Know" (love the "Peg" sample), "Me, Myself and I" (the big hit, good representative of the album) Notable: "Do as De La Does" (well, they sound like *they're* having fun at least), "De La Orgee" (oh no...)
This is one of those albums where, whenever you listen to it, you think to yourself "why don't I listen to this more often??" My standouts: Ghetto Thang, Eye Know, Say No Go, Do As De La Does, This Is a Recording
Cool album.
Intro - funny The Magic Number - Didn't think much of it, but then 80s rap beats are not my thing Change in Speak - good groove. Love the brass section. Cool Breeze on the Rocks - adding this here for completion but what is there to say about this haha Can U Keep a Secret - funny but that's it (adorable laugh at the end) Jenifa Taught Me is one of the best so far - loved the Chopsticks interlude, and the cool beat coming in after Ghetto Thang - the groove on this one is amazing. Best on the album so far. Transmitting Live from Mars - love the groove on this one, and the French at the start. Eye Know - so cute! Love the Peg sample. Take it Off - fairly boring A Little Bit of Soap - love the sample Tread Water - pretty fun Potholes in My Lawn - pretty good groove but fairly boring overall Say No Go - fairly forgettable Do as De La Does - abrasive and not great Plug Tunin' - not bad. Pretty dull De La Orgee - ridiculous haha Buddy - pretty dull (has the hilarious signature rap "ha HA!" that I love though) Description - plodding Me Myself and I - WHAT an excellent start. Love the hook throughout. This is a Recording - VERY cool groove. One of the best songs on the album. I Can Do Anything - funny D.A.I.S.Y Age - pretty muted and boring, so a disappointing end to Summary: Love all the samples, love the grooves, love the talking bits, little asides, and jokes. A great time overall.
Why is this album 23 tracks long? As much as this album is a golden-age classic, the bloated run-time is its greatest legacy. The world could have done with more Eye Knows and less gameshow skits or De La Orgy.
Loopy, lackadaisical, lyrical genius. So fun! Rhymes never went where expected and the beats are a singular vision. World expanding.
This is definitely a go to when you want to kick back and relax with some old school jazz rap in the background, hell yeah.
Another I own and like, in particular Eye Know with the Sitting on the Dock of the Bay whistle sample
64/100
Not my thing at all.
So fun and silly, wish I had this as a kid (even better, we got it when we’re 40)
Disfruté de 3 Feet High and Rising, de De La Soul. Me pareció muy interesante la visión del grupo acerca de determinados aspectos. A pesar de que al principio no le tenía fe, terminó por sorprenderme y enseñarme que cada grupo es un mundo y que cada visión es valiosa y digna de ser descubierta. No solo presenta extremadamente bien al grupo y a sus valores, sino que sirve de crítica a la sociedad que ve el género, y, en general, a todo lo relacionado con el rap/hip-hop (ghettos, thughs, etc) cómo algo negativo. 8/10.
Cooles funky Hip-Hop Album.
Fun album, really liked "Eye Know". I'm personally a bigger fan of dirtier hip hop which would follow this era of hip hop in a few short years but can certainly respect this work as a pioneer for hip hop. I will say, though: There is no need for there to be 23 songs on this or any album. 8/10
I seem to remember having this on cassette tape. I don't know what to say about this album except that I love it. Possibly the first time I really "got" sampling in my young life, back in the days when music journalists were still asking if rap was a fad. The albums a bit inconsistent but where it hits, it hits hard and it's so unique that I can overlook a few short tracks of mucking about that don't land for me. Five stars!
Daisy age at it’s best…. Love this!
Fantastic album; had nothing like this in my collection back in the day. Would have given 5 stars, but the awesome follow on album - De La Soul is Dead - took it to another level
Good fun, but I'm so sick of these skit heavy albums.
All albums will be 1, 3 or 5 stars, with no further commentary or explanation given. I feel bad now about having given Spotify so much free promotion, so from here on out: re-listen, via streaming.
Not for me
De liteful! Back when hip hop was fun to listen to and a bit more upbeat. Not full of the N word and slagging off former friends or associates, a total lack of bitches, superb!
I love the album cover, and the intro song was funny and charming. I like that the album continues with the scene set in that song, they don’t take themselves too seriously. The Magic Number is a song I’ve heard so many times but never knew the artist, it’s such a good song. De La Soul sounds like the origins of hip hop with a little soul combined and I love the vibes. Every song is something my body wants to move to. The beat in Change In Speak is fire. Can U Keep a Secret is so funny… Danny is a SCRUBBB. Eye Know also has a fire beat it’s something you can’t help but nod your head to. Fave Song: Eye Know Least Fave Song: Say No Go Overall rating: 5/5
Fav Tracks: Eye Know, Tread Water Least Fav: Take It Off, De La Orgee In terms of 80's and 90's hip hop albums, this one has a bit more filler and sounds a bit more dated than some, but overall it's got some fun tracks. But I could absolutely have been better off without the orgy track.
Three-mendous!
Klassikko, mutta ei ihan omaan makuun. Sorgen.
As someone who doesn’t really consider himself a fan of hip-hop or albums that last more than an hour, it feels like a miracle to just say how much I thoroughly enjoyed this album. I’ve heard many things about this album and how influential it is and its reputation is certainly proven to me. It’s a fun ride that never really loses steam as it goes on. Between the little game show theme and some of the synergy between the trio in the more comedic tracks, it’s a nice trip. If I had to criticize, there are moments that maybe the album can come off as a little immature. I mean, De La Ogree was a little annoying. Though I not sure what I expected with that track. It’s not a five from me personally, but it came really close. And for me, a hip-hop album that gets nearly five stars deserves my respect. Glad it’s finally on streaming services. Favorite track: Me Myself and I Other hits: The Magic Number, Eye Know, Say No Go, Plug Tunin’, Tread Water, Buddy
Easily one of the best hip-hop albums of all time, 3 Feet High and Rising also belongs in the pantheon of the greatest sample based albums of all time alongside The Beastie Boys’ “Paul’s Boutique”, DJ Shadow’s “Entroducing” and The Avalanches’ “Since I Left You.” This is a master class, a tour de force…5 stars aren’t enough.
Pretty good. Better and more creative than a lot of stuff from that period. Not much stood out though
I have no memory of this album
Good tunes
Not my favorite. More a fan of the hardcore lyrics and different, edgier flows. Respect what they did for the genre but not for me.
Wanted to like it. I didn’t really. I. Fact it was super corny with all the between song questions.
De La Soul was rap pioneers by using classic jazz,funk,pop, soul samples in their music and this album was groundbreaking in showcasing that. Samples from everything from Steely Dan to Hall & Oates and Parliament and everything in between. This is a must listen album. It does have a lot of filler material, which makes it almost an album you have to listen from beginning to end to get it fully. But here's some tracks you can't miss: The Magic Number Ghetto Thang Eye Know Say No Go Buddy Plug Tunin (original 12" version) Me Myself and I (look for the 7" single version to get the one that they played on MTV and radio) This is a great album, and must be heard. 4/5
Loved every second of this. Really surprised how much I enjoyed it.
Very old school style. Eye Know is a solid song. bringing Q-Tip from A Tribe Called Quest is a pro move, pairing that with the Jungle Brothers is another level. Me, Myself, and I is a great single.
♥️
Me no like
Intro n/a The Magic Number 3.4 Change in Speak 3.1 Cool Breeze on the Rocks n/a Can U Keep a Secret 3 Jenifa Taught Me (Derwin's Revenge) 3.2 Ghetto Thang 3.3 Transmitting Live from Mars 3 Eye Know 3.3 Take It Off 3.3 A Little Bit of Soap 3.4 Tread Water 3.3 Potholes in My Lawn 3.5 Say No Go 3.3 Do as De La Does 3 Plug Tunin' (Last Chance to Comprehend) 3.1 De La Orgee 3 Buddy 3.3 Description 3.4 Me Myself and I 3.2 This Is a Recording 4 Living in a Fulltime Era (L.I.F.E.) 3.1 I Can Do Anything (Delacratic) n/a D.A.I.S.Y. Age 3.1 Score: 3.215
There are so many flaws in early hip-hop albums, it took many years of trial and error to really perfect the genre - but it’s the flaws, bumps, and faults with this album that make it so damn good. That being said, the production on this album is unreal. Eye Know is such a well-produced track it’s not even funny. I listened to this album for the first time ever this year, introduced to me on vinyl. My first listen I was pretty indifferent, it was enjoyable, but nothing really stuck out to me except for Me Myself & I. Then I listened to it again, and again. And again. Then I finally took a deep dive into this after getting it on this list - and wow, what an album. Every beat slaps, every bar rhymed with purpose. As I said, it’s not perfect, but that’s what makes this such a raw experience. Not to mention, extremely tasteful features (I’m looking at you, Q-Tip). The only massive drawback I have with this album is the sex scene. I will never for the life of me understand why artists think I want to hear that shit in songs. Christ. I think if I didn’t listen to this for a 5th time I would have given it a 4, but it’s really grown on me a lot. I don’t think you’d be able to find a better alternative hip-hop album of the 1980’s, and I’d love to be proven wrong. So impressed with this album and it only seems to get better the more times I listen to it.
It's probably already been said but I liked the similarities here to A Tribe Called Quest, the laid back style was enjoyable with a few tracks that were really nice. That being said I would say it started to drag for me with its length vs how many tracks I would want to add to any playlists.
Very groovy album similar in vibe to TCQ. I think the most De La Soul I’ve heard previously had been Gorillaz features. Nice change of pace for this list. Pleasant surprise
Expected to like this way more, still cool it came out in 89 though 6/10 Fav tracks - The Magic Number, DAISY age, De La Orgee
An album that is foot-tappable at best, outright annoying at worst. Some of these transitions sucked ass, the songs were well-produced and it seemed like the artists had fun creating this but I did not have a lot of fun listening to this. Highlight: Me Myself and I
Album was ok until about half when thru, then it headed south. Not my style and language was too potty.
One word to describe it is baffling. I thought the first song with the introductions was interesting and I would not have expanded on it at certain parts of the album. At this point, I am not surprised that such an idiotic, stupid, and pointless album is on the list. Sooooooo many great artists don’t have many albums but you gave these bums an album come on man. Also why does Apple Music have it in their top 100 albums of all time. This is just not worthy of that but it’s all subjective.
Totally mid. Better than any sort of gangsta rap but still totally mid. I don’t get the hype. All the tracks are just kinda juvenile and dumb. Also it is just entirely too long. 23 tracks is a ridiculous amount.
not a bad listen. for the most part, enjoyed the lyrics. didn't take themselves too seriously but most tracks had something to say. it is too long-was bored after about 45 minutes.
Amazing, refreshing, fun. We need more De La Soul in this world.
Have to say sadly I didn't know de la soul outside of gorillaz tracks and the ninja turtles movie. Quality album, very early 90s sound throughout. Tread water is such an excellent silly song.
These guys were having a lot of fun!
This is all a bit dull to my 2024 ears.
It’s a rap comedy album. Basic drum machine rhythm. Not the worst I’ve heard.
Great beats and a vibe throughout the album. Not exactly the style of music I usually listen to but I really enjoyed this album.
Fun, poignant, and a little experimental. Always good for some De La
Already marked this down for being so goddamn long. And then some more cause it just isn't my thing.
Hmm has like 2/3 Nice songs on it and the rest is uncomfortable noise
This album was a trip to say the least, some songs where so funny that I was dying of laughter, and others had some funky beats that I'll be taking them with me for an exceptionally long time. Overall, must give this album a 6.5/10, as I enjoyed most of the songs but there were some that I felt like was dragging more than it should have.
классные семплы, репчик. я понимаю почему этот альбом считается культовым
As far as rap goes, this album is too tame for my taste and contains too much filler. The skits are amusing on a first listen but grow tiresome with repetition. I can see the value in the album and its significance in hip-hop history, but to my ear, it’s nothing exceptional.
Sin interés. No hay ningún disco de americana o country entre los 1001??
Not for me. 1/5
This album had a seismic impact when it was released. I've still got the original vinyl copy I purchased on import. There was nothing else really like it. The skits between tracks, the lyrics, the humour, the sound! I'm probably in a minority by saying the follow-up album -De La Soul Is Dead - is better. That really is splitting hairs though, they are both incredible. One of the easiest 5 stars I've given.
A great hip hop album. I really liked this when I was in high school.
This rap feels so effortless. I had never heard of De La Soul, but I'm really enjoying the rap groups of this era, like ATCQ and the Roots. Cool samples from all over, groovy bass lines, and creative lyrics keep this sounding impeccable. I could listen to this all day. The best here is probably Eye Know, but I also liked Jenifa Taught Me, The Magic Number, Buddy (Q-Tip again, awesome), and Me Myself and I. Could probably do without the skits, but thats a genre problem more than this album.
Classic good vibes hip hop in an era of gangster rap
They were right, this is a great hiphop album
It remains a peak of all hip hop, not just the alternative brand. It’s murky and creative and affirmative b/c it is engineered by thinking and is immensely enjoyable to listen to.
An Infectiously positive album. It's nice to get this as it feels really different from the rest of the list. The three of them work well and their approach to rap is like nobody else.
De La Soul would not be my first pick from the Native Tongues collective (which also included A Tribe Called Quest and Jungle Brothers), but this debut is the trio in all their "Daisy Age" regalia, and it was a little revolution in hip hop, kiddies. Not that you would necessarily perceive it that clearly decades after the fact. What's a little strange about De La Soul is that most of their subsequent albums during the nineties were probably as good as this one, and maybe even aged a little better. In all objectivity, *3 Feet High And Rising* shows the rappers' sound not exactly fully formed, contrary to *Stakes Is High*, for instance. Follow-up LP *De La Soul Is Dead*, from whom the exciting single version of "Ring Ring Ring" was extracted, also harbors a more interesting album concept at its heart (essentially killing the Daisy Age trend though a more sardonic view of the band's artistry). Besides, and like a lot of great hip hop albums, even the most legendary one, this debut is a little too long (even though this could be argued against *De La Soul Is Dead* as well). And sometimes, it even becomes difficult to separate the (native) tongue-in-cheek skits from the earnest cuts. Taken together, all those aspects *could* work against the idea of including the album in the list... BUT, and as said earlier, this record -- even if not as good as JB's *Down By The Forces Of Nature* or ATCQ's *The Low End Theory* -- was a small revolution in and by itself. Here were three young man breaking new ground in hip hop by refusing all the clichés associated with the genre, whether hardcore rap or commercial ditties. And of course, it's got some absolutely essential tracks: catchy "Me Myself and I", atmospheric real opener "The Magic Number", "Potholes In My Lawn", the smoooooth and jaw-dropping "Buddy" (featuring the Jungle Bros and Q-Tip from ATCQ), or "Eye Know", nicely sampling Otis Redding's whistling from "(Sitting On) The Dock Of The Bay". As for the lyrics, they are sometimes so oblique and obfuscated they (unwittingly?) become high art. Like, it looks like said lyrics are firing on all cylinders, and yet the three boys had such idiosyncratic code words and imagery, it may become a whole surreal adventure to try to make sense of it all. I hesitated to give a 4/5 grade to this one. And then I listened to the goofy skit "Transmitting Live From Mars", shrewdly sampling language lessons recorded for cassette tapes (you got to be as old as I am to understand what I'm talking about here) : "Écoutez, "à midi" Quelle heure est-il? Il est midi C'est l'heure de déjeuner Qu'est-ce qu'il y a à manger? Des saucisses, sans doute Écoutez et répétez, "à midi" à midi à midi Quelle heure est-il? Quelle heure? Quelle heure Est-il? Est-il? Quelle heure est-il? Il est midi, midi, midi Il est midi Il est midi C'est l'heure de déjeuner C'est l'heure C'est l'heure de déjeuner De déjeuner C'est l'heure de déjeuner Qu'est-ce qu'il y a à manger? Qu'est-ce qu'il y a?" Only now do I remember how that skit made me roll on the floor with laughter at the time, so absurd it is. "What is there to eat?" "Probably sausages..." (inexplicably said with a very despondent tone of voice by the French woman on the tape). Yeah, as you've probably guessed, I'm French myself. And this fond memory gives me the extra half-point I needed to include this LP in my gallery. 😀 4.5/5 for the purposes of this list of essential albums, rounded up to 5 9.5/10 for more general purposes (5 + 4.5) Number of albums left to review: around a hundred, as I've gone over the 1000 line and this generator is including albums from all editions of the book Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 434 (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 257 Albums from the list I won't include in mine: 319
I really dig the beats of De La Soul, but this album takes a few weird twists. Interesting listen and I would appreciate to hear more of then
I like the idea of De La Soul more than the execution. Part of it was probably listening to the album during a 9 hour car ride and the judgement I received from my wife whenever they said “so and so has dandruff” for a minute straight. I see them as a similar niche to Tribe, but I like Tribe better.
Me, Myself, and I will always remind me of playing NCAA Football 2007 for hours after school and on weekends. 90s rap can sometimes sound dated, but the flow of the lyrics was nice. As always, I could do without the skits. Overall it was fun to have on in the background while hanging out, but it wasn’t anything special. No complaints, but definitely can’t go higher than a three.
I liked this a lot more than I thought I would. I'm always skeptical of 80s rap, but this was really enjoyable. It wasn't too corny and I really liked the beats. It probably would have been a 4 if it wasn't so long.
Amazing
Bit too goofy at times, but still some really solid beats on this one.
Fav song: Buddy CLASSIC and ICONIC east coast hip hop for the soul (De La of course). One of my favourite genres of music of all time, and one of the all time greats, this De La Soul album has all the strengths that made hip hop in NYC so great in the late 80’s that would persist throughout the whole 90’s. Not taking itself too seriously at all, keeping its samples classy and having some bomb ass features from rappers lik le Q-Tip.. this album was never going to be anything but a 5 star from me. Added to my daily rotation of hip hop albums.
Never really been able to get into hip hop/rap style music.
The tunes that made the airwaves in yesteryear were superb to hear again but the album as a whole feels a bit mishmashy at times. Some random songs!
Tough listen for sure
It's good fun, too long though Tread Water probably the best song
I really enjoyed some of this album and really hated other parts but on the whole found it enjoyable but too long to listen in one go
*“3 Feet High and Rising”* by De La Soul is a light and playful hip-hop album from the late '80s, full of inventive samples. While it wouldn’t be my choice for focused listening, it’s perfect as background music. The album is a mix of different genres that create a pleasant and relaxed atmosphere, putting you in a good mood.
A classic that helps to define the sound and themes of a genre for years to come. Like a lot of hip hop records from the late ‘80s and ‘90s, it can feel a little bloated in places with 23 tracks and plenty of skits, but when it’s good it’s up there with the very best
Time warp. If you wish to know what mainstream hip hop was in early '90s then here you go....
Back when hip hop was innocent. Bring back those times.
everybody in the world you got dandruff? goofy good and fun
While not every track is gold - I could do without some of the odd little interjections and such - there is plenty of solid old school hip hop on this album that I would definitely recommend someone to give it a listen. Eye Know and Me Myself and I alone are reason enough to give it a shot. Rap from when rap was fun, with a little bit of social commentary thrown in. Just great stuff. I want to give it 5 stars, but some of the weird stuff, like De La Orgee, knocks it down a peg.
Oh my god this was cool. So fun, what happened to hip hop like this?
Kinda crazy how fun and laidback early rap sounds.
Honestly banger album
7.5
As far as Hip hop/Rap albums go, this one is worth a listen. It's fun, there's good grooving beats, it's very accessible and I love the sampling. A good sense of humour never hurts that doesn't take itself too seriously and I can even appreciate the "skits" that don't distract from the music. I'm not a big enough fan of the genre to buy this, but I would definitely listen again.
I like alot of the samples but some of the beats were too out there for me. Some classics on here though.
Great hip hop album. Not a big hip hop fan but this had me listening start to finish.
Immense
Eh... I can see it's is important but not great
Meh. They should have said the music critics that rated these albums had a member of De La Soul in them.
Playful and funky. Don't know if I would listen to the whole album again, but maybe some songs
This has a very Fresh Prinz, frat-boy feel to it. Abd it's not just cuz they sampled Steely Dan. I enjoyed it like Saturday morning TV.
This is easy. 7/5. Absolute Brilliance.
Ok, I can't handle this kind of crap. I don't really enjoy hip hop or rap. The skits are just annoying. I can see why it might be influential but it's not for me. I do remember a few songs from the time it came out so there was a bit of nostalgia but not enough to make it a 3.
One of the most important rap albums of all time. Idk what to say other than that the songs in it are good 👍
Honestly it’s a solid 3.5. This was super fun and I gravitated to quite a few of the songs (Change in Speak, Say No Go, Plug Tunin’, just to name a few). Me Myself and I speaks to me as a kid who was raised on Nickelodeon. It is an album made by kids having a good time and I probably would have done a full four stars back in high school
6/10. I apologize in advance for pissing off the hip-hop-head community, but this album really isn't my thing. The concept is really cool, and so were its lyrics, but its instrumentation really bored me. It was also fairly long.
delightful
I cannot believe how wholesome this sounds...until De la orgee.... A bit sleepy other than Me Myself and I though
first time listening to a full De La Soul record as it was one of the last artists not on streaming. overall a very 90s hip-hop art album, which was trying to build off the roots that ATCQ dug into the 90s. overall solid project, would revisit one in a while.
Not a bad collection of tracks
What can I add here except that this is really one of the best hip hop albums out there? Super clever production (country samples!) and lyrics with such a commitment to obscure humour.
Great friday vibe.
Such a fun album. You can tell they had fun making this one. I love the comparison of this album to Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. Best hip-hop album in this list so far.
One of the most fun albums I've ever listened to. There's a special energy to it you don't hear often, these guys are just having a great time and doing all kinds of crazy stuff. It was long and started to drag a little bit but then me myself and I came on and saved it. The energy is too fun to not give it a 5
One of my favorite albums
It’s fine. Nice Steely Dan samples.
amazing
THISBWAS SO GOOD
As a concept album is simply a 10 but the recording mixing failed. I liked this cd as a kid but I could never love it as the beats were too loud and I couldnt really follow the lyrics. I know they were young and their and this was their first album but they grew fast into what came after was a top 25 ever rap album. Thos was a glance of their future. Underrated group and very innovative at the time.
I really love the sound and the feel of this album, it sounded old yet somehow new Haven't thought about De La Soul in so long, thank you!