3 Feet High and Rising

They really like sampling.

Smoooooooth

Very creative, maybe a bit unrefined. But if you like old school hip-hop and rap, it's fun.

Remember when hip hop was just fun? This record is just a good time. I wish there were less skits but that's not a huge deal. Favorite track: The Magic Number

This was quite fun! Not the usual sort of thing I listen for in hip hop, but I liked it. I was really impressed by the DJ and the production, as well as how early those "skits" you often find in hip hop appeared.

some hit and miss songs but overall I enjoyed the album. wouldn't mind listening again

Very sunny and uplifting slab of old-school hip-hop. Prince Paul is the main hero of this record for me, as lyrics will often float by me on the first few listens with rap records; still, I appreciate the craft and accessibility of the words here too. The biggest downside of the album, for me, is the skits. They really got tiresome for me the more I listened, and I never found them that funny to begin with. If I give myself permission to skip tracks, though, this is a perfectly fine record.

It's a pretty good hip hop album but it is loooonngg. Tracks felt repetitive. Also "De La Orgee" is unnecessary. If De La Soul could've tightened this album up, it would've been four stars. Top tracks: "Me Myself and I," "(3 Is) The Magic Number," "Eye Know," "Plug Turnin' (Last Chance to Comprehend)"

A lot of fun. Too long. The beats are much more interesting than the rapping. The orgy skit tempted me to drop this to 2 but there is too much value here to do that. Best song: Me Myself and I

Solid solid record. I love their classic hip hop style beats, their chilled delivery, their feel for a hook and their sense of fun. It's long though, and although there are fewer frustrating pointless skits than some hip hop from this period, the game show thing is very annoying.

Uma nova forma de trabalhar com hip hop, com elementos psicodélicos, esse álbum brilha

My first thoughts about this album were that this was probably interesting when it came out, cool jazzy influences, but hasn’t really help up into 2025. And then Transmitting Live from Mars and Eye Know came on, changing my mind about the album. In the end, a couple other songs have stood out to me - Say No Go, for instance - but overall my first impression wasn’t so far off from my final analysis. And you’ve got to be kidding me with De La Orgee.

Take out the dumb skits and this is an all-timer

Classic

One thing better left in last century is sketches on hip hop albums. I never understood it- the funny skits weren’t funny on repeat listens, the serious sketches dragged on, the sexual sketches were painful. ¨3 Feet High and Rising¨ starts with a sketch and my soul started to sag. Cue ¨ (3 is) The Magic Number¨ and its vibrancy, its soul, its sense of funky fun and all is right with the world. This album, to me, is that magic transition period between 80s and 90s New York rap. There’s still a bit of the old school but the beats are better, the rhymes less formulaic, people are figuring out they can do whatever they want. Like any good NYC classic it puts you right in the middle of a certain time and place. However, as opposed to Mobb Deep’s pissy stairways and Wu Tang’s ninja apocalypse, De La Soul paints a sunnier urban vibe- cultured and positive while still being street-smart. It’s like a cool Sesame Street (and Sesame Street was always cool anyways). I don’t find the three rappers so distinctive- they’re good, fun to listen to, but not quite as distinctive as NWA or Wu Tang. I was never huge into the conscious rap, but the older I get the more I appreciate not getting a slop bucket of misogyny, homophobia and violence poured over me. Of course, then you get to ¨De La Orgee¨ and you walk everything back. Great jazzy NYC rap for (almost) the whole family. Best songs: ¨(3 is) The Magic Number,¨ ¨Eye Know,¨ ¨Tread Water¨

Fun upbeat songs with good beats/production, just too many songs that I would skip if not listening to the album through

Can dig it

De La Soul has a distinct vibe, which I appreciate. But, similar to the Go Gos, it's a vibe that grows repetitive and tiresome midway through an album. (It's a very personal thing, I guess, how long one can tolerate a particular musical sound. There are plenty of very repetitive punk albums that I could listen to on repeat.) I enjoyed this album, but it's hard to imagine I'll ever choose to listen to it again. If I feel like listening to this rap sub-genre, I'll probably go with Jurassic 5 or Digable Planets, both of whom I find more interesting.

This actually aged pretty well. The game show interludes were moderately amusing. The music holds up nicely. The lyrics are...um...sort of par for the course. Probably won't make regular rotation, but no hip-hop ever does.

I'd of course heard of them, but didn't know any of this. Some catchy stuff. Too much talking, though.

I wonder sometimes how hip-hop artists make any money when most of their tracks are samples of other people’s work. That being said, this is a melodic and largely inoffensive piece of work with some recognisable (and I mean the tracks not just the samples) songs that I quite enjoyed. Well done hiphop (for a change). 4 But I did hate all the sketches in between songs. Why is that a thing in hiphop? It never works. Knocked down to a 3 because of that.


Alright. Interesting vibe and character but a little boring and repetitive.

3,25

It was chill Will I listen to again: 45%

Probably one of the most boring concerts I ever attended was De La Soul back in the mid 90s. Their style of laid back jazzy hip hop just never translated well to the live stage as far as I am concerned. Nevertheless, as far as background sound at home while tinkering on this or that, it works well. I always loved the track Me, Myself, and I. But they were never as fun or engaging as their contemporaries A Tribe Called Quest. 3/5 #190

Will listen again

Fairly enjoyable listen, although it doesn't quite hit fully for me

The list comes bearing gifts once again in the form of hour-long conscious hip hop albums; this time it’s far nicer and more listenable than what I’ve had thus far. Perhaps it’s because De La Soul weren’t looking over their shoulder for rival gangs during recording. There really isn’t much to separate this from many other albums of its like other than its marginally earlier release date (there’s sub-minute skits, recurring motifs, and of course an unwanted minute-ish of sex sounds) but there’s something very clean-cut about this whole affair - and I think it’s because of how fun it is. You’ll of course recognise The Magic Number and Me Myself and I immediately, but it’s a few other tunes that really make this better than the average album of its kind, especially Jenifa and Eye Know, with a better Dan sample than Mr. West could dream of. I’ll stop the comparisons though and just note that I didn’t get bored at any point here, even being an hour long and honestly having a very similar sound throughout (save for some of the skits), 3 Feet High is a lot of fun and takes you away from it all, if that’s what you want.

Fine. Some good songs with a lot of filler. 3.5

Really good. But doesn’t make me stop what I’m doing to listen.

Feel good inc was theirs and this is their early stuff. Good background party rap.

good samples, good beats, multiple v good songs. had fun

Hip hop but poppy and fun.

This is a fun album. Nothing really jumped out at me as something I'd throw on my playlist, so it's a 3.

absolute banger, 4.5

Listened with my best friend who said this is what she listened to as a kid

I had a lot of fun listening to this album and sometimes joy is enough.

Really like the beats and flow of a lot of this album. Hate the inclusion of a track that is just sex noises - but that’s art i guess? Probably would’ve pushed towards a 4 if some of this was trimmed down, but as an entire album experience that fluff brings it a bit down in my opinion.

Ugh I wanted this to be better! There’s some really fun stuff here, but there’s also a lot of boring stuff too. A little trimming would have done this album a world of good. At least the skits are just one thing instead of overlong misogynistic stuff like a lot of its contemporaries.

Cool cool cool ol skool progressive hip hop. These guys have Fun and -tip makes an appearance. No complaints.

I enjoyed the listen, but conversely, I like other hip hop from this period better. One example would be Digable Planets.

Really liked the sound of the album, but i was not particularly captured by any specific song. Kinda samey, whack lyrics. 7/10

A good record with some uncomfortable tracks sprinkled in. Favourite Track(s):Plug Tunin', Tread Water Least Favourite Track(s): De La Orgee

Funky, freaky, silly and inventive.

Hmm... I remember liking this more last year. I don't dislike it now. But I have complaints. The first half of this album is good and really fun and includes one of my favourite rap songs (Eye Know). But the second half... has problems. Maybe last year I just listened up until Eye Know and was just so entranced by the song that I stopped listening to the rest of the record and instead put Eye Know on repeat for a few hours and walked out thinking "i'm a big De La Soul fan." But now as part of this exercise, I have listened to the album twice all the way through... and it is fucking long. It is an hour and 3 minutes long and in the back half it really feels like it. If it were up to me, i'd cut everything after Potholes in My Lawn except for Me Myself and I. That would leave a really strong 36 minutes of music (i did the math), which is a very respectable album. I'd probably give that album a 3.5 and round it up to a 4 because I love Eye Know so much. But this is not the world that we live in. We live in a world where this album is way too fucking long... like many albums on this list are. So why would I cut the back half of the album? 1) There are several mediocre tracks that don't add much to the album. Tracks in the first half deliver on these ideas much better. 2) There's a god damn sex noise song, De La Orgee. And based on the fact that this isn't the first 90s rap album with a sex noise song, it must be some sort of trend or right of passage for rap groups at the time. I have not yet found one that can actually deliver on the concept and make an enjoyable track or even a track that's subversive and shocking and taboo in a way that's interesting. So far they're either cringe, like on this album, orrr disturbing like on sex packets (if you know you know). The nicest thing I can say is the De La Soul version is better than the sex packets version... i guess. I'm glad this trend has died off since the millennium. Whoever started it, should be punished. 3) There's nothing less cool than someone who says "doo doo" or "dookie" instead of just saying "shit" like an adult. I swear this happens a few times on the album and I found it annoying. 4) There's no hooks in the back half. I listened to these songs twice and I don't remember them at all. The songs I liked... (3 is) The Magic Number - Great vibes. Fun instrumental. Catchy flows. Change In Speak - Great horns sample/grunt sample (sounds almost like James brown). The beat overall is really good. Jenifa Taught Me - I love the flow. I love how he says "jenny". I love the goofy adlibs by the other voice. The vocal sample in the beat that works as a little refrain is also cool. Transmitting Live from Mars - cool hazy lofi hiphop beat with french talking samples overtop. i dig it. Eye Know - Fuck I love this song. I love the guitar in the beat. I love the whistle that hits in the verses. I love the chorus. That vocal line "I know I love you better" and then the horn melodies. It's perfect. The lyrics are great. The flows are great. Incredible song. Take it off - Goofy, fun interlude track. A Little Bit of Soap - is that a Stand By Me sample?? Me Myself and I - a weird 90s funk instrumental. i dig it. I like that synth melody that acts as the hook going back with the "me myself and i" refrain. It's a good time. This is the only second half song worthy of this album. In general there's just a lot of variety in the first half, weird little interludes, a track where they just whisper shit, a gameshow skit. They're having fun, but also tackling serious themes. It's warm, hazy joy. It has a very summer in the city, everyone out enjoying the weather, having a good time vibe. Ultimately... because of the second half.... this is a 2.5 but i'll round up because of Eye Know.

Demented, in a good way. Truth be told, this record hasn't aged as well as I anticipated. Yeah, there are a handful of classic tracks on here - and much of the production remains uniquely fresh - but there are quite a lot of meandering, directionless fillers. In my head my immediate thought was '4 star record' but I'm not quite sure it holds up to that.

Its fun hip hop from an era when it was ok to have a message, be funny and experiment with samples. Its a shame hip hop has moved so far away from creative mixing and actual lyrical content.

Ehhhhh

The album did have a kinda nice vibe to it and wasn’t the worst but did it really need to be 23 songs long? Not really. 3 stars

It's a good album but I'm just not really into 80s hip hop.

Felt like I was on speed all the way through it. I found it really good but also slightly annoying

It's a magic number 3

Me, myself and I echt dope, aber der Großteil des Albums hat mich nicht überzeugt, nur bei nem Bruchteil mitgewippt. Häufiger einfach in die Leere gestaart :S

Ganz gut anzuhören, Skits sind medium. Aber keine 4 Sterne von mir

I was pleased when this came up being a fan of 80s early 90s Hip Hop, yet never actually hearing this album in full. I had high expectations, with it being lauded as a classic. I was left colder than I thought I would be. Overall it has a nice feel to it and some good tracks, but just didn’t seem to hit with me. The skits are awkward bordering on cringe. That said, for a debut album it’s solid. Definitely finds its niche around half way.

I like the idea, sounds kinda childish though. Maybe that’s just 90s rap though.or maybe that’s the vibe…

Pretty classy hip-hop. Liked the beats, liked the flow. I am up for the classic hip-hop and that is a fine example. Favourite track - Jenifa Taught Me.

Ahh the hip hop skit. Apparently it worked for people! My guess is the extended length afforded by the CD and increasing the number of songwriting credits per album did a lot of the heavy lifting there. But, it fits in with Prince Paul’s whole sensibility even if I still find myself skipping ahead. What to make of early De La? They were always just a little too cartoonish and childish for me to enjoy back whenever, which is too bad. I blame the Beasties’ image joking around as a way of life for this to some extent but also trying to reconcile “serious music” like PE and NWA with the adolescent focuses of these 3 (4) goofs. Their flow’s always comfortable and easygoing, the samples criminally good and catchy, the lyrics always relatable and clever, but yooooo the skits can fuck off.

versteh warums influential is aber es is oft a richtig nervig lol

Alright. I understand this was the OG skit album... I just didn't find it funny at all. The songs were good.

I did not mind this album. There were some great songs and beats on it.

Hauska levy ja hyvä kuunneltava, mutta yksittäiset kappaaleet ei ollut sillein normaalia erikoisempia. Ei ollut tuttuja kappaleita. Parhaat: Me Myself and I, Ghetto Thang

3 Feet High and Rising es un disco que me gustó por sus sonidos experimentales y la “historia” que cuenta. Investigue un poco sobre este y resulta que tuvo un gran impacto en el hip hop y entiendo por qué tuvo tanto impacto: en su momento rompió con lo que se venía haciendo en el rap, fue más experimental, positivo y lleno de samples raros que abrieron la puerta a otro tipo de hip hop. Igual, aunque prometía mucho y tiene ideas muy creativas, algunas canciones no me convencieron y en general no me terminó de atrapar tanto como esperaba, pero suma puntos por el impacto histórico.

Really nice beats - the uplifting funky vibe makes it a good listen. I don't know that anything really jumped out as a relisten, cleary an important piece of music culture and history.

it was quite enjoable

funky, my kinda rap

Listened on August 5th 2025 Highly overrated. 5/10

Good late 80s hip-hop record tho a bit long

Superb album for the year it was released.

Fun listen with an interesting beat.

Ég hlustaði á De La Soul í gamla daga og fíla alveg fönkið í þeim. Kemst í fínan gír. Mér fannst það svolítið eyðileggjast með þessum spurningaþætti þeirra á milli lagana. Þetta er 2.5 en ég gef þeim þrjár fyrir nostalgíuna

I remember this release and how different it was than the other rap/hip-hop that was prevalent at the time. It sounded smarter, a bit more relaxed and funny, not gangsta and made more for a larger audience. A far cry from NWA, Public Enemy, etc. There is one hit we all knew with "Me Myself & I" (brain worm song!) and a few songs you'd hear at frat house parties like "(3 Is) The Magic Number" and "Eye Know". It was never my thing but I wasn't opposed to it either. In listening to it today I remember why, not enough hooks, no savage bassline, no cutting edge or questionable lyrics and some silly ass songs ("Can U Keep A Secret", "Jenifa...", "Take It Off"). There are some funky beats, that make you wanna get up and dance. Favorite tracks I don't remember? "Ghetto Thang" and "Potholes In My Lawn". 3 stars, it's good, it introduced a new form of hip hop to the masses and they were talented. Doesn't stand up super well today, they aren't mentioned in the all time greats or 80's/90's legends, and it doesn't have songs on the radio anymore so the longevity isn't there.

Not bad

The opposite of gangsta rap, it is warm, jazzy, light, and funny. A classic of the genre and great memories for me. Their next album is much better though.

Early Hippy Hop fun times

Some stand out tunes. Great production. Not for me as a whole album

Not into Hip Hop, but this was pretty exciting. Fav: The Magic Number

One of the more interesting rap albums I've listened to. A bit lengthy at over an hour. This comes with a lot of filler tracks. What may or may not be a filler track, "Can U Keep a Secret", had me laughing out loud. Favorite lyric being "Everybody in the world, you have dandruff." When you get to what feels like the meat of the album with some of the more traditional tracks, there are some good ones, favorites outlined below. Didn't know they made Me Myself and I. After hearing basically the whole album before this song, it tracks so hard. Overall, this was enjoyable. A definite early rap sound, great sampling, some good record scratching and a large dose of goofy. These guys seem like they'd be a good hang. 3.5/5 Favorites: - (3 Is) The Magic Number - Eye Know - Me Myself and I

I had a good time listening to this album over the weekend. I really enjoyed a lot of the sampling and beats — particularly on “Eye Know”. The skits and short tracks were fun, though I probably won’t revisit those as often… although I did Google the answers to the game show questions. On the borderline of a 4/5. Favorite tracks: - (3 Is) The Magic Number - Eye Know - Me Myself and I

It was alright enough

Great album, probably the De La Soul record I enjoy the most

Funny album, feel like on a few listens I may upgrade to a 4 but on first attempt it’s a 3

Relativt trevlig o harmlös lyssning för att vara hiphop. Good vibes men inget för mig.

Rätt kul lyssning! 3 Is the Magic Number är visst inte bara en reklamlåt

Meh

intro- interesting intro. 6 the magic number- 7 change in spark- 6 cool breeze on the rocks- 5 can you keep a secret- 6 jenifa taught me- 6 ghetto thing- 6 or 7 transmitting live from mars- 5 eye know- 5 take it off- 5 little bit of soap- 5 or 6 tread water- 6 or 7. i love all types of rap and rap is definitely an effective way to spread very serious messages, but i love when rap is goofy. who else is rapping about talking to squirrels. pot holes in my lawn- 7 say no go- 7 or 8 do as de la does- 6 plug turnin- 5 de la orgee- 5 buddy- 5 description- 5 me myself and i- 5 this is a recording- 5 i can do anything- 6 daisy age- 5 very interesting. will return to this later

Bouncy 90s hip hop.

Alegre pero perecita la verdad. Sexo en De la Orgee???? This is a recording is nice. Jenny only thought about Jenny

3.5 - liked the vibe, but didn't grab me

I was a little iffy on this album at first because of the more old school style of hip-hop/rap it goes for - it feels a little "My name is De La Soul and I'm here to say, I gonna rap and rhyme in a major way" at times - but it started to grow on my a fair bit the further I got into it. There's some fun catchy stuff on here, and it's got me interested in giving it a second chance.

3.5

Look, it's highly influential and there are some great songs, but the skits really mess with the flow of the album. It's also too long, and can get kind of irritating.

Nice and unusual samples that make this album quite eccentric for Hip Hop. Good but not totally my vibe

tut nicht weh. ganz gut aber nicht ganz mein style

Old school hip hop

If you cut out the 10 worst tracks it'd be a phenomenal album.

it's ok

bouncy, trouncy, flouncy, pouncy fun, fun, fun, fun, fun! Hmmm maybe 45RPM got inspired by them?

I liked a couple of the tracks but it seemed like it had a lot of filler. There's probably a great 30 minute album in there somewhere.

I didn't really care for this the first time I heard it. I still don't really care ABOUT it now. Some of the rhymes were clever, but overall it's a forgettable album. It's also too long, some editing may have made something better.

It’s been ages since I last listened to this. Me Myself & I was one of the first non-Eminem hiphop songs I ever heard and showed me the genre could be fun and light without coming across as corny. This album has flashes of brilliance, but it suffers from the usual issues sold the era: its way too fucking long and the skits are dire. But the way the three of them throw the bars back and forth to each other is sublime and the production is top notch. This still holds up as a great hiphop record, even if you do feel its age slightly now.

fun

This is the best De La Soul and the stings and skits don't feel like an interruption as they do for a lot of its peers

Unique but overrated 3/5

3.3 2x catch up on Youtube, 5/12/26

Fine. Unlikely to listen again.

2.5 Too long and the sketches were awful.

very good

This was pretty fun in a turn of the 80s/90s kind of way

It was aight not my favorite

I am ASHAMED I love Gorillaz so much and never bothered listening to them. This is a very repetitive album which can be fun but with the amount of short songs on the track, it got old. Album art is pretty and feel ahead of its time.

kid friendly hip hop?

очень концептуально и не отложилось. какой-то деловой реп про геймшоу

This was a fun album. Upbeat vibes, mostly lighthearted songs. Good samples and beats. Enjoyable, would definitely throw it in the mix for an outdoor gathering playlist (if I did stuff like that, which I don't).

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 like the vibe but did not get into this one.

Not my usual genre of music, but I enjoyed it.

Är det här Just D fick sin inspiration? 😂

I think this album is a bit too long but is dotted with some solid tracks with decent beats, I just lost a bit of interest by the end. Have never listened to De La Soul purposefully but heard them a few times on Gorillaz songs, definite overlap explaining why I generally liked this. I think without that link I might have struggled a bit more through it.

Not entirely sure what genre this sits in. I can hear so much of other songs in this. They must have created a large impact and influence on what came after them. For example gorilaz, will smith or Fat boy slim have similarities with this and many more I cant put my fingers on! Unlike some other similar hip hop / rap I didn't find their "message" irritating, overly macho or self indulgent. Just a playful appraisal of their view of life that seemed a bit funny and real. Crème del la genre! Just shame not my thing but they must be great if it wasn't for me reviewing them!

I liked it and then the orgy part happened and I wasn’t prepared and thought it was weird

I think this is the easiest album to describe with one word so far: Groovy. Literally the definition. Honestly, not sure I vibed the entire time with individual tracks, or the interludes, but the overall album was a vibe. Just something to put on when you want to vibe and chill. I'll be coming back, may go higher later but for now solid 3.

This was a fun listen for a Friday, but it got repetitive after a while

I have long familiarity with this album, and while it’s fun, I wish it didn’t have so many skits in it. That game show theme wears a bit thin for me. The album is fun and poppy, a bit cheesy at times, but it has some great sampling on it and the tracks are groovy and a bit trippy. Probably can be described as the hip hop Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. It’s a fun album, it’s got a relaxed vibe, but the skits could be fewer. It’s obviously influential and deserves its place on the list. I would listen to it again, it just wouldn’t be in my heavy rotation list.

Not my cup of tea

Syns da va ganske nice

Ik ben geen liefhebber van rap, maar dit is wel lekker fris en kan ik goed luisteren. De beats zijn eenvoudig en de stemmen zijn aangenaam. Leuk album met twee bekende nummers. ***

Alright, fun, but also kind of repetitive

An explosion of hip-hop treacle

Not my favorite but a fun album I’d put on again. 3.5

its good

This was fun and v. 80s.. kinda went on but it dropped on a sunny chill day so it fit the mood, might come back to it. Idk maybe I wasn't paying full attention bc I can't think of much to say

I wanted to love this more than I did

It was a jam, but probably needed to jam out to it a bit more for a higher rating...

Xxx

A good hip-hop album. A recogniseable sound, better lyrics than most.

Positive Rap.

Super cool record, aside from that super fucking weird skit towards the end. Liked it overall, though, despite the runtime being so long. I would revisit this if it were shorter for sure.

Shout out to Amityville.

3,5

I’m not sure why I assumed this was going to be a Soul album (probably the name of course) but I was pleasantly surprised to hear a hip hop album. The whole album was enveloped in a “game show” type skit. The lyrics were comical and it was a fun listen.

Old school hip-hop is cool, gives me boy vibes too with the beats. Simple and clean 3

Prince Paul always knew how to put a beat together. Playful lyrics on the non-serious side of hip hop but I find it wearing after half an album. How you gonna put Me, Myself, and I 20th?!?!?! The skits are grating and far too numerous.

Old school hip hop group with a lot of charm. Definitely has got an aged sound to it. I have listened to the album twice and i think i like it but not a lot of emotion was felt while listening. Dont really remember much of the tracks too, but i did appreciate the humour especially because of the time it was released in. I think i have to give it a strong 3/5 rating. I kind of want to put it higher because i did like their energy but i just dont really fuck with the music that much

Interesting album but not really my taste, liked all the samples that I recognised from other songs

There are a couple of bangers in this album. Lots of throwaway tracks as well which was annoying.

I wanted to love this album but I only like it. I know De La Soul by reputation. I love Tribe Called Quest and Del's work in all its forms. From the singles I've heard I assumed I'd be all about this crew, but the album feels a bit corny and overly long. Tracks like Can U Keep a Secret, Jenifa Taught Me, and Take It Off all felt like filler and bad filler at that. I don't know if things are going over my head but the lyricism feels lackluster too. There are some clever bars and the flow is strong but they don't really add up to anything fun or otherwise. Let's also never touch De La Orgee again. On the positive side, the production is on point and, for the era, pioneering. The crew seems like they're having a blast. The skits are fun and dont overstay their welcome. I'll keep the highlights in my rotation. Eye Know, Tread Water, The Magic Number and Me Myself and I are all great. I also loved Do as De La Does; I wish more of the album could be that silly. Looking forward to digging deeper on later albums to see how it comes together, but this was uneven.

What is it with the skits?

I put Tribe above them

Funky, upbeat. Little too long. Fun album.

The Good: late ‘80s hip-hop The Bad: late ‘80s… The Ugly: hip-hop… De La Soul… what is there to say? It seems that my musical pallet is not in-synch with what great musical journalist would argue, as this, so it seems, is definitely one of the greatest albums ever… For me, I appreciated the Me Myself and I song, and enjoyed the fact that these three cats were out there trying to stay positive and have a good time. So, yeah, good for them. But I listened to this song playing far on the background, mainly because the rhythm in the rhyming was starting to get on my nerves as it is so basic, and the drum machine too monotonous for my liking. Still, in stark contrast with the east/west coast bashing that was going on, it is refreshing to have this album to listen to at least once in one’s lifetime. So, shooting it straight down the middle… 3* GASP

Summer vibes need a Green Day

Bastante bueno, tiene ritmos muy cool y la vibra es alta

Rating: 3.5/5 | Favorite Track: Say No Go --- I really liked this album and there quite a few outstanding tracks. There are a few songs however that keep me from giving this a 4 star rating; I just wish the trackless was a bit tighter. Still a good listen!

Borderline novelty music at times (dandruff song??) but the beats are cool and the whole thing feels sunshiney. 3.5

Cool concept and funny album, but I wouldn’t necessarily rush back to it. 3.1

Nice tunes and listening but not my style :( thx!

Interesting

Overestimated

Unique record with amazing lyrical chemistry and some cool samples. However, as always, I hate skits on albums. Standout tracks are: “The Magic Number” and “Eye Know”.

Not bad but the whole intro/game show bits were just a bit too much for me so got knocked down a star for the non music bits.

Pretty middle-of-the-road classic rap. There was one real funky song that I loved.

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

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".

Fine, sounded like fairly standard 90s hip hop to me. Enjoyed it but wouldn't go back

Tiene sus momentos.

Solid 3.5 here but expected some more jams.

Fun vibes. Especially like “Eye Know.”

This was fine. Better than a good bit of the late 80s hip hop. 3 stars.

Got some fun old school beats. Overall though, not my favorite. Did like Me, Myself, and I quite a bit.

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

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.

Niet perse mijn smaak

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.

3.5

me aburri al final. 2,5

It’s good, but idk. I think the increase in production over time hurts them, but that’s not their fault (3)

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

Catchy but not my sort of thing Not a massive fan of the skits, and also found it a bit too long 3 ⭐️

Definitely doesn't sound dated but I'm never gonna love this

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.

звучок хороший, чисто тех времен. q-tip поработал на славу. за остальных вот читак не скажу так, не хватило изюминки , харизмы

This one sounded like it was Transmitting Live from Mars.

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

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.

its fine, 3/5

solid but did not blow me away

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 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.

Skön tidig hiphop!

None of the songs really jumped out at me.

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.

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

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

Not my usual genre but I thought it was entertaining for one listen.

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.

3.5 Good stuff, don’t love all of it.

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

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 its greatest legacy. The world could have done with more Eye Knows and less gameshow skits or De La Orgy.

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

Cooles funky Hip-Hop Album.

Good fun, but I'm so sick of these skit heavy albums.

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.

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.

♥️

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

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.

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

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.

These guys were having a lot of fun!

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.

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.

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.

A great hip hop album. I really liked this when I was in high school.

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

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.

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!

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

Time warp. If you wish to know what mainstream hip hop was in early '90s then here you go....

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.

Playful and funky. Don't know if I would listen to the whole album again, but maybe some songs

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.

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

It’s fine. Nice Steely Dan samples.

Funky, funny, a little too repetitive in some songs, not quite my thing. Can U Keep A Secret is funny. Skipped a few songs.

Not bad overall, but don't think I would go out of my way to listen to this again.

Interesting and fun.

I enjoyed the groove and there were parts I didn’t enjoy. I’ll give it a three just for the hell of it.

A highly-lauded album often credited with helping spark the alternative "hippy rap" movement of the early 90s. It retains much of its carefree, playful charm, but its extremely long runtime is simply not justified.

A pleasant listen

The Intro: Look how wacky and crazy we are!!!11!!! After that it's OK. 3/5

Despite being an 80s album, this is one of the best aged hip-hop albums I've heard, it doesn't sound like proto-90s rap, nor does it feel like a collection of 80s cliches like so many of their contemporaries. I feel like De La Soul have fallen out of favour compared to many of the acts from the 90s, which is unfortunate because I feel like this is some of the best you'll hear in the genre.

Not a fan of the skits but otherwise good

Interesting mix

Not really for me, but they have fun with it. I do not like the track De La Orgee at all.

Haa. Very junior high sounding. Made me smile.

it has a fun personality but a bit of a sleepy listen

3 Stars and Not Rising

👍👍

Oh come on! Did i take psychedelic drugs without realizing it again? No? Well in that case, this album is genuinely one of the most bizarre albums i have ever listened to. Every song had some kind of different sound to it and used very different sounding samples to make their beats. While some of the songs are so weird that they fail to really hit, other songs however, do hit and are incredibly groovy and fun to listen to and you can just tell that these guys enjoyed making this album. However, i do feel that this album is another album to add to the list of hit or miss hip hop albums from the 1980s. Best Song: Eye Know Worst Song: Can U Keep a Secret

Like a mixed box of holiday donuts from Duck Donuts. Everything’s fun and funky, some are delicious, some are misses, but all are unique and make you bop your head and smile and say 👌!

Top grade hip hop with a fine sample of sampling

Love the vibe.

If you wanted to listen to a kid friendly version of hip hop, these guys are your people. PM Dawn is a good path to lead kids down too. There are plenty of samples in this album, which is a bonus to me. That seems to be a dying art in hip hop these days. This album, to me, doesn’t tell a story. It’s more of just one short story about who knows what after another. This was ok. Stuck with the rest of the albums that were just ok. Choice cut: A Little Bit of Soap

Largely inoffensive and laid back vibes but just went on far too long

Not my cup of tea. Not even my cup of tea for the genre. But it’s not bad.

Before gangster rap took over. Great samples on this album

-yaay this is a fun one. Some really catchy beats in here, though some of the filler and skits got on my nerves. Oh well so was the style of 80s (90s)? hip hop -Aside from feeling a little long this was very well-made and enjoyable so no other complaints -Favorites are Jenifa Taught Me, Tread Water, and Me Myself and I

Some absolute classics in there. Other stuff is very of it’s time!

It was fun at first, I enjoyed the old school flow and the scratching, but after over an hour of mostly nothing I got bored. Still was fun for a bit though

it’s pretty good. feel bad for my string of threes lately but yeah i mean yeah this was good

every song very alike, good vibes

Early Hip Hop, it is pretty good

Hip hop vibey, but not hitting for me

I know a lot of people love this, but it is too backpack for me.

ganz interessante Sachen dabei

Sigh, another hip hop album. This wasn’t terrible but I didn’t like it.

Not really my genre, but I did enjoy this album. Their voices are nice to listen to and their flow was pretty good, although a little stilted (like vintage 80s hiphop in some places), but it was done with a level of camp that I appreciated. The sampling was well-chosen, but sometimes the execution was a little sloppy (like where I could hear the drums of the sampled tune were conspicuously out of sync with the base track and poorly blended in the final product). Overall a good listen, although I don't really want to listen to it again, nor any of their other tracks. Three stars.

Chaotic, wild, and pretty funny. Not every track lands for me (and I'm not at all a fan of 50 second filler tracks), but there is something here that is wildly creative. Clever lyrics and catchy enough beats make this album pretty solid, just wish there was less excess. Top tracks: Ghetto Thang, Eye Know, Potholes in My Lawn

Respect the legacy, but not my thing. Rhymes and beats weren't there, but I came in with high expectations

This album is a good time but unlikely to make it into rotation, kinda got tired of it after awhile. I know they have a huge fan base and they are anti establishment in the way that punk rock kind of is so kudos to them but for me I would have liked more.

This is hard for me to review. I am a true fan of hip/hop and I definitely feel the vibe in this. But I have to be careful to say what I mean now... I think that De La Soul is a very solid band, and they should be respected and they are likeable. I get why they have a rabid fanbase. They are fun, interesting, laugh out loud at times, and have great surprising mixes thrown in now and then. However, punk and hip/hop share a common root value in being somewhat anti-establishment, somewhat political, sometimes emotional... I got the sense, after 23 songs (!) that De La Soul intended to keep it light and for me, it is a fine choice but I was hoping for that little extra...

This album is a good time but unlikely to make it into rotation

A few good songs here, though I don't really want to sit through the whole album because of the meh skits and some throwaway tracks.

OK 👍 amazing haha funny lol xd

Was a pretty good album, set to a game show type backdrop. Not really my thing but pretty good songs. Didn’t like the talking between some of them though.

Intro: Nice humor. The Magic Number: good flow. Bit droning. Change In Speak: music a bit too loud to properly hear their voices. Cool Breeze on the Rocks: silly, delightful Can U keep a secret: asmr nope! Jenifa taught me: it’s fine. Droning again. Ghetto thang: good flow. Good switching. Message. Transmitting live from mars: different. I see what they tried to do. Eye Know: instrumentals are smooth. Take it off: transition piece. Bit of playing around. Message. A little bit of soap: I know the sampling. Tread water: symbolism. Message. Potholes in my lawn: message. Say no Go: funky sampling. Message. Good one. Do as De La does: crowd hype track. Plug Tunin’: message. De La Orgee: skipped. Buddy: artist hype track. Everyone gets a pat on the back. Throwback. Description: forgettable. Me myself and I: funky sampling. Skipped due to something in the instrumentals that bugged me. This is a recording…: message. Droning. I can do anything: beatboxing. Asmr again. Daisy age: instrumentals are distracting. Message. Decent. Very long.

Bit too goofy. It's more vibes than enjoyable

I'm still not into hip-hop

3.5

- gutes Zeug dabei, einiges aber auch nur so im Mittelfeld - weitestgehend aber einfach fun

Not my favorite. Couldn't get around the sensibility. Just not my jam, but can certainly see how and why many would appreciate it.

Cool, didn't love it

Album 512 of 1001 De La Soul - 3 Feet High and Rising Rating : 3 / 5 One of the better hip hop albums I've ran across.

This was a lot of fun! Kinda long tho

Not my style but has some fun lyrics.

Still dont get De La Soul - feels super novelty...

Some good tracks and very influential but felt like a sketch lots of times

I’m not qualified to speak to the magnitude of this album. The rap is solid for the time, and the concept is fun and enjoyable. The rap is dated but the flow is fluid. However, it is not a part of my rotation.

Leave my dandruff alone. Why is this album like 85% skits and 15% music. Listening to this felt like trudging through a scorching desert and each time an actual song started, it was like finding an oasis.