De La Soul

De La Soul (/ˌdeɪ lɑː ˈsoʊl/) is an American hip hop group formed in 1988 in the village of Amityville on Long Island, New York.[5] They are best known for their eclectic sampling, quirky lyrics, and contributions to the evolution of the jazz rap and alternative hip hop subgenres. Kelvin "Posdnuos" Mercer, David "Trugoy the Dove" Jolicoeur, and Vincent "Maseo" Mason formed the group in high school and caught the attention of producer Prince Paul with a demo tape of the song "Plug Tunin'".

Quick facts: De La Soul, Background information, Origin, G... ▼

De La Soul
De La Soul in 2004. L–R: Trugoy the Dove, Maseo and Posdnuos.
Background information
Origin	Amityville, New York, U.S.
Genres	Alternative hip hop[1] progressive rap[2] jazz rap[3] golden age hip hop[4]
Discography	De La Soul discography
Years active	1988–present (1988–present)[5]
Labels	Tommy Boy Sanctuary Kobalt Duck Down Music PIAS
Members	Posdnuos Maseo
Past members	Trugoy the Dove
Website	wearedelasoul.com

With its playful wordplay, innovative sampling, and witty skits, the group's debut album, 3 Feet High and Rising (1989), has been called "a hip hop masterpiece".[6] It remains their biggest commercial success, though subsequent albums have continued to receive acclaim. De La Soul is the second-longest-standing Native Tongues group, after the Jungle Brothers. In 2006, the group won a Grammy for their collaboration with Gorillaz on their single "Feel Good Inc."[7]

The group released a Kickstarter-funded album, And the Anonymous Nobody..., in 2016. The album features guest appearances from artists such as Damon Albarn, Little Dragon, David Byrne, 2 Chainz, and Snoop Dogg.[8][9] Trugoy the Dove died in 2023.[10]