De La Soul’s New Video Featuring Pete Rock & Estelle Is Masterpiece Theater

Earlier this week, De La Soul learned that their first LP in 12 years is nominated for the Grammy Award for “Best Rap Album.” And The Anonymous Nobody, released in August, is a crowd-funded album that raised more than $600,000 in 2015. Coming on the Long Island, New York trio’s own label, it appeared to buck the system before it was ever made. Now, it stands to possibly collect the highest mainstream honors with the widest audience watching.

To get there, A.T.A.N. has permeated through a number of early standout singles and non-album previews. However, as a group known for memorable music videos, there have been none thus far. That changed today (December 8) with “Memory Of…(US).” Not previously positioned as a single, the song features Pete Rock on vocals, as well as an exceptional singing performance from Estelle.

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Pete, playing homage to Masterpiece Theater, sets up the tale at the intro (and outro). For the video, like U.G.K. and Outkast’s unforgettable 2007 statement (“International Players Anthem”), the setting is a wedding. As Estelle prepares to get married, she drifts off reflecting on past relationships. She is seen in her teenage years with two beaus, as she comes of age. She is depicted driving down memory lane with each of the adult versions of the the two past loves, as she bids them farewell. The two adult men are depicted by Posdnuos and Dave. The groom’s reaction shots, flashbacks, and some always on-point acting from Posdnuos and Dave tell more than a simple story in five and a half minutes. As D.L.S. have had some weddings in the group recently, this particular song and vignette may have exceptionally special meaning.

This is the same song that De La and Estelle performed with The Roots on Fallon.