de la soul Archives

Vince Staples’ CrowdFunding Campaign Is Doomed To Fail & That’s The Best Thing For Hip-Hop

The Hip-Hop industry is adapting to the times. A-list rappers release albums through cellphone carriers, cryptocurrency is accepted as a form of payment by artists, and the idea of a project being for sale is being challenged by some of the genre’s top earners. One of the tech trends that... Read more

March 7, 2018 Food for Thought, News, Video

De La Makes A Brilliant Guest Appearance On A Song That’s Truly From The Soul (Audio)

London-based singer-songwriter Tom Misch has released two beat tapes and two EPs since bursting onto the music scene in 2014. Primarily he produces, plays guitar and DJs, but now he's adding Hip-Hop to his musical arsenal, enlisting De La Soul on his latest single. "It Runs Through Me" meshes Misch's... Read more

March 1, 2018 Audio, Fresh

DJ Premier Says He & Pete Rock May Be Exclusively Producing De La Soul’s Next Album (Video)

DJ Premier has had one of his busiest years in recent memory. The Gang Starr member released and produced albums by MC Eiht and Torii Wolf. He just followed those efforts with a video collaboration with A$AP Ferg, helping relaunch '90s Hip-Hop source Payday Records. Preemo is the latest guest... Read more

December 11, 2017 News, Video

De La Soul’s Latest Music Video Has Dave Making A Serious Health Announcement

De La Soul is at work promoting 2016's Grammy-nominated album, and the anonymous nobody... Videos continue to drop in support of the self-released LP featuring 2 Chainz, Pete Rock, Snoop Dogg, David Byrne, and many others. "Royalty Capes" is the latest. The song released ahead of the album, in July... Read more

November 12, 2017 News, Video

How Nas & De La Soul Battled For The Future Of Hip-Hop & Splintered It Forever (Video)

Last month, producer 9th Wonder remembered July 2, 1996's impact on the Hip-Hop community. During one of the biggest commercial booms of Rap albums, Nas released It Was Written the same Tuesday that De La Soul dropped Stakes Is High. Those two releases, coming from artists running in the same... Read more

November 4, 2017 Exclusive, TBD, Video

Erick Sermon Reveals The Source Of The Def Squad Album Samples To Prince Paul (Video)

Recently, Redman told New Jersey's Grass Routes Podcast that he hopes Def Squad can record a sophomore album. Next year marks 20 years since he, Keith Murray and mutual mentor Erick Sermon came together for El Niño. The album debuted at #2, following the group's covering of 1979 breakthrough Hip-Hop... Read more

October 30, 2017 Video

Mysonne Used His Turn In The Spotlight To Shed Light In An Underrated BET Cypher (Video)

Hip-Hop news and culture move fast, and it’s easy to miss significant developments. Every week, Ambrosia For Heads takes a look back at the LAST 7 days. This video series, hosted by Justin “The Company Man” Hunte examines the current issues with a colorful rundown of the what, where, and why. While the LAST... Read more

October 17, 2017 Exclusive, Last 7, Video

Talib Kweli Reflects On A “Train Of Thought” Song That Remains Eternal 17 Years Later (Audio)

Last week, Mos Def's solo debut Black On Both Sides celebrated its 18th birthday. Meanwhile, today (October 17), Talib Kweli, Yasiin Bey's Black Star partner, and DJ Hi-Tek honor the 17th anniversary of Reflection Eternal's Train Of Thought. Both Rawkus Records releases are benchmark albums to Hip-Hop, as well as... Read more

October 17, 2017 Audio

Prince Paul Remixes An Album Featuring Guru, DOOM & More And Gives It Away For Free (Audio)

Prince Paul has a legendary career in Hip-Hop. A member of Stetsasonic, Gravediggaz, Handsome Boy Modeling School, BROOKZILL! and many other projects, the Long Island, New Yorker revolutionized the way producers approached sampling in the 1980s. He mentored and produced De La Soul, in addition to work with Chris Rock,... Read more

October 14, 2017 Audio

Prince Paul Shares Unreleased De La Soul Music That Stands With Their Best Work (Audio)

Last month, Prince Paul dropped a knocking alternate mix of “Chubb Rock Please Pay Paul His $2200 You Owe Him (People, Places, and Things),” a 14-year-old album cut featuring DOOM, Chubb Rock, and Wordsworth. The Grammy Award-winning member of Stetsasonic, Gravediggaz, Handsome Boy Modeling School, and BROOKZILL is not done. Paul... Read more

October 10, 2017 Audio

Prince Paul Reminds That 3 Is The Magic Number, With DOOM, Chubb Rock & Wordsworth (Audio)

There were no new DOOM tracks this week, despite a promising "Missing Notebook Rhymes" series roll-out. Based on what's been reported, that series may have halted. In any case, the masked villain more than sprinkled fans with the full-length Westside Gunn collaboration, "Gorilla Monsoon." Beyond that, Prince Paul remixed an... Read more

September 29, 2017 Audio

Google Is Throwing A Party For Hip-Hop’s Birthday And Billions Are Invited

Today (August 11), Google has unveiled its first ever Hip-Hop "Doodle." Perhaps better known as the dynamic logo at the top of the search engine, the doodle often changes to celebrate holidays, milestones, and cultural events. For 48 hours, the digital giant will pay homage to Hip-Hop's birthday. That date is celebrated on August 11... Read more

August 10, 2017 Fresh

Scarface Says Jay Z Is The Best Songwriter Of All-Time

Today (June 15) Jay Z is being inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Announced in February, the moment marks the first time a Hip-Hop artist will receive the prestigious honor. In celebration of the achievement, Tidal has compiled some remarkable peer praise for the Roc Nation MC. Common (who... Read more

June 15, 2017 Fresh

De La Soul’s Latest Album Produces Another Video With A Dramatic Reveal At The End

It is approaching a year since De La Soul's ...and the Anonymous Nobody album released. In the time since, there have been Grammy nominations, peaks on the Rap charts, and a plethora of talking points for the album crowd-funded by Da.I.S.Y. Heads back in 2015. De La Soul Make A Quirky... Read more

June 9, 2017 Video

Watch 40 Years Of Hip-Hop History In 4 Minutes In A Mind-Blowing Mashup (Video)

It ain't nothin' like Hip-Hop music...Over the last 40 years, there have been few forces in pop culture with more impact than Hip-Hop. Like Rock & Roll before it, the music and lifestyle shaped an entire generation and has had untold influence around the world. The Rub: The History of... Read more

June 5, 2017 Video

Robert Glasper Shows How J. Dilla Created 2 Of His Most Magnificent Samples (Video)

Hip-Hop music has been one of movements. In its earliest days, Hip-Hop was a fusion of sounds as disparate as Salsa and Punk, Dance Music and Funk. DJs like Kool Herc, Grandmaster Flash and Afrika Bambaataa used records from all genres, in order to concoct the sonic gumbo that launched... Read more

April 19, 2017 Video

Black Thought, Posdnuos & Pharoahe Monch Say It’s Time To Rise For Freedom (Audio)

In an increasingly complicated time in the world, The Roots' Black Thought, De La Soul's Posdnuos, and Pharoahe Monch stand up for oppressed people with a truly standout, topical collaboration. Orchestrated and produced by J. Period, "Rise Up!" is as grabbing a collaboration as any in some time. In the... Read more

April 18, 2017 Audio

Talib Kweli’s 10 Favorite Albums Are An Eternal Reflection Of Great Music

Last month, Raekwon raised some eyebrows and even more discussion when he listed his Top 10 albums. While his own acclaimed purple tape and Ghostface Killah's Supreme Clientele were on the list, Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) missed the cut. That prompted some discourse from fans, surrounding the classic LP upon... Read more

April 12, 2017 Fresh

Drake Releases His More Life Playlist & It’s A Return To More Hard Rapping (Audio)

Life is too short to listen to bad music. So...let us fight through it for you and only supply you with the good stuff. Despite the reports, Hip-Hop is alive and well and, in many ways, is better than it's ever been before. Not only are we able to go... Read more

March 18, 2017 Audio

Finding The GOAT Producer: J Dilla vs. Dr. Dre. Who Is Better?

“Finding the GOAT Producer,” the third installment of Ambrosia For Heads’s annual battle series features Hip-Hop’s greatest producers vying for the #1 spot. Thirty producers were pre-selected by a panel of experts, and two slots will be reserved for wild-card entries, including the possibility for write-in candidates, to ensure no... Read more

March 2, 2017 Finding the GOAT

Finding The GOAT Producer: Pete Rock vs. Kanye West. Who Is Better?

“Finding the GOAT Producer,” the third installment of Ambrosia For Heads’s annual battle series features Hip-Hop’s greatest producers vying for the #1 spot. Thirty producers were pre-selected by a panel of experts, and two slots will be reserved for wild-card entries, including the possibility for write-in candidates, to ensure no... Read more

February 24, 2017 Finding the GOAT

Cheers. There’s Still Great Hip-Hop Being Made. Here’s A Bunch (Audio Playlist)

Life is too short to listen to bad music. So...let us fight through it for you and only supply you with the good stuff. Despite the reports, Hip-Hop is alive and well and, in many ways, is better than it's ever been before. Not only are we able to go... Read more

February 17, 2017 Audio

Finding The GOAT Producer: Madlib vs. Prince Paul. Who Is Better?

“Finding the GOAT Producer” begins. The third installment of Ambrosia For Heads’s annual battle series features Hip-Hop’s greatest producers vying for the #1 spot. Thirty producers were pre-selected by a panel of experts, and two slots will be reserved for wild-card entries, including the possibility for write-in candidates, to ensure no deserving... Read more

January 12, 2017 Finding the GOAT

Listen To Some Of The Best Hip-Hop Songs Of 2016 & More In 1 Playlist (Audio)

2016 is officially a wrap. For many it will go down as one of the more challenging years in recent memory, but, no matter what may have transpired, it was a period in which a lot of great music was released. Skillz’s 2016 Rap Up Reminds Us Of The Year’s... Read more

January 7, 2017 Audio

Skillz’s 2016 Rap Up Reminds Us Of The Year’s Highs, Lows & Reasons To Stay Woke (Audio)

2016 is coming to a close. Years from now, how will we, the people, remember such an expansive year in Hip-Hop music, news, and culture? This year, some of the biggest MCs in the genre released new albums. Several of these efforts came in short notice, challenging new distribution platforms... Read more

December 30, 2016 Food for Thought

10 Years Later, Nas Says He “Missed The Mark” When He Declared Hip-Hop Is Dead (Video)

A decade ago this week (December 19, 2006), Nas released his eighth solo album, Hip Hop Is Dead. The MC's first outing with Def Jam Records (with foe-turned-friend Jay Z at the helm) debuted at #1. Nasir released a title track, denouncing the culture he loved as a 15-year professional... Read more

December 21, 2016 Video

De La Soul Make A Quirky Video For A Song That Hurts So Good

De La Soul is a group that embraces the music video format as well as any. Over the last 27 years, the Long Island, New York trio has played with colorful animation, The Wizard of Oz, and spoofing Rap at a time when it arguably took itself way too seriously.... Read more

December 16, 2016 Video

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... Read more

December 8, 2016 Video

De La Soul Make History With The 1st Hip-Hop Crowdfunded Album Nominated For A Grammy

The nominees for the 59th Grammy Awards have been announced. Taking place on February 12, 2017, these awards appear to have historic implications, especially for Hip-Hop Heads of multiple generations and eras. Perhaps most notably, De La Soul is nominated for "Rap Album Of The Year" for their August release,... Read more

December 6, 2016 News

The Next 2 Hours & You Will Decide Whether This Native Tongues Documentary Gets Made (Video)

UPDATE: There are 2 hours left in the campaign to fund the Native Tongues documentary, Speaking In Tongues, and they are only $6,000 short. If you or anyone you know is so inclined, click here to support and help the filmmakers achieve their goal and bring this film to life.... Read more

November 18, 2016 Video

Dave Chappelle, De La Soul & More Celebrate the Obamas With a “Block Party” at the White House (Video)

Earlier this year, Dave Chappelle's Block Party celebrated its tenth anniversary, a milestone which allowed fans to reflect back on the film and its place in Hip-Hop history. A similar history was just made on Saturday Night Live, where the most recent episode sported Chappelle as host and A Tribe... Read more

November 14, 2016 TV/Film

DJ Premier & Prince Paul Discuss Hip-Hop’s Generation Gap & Why We All Need Perspective (Video)

DJ Premier and Prince Paul are two legendary producers in Hip-Hop (and beyond) with discographies that span back to the 1980s. Back then, Preemo joined Guru to launch the album-making years of Gang Starr. In the very same 1989 that No More Mr. Nice Guy released, Paul celebrated strong accolades... Read more

October 26, 2016 Video

25 Years Ago, Del The Funky Homosapien Came Out Swingin’ Like ‘I WISH They Would’ (Audio)

Today, Del The Funky Homosapien may be thought of as an inventive, at times, experimental veteran MC from Oakland, California. D-E-L has worked with the Gorillaz, Handsome Boy Modeling School, and most recently BROOKZILL! to exercise his tremendous vocabulary, and display the range in his delivery. However, when it all... Read more

October 20, 2016 Do Remember

A New Documentary Promises To Tell The Whole Truth About Native Tongues (Video)

The Native Tongues posse is one of the most influential yet enigmatic groupings in Hip-Hop, and some would argue their influence extends far beyond. Indeed, the crew embodies ideas that exist outside of music, stretching into philosophy, politics, fashion, and more. Generally considered to be comprised of core members A... Read more

October 18, 2016 TV/Film, Video

Native Tongues Were Buddies But Were They Really Family? De La Soul Speaks (Video)

Out of all the collectives in Hip-Hop, few are more revered or complicated than Native Tongues. The group of artists was loosely composed of Jungle Brothers, De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest, Queen Latifah, Monie Love, Black Sheep, Chi-Ali and others, with several offspring stemming from that core. Over... Read more

October 6, 2016 Video

De La Soul Performed Their Pete Rock Joint With Help From The Roots (Video)

Anybody who has gotten the chance to watch De La Soul perform live knows the Long Island, New York trio puts on one of the greatest shows in Hip-Hop. More than 25 years after dropping their debut LP 3 Feet High and Rising, Posdnuos, Dave, and Maceo are still able... Read more

September 28, 2016 Video

Dante Ross Wanted To Make O.D.B. & Method Man “The Next Run-D.M.C.”

In the canon of Hip-Hop music, Dante Ross may be what we now know as "the plug." From De La Soul to Missy Elliott, MF DOOM to Digital Underground, Lil Dicky to Brand Nubian, Dante has discovered some of Hip-Hop's most respected artists. Beyond simply the exploration, Ross has thrived... Read more

September 23, 2016 Fresh

Hip-Hop Took The Gold In August. Hear The Best Of The Month (Audio)

August was filled with the Olympics and some of the worst heat of the year, but it also brought some great Hip-Hop. De La Soul released their first album in 12 years, and it debuted at #1 on the Rap chart. Andre 3000 had some choice words for ghostwriters. Nas... Read more

September 10, 2016 Audio

A New Documentary Shows The Amazing 29-Year Journey Of De La Soul (Video)

De La Soul have always been about looking forward. That attitude has kept them relevant in Hip-Hop for nearly 3 decades, and made them trendsetters for much of that period. In 2016, they've been the subject of conversation as much as at any time in their career, as their record-setting... Read more

September 8, 2016 Throwback

“Nobody” Is Smiling. De La Soul Takes The #1 Spot On The Rap Charts

In 1989, De La Soul's debut 3 Feet High and Rising earned the #1 spot on the R&B charts. The rankings helped solidify an introduction to a career that would shape the sound and style of Hip-Hop over the next 25 years. Thanks to ...and the Anonymous Nobody, the trio's... Read more

September 6, 2016 News

De La Soul Release Their New Album & A Documentary About Its Making For Full Stream

The power of FREEDOM. For the first time in their nearly 30-year careers, De La Soul have complete control over their art, and they've chosen to share their entire new album, and the Anonymous Nobody, along with a film about its making, with the fans. The story of how the... Read more

August 26, 2016 Audio, Video

De La Soul Describe Their Million Dollar Album With Priceless Jewels

In two days (August 26), De La Soul will release its eighth album, and the Anonymous Nobody. Released through the trio's own AOI (Art Official Intelligence) imprint, the album follows up on 2004's The Grind Date with an assortment of features, and at least one theme. While the Long Island, New... Read more

August 24, 2016 Exclusive, Food for Thought

De La Soul’s New Song About The Old New York Is No Fairy Tale (Audio)

De La Soul records can be highly personal. Songs like "Trying People" and "I Am I Be" are remarkable reflections of one's place in the world, identity, and self-preservation. Other times, Posdnuos and Dave wax gripping tales that are about others. "Keepin' The Faith" is a virginity story, supported by... Read more

August 17, 2016 Audio

De La Soul Have Hope Their Classics Will Finally Be Available Online

De La Soul's music can be found in the Library of Congress' National Recording Registry, alongside such historic works as John Coltrane's A Love Supreme, Miles Davis' Kind of Blue, Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon, Prince's Purple Rain, and Public Enemy's Fear of a Black Planet. The Long... Read more

August 10, 2016 Fresh

De La Soul Release One Of The Most Unique Songs They’ve Ever Recorded (Audio)

In 16 days (August 26), De La Soul will release its first full-fledged album since 2004's The Grind Date. and The Anonymous Nobody has many music lovers excited, following two album singles: the Snoop Dogg-assisted "Pain" and chaser "Royalty Capes." The third official look from the LP shows the evolution... Read more

August 10, 2016 Audio

Hip-Hop Stood Tall In July. Here’s Some Of The Best Of The Month (Audio Playlist)

July was a tense and complicated month. The killings of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile by police, both captured on film, led to national protests, heated discourse and some misguided shootings of police officers, presumably in retaliation. Political conventions held by the Democratic and Republican parties further divided the nation... Read more

August 2, 2016 Audio

Why Did Tupac Attack De La Soul? A New Video Breaks Down The Beef

Tupac's war with the East Coast, particularly with The Notorious B.I.G. and Bad Boy Entertainment, is well-documented. And, while his sharp words for the likes of Biggie, Mobb Deep and even Nas have been oft-discussed, the ire he directed toward De La Soul on his songs "Against All Odds," from... Read more

July 31, 2016 Video

De La Soul Embrace Their Rightful Place As Hip-Hop Royalty (Audio)

Earlier today (July 19), De La Soul premiered their latest single, "Royalty Capes" with the FADER. Produced by their very own Dave a/k/a Plug Too, it's an exultant track from their forthcoming album and the Anonymous Nobody, whose royal arrival takes place on August 26. The latest single in a... Read more

July 19, 2016 Audio

Dave, Maseo & Pos Reminisce On Before De La Soul Was Born (Video)

Unlike Hip-Hop artists in the digital age, many 1980s and 1990s acts do not have extensive recordings prior to their first album. Long Island, New York trio De La Soul had history prior to 1989's gold-certified 3 Feet High And Rising debut. Little of that history has been released, due... Read more

July 18, 2016 Video

This Anniversary Mix of De La Soul’s “Stakes Is High” Is the Bizness (Mixtape)

With the August 26 release date of their forthcoming album and the Anonymous Nobody approaching, De La Soul are also a hot topic of retrospective conversations these days. On July 2, the Long Island, New York trio's fourth album, Stakes Is High, turned 20 and Heads have been celebrating the... Read more

July 12, 2016 Audio