Whoa… so out of the blue, De La Soul have announced that they have a new album in the charm—their first in 11 years (see: The Grind Date). This time though, Heads don’t have to wait on Tommy Boy Records, Mathew Knowles’ Sanctuary Records, or even on three icons to get in the lab. The LP is ready, but all we have to do is pony up, and show support—via Kickstarter.

“Hey, everybody: We are De La Soul: Posdnous, Dave, and Maseo. We’re best known for our albums 3 Feet High and Rising, De La Soul Is Dead, Stakes Is High and many others. Some of our hit singles include “Me Myself and I,” “Saturdays” and “Feel Good Inc.” a collaboration with Gorillaz.

For the last decade, we’ve been independent artists, free of a record label interfering in our creative process. This will be our first De La Soul studio album in 11 years. We’re excited and ready to create. It’s been essential that we find ways to fund, record and release new music. Typically the fans have been the ones who support and appreciate our vision, so using Kickstarter and giving our fans the opportunity to be a part of the process just feels right. We see Kickstarter as a home for creative minds and a wonderful platform; where people who believe, respect and see the vision, can support an idea and make it a reality.

[…] True to our Hip-Hop roots, we make music without limits. This new album will incorporate elements of Jazz, Funk, Rock, Country Western and anything else we’re feeling in the moment. To us, music is the influence of sounds, sounds in all vibrations and sizes, telling a story or pointing a direction. Some of these sounds we call samples, samples we use to make songs.”

Enough of those battles! For the new album, we needed a completely new approach, something Hip-Hop hasn’t done before. So, here it is: For the first time, we’re going to sample ourselves.”

Wait though, it gets better. De La revealed that they in a very special studio in Los Angeles, California (recording on analog creating a creamy/wide sound) with the likes of David Byrne (Talking Heads), Damon Albarn (Gorillaz/Blur), Little Dragon, and…2 Chainz.

So where do your dollars go?

Let De La explain: “We’re crowdfunding it to help pay for recording, mixing, marketing, and everything else. Your support will keep us in the studio, help us continue to sample and manipulate the music we’ve recorded, will help us get additional production work done; and will help us design, package, market, and distribute the album. The whole thing. We literally cannot do it without you.”

Prizes and rewards for strong support may be the best of the news.

The prizes range from the typical (various formats of the resulting album with various cool limited packages/pressings) to the coveted (from De La Dunks to shoes from Pos’ personal collection, a boombox from Dave’s collection, to un-expiring VIP passes, to shopping adventures with the guys, to dinner). Truly, these are affordable Hip-Hop fantasy-land experiences. However, these are limited, so act fast if down for the cause.

Aiming for $110,000 (and approximately 30% there at the time this article is published), De La is goin’ for the gusto.

Are you going to help this Da.I.S.Y. Age grow?

Related: De La Soul’s Next Mixtape Is Produced Entirely By DJ Premier & Pete Rock