De La Soul Confirms Acquiring Catalog & Will Re-Release Albums On DSPs This Year

UPDATE: Just days after Talib Kweli announced that De La Soul had acquired its back catalog (story below), the group took to Instagram Live (embedded below) to confirm reports. After some technical difficulties, Dave, Posdnuos, and Maseo broadcast to over 3,000 fans in real-time. The audience included Common, DJ Drama, DJ Spinna, Hieroglyphics’ Domino, DJ Rhettmatic, The Arsonists’ Q-Unique and D-Stroy, photographer T Dot Eric, and others.

After all three De La members were online, the group joked that Talib Kweli had become the group’s fourth member. They then cemented reports, revealing that a deal had been made with Reservoir, including famed music executive Faith Newman—who the group personally thanked. Further, they announced that the group’s first six albums were coming to streaming—and soon.

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At three points during the IG broadcast, members said that November would begin a rollout for the titles that include 1989 debut 3 Feet High And Rising, 1991’s De La Soul Is Dead, 1993’s Buhloone Mindstate, 1996’s Stakes Is High, and two volumes of AOI, released in 2000 and 2001, respectively. “We’re very happy that we’re able to get the music out for all our fans to hear, and for us to hear,” said Posdnuous aka Plug 1. Dave aka Plug 2 added, “We’re trying to get the whole catalog out. There’s a lot of back work that needs to be done, so that’s why it’s taking a little time to get that out, but we’re trying to look to release music from our catalog this year.”

 

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Along with Faith Newman and Reservoir staff, the group thanked Nas and the Mass Appeal team, their management, and music industry vet Chris Atlas. Of the group’s battle of more than two years with Tommy Boy Records and its founder, Tom Silverman, Dave said, “The past is the past.” The group did allude to the label’s recent sale to Reservoir, suggesting that they were paid for the group’s art—art that they now finally own.

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At the close of the announcement, Maseo apologized to Reservoir for possibly preemptively breaking the news to Kweli. The respected DJ/producer said he wanted to support his collaborator’s efforts in journalism.

ORIGINAL AUGUST 9 STORY: Despite not yet releasing an album, 2021 has proven to be a pivotal year for De La Soul. The legendary Hip-Hop trio has spent more than two years in a battle with their former label, Tommy Boy Records. At times bitter, the dispute surrounded the compensation, ownership, and the alleged mishandling of De La’s first six albums and other music. The two sides could not reach an agreement, which included Posdnuos, Dave, and Maseo and many members of the Hip-Hop community calling to boycott the nearly 40-year-old record label. After plans fizzled during the dispute, Tommy Boy never added its De La catalog to digital streaming platforms. That discography includes 1989’s 3 Feet High And Rising debut, 1991’s De La Soul Is Dead, and 1996’s Stakes Is High, among other lauded titles.

This summer, however, there was progress. Tommy Boy sold its entire catalog to Reservoir for a reported price of $100 million. This purchase included releases by Digital Underground, Naughty By Nature, House Of Pain, Coolio, Queen Latifah, Prince Paul, and others, along with De La’s catalog. Many, including Ambrosia For Heads (in a What’s The Headline podcast episode embedded below), anticipated that new ownership and negotiations with the group could fast-track De La Soul’s first six albums arriving on DSPs.

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Now, news has come that shows even more progress for De La. According to Talib Kweli, the Long Island legends now own their early masters. “Ladies and gentlemen, I spoke to Maseo from the legendary De La Soul today and it’s official… after years of being taken advantage by the recording industry in the worst possible ways, De La Soul now owns all the rights to their masters and is in full control of the amazing music they have created. Let’s salute Plugs 1, 2 and 3 for sticking to their guns and showing us that we can all beat the system if we come together as a community. Let’s hear it for Black ownership of Black art! Congratulations fellas,” Kweli wrote in an Instagram post Saturday (August 7).

 

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After leaving Tommy Boy in the early-2000s, De La Soul worked with other labels, including Sanctuary Music. The trio launched its own companies for releases beginning with 2004’s The Grind Date, working independently. 2016’s and The Anonymous Nobody topped Rap charts and earned the group a Grammy nomination. Presumably, De La now owns its entire album catalog.

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Talib and De La Soul have years of collaborations in the studio and on the road. The trio appeared on Reflection Eternal’s “Soul Rebels” in 2000, with Kweli guesting on De La’s 2020 political single, “Remove 45.” For a time, both acts were managed by Corey Smyth and appeared together on the Spitkicker Tour, alongside Common and the late Biz Markie.

The confirmation means that De La Soul can decide if and when they want their catalog to go digital. Moreover, the trio controls licensing and other crucial decision-making surrounding a discography, including a platinum debut and a gold-certified, 5-mic follow-up. Previously, in 2014, the group gave away its catalog for free download for 25 hours to celebrate their 25th anniversary.

Pete Rock Gives A Fantastic Update On The De La Soul Project He & DJ Premier Are Producing

De La Soul has yet to address the news on social media. For years, they have suggested that they have an upcoming album produced by DJ Premier and Pete Rock.

Kweli remains active as an artist. He and producer/MC Diamond D partnered as Gotham for a self-titled project earlier this year. However, he has followed Joe Budden, N.O.R.E., DJ EFN, Roxanne Shanté, Torae, and others into the media space with his People’s Party With Talib Kweli interview series.

De La Soul Are Fighting To Own The Music They Created (Video)

#BonusBeat: New De La Soul music, including their collaboration with Soul Council producer Khrysis, currently appears on the official AFH playlist: