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De La Soul music biography continued...

(born David Jude Jolicoeur), and Pasemaster Mase (born Vincent Mason) -- were attending high school on Long Island, New York in the late '80s. Their demo tape made it into the hands of executives at Tommy Boy Records, who gave De La Soul a deal and released their debut album, 3 Feet High and Rising, in 1989. The album spawned such hits as "Me, Myself and I," which became a Top 40 pop hit in the U.S. (number one R&B), and powered the album to # 24 (number one R&B) ultimately going gold. At the end of the year, 3 Feet High and Rising topped many best-of-the-year lists, and De La Soul, with their clever lyrics and gentle, eclectic sound, were hailed by critics as the future of hip hop. At the same time, the group was hit with a lawsuit for using a sample from a Turtles song in the tune "Transmitting Live From Mars" without permission. They lost the lawsuit, which had a chilling effect on sampling throughout the rap world, and delayed their next album, De La Soul Is Dead until 1991. That album did not fare as well as their debut either critically or commercially, peaking at # 26 pop on the U.S. charts, # 24 R&B, and spawning only one minor hit, the #22 R&B single "Ring Ring Ring (Ha Ha Hey)." Subsequent albums, though critically lauded did not translate into sales. In 2000, the group initiated what promised to be a three-album series with the release of Art Official Intelligence: Mosaic Thump; though reviews were mixed, it was greeted warmly by record buyers, debuting in the Top Ten. The second title in the series, AOI: Bionix, even featured a video hit with "Baby Phat," with De La Soul at last returning to form.



In 2003, the trio left Bad Boy and signed with indie label Sanctuary Records, a company known more for putting out new albums by older metal and hard rock acts than for its roster of hip-hop. De La Soul's 2004 Sanctuary debut, The Grind Date, was generally well received but was as innovative as critics had hoped it would be. In 2005, De La Soul appeared with the Gorillaz on the single "Feel Good Inc." (Number One, Modern Rock; Number 14 Pop), which won Best Pop Vocal Collaboration at the Grammys. As of 2009, the group were still recording and performing, demonstrating that their talent and instincts could withstand the test of time.