DE LA SOUL Vinyl & CDs

Review: It was big news this year when hip-hop legends De La Soul finally made all of their music available to stream on digital platforms. That move was backed up by them also dropping a load of reissues of their finest albums and now we have, for Record Store Day/Back Friday, this special coloured vinyl boxset featuring their most iconic LP, 3 Feet High and Rising, on seven individual 7"s, making them perfect for DJ deployment. The box set also includes a funky slipmat making this a perfect Christmas gift for the hip-hop head in your life.

Review: AOI: Bionic was De La Soul's six full length album and came back in December 2001. At that point they were already legends in the game who had pioneered their own positive lyrical style and upbeat rhythms and this one kept up their momentum. Lead single 'Baby Phat' paid tribute to larger women, then 'Held Down' had an introspective style that muse don religion and fatherhood. The album is littered with skits from a Reverend Do Good character who tells various tales that adds extra depth to the tunes.

Review: De La Soul have been ever present in the hip-hop scene for some 40-odd years. They redefined the genre early on with their positive messaging and flower power energy, and have always managed to stay fresh ever since without ever jumping on the sonic bandwagon of the day. They pulled that trick off once more with Art Official Intelligence: Mosaic Thump which fuses r&b and pop with their usual hip-hop sounds, all finished with a nice and authentic raw edge. The guest are high-grade, too, with Redman, Xzibit, Busta Rhymes, Mike D and Ad Rock of the Beastie Boys, Freddie Foxxx and Chaka Khan amongst them.

Review: There is a wealth of De La Soul music swirling about right now - much of it has been added to digital streaming sites for the first time and just as much is being reissued and repressed on vinyl from their full-length albums to some of their standout single. And few tunes the American hip-hop group put out are as great as this one - 'The Magic Number' is their signature hit, a happy mix of flower-power verses, colourful rhythms and captivating hip hop grooves laden with funk. An essential jam to own on this tidy 7", backed with an instrumental.

Review: Quickly becoming one of the most revered, game-changing groups in hip-hop, De La Soul's penchant for jazz-infused productions and a playful approach to lyricism granted them an instant place amongst the hip-hop greats. Their classic 1991 album, originally released on Tommy Boy, marked a much-awaited return on UK label Chrysalis. Deftly weaving together spoken-word storytelling, witty skits, and innovative sampling, there's a reason why this album is lauded as a keyplayer in the evolution of jazz rap and alternative hip hop genres. Featuring certified classics from the celebrated De La Soul catalogue such as 'A Roller Skating Jam Named Saturdays,' 'Ring, Ring, Ring (Ha Ha Hey)' and 'Keepin' the Faith', this is a must have for any fans of the 90s East Coast scene.

Review: Legendary US hip hop outfit De La Soul will always be most well known for their Three Feet High and Rising album but they penned plenty of others that are just as good. De La Soul Is Dead was the follow-up LP to that one and it saw them again work with Prince Paul on production duties. The daisy age themes of their debut remain but with more skilled rhyming flows. The record has plenty of standouts such as 'A Roller Skating Jam Named Saturday Night', 'Keepin the Faith' and 'Ring Ring Ring' which set a new standard for the next generation.

Review: Chief among the multiple formats of De LA Soul's debut album is this lovely orange cassette edition. Often regarded as the inception of late 80s/early 90s 'alternative rap', the trio incited said era thanks to their declaration of the 'D.A.I.S.Y. Age' (da inner sound, y'all), consciously choosing a flowery, positive hip-hop sound, accessible to everyone. Trugoy, Maseo and Posdunos offer distinct personalities across the project, suggesting alternative ways in which to stay true to one's roots while keeping on the right path.

Review: It's been a long time between drinks for "daisy age" hip-hop pioneers De La Soul. While they've remained a familiar presence on the live circuit, And The Anonymous Nobody - their ninth album - is their first studio set for a decade. Predictably, it's rather good. It's built around warm, sometimes lushly orchestrated grooves created by session musicians, rather than hand-picked samples, and as a result feels loose and groovy, with their trademark raps perfectly fitting the head-nodding, life-affirming backing tracks. It's packed with big name cameos, too, with Jill Scott, David Byrne, Damon Albarn, Snoop Dogg, Estelle, Pete Rock and Usher, amongst others, all doing their bit to lend a hand.