Monitoring Desk
ISLAMABAD/PARIS: Hip-hop pioneers De La Soul are finally releasing their classic early hits albums on streaming platforms from Friday after decades-long battles over their samples.
From the platinum-selling 1989 album “3 Feet High and Rising,” the first single to be released is “The Magic Number.” When it was included on the soundtrack for “Spiderman: No Way Home” in 2021, it was given a new lease on life.
The New York trio’s first six albums
The New York trio’s first six albums, which span the years 1989 to 2001, have not been made available for streaming because Tommy Boy, the label they were on, never took on the laborious legal work of clearing all the samples (there are some 60 to 70 on “3 Feet…” alone).
The group obtained clearance for the rights to sell vinyl and audio cassettes, but streaming provides a much more profitable and consistent source of income that requires specific agreements with each rights-holder.
De La Soul was at the center of a landmark case in 1991 when the unknown band The Turtles sued them for sampling one of their songs and won an estimated $1.7 million, so they are well aware of the risks associated with unauthorized sampling.
According to journalist and rap expert Olivier Cachin, “that debut album by De La Soul signaled the end of sound sampling as it was practiced before, with little consideration for credits.” “The entire album was a sample mosaic.”
De La Soul is now regarded as one of the most influential hip-hop groups of all time. Known for their upbeat attitude, they stood out from the tough gangster image of West Coast rap at the time. However, they recently stated in an interview with the trade publication Billboard that it “almost felt like we were being erased from history because our music wasn’t available (on streamers).”
The group even planned a free online record giveaway at one point in 2014, after they had gained a new audience through their work with Damon Albarn’s Gorillaz and touring.
At the time, they told the New York Times, “We were frustrated with people not just getting it.
After Tommy Boy was acquired in 2021 for an estimated $100 million by rights company Reservoir Media, who then set about concluding the necessary contracts with sampled artists, the matter was eventually settled.
All six albums, including “De La Soul Is Dead” (1991), “Buhloone Mindstate” (1993), “Stakes Is High” (1996), “Art Official Intelligence: Mosaic Thump” (2000), and “AOI: Bionix,” will be streamable starting on March 3 — 34 years to the day since the release of “3 Feet.” (2001).
In a statement, they stated, “We can’t believe this day has finally arrived, and we are pleased to be able to share our music with fans, old and new.”
