De La Soul was formed in 1988 in Amityville, Long Island, New York by high school friends Kelvin “Posdnuos” Mercer, David “Trugoy the Dove” Jolicoeur, and Vincent “Maseo” Mason. From the outset they stood apart from much of late-1980s rap: their sound embraced eclectic sampling, playful word-play, jazz, funk, pop and psychedelia, rather than the harder edged gangsta-rap dominant at the time. 

Their debut album, “3 Feet High and Rising” (1989), produced with longtime collaborator Prince Paul, made an immediate splash. It featured tracks like “Me, Myself and I” and introduced the concept of the “D.A.I.S.Y. Age” (Da Inner Sound, Y’all). With its vibrant colours, skits, mischievous humour and daring sample choices (including from The Turtles, Johnny Cash and more) the album became a landmark of alternative hip-hop. 

Following the success of their debut, De La Soul entered a period of artistic evolution. Their second album “De La Soul Is Dead” (1991) saw the group shift away from some of the whimsical imagery of their debut and embrace a slightly darker, more introspective tone—though still retaining their distinctive style.