On Friday 14th April next year, the Grammy Award-winning NYC trio behind classics such as “Eye Know”, “Me, Myself & I”, and “All Good” (feat Chaka Khan) will be back in the UK for an unmissable set at the city’s Albert Hall.
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De La Soul @ Albert Hall
Date: Friday 14th April
Time: 7pm
Cost: £34
The tour follows the release of their widely applauded “And The Anonymous Nobody” album in 2016, plus the band’s major UK arena appearances on the 2019 “Gods of Rap” tour, which saw them celebrating 30 years of their landmark debut record ‘3 Feet High and Rising’ in triumphant style.
Formed from Long Island, NY roots in 1987, the trio known as De La Soul changed the landscape of hip-hop as we knew it. Now, for an incredible 30 years they have rocked us with inscrutable samplings, whimsically irreverent lyrics, social commentary, light rhythm and laid back rhymes. They have gained respect within and outside the hip hop community with their contributions to rap, as well as jazz, funk, soul and alternative genres. Not only are their musical innovations acclaimed and respected worldwide, but they paved a path for many alternative rap groups to come after them.
De La Soul’s seminal debut album, 3 Feet High and Rising (1989), was a critical smash. “Me, Myself and I” became a huge hit, cementing the group’s popularity. Breaking new ground both sonically and visually with a refreshingly colourful, original and authentic style. De La Soul’s second album, De La Soul Is Dead (1991) was a much darker album.
It featured skits that criticised the direction that hip hop was heading in at the time. 1993’s Buhloone Mindstate and 1996’s Stakes Is High saw the group evolve a new sound and cement their position as mainstays of the alternative hip hop movement.
In 2005, De La Soul featured on the Gorillaz single, “Feel Good Inc.” winning a Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Collaboration and later joining Gorillaz as guests on several world tours. On Valentine’s Day 2014, De La Soul became the first group ever to give away their entire catalogue to fans online for 25 hours. Frustrated by sample clearance issues and a lack of support from their previous label, their controversial move was celebrated by fans and won the group a Webby Award for innovation.
In 2016, the trio released their latest album “And The Anonymous Nobody”, with the record debuting at No. 1 on the US Billboard hip-hop chart. The group’s first album in 12 years was crowd funded and became the second most funded Kickstarter project in history, with over $600,000 pledged. “And The Anonymous Nobody” featured contributions from Damon Albarn, David Byrne, Little Dragon, Snoop Dogg, 2 Chainz, Usher, Estelle, Jill Scott, Pete Rock, Roc Marciano and more. Breaking new ground and crossing genres, the album achieved critical acclaim, landing at No. 2 on Billboard’s Independent Albums chart and No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 200 chart.
Since then, De La Soul have continued to make new music, featuring on the debut single from DJ Shadow’s celebrated recent album “Rocket Fuel”, the band also released their own single “Remove 45” – a track in protest at the political situation in the US which featured Chuck D, Styles P, Talib Kweli and Pharoah Monch.
An unmissable opportunity to see De La Soul in more intimate surroundings, the trio will be headlining at the Manchester Albert Hall in 2023.
