Chapter 37: De La Soul 20 Years High and Rising

De La Soul’s long-term history with Tommy Boy Records was the gold standard of positive artist-label relations and mutual growth. Under Tommy Boy’s guidance, the boys became hip-hop icons; and just as De La Soul grew and matured with Tommy Boy, the label also grew and developed through their relationship with Pos, Dave, and Maseo.

Frank151 sat down separately with Tommy Boy founder Tom Silverman, and former label president Monica Lynch, to get the De La / Tommy Boy story, straight from the source.

I will never forget the first show De La Soul ever did, however blurry the exacting facts surrounding the event are. I recently caught up with my brethrens—the De La Souls themselves—verified some of the hazy parts, and got my info fine-tuned. Here’s the 411.

Perhaps one of the most innovative, eclectic, and humorous producers of his generation (the New York Times referred to him as “the Black Einstein of hip-hop”), Prince Paul played an undeniable role in the early success of De La Soul. It was Paul’s keen ear, rigorous work ethic, and wry wit that helped carry the group to new musical territory during their formative stages.

De La’s dopeness obviously came from something inherent and intangible. The combined spirit and energy of Dave, Pos, and Maseo would have found its way out into the world one way or another, and it would have been fresh. But it didn’t find its way into the ears of the public from out of nowhere; it came through a very specific place. That place was Calliope Studios.