best de la soul album?

Blockhead · Post by **Blockhead** » Tue Jun 16, 2009 11:34 am

(mods: can you make this a poll?)

so, i noticed a post about a de la soul mix and that mix had no songs from their first two albums (maybe their first three , but i'm not sure). i'm just curious what the consensus is around here as to what the best de la album is.
i've always felt it was a close one between 3 feet high and rising and de la soul is dead with a slight edge for the latter. i honestly never even considered any of their other albums to be in the running (as much as i do like them). however, i realize "buhloone mind state" and "stakes is high" are also highly rated. so, what do you all think?

1)3 feet high and rising
2)de la soul is dead
3)buhloone mind state
4)stakes is high

and the unacceptable answers:

5)AOI:bionix
6)grind date

(if i'm missing any, feel free to correct me. i kinda stopped paying attention after the 5th album)

Echo Leader · Post by **Echo Leader** » Tue Jun 16, 2009 11:50 am

This is tough. Their first three records are ridiculously good.

However, I gotta go with:

"3 Feet High..." was groundbreaking and classic through and through, Paul wrecked the whole sampling game with some of the collages he was crafting. The concept(s) of "De La Soul Is Dead" completely blew my head(:pause:) the first time I heard it; some of those songs are straight comedy, in the best way. "Ring Ring Ring (Ha Ha Hey)" and "Oodles of O's" are some of my favorite rap songs, period. However, in my mind "Buhloone Mindstate" is where the group matured musically and lyrically. The JB Horns absolutely kill it on this record, Paul's beat game was off the scale at this point, and every Plug verse is fresh as hell. Plus, Shortie No Mas is fucking dope.

I'm not saying the first two albums aren't incredible in their own right; I guess personal bias just won out on this one.

mathematik · Post by **mathematik** » Tue Jun 16, 2009 1:41 pm

STAKES IS HIGH!!

this is kinda a easy one for me! i think they stepped it up in all areas on STAKES IS HIGH!! Pos killed it!! Also im in my late 20's so i guess this was the album that i was bumping and could relate to the most!!

Thun · Post by **Thun** » Tue Jun 16, 2009 2:01 pm

Buhloone Mindstate, easily.

Haven't we had this discussion ten trillion times?

Blockhead · Post by **Blockhead** » Tue Jun 16, 2009 2:03 pm

Thun wrote:Buhloone Mindstate, easily.

Haven't we had this discussion ten trillion times?

i never saw it but i don't doubt it.

YouTube · Post by **Philaflava** » Tue Jun 16, 2009 2:15 pm

Thun wrote:Buhloone Mindstate, easily.

Haven't we had this discussion ten trillion times?

Yes and yes.

Mr. J Selectah · Post by **Mr. J Selectah** » Tue Jun 16, 2009 2:18 pm

Every week there's a new (or should i say old) topic about De La Soul...monotony...

Blockhead · Post by **Blockhead** » Tue Jun 16, 2009 2:18 pm

fair enough.
my bad.

Roy Johnson · Post by **Roy Johnson** » Tue Jun 16, 2009 2:50 pm

My favorite De La Soul albums:
1. De La Soul Is Dead
2. Stakes Is High
3. 3 Feet High & Rising
4. Buhloone Mindstate

My favorite De La eras for non-album cuts:
1. Stakes Is High era
2. Buhloone Mindstate era
3. 3 Feet High & Rising era
4. De La Soul Is Dead era

This shit is right on time. I have four installments of De La Soul non-album tracks that will debut any day now.

thebridgeisover · Post by **thebridgeisover** » Tue Jun 16, 2009 2:57 pm

3 Feet High changed the game, put prince paul on the map with momentum he's still riding two decades later, introduced the concept of album skits, AND included several classic hip hop songs. none of the following albums can say that.

Roy Johnson · Post by **Roy Johnson** » Tue Jun 16, 2009 3:12 pm

I noticed that a lot of people vote based on what is more influential, as opposed to what they'd rather listen to. That kinda goes against the spirit of this shit, IMO.

Thebridgeisover, do you honestly enjoy "3 Feet High & Rising" more than any of their subsequent albums? If so, then more power to you. It's a dope album, but if it's not the first one that you reach for, then you shouldn't vote for it.

L.J.T. · Post by **L.J.T.** » Tue Jun 16, 2009 3:37 pm

First 4 albums are all great. But if I could only choose to keep one i'd go with 3 feet high and rising.

LL Cool Dude · Post by **LL Cool Dude** » Tue Jun 16, 2009 4:23 pm

First three, in order of release... but I love every De La album

Combo7 · Post by **Combo7** » Tue Jun 16, 2009 4:57 pm

thebridgeisover wrote:introduced the concept of album skits.

Not sure this is something to be proud of.

kimani · Post by **kimani** » Tue Jun 16, 2009 6:12 pm

Buhloone Mindstate is the most listenable for me, 3 Feet High And Rising a close second.

Joe Pesci · Post by **Joe Pesci** » Tue Jun 16, 2009 8:58 pm

3 Feet High

thebridgeisover · Post by **thebridgeisover** » Tue Jun 16, 2009 9:25 pm

Roy Johnson wrote:I noticed that a lot of people vote based on what is more influential, as opposed to what they'd rather listen to. That kinda goes against the spirit of this shit, IMO.

Thebridgeisover, do you honestly enjoy "3 Feet High & Rising" more than any of their subsequent albums? If so, then more power to you. It's a dope album, but if it's not the first one that you reach for, then you shouldn't vote for it.

I actually do, Roy. Ive bought all four albums at some point or another and three feet was and has always been my favorite. Prince Paul flipped a sesame street song! lol. I wont bore anyone with a review, but I dont there was ever a time I thought a better de la was made.

I never understood the buzz on "is dead" that seems to have been around since the mid 90's as "the (shhh!) REAL best de la album". "mind state" was cool but without looking, I cant name any song past "ring ring ring" and with "stakes is high" I admittedly was prolly expecting much too much out of when it first dropped and (shield ups) often think it will/is best remembered as the first appearance of mos def on the stakes is high remix.

I love the discussion. Has me interested to go back and give all four a listen.

thebridgeisover · Post by **thebridgeisover** » Tue Jun 16, 2009 9:27 pm

Combo7 wrote:
thebridgeisover wrote:introducted the concept of album skits.

Not sure this is something to be proud of.

I dont disagree with you, but when prince paul and de la did them, they were funny, unique, and added a lot of tone to the album. the list of hip hop album skits that also make that grade would be very, very short indeed.

Jaz · Post by **Jaz** » Wed Jun 17, 2009 6:39 am

It used to be 3 Feet High and Rising but I have returned to Stakes Is High a lot this year and I fucking love that album, it always remind of a good time in my life, it has also helped through some hard times over the years.

No

Combo7 · Post by **Combo7** » Wed Jun 17, 2009 9:36 am

thebridgeisover wrote:
Combo7 wrote:
thebridgeisover wrote:introduced the concept of album skits.

Not sure this is something to be proud of.
I dont disagree with you, but when prince paul and de la did them, they were funny, unique, and added a lot of tone to the album. the list of hip hop album skits that also make that grade would be very, very short indeed.

I don't know man, I'm of the opinion that the only good skit is a dead skit. The reason I never listen to the older Prince Paul De La albums anymore is because of those skits.

Surprised so many people like 3 Feet High, I always thought it was the weakest of their first four (even sans skits).

YouTube · Post by **Philaflava** » Wed Jun 17, 2009 9:47 am

3 Feet High & Rising is winning? Really? I find that album unlistenable these days. Either the tracks I love are extremely played out or the other stuff didn't age well, mixed in with one too many interludes. Another reason why I can't really listen to De La Soul Is Dead. Great album, innovative as fuck but in 2009 I don't want interruptions. BMS is fucking seamless, flawless and classic.

vincentlopez · Post by **vincentlopez** » Wed Jun 17, 2009 10:39 am

Philaflava wrote: BMS is fucking seamless, flawless and classic.

I agree that Buhloone Mind State is their best work but do you remember when this first came out in '93? Only a few people I knew were feeling it and understood it and I was told that I was crazy for saying it was better than Snoop's Doggystyle album and quite a few other albums that year. It's amazing how the internet has changed things around. I just wonder if people actually felt this way back when it first dropped.

YouTube · Post by **Philaflava** » Wed Jun 17, 2009 10:46 am

In 93 most people were still on Midnight Mauraders to really appreciate this album. As time when on people started to realize it's right up there with it. 1993 was fucking special.

Blockhead · Post by **Blockhead** » Wed Jun 17, 2009 12:35 pm

vincentlopez wrote:
Philaflava wrote: BMS is fucking seamless, flawless and classic.
I agree that Buhloone Mind State is their best work but do you remember when this first came out in '93? Only a few people I knew were feeling it and understood it and I was told that I was crazy for saying it was better than Snoop's Doggystyle album and quite a few other albums that year. It's amazing how the internet has changed things around. I just wonder if people actually felt this way back when it first dropped.

i love BMS but i hardly think it's flawless. there are a few songs i never liked on it and skipped from day one. but it also was an album that grew on me.
i voted for "de la soul is dead" cause, aside from skits, it's got my favorite de la songs and it seems to capture what the group was all about. they were weird and silly. BMS was them more grown up but i related more to them on DLSID.
but i wouldn't argue with anyone who said both BMS and TSIH aged better.

DULLAH · Post by **DULLAH** » Wed Jun 17, 2009 12:47 pm

Buhloone is all quality, no filler.
easy #1
"Is dead" is my #2
"Stakes is high" #3

DULLAH · Post by **DULLAH** » Wed Jun 17, 2009 12:49 pm

Blockhead wrote: BMS was them more grown up

Stakes is high was grown up. Re-listen BMS and subsequently retract this nonsense.

Blockhead · Post by **Blockhead** » Wed Jun 17, 2009 2:01 pm

DULLAH wrote:
Blockhead wrote: BMS was them more grown up
Stakes is high was grown up. Re-listen BMS and subsequently retract this nonsense.

grown up compared to "is dead" and "3 feet"? uh...yeah.
sure, "stakes is high" is them even more gown up (crotchety even), but i saw a big change between "is dead" and "bms". the lightheartedness of their earlier work was noticeably less. BMS was the first time i felt like they were embracing adulthood. "Stakes is high" was like them embracing O.G.-hood.

DULLAH · Post by **DULLAH** » Wed Jun 17, 2009 2:25 pm

crotchety

adulthood:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTG1IWKz2-g

In your defense, ego trippin 2 is a good example of sounding both crazy carefree/immature (intro/most lyrics/horns/outro) and sober maturity (LP filter sequences and muted horns, some bars)

Plus "I be blowin"/"Iam Ibe" was sober, grown, and beautiful.
But 80% of BMS was far from grown, that's part of why it's pefect.

Blockhead · Post by **Blockhead** » Wed Jun 17, 2009 5:04 pm

DULLAH wrote:crotchety

adulthood:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTG1IWKz2-g

In your defense, ego trippin 2 is a good example of sounding both crazy carefree/immature (intro/most lyrics/horns/outro) and sober maturity (LP filter sequences and muted horns, some bars)

Plus "I be blowin"/"Iam Ibe" was sober, grown, and beautiful.
But 80% of BMS was far from grown, that's part of why it's pefect.

i feel like on BMS was the first album they started attacking issues in hip hop from a less humorous angle. where on "Is dead" they made songs like "Afro connections" or "kicked out the house" , on a BMS it was "patti dooke" and the whole theme of the album was pretty much not selling out.
to me, that's more mature. whether or not it's more entertaining remains to be seen.

EarForGoodMusic · Post by **EarForGoodMusic** » Thu Jun 18, 2009 12:46 am

voted SIH. the only track i skip is that baby baby baby baby shit.

best de la soul album?

Best De La Soul Album

best de la soul album?

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