De La Soul’s debut album, 3 Feet High and Rising (1989), was a milestone in the history of rap. Arriving at a time when the medium was widely regarded as a forum for violence and rage, thanks to confrontational albums such as NWA’s Straight Outta Compton and Public Enemy’s It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back, De La Soul presented a more accessible alternative.
It duly became popular with mainstream and college audiences, reaching No 24 on the US album chart and No 13 in the UK. The single Me Myself and I topped the US R&B chart and was a major hit around the world.
