3 Feet High and Surprising

I HATED De La Soul when they first came out.

Hated them with the fiery intensity of Zeus himself.

I was living in the Maryland suburbs of DC at the time and listening to a lot of hip-hop: BDP, Eric B & Rakim, Public Enemy, Big Daddy Kane etc.

Proper hardcore street MANLY hip-hop music.

DC had 434 murders in 1989. Rayful Edmond was the undisputed crack kingpin in town and the Georgetown Hoyas were just about the most gangsta college team in the nation.

It paid to be a little tougher you know what I'm sayin'?

And here come these slovenly dudes from LONG ISLAND?? Talking about peace and love and vibrantly hued shirts and just general nonsense? No.

I still distinctly remember seeing the "Me, myself and I" video on the local late night rap video show. The aesthetic didn't sit well with me but the tune was kinda catchy.

I eventually bought the tape at the Kemp Mill record shop and reluctantly started listening to it.

Within a couple weeks I was hopelessly hooked.
De La Soul comprehensively changed my understanding of hip-hop.
I had no idea you could do so much with samples and imagination.
Much of hip-hop is indebted to Prince Paul for that.

There can never ever ever be enough praise for this album.