On Friday, August 26th, KEXP dedicated 12 hours to celebrating De La Soul's classic 1989 debut album 3 Feet High and Rising. Starting at 6:00 AM, KEXP DJs played every song sampled on the album, as well as all album tracks, rarities, b-sides, and interviews.
Consistently ranked among the greatest albums of all time, 3 Feet High and Rising ushered in a new era of positivity and creativity in the emerging explosion of hip hop, and is seen as the forerunner for alternative hip hop of the 1990s. With a deep and varied stable of samples from such diverse artists as Johnny Cash, The Turtles, Hall & Oates, Funkadelic, and James Brown, 3 Feet High and Rising draws on many musical greats. KEXP explored all of those samples and influences in depth, exploding the album out over a 12 hour period.
KEXP Goes 3 Feet High and Rising is timed to coincide with the release of De La Soul's brand new 9th studio album, ...And The Anonymous Nobody, out August 26th on A.O.I., LLC. Last year, KEXP went Inside Paul's Boutique, breaking out every sample on the Beastie Boys' classic album. 3 Feet High and Rising is the perfect next album to explore and celebrate as only non-commercial, independent KEXP can do.
In anticipation of tomorrow's 3 Feet High and Rising deep dive, it seemed only appropriate to share our DJs' thoughts from back when this delightful hunk of vinyl slid in the door almost three decades ago. I would say more, but I think the KCMU crew pretty much covers it all (and more) below.
“Put your hands up if you love hip-hop!” shouted De La Soul as they opened a killer set of their career spanning hits cherished by fans of old and probably more than a few brand new fans. New York hip hop band of the last 25 years, De La Soul truly are masters of the craft and made it damn well kno…
