De La Soul is an influential American hip hop trio from Amityville, Long Island, formed in 1988 by Kelvin Mercer (Posdnuos), David Jolicoeur (Trugoy the Dove), and Vincent Mason (Maseo). Recognized for their innovative sampling and playful, thought-provoking lyrics, they played a key role in shaping jazz rap and alternative hip hop. Their 1989 debut album, 3 Feet High and Rising, is widely regarded as a hip hop classic. Over their career, De La Soul released nine studio albums, collaborated with artists like Gorillaz on the Grammy-winning track Feel Good Inc, and remained central to the Native Tongues collective. Their music only became widely available on digital streaming platforms in 2023 due to longstanding sample clearance issues. David Jolicoeur passed away in 2023.