De La Soul fans have been blessed with the band’s recent generosity. During a 24-hour stretch starting on Valentine’s day, the Amityville, Strong Island hip-hop trio celebrated the release of its debut album, 1989’s 3 Feet High and Rising, by offering a free download of its entire catalog, including instrumentals, remixes, B-sides and other rarities.
Now De La presents another freebie—this time an 11-track mixtape called Smell the Da.I.S.Y. (Da Inner Soul of Yancy). Yancy refers to the late James Dewitt Yancy, mixtape producer J Dilla’s real name. The collection, an interesting hodgepodge of Pos and Dove lyrics combined with newer rhymes over Dilla’s beats, is available for an undisclosed amount of time on De La Soul’s official website. So you won’t recognize any of the titles, but the most of the lyrics will ring familiar with a modern twist.
I suspect the spirit of giving the music away might end later this year, though, when De La drops the EP Premium Soul on the Rocks and most definitely the full album You’re Welcome.
What’s your favorite De La Soul album? Song?
