De La Soul leaps into the 1991 MusiCards set here at #115. Pro Set got a lot of mileage out of this photo, using it on all 4 cards they put out featuring the group. There's a version of this card in the UK edition, and they've got a pair of cards in the Yo! MTV Raps set, with this "jumping" photo appearing on the front of one of them and on the back of the other. This is the only card of the 4 that correctly spells "Posdnuos" (Sound Sop / Sounds Op backwards) on the back.
Their debut 3 Feet High and Rising brought a "hippy" vibe to hip-hop and spawned the singles "Me Myself and I", "The Magic Number", and "Eye Know". Subsequent albums dialed back the silliness and psychedelia and didn't see as much mainstream success, but continued to build their legacy as an important group in hip hop history.
They've kept at it over the years, with notable highlights including a performance on Chappelle's Show and a Grammy-winning collaboration with Gorillaz on the track "Feel Good Inc." The group sadly went from trio to duo in 2023 when Trugoy the Dove passed away after some years dealing with heart issues. He posthumously appears on De La Soul's ninth studio album, Cabin in the Sky (2025).
I'm a casual De La Soul fan, but can't say I've listened to a ton of their stuff. My buddy Doug had 3 Feet High and Rising on CD back in the early 90s, and I remember borrowing that from him. The hits from that album are still "fun hip hop playlist" favorites of mine, and I've liked the other stuff I've heard from them even if it doesn't stick with me as much as those early jams.
"Itzsoweezee (HOT)" is a pretty cool track I wasn't familiar with until working on this post.
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I'd been kicking around a few options to pair up with De La Soul in this post, ultimately deciding on their collaborators Gorillaz.
The short version of the Gorillaz story is they're a virtual band (consisting of animated members) who formed in the late 90s. Behind the scenes, Jamie Hewlett handles the artwork while the music comes from the mind of Damon Albarn, best known as the singer of seminal Brit-pop band Blur, using the project to explore genres outside his other band's musical scope.
They've done a lot over the years, and I'll point you to their Wikipedia entry for further reading. My favorite track is probably the peaceful "On Melancholy Hill". The ninth studio album from Gorillaz, The Mountain, is due out at the end of February 2026.
Per usual, I'm curious if you readers are into De La Soul and/or Gorillaz. Feel free to sound off in the comments re: any thoughts, memories, or favorite songs for either. Thanks!
Never could get into rap/hip-hop much as it gained popularity a little after my formative years. But De La Soul's style is probably the most pleasing to me of all the rap acts of the era. I've sampled a couple songs off their current LP, too. ... My daughter listened to Gorrilaz quite a bit when she lived at home. It blew my mind when I found out Damon Albarn was the brains behind it.
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