3 FEET HIGH AND RISING/REEDITION

Description

This record, or rather this landmark in 20th-century music history, hasn't aged a day. The Amityville trio invents a phenomenal number of things here: the skits, or interludes, which are interspersed between songs and would become essential in the coming years, though never matching this good humor (the Assimil French method, with "the sausages" and the eternal "it's noon, time for lunch!"!). But De La Soul also breaks free from beats borrowed from James Brown and funk, drawing from jazz, variety, pop, and a whole repertoire to create these joyful and finely crafted skits. "Magic Number," "Eye Know," "Say No Go," and especially "Me Myself And I" are hits whose effectiveness has never been found wanting. This album, with its fluorescent and flowery cover, is remarkably fluid; every second is inventive and catches the ear. The family spirit comes together on "Buddy" with Jungle Brothers and Q-Tip from A Tribe Called Quest, the core of the Native Tongues. A consensual masterpiece of rap, 3 Feet High and Rising is simply a record of joy and intelligence.