Another sad loss, all the more tragic that Trugoy was 54 years old, barely any time in the scheme of things. But what he achieved in his life cannot be underestimated.
I can't pretend that I was so on it as a teenager that I immediately switched on to hip hop and rap music and got 3 Feet High And Rising as soon as it hit the record shops in 1989. But I really liked De La Soul. Over three decades later, their impact on music as a whole - not just genres - is perhaps only just beginning to be fully appreciated. After many years of legal entanglements, the release of De La Soul's early albums on streaming services next month will bring their music to a new generation.
I'm definitely not qualified to write about De La Soul's influence or Trugoy The Dove's contribution to establishing a new narrative and form of expression, but I can share a selection of songs that I love. In my usual cobbled-together-at-the-last minute style, this 10-track selection mostly draws from the earlier singles, throwing in a few songs from a budget De La Soul compilation I picked up a while ago.
I also had to include their contribution to the Judgement Night film soundtrack, itself made up of collaborations between rap and hip hop artists and guitar bands, be it indie, thrash or grunge. Teenage Fanclub were the unlikely partners with De La Soul, but somehow it works.
Gorillaz took it to it's logical next step in the 21st Century. Where else would you see De La Soul performing on stage with Damon Albarn, Gruff Rhys, Mick Jones and Paul Simonon?
Rap in power, Dave, Plug 2, Trugoy, all of you.
1) Eye Know (7" Mix By Prince Paul): De La Soul (1989)
2) Oooh (Rae & Christian Remix): De La Soul ft. Redman (2000)
3) Superfast Jellyfish: Gorillaz ft. De La Soul & Gruff Rhys (2010)
4) The Magic Number (1-2-3 Mix By Chad Jackson): De La Soul (1989)
5) It's A New Thing (It's Your Thing) (D-Nat & Onda Reconstruction): The Isley Brothers ft. De La Soul (2004)
6) Me Myself And I (Extended Version By Richie Rich): De La Soul (1989)
7) Long Island Degrees: De La Soul (1995)
8) A Roller Skating Jam Named "Saturdays" (Radio Home Mix By David Morales): De La Soul ft. Vinia Mojica (1991)
9) Fallin' (Faded Album Version): Teenage Fanclub & De La Soul (1994)
10) All Good?: De La Soul ft. Chaka Khan (2000)
