Artists Influenced by De La Soul

As their debut turns 25, we look back at the group's impact.

Artists Influenced by De La Soul - De La Soul shook things up in hip hop when they dropped their debut, 3 Feet High and Rising, which celebrates its 25th anniversary today (March 3). The trio, hailing from Long Island, brought positivity, humor and a jazz-influenced feel to that classic album and the rest of their music. Pioneers of alternative hip hop, De La opened doors and laid a groundwork for many to follow. Read on.(Photo: Courtesy of Tommy Boy Records)

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Artists Influenced by De La Soul - De La Soul shook things up in hip hop when they dropped their debut, 3 Feet High and Rising, which celebrates its 25th anniversary today (March 3). The trio, hailing from Long Island, brought positivity, humor and a jazz-influenced feel to that classic album and the rest of their music. Pioneers of alternative hip hop, De La opened doors and laid a groundwork for many to follow. Read on.(Photo: Courtesy of Tommy Boy Records)

Black Star - In 1996, before his solo work or group effort took off, Mos Def was featured on De La's Stakes Is High album. It was a shining moment for the young Brooklynite, and he and his future Black Star partner, Talib Kweli, would later follow in the steps of the Long Island group. (Photo: Terrence Jennings/Picturegroup)

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Black Star - In 1996, before his solo work or group effort took off, Mos Def was featured on De La's Stakes Is High album. It was a shining moment for the young Brooklynite, and he and his future Black Star partner, Talib Kweli, would later follow in the steps of the Long Island group. (Photo: Terrence Jennings/Picturegroup)

Arrested Development - The stage was set for Arrested Development's multi-platinum-selling 1992 album, 3 Years, 5 Months & 2 Days in the Life Of..., a few years earlier with De La's sonically experimental and lyrically progressive debut. (Photo: Cutting Edge Records)

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Arrested Development - The stage was set for Arrested Development's multi-platinum-selling 1992 album, 3 Years, 5 Months & 2 Days in the Life Of..., a few years earlier with De La's sonically experimental and lyrically progressive debut. (Photo: Cutting Edge Records)

Little Brother - The name of the North Carolina trio of Phonte, Big Pooh and 9th Wonder — Little Brother — is an homage to their feeling a musical kinship to certain groups that came before them. De La Soul certainly falls into this influential category. (Photo: Ray Tamarra/Getty Images) 

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Little Brother - The name of the North Carolina trio of Phonte, Big Pooh and 9th Wonder — Little Brother — is an homage to their feeling a musical kinship to certain groups that came before them. De La Soul certainly falls into this influential category. (Photo: Ray Tamarra/Getty Images) 

Slum Village - Guided by the legendary production of J Dilla, Slum Village both followed and helped continue to pave a non-conformist path set by De La years earlier, behind jazzy joints with an underground twist.(Photo: Barak Records)

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Slum Village - Guided by the legendary production of J Dilla, Slum Village both followed and helped continue to pave a non-conformist path set by De La years earlier, behind jazzy joints with an underground twist.(Photo: Barak Records)

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Jurassic 5 - Formed in 1993, Jurassic 5 didn't debut until a few years later, but when they did, they brought with them some of the alternative hip hop flavor that De La Soul had cooked up. (Photo: WENN.com)

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Jurassic 5 - Formed in 1993, Jurassic 5 didn't debut until a few years later, but when they did, they brought with them some of the alternative hip hop flavor that De La Soul had cooked up. (Photo: WENN.com)

Common - Common, who was featured on "The Bizness" from De La's 1996 release, Stakes Is High, proved to be a Midwest torch-bearer for the group when he debuted a couple of years earlier, with rhymes — backed by jazzy production — that were both conscious and real.(Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

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Common - Common, who was featured on "The Bizness" from De La's 1996 release, Stakes Is High, proved to be a Midwest torch-bearer for the group when he debuted a couple of years earlier, with rhymes — backed by jazzy production — that were both conscious and real.(Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

The Pharcyde - From their humor to the sonics of their raps, the Pharcyde, who dropped their debut album in 1992, were in many ways West Coast musical cousins of New York-grown De La Soul. (Photo: Mick Hutson/Redferns)

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The Pharcyde - From their humor to the sonics of their raps, the Pharcyde, who dropped their debut album in 1992, were in many ways West Coast musical cousins of New York-grown De La Soul. (Photo: Mick Hutson/Redferns)

"Elevators (Me and You)" - "That record was straight off the chain. I remember having a conversation with Big Boi about this record, and he said they went to the radio station and had this record played and it ultimately ended up becoming their lead single. It was soulful but it was obscure of what a radio record would have been back then, but it was still so familyoriented and still so cool but it had a totally different kind of vibe than the beats that were coming out back then."  (Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images) 

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OutKast - From their creative lyrical approaches to themes of Afro-centricity, OutKast was able take a foundation that De La Soul set up half a decade earlier, and brought it once again to a national — and ultimately international — base. (Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images) 

Kanye West - The adventurous approach that De La took in 1989 — from both a production and lyrical standpoint — in many ways served as a blueprint for Kanye West's work a decade and a half later. From bucking the time's popular trends to creating contemplative rhymes, Yeezy has carried on their legacy.(Photo: Ronin 47 / Splash News)

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Kanye West - The adventurous approach that De La took in 1989 — from both a production and lyrical standpoint — in many ways served as a blueprint for Kanye West's work a decade and a half later. From bucking the time's popular trends to creating contemplative rhymes, Yeezy has carried on their legacy.(Photo: Ronin 47 / Splash News)

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Skyzoo - A product of New York just like De La Soul, Skyzoo and his style can be reminiscent of the group's own, with a focus on instrumentation and intelligent rhymes. (Photo: Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images)

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Skyzoo - A product of New York just like De La Soul, Skyzoo and his style can be reminiscent of the group's own, with a focus on instrumentation and intelligent rhymes. (Photo: Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images)

Kidz in the Hall - Emerging in the mid-2000s, Kidz in the Hall brought their college degrees with them as they kicked conscious raps with a new-age, alternative hip hop vibe that De La had helped pioneer decades earlier. (Photo: Duck Down Records)

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Kidz in the Hall - Emerging in the mid-2000s, Kidz in the Hall brought their college degrees with them as they kicked conscious raps with a new-age, alternative hip hop vibe that De La had helped pioneer decades earlier. (Photo: Duck Down Records)

Pac Div - A trio just like De La Soul, Pac Div hails from California and favored a more progressive style when they emerged a few years back, rather than chasing a ring tone-ready single.(Photo: Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images)

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Pac Div - A trio just like De La Soul, Pac Div hails from California and favored a more progressive style when they emerged a few years back, rather than chasing a ring tone-ready single.(Photo: Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images)