10 De La Soul Songs That Will Make You Levitate

De La Soul’s Tiny Desk is a celebration of the beloved group’s catalog and a perfect marker for their longevity. Fans of the trio have long understood what Posdnuos, Trugoy the Dove and Maseo mean to hip-hop. In the years since we lost Trugoy, aka Dave, their legacy has been even more revered by even casual fans. 

But in recognition of that dope Tiny Desk appearance — and Wellness Wednesday — Okayplayer decided to pick 10 De La Soul songs that will make you levitate.

From the D.A.I.S.Y Age and beyond…

10. "I Am I Be" (Buhloone Mindstate)

Featuring legendary saxophonists Maceo Parker and Pee Wee Ellis, and trombonist Fred Wesley, this introspective track is a standout on De La’s most jazz-centered album. Prince Paul melds live instruments and samples from Lou Rawls and Jimmy Ponder. 

9. "YUHDON’TSTOP" (Cabin In the Sky)

Featuring production from none other than the late Dave Jolicoeur himself, the track is the first proper song on De La’s latest album. It serves as both homage and continuation of what they were able to do as a trio, a hello-goodbye to the fallen Trugoy. 

8. "Long Island Degrees" (Stakes Is High) 

One of the most underrated aspects of De La Soul’s remarkable legacy and history is the group’s penchant for self-production. After parting ways with Prince Paul, the trio branched out with their sound on this acclaimed album and track. 

7. "Memory Of… (US)" (and The Anonymous Nobody)

On the final De La album release during Trugoy’s lifetime, the group famously used crowd-funding to finance arguably the most eclectic project they’d ever release. On this Estelle-featuring ballad, De La gets wistful on a track that now sounds like an elegy. 

6. "The Future" (The Grind Date)

Over a sample from Switch, De La opens their most underrated album with this atmospheric ode to building and looking ahead. Featuring some of the best rhymes from Pos and Dave, it’s one of the most deceptively innovative tracks in their catalog. 

5. "U Can Do (Life)" (Art.Official.Intelligence: Mosaic Thump)

Pos, Dave and Maseo opened the 2000s with arguably their glossiest album, with a bevy of features and a heady conceptualism that was pure De La. This melodic cut was never a single, but it absolutely could have been. 

4. "Ring Ring Ring (Ha Ha Hey Hey)" (De La Soul Is Dead)

Speaking of singles, this leadoff track from their sophomore album showcased a newfound maturity and one of their most infectious hooks. It also boasts a stellar sample of “Help Is On the Way” by the Whatnauts. 

3. "Eye Know" (3 Feet High & Rising) 

Prince Paul seemed to reimagine the possibilities of hip-hop sampling on De La Soul’s uber-classic debut. And his flip of Steely Dan reminded crate-diggers everywhere that hip-hop wasn’t just beholden to James Brown beats. Not to mention, this is one of rap’s best love songs. 

2. "Stakes Is High" (Stakes Is High)

J Dilla was obviously a gifted producer with a unique sound and vision; and his collaborations with De La (as well as pretty much everyone else) yielded greatness. The greatest could be this standout single that announced De La’s fourth album. Timeless perfection. 

1. "Breakadawn" (Buhloone MIndstate)

On their final album, produced by the legendary Prince Paul, the trio delivered their most unapologetically jazz-centric project. But this single, with its breezy Michael Jackson sample, finds De La at their most laid-back. A gorgeous track that seems to encapsulate the group’s spirit.