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Track: En Focus
Artist: De La Soul
Album: Buhloone Mindstate

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Artist Bio

De La Soul Image

Name: De La Soul
Spotify Genres: jazz rap, east coast hip hop
Followers: 1,156,049
Popularity:

76/100

Biography

De La Soul is an American hip-hop trio of Posdnuos, Trugoy, and Maseo, formed in 1987 in the Amityville area of Long Island, New York. They are best known for their eclectic sampling, quirky lyrics, and contributions to the evolution of jazz rap and alternative hip-hop subgenres. The three formed the group in high school, catching the attention of producer Prince Paul with a demo tape of the song "Plug Tunin'." With its playful wordplay, innovative sampling, and witty skits, the band's debut album, '3 Feet High and Rising', has been called "a hip-hop masterpiece." They are original members of the progressive collective known as the [a=Native Tongues], which includes [a=A Tribe Called Quest], [a=Queen Latifah], [a=Black Sheep], [a=Monie Love], and founding members the [a=Jungle Brothers]. Their output throughout the '90s, 1991's 'De La Soul Is Dead,' 1993's 'Buhoone Mindstate' and 1996's 'Stakes Is High,' while not as commercially successful as their debut, were all formative for hip-hop and are now widely considered cult classics. After 2004's critically acclaimed 'The Grind Date,' and winning a Grammy for their collaboration with [a=Gorillaz] on their single "Feel Good Inc." in 2006, De La Soul went on hiatus sans a few singles and an EP, returning in 2016 with the crowd-funded 'And the Anonymous Nobody.' In 2023, after years of legal battles over rights and ownership, De La Soul regained access to their back catalog from [a=Tommy Boy Records] and finally released their classic albums on streaming services and new reissues for the first time. Unfortunately, it was bittersweet after the death of original member Dave 'Trugoy' Jolicoeur, days before the release. Jolicoeur passed away at 54 after suffering from congestive heart failure diagnosed in 2017. Industry rumors suggest an untitled tenth album may be released with production from [a=Pete Rock] and [a=DJ Premier]. Individual aliases: [a=Dave Jolicoeur] AKA [a=Trugoy The Dove] / Plug Two / [a=Plug 2] [a=Kelvin Mercer] AKA [a=Posdnuos] / [a=Plug Won] / [a=Plug 1] [a=Vincent Mason] AKA [a=Pasemaster Mase] / [a=Maseo] / Plug Three

Source: Discogs

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Discogs Release Info

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Release: De La Soul - Breakadawn / En Focus
Year: 1993
Genres: Hip Hop
Styles: Conscious

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Source: MusicBrainz

LYRICS

(Biofeedback)
[POS:]
Ya go beats, meats, son Sheep
I can't cook, but being a cook I'm servin' much to eat
I got multiple stabs of jazzy
Sassafrassy as I caught the fame of soul
Years after mama had me tell ya gladly
I plugged for the Tunin'
Which cause eyes to zoom in

[DRES:]
Which put your person into focus

[POS:]
No longer Kelvin Mercer but the Posdnuos
Plug One yo I found fun
In the scribblin' of speak
On a naked white sheet
Most recognized by my dark brown self

[DRES:]
Yo you found some wealth?

[POS:]
More in my mind than in my pocket
But I's got every Girbaud that ever sagged
I met some hoes, met some girls
Did a tour that took me all around the world

[DRES:]
Did a tour that took me all around the world

[DOVE:]
I hit the shines but I'm shooin' it now
Remember when the floor might have had a spine
Well it's all bent over
The DayGlo nigga gets the red door mat
It's a roller coaster
When your shit's burnt toast
Now Mr. Club Owner knows your jam
When your jam is tha jam
And there's a tab at the bar
My mindstate's great
No thanks I don't drink
I sip the bobo
Then I kettle it quick
I felt the heave in the jeave
Tap it in the basement
Diggin' my own understanding quick
Let me get the single out
Think Mr. Radio say the starlight
Is the same star bright
I'm thinkin' how a nine and a blunt is a switch
But turn out the lights and some will go bitch
It was one MC after one MC
Play the lamp post do the blow wit dynomite
Well it's okay and it's alright
Cause our birthday cake's external light
It'll all get graphic
People made of plastic
Look at the shine wit my 50 watt eye
But when I got the eye patch I hit the latch
I fame it to a name from Denver up to Maine
And lovin' deluxe
She won't catch me in no tux
Nah, man I won't honor the style

(Curious, curious, curious, curious)
[DRES:] How you doing, my name is Dres, listen...
[SHORTY:] Isn't that Posdnuos? Oh, my...
[DRES:] Baby, what's wrong with me?

[POS:]
Funny funny how time flies
When you have some light on the face
Cause the focus is the fickle
'Stead of fusin' I'm a use it
To the utilize the trickle caught the rush
But I play hush
While Andres Titus is the grabbin'
As a fan will put the hearts to mush
Lush Dalea would hear the public beat
The same way for Titus when he Blacked the Sheep
But as the Knee went Deep
To deeper off the charts
The album faded to black
That's when the amnesia starts

(Curious, curious, curious, curious)
[SHORTY:] Aren't you Dres from Black Sheep? What are you doing here? Who
are you here with?
[DRES:] I'm with my man Pos, you know Pos...
[SHORTY:] Oh yeah, Positive K, I.. I like him...

(Stickabush, stickabush, stickabush, stickabush)

[DOVE:]
Hey boy, I watch that star man, shit's all in
Should I shot it or begin
I saw bootleggas no shinin'
I saw Big 4 go get shinin'
A typical flick was the moment
When the man said
"Ain't you?" Yeah I is 'im
Hush your mouth fallin' in cog
Caught the light being True dog
A fist of funk and I pocket that screen
In the scene or in between
Gimme but a little bit of the starlight
I mail my ass to the darkness
I dig it, I dug it
I dig it, I dug it
I wiz it, I was it
I wiz it, I was it
Oh Lord let me switch it off
Because ya find some'll do it all
For the light
(Stop jivin')