300 Favorite Albums with James Campion

#200: 3 Feet High and Rising - De La Soul (1989)

June 10, 2026·2h 38m
Episode Description from the Publisher

Ever wonder how three suburban teenagers from Long Island, alongside a visionary producer, completely shattered the boundaries of hip-hop with nothing but a giant stack of eclectic records and a sense of pure, unadulterated fun? I’m joined by the haie and hearty co-host of the popular Pantheon podcasts, Shout It Out Loudcast, Dorm Damage, and Album Review Crew, Tom Gigliotti as we have a ton of fun breaking down the hip hop classic, 3 Feet High and Rising, the debut album from the Long Island trio, De La Soul. The band covers a wide spectrum of subjects—from high school hijinks and ghetto life to deodorant, rap fashions, hippie philosophy, orgies, and general mayhem—all in an inimitable style all their own. We dive deep into the legendary "Daisy Age"—but what does that floral acronym actually mean, and how did its colorful, cartoonish vibe stand as a rebellious antithesis to the rising tide of gangsta rap [? From the patchwork "sonic collage" genius of producer Prince Paul to the bizarre story of a high-stakes sampling lawsuit that kept this masterpiece off streaming platforms for decades , we're dissecting the DNA of a record that changed the music industry forever. But why did a track about a simple haircut trigger a revolution, and what is the real, hilarious story behind those iconic game-show skits? You'll have to plug in and listen to the full episode to uncover the secrets of the magic number. 3 Feet High and Rising"Intro"  "The Magic Number" "Change in Speak" "Cool Breeze on the Rocks""Can U Keep a Secret" "Jenifa Taught Me (Derwin's Revenge)" "Ghetto Thang" "Transmitting Live from Mars" "Eye Know" "Take It Off" "A Little Bit of Soap" "Tread Water" "Potholes in My Lawn" "Say No Go" "Do as De La Does" "Plug Tunin' (Last Chance to Comprehend)" "De La Orgee" "Buddy" (featuring Jungle Brothers and Q-Tip) "Description""Me Myself and I""This Is a Recording 4 Living in a Fulltime Era (L.I.F.E.)""I Can Do Anything (Delacratic)”"D.A.I.S.Y. Age"Additional selections:"Three is a Magic Number" - Bob Dorough from Schoolhouse Rock"You Showed Me" - The Turtles from The Turtles Present the Battle of the Bands.“Peg” - Steely Dan from Aja"I Can't Go For That (No Can Do)" - Hall & Oates from Private Eyes"Buddy (Remix)" De La Soul (12" single) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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