The first book about De La Soul, High and Rising is a stunning cultural biography of the era-defining hip-hop trio that touched millions of lives and changed rap forever.
De La Soul burst onto the scene with the release of their groundbreaking 1989 album 3 Feet High & Rising, an “anything goes” hip-hop masterpiece. Between their dusty drums and obscure samples, De La’s debut was received as a new masterwork from a bygone era of Black experimentation.
Formed in Long Island in 1988 by Kelvin “Posdnuos” Mercer, Dave “Trugoy the Dove” Jolicoeur, and Vincent “Maseo” Mason, De La Soul rebuked classification and appealed to the Black alternative. Their music was positive and psychedelic, their album art and music videos were full of flowers and peace signs. It was rap with a broad sonic palette, which would set a blueprint for artists like The Roots, Pharrell, Kid Cudi, Kanye West, and Kendrick Lamar. But as quickly as De La ascended, they were faced with the pressures of a changing industry and legal battles around sampling.
Written by the acclaimed journalist Marcus J. Moore, author of The Butterfly Effect: How Kendrick Lamar Ignited the Soul of Black America, High and Rising tells the whole story of one of the most influential rap groups of all time. In the process the book unpacks the birth of hip-hop and the evolution of alternative rap. Marcus also weaves in a deeply personal coming-of-age story about his journey through life with De La as a backdrop.
Completed in the wake of Dave’s passing and the group’s arrival on streaming platforms after a long and bitter legal fight, High and Rising is not just a hip-hop tale, it’s a triumphant book about staying the course, and how moving with integrity can lead to dynamic results.
De La Soul burst onto the scene with the release of their groundbreaking 1989 album 3 Feet High & Rising, an “anything goes” hip-hop masterpiece. Between their dusty drums and obscure samples, De La’s debut was received as a new masterwork from a bygone era of Black experimentation.
Formed in Long Island in 1988 by Kelvin “Posdnuos” Mercer, Dave “Trugoy the Dove” Jolicoeur, and Vincent “Maseo” Mason, De La Soul rebuked classification and appealed to the Black alternative. Their music was positive and psychedelic, their album art and music videos were full of flowers and peace signs. It was rap with a broad sonic palette, which would set a blueprint for artists like The Roots, Pharrell, Kid Cudi, Kanye West, and Kendrick Lamar. But as quickly as De La ascended, they were faced with the pressures of a changing industry and legal battles around sampling.
Written by the acclaimed journalist Marcus J. Moore, author of The Butterfly Effect: How Kendrick Lamar Ignited the Soul of Black America, High and Rising tells the whole story of one of the most influential rap groups of all time. In the process the book unpacks the birth of hip-hop and the evolution of alternative rap. Marcus also weaves in a deeply personal coming-of-age story about his journey through life with De La as a backdrop.
Completed in the wake of Dave’s passing and the group’s arrival on streaming platforms after a long and bitter legal fight, High and Rising is not just a hip-hop tale, it’s a triumphant book about staying the course, and how moving with integrity can lead to dynamic results.
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Reviews
'High And Rising is, among other things, a love letter, but not one grounded solely in the romantics of the past. Nostalgia enriches the storytelling, the touchability of this historic group, but it is also an ode to how they touched the present, and how they will endlessly touch the future.' - Hanif Abdurraqib, New York Times bestselling author of There's Always This Year
'High and Rising reads like a movie. Comprehensive, true to life, and as irreverent as De La Soul themselves. Brother Marcus sets the record(s) straight. History and memoir from the soul.' - Leslie Odom Jr., Tony and Grammy award-winning artist of Hamilton
'I am a sucker for a book written by a smart person about a thing they love, which is exactly what Marcus J. Moore's High and Rising is, wherein he simultaneously examines and galvanizes De La Soul's impact on, and legacy in, Hip-Hop. There are tidbits and anecdotes and asides and insights, and those are all great, but what makes High and Rising feel special-and what makes Marcus J. Moore such a compelling author-are the moments where Moore marries those things all together into a grander idea. Buy this book. - Shea Serrano, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Rap Yearbook
'A brave exploration of De La Soul as a band with two legacies: first, the buoyant debut that inspired a generation, and then their ongoing rejection of the very ethos that made them so inspiring. No history of De La is complete without both.' - Dan Charnas, author of Dilla Time: The Life and Afterlife of J Dilla, the Hip-Hop Producer Who Reinvented Rhythm
'Equal parts passion and history. Marcus J. Moore seamlessly weaves a narrative that not only details the journey of De La Soul, but places their legendary story within the context of Hip-Hop as a whole. The result is a work that-much like De La themselves-will stand the test of time. For the true De La heads, this story is just as informative as it is heartwarming (and aching) in parts. And for those who don't know the story behind one of the most influential groups in music history, this is an excellent start.' - Kathy Iandoli, author of God Save The Queens: The Essential History of Women In Hip-Hop
'A love letter to one of the greatest rap groups of all time, written with deep reverence and sincerity. Marcus J. Moore's High and Rising gives new voice to a generation of Hip-Hop outcasts, much like De La's debut did 35 years earlier. Strictly Dan Stuckie.' - Phonte Coleman, Grammy nominated singer, rapper, producer of Little Brother and The Foreign Exchange
'More than just a book about De La Soul, High and Rising is a thoroughly researched anthropological history and a compelling, deeply personal memoir. Marcus J. Moore managed to tell the story of most beloved and respected groups of all time while capturing the golden era of Hip-Hop.' - Michael Harriot, New York Times bestselling author of Black AF History