Just Thursday I learned that rap legends De La Soul were releasing a surprise for Valentine's Day: almost their entire back catalog (seven albums!) was going to be released on their website for FREE for one day only. 24 hours of free De La Soul.
This is part of a larger promo deal to promote a new EP due in March and a full-length album later in 2014. Is that a genius marketing deal or a complete money-loss for the band to give away almost their entire music back catalog?
Due to their heavy use of samples in a majority of their work, they found the legal ramifications of licensing to be too complicated and costly for releasing their music digitally, and decided to release it all for free. I'm assuming that bypasses the need for clearance if the music is not being released for sale?
Anyway, I'm not gonna fuss over the background details. I'm just glad I have new copies of their first two albums, 1989's 3 Feet High and Rising (the first rap album I bought) and its just-as-stellar follow up, 1991's De La Soul is Dead.
I'm also excited to dig in to their 3rd and 4th, Buhloone Mindstate and Stakes is High, two albums I initially skimmed over or passed up altogether. It's crazy to think that 3 Feet came out 25 years ago.
What underrated legends.
No comments:
Post a Comment