High and Rising: A Book about de la Soul

A stunning cultural biography of De La Soul, 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 hailed 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 imagery full of flowers and peace signs. This was rap with a broad sonic palette which set the blueprint for an entire generation of alternative hip-hop artists who followed. But as quickly as De La ascended, they were faced with the pressures of a changing industry and bitter legal battles over sampling.

Completed in the wake of Dave’s passing and the group’s arrival on streaming platforms after years in digital purgatory, High and Rising tells the story of one of the most influential rap groups of all time. In the process, acclaimed music journalist Marcus J. Moore braids in a deeply personal coming-of-age story about his journey through life with De La as a backdrop.

The first book about De La Soul, High and Rising shows that De La Soul is Black history, American history, world history, our history. This is a tale about staying the course, and how holding true to your virtue can lead to dynamic results.

This landmark music biography goes beyond the beats and rhymes to explore the full story:

• The Native Tongues Era: Go inside the rise of the influential collective that changed the sound of the genre forever, featuring groups like A Tribe Called Quest and the Jungle Brothers.
• Sampling and Legal Battles: Uncover the story behind the bitter, industry-changing legal disputes that kept De La Soul’s classic albums out of the hands of fans for decades.
• A Personal History: Discover how acclaimed music journalist Marcus J. Moore’s own coming-of-age journey was shaped by the incredible highs and lows of the group’s career.
• Artistic Integrity: Learn how―through it all―the group held true to their unique vision, creating a lasting legacy of authenticity and dynamic results.

Marcus J. Moore is a music journalist, editor, curator, pundit, professor, and author of The Butterfly Effect: How Kendrick Lamar Ignited the Soul of Black America. He has co-led the jazz-focused “5 Minutes That Will Make You Love...” series at the New York Times. His work has appeared in The Atlantic, NPR, Pitchfork, TIME, TIDAL, GQ, The Washington Post, and Rolling Stone.