After launching a Kickstarter campaign in March to fund their upcoming album, De La Soul have officially raised the second highest amount of money ever on the platform for a musical project. The group quickly reached their goal of $110,000 and when the funding period closed yesterday over 11,000 supporters had pledged a collective $600,875.
The album, which will be the first for the group in over a decade, is set to include appearances from 2 Chainz, Little Dragon, Damon Albarn, and David Byrne.
“Thank you so much to all of you for rewarding us with your time and help!!” the group said in a message to fans. “We have not only become the second most funded music project on Kickstarter, but we have also gained a clearer insight into how you feel about us as a group and what we do. You have helped directly play a part in giving us the much needed creative fuel by showing that we still matter to all of you! In knowing that we feel nothing less than number 1!!! Much love and this music is coming your way soon!! #thankyou #blessed #delasoul”
In the original Kickstarter campaign, De La promised an alternative return to their sampling ways by reworking original recordings made specifically for the album. “This new album will incorporate elements of Jazz, Funk, Rock, Country Western and anything else we’re feeling in the moment,” the group wrote at the time. “To us, music is the influence of sounds, sounds in all vibrations and sizes, telling a story or pointing a direction. Some of these sounds we call samples, samples we use to make songs.”
Are times that tough that a classic group like De La Soul has to resort to Kickstarter just to get funding to do a album?? Damn.
Yes, dad. Nobody wants to deal with these old dinosaurs anymore. New blood, artists like Drake, Young Thug, Kendrick Lamar, are who people want to work with. Times have changed, pops.
^ you uneducated slug, de la paved the fucking way for all the retards you just name. Moron
So we get the album for free now right cause 600k for 13 tracks i’s crazy
If you were one of the people that pledge money to help make it, you get the album when it comes out. Why should they give it away to people that didn’t support it, for free?
Prince Paul or it didnt’ happen.
Prince Paul wasn’t involved in their last 4 albums, and all 4 (Stakes Is High, AOI, AOI: Bonix, & The Grind Date) were amazing.
It’s pretty interesting watching all the people who celebrated the death of labels (I know they were ripping people off) realize that they’ve created a full country of people who have no idea how to generate sales bc people have gotten used to not spending money on anything. That shit doesn’t work.
woah that’s crazy I aint a fan of their stuff but that’s incredible they got that much support didn’t think many ppl still fucked wit de la soul. If ur album goes platinum u clear roughly 350,000 on a major kickstarter is the way forward
Isn’t one of their son the running back on the Rams? 1st Round pick last year draft, he could’ve floated his dad’s group a cool $250K to get their album done.
You’re right. It’s Maseo’s son.
Running back’s, average pro career in the NFL, is like three years. Mateo’s son needs to keep that money and hope he doesn’t get early dementia.
mrgwaps, you are missing the point. They have money, it wasn’t about the money it was about the fans. The sad part is some people view it as they are having their hand out because they can’t afford. All three live very well, they tour non stop. This was a project for the fans to be involved. Knowing Dela for so many years they have never done anything to make themselves be nothing more than who they are and that’s true artist. They have stayed together as a group, they never split and they always give their fans their best. Go to a show, one of the best hip hop shows you will ever see. very entertaining..
Tre Mason was a 2nd round pick who’s on a rookie contract. Plus, the Rams just drafted another RB in the first round, so who knows how long his career will last.
yes, De La has money, but rather than spend all of their own money to make a new (indie) album, they let fans get involved. It’s smart business, and they obviously made the right choice.
That new track with Nas is awesome. I’ve been a De La Soul fan since Art Official Intelligence: Mosaic Thump so I’ll definitely cop their new album when it drops. Plus much respect for for making their back catalogue available for free.