Despite negotiations, a resolution between De La Soul and former label Tommy Boy Records has yet to be found. In an recent Instagram update, Maseo, Dave and Pos collectively explained the Tommy Boy boycott — which they’ve dubbed the “Tommy Boycott” — wages on.
“Another disappointing week of contractual tug-of-war bullshit,” the text read. “after 30 long years of exploiting, profiting and benefiting from a savory De La Soul legacy…it’s 2019 Tom [Silverman], can we get a taste too??? The #TommyBoycott continues.”
The caption included a quote from the 1982 Oprah movie, The Color Purple.
“Till you do right by me, everything you even think about gon’ fail,” it read. “#colorpurple #respectourlegacy #dotherightthing #4080 #delasoul #godsofrap.”
The iconic New York-bred Hip Hop trio first called foul on Tommy Boy in February after revealing via Instagram they were getting the raw end of the deal on a streaming contract. Once the word started to spread, Questlove launched a Tommy Boy boycott, which was supported by countless people.
As a result, Tommy Boy halted the release of De La’s digital catalog, something they explained in a statement to Variety.
“Because Tommy Boy has not had the opportunity to sit down together with De La Soul and finalize our negotiations — something we’ve wanted to do for months — we have decided to postpone the digital release of their catalog scheduled for tomorrow,” the statement read. “We know fans are eager to hear these amazing recordings and we are hopeful for a quick resolution.”
Evidently, De La and Tommy Boy’s horns are still locked.
In the meantime, De La is currently nearing the end of an international run called the Kings Of Rap Tour with Public Enemy, DJ Premier and Wu-Tang Clan.
[This article has been updated. The original version was published on February 28, 2019 and can be found below.]
Tommy Boy Records has made a decision regarding De La Soul’s digital catalog.
According to a statement obtained by Variety, the imprint has decided to postpone its release in light of the controversy surrounding the terms of their agreement with the legendary Hip Hop trio.
“Because Tommy Boy has not had the opportunity to sit down together with De La Soul and finalize our negotiations — something we’ve wanted to do for months — we have decided to postpone the digital release of their catalog scheduled for tomorrow,” the statement reads. “We know fans are eager to hear these amazing recordings and we are hopeful for a quick resolution.”
The group’s first six albums — including the 1989 classic 3 Feet High and Rising — was expected to arrive on all digital platforms on Friday (March 1) at midnight. But De La Soul was incredibly vocal about the situation on their Instagram page and inadvertently sparked a “Tommy Boy Boycott” spearheaded by Questlove.
Nas, JAY-Z, Jarobi and many of their peers quickly joined in the fight. As a result, TIDAL agreed not to participate in the streaming deal.
In a recent interview with HipHopDX, Maseo said the boycott was completely organic.
“Let me tell you what’s crazy,” he explained. “We flirted with the idea of a boycott for a long time — for about a good month-and-a-half. It’s crazy Questlove came out of the blue with that. We honestly wanted to be really clear on it being a boycott. It just sat there on our tongue. We were like, ‘What the fuck do we do!?’
“We legally can’t fight and can’t afford to fight. We ended up refraining from that. Tom [Silverman] can legally do this. It’s pretty much turned into a protest to us and a boycott for the fans. The boycott manifested on its own. It had been up to this point just a protest.”
The Tommy Boy rep added sampling wasn’t the primary source of their disagreement and “negotiating points are still to be finalized.”
De La’s catalog with the label has been plagued by legal issues over uncleared samples for 30 years. Their music has never have been legally available on streaming services and the catalog has moved from Tommy Boy to Warner Bros. and back again without the sampling issues being resolved.
Despite the label drama, De La Soul is in good spirits and looking forward to putting out two new albums this year, including a follow-up to 2016’s And The Anonymous Nobody and a third installment of the Art Official Intelligence series.
DX has reached out to Tommy Boy and De La Soul for further comment.
And the Dindu bullshit continues. “We legally can’t fight and can’t afford to fight. We ended up refraining from that. Tom [Silverman] can legally do this.“ wow. Infuses Black Privallege is a thing now?
Poor Millionares! That deal you made 30 years ago, that brought you to stardom, and made it so you’ve each made hundreds of thousands of dollars each yearly, since then, isn’t worth it now? Shucks. If you could, you would go back in time, not sign that deal, and be working at a Best Buy today, living in Jersey, driving a Hyundai. They’re only paying you what was in your contract that you agreed upon because of racism, slavery and Spike Lee losing at the Oscars because his movies suck. Jay-Z will co-sign that.
When did trolls become accountants and lawyers? Shut up.
Obvious facts make someone a troll because you simply can’t deanwith reality. That makes sense. Someone with a view opposed to you could easily be an accountant or a waitress at Denny’s. Idiot. I’ve seen De La several times live since the 90’s. All of their shows were sold out, and it was $30 back in the day, at venues that seat at least 1500-2000. Now they’re charging $40-50. I’m guessing you consider anyone who can do math at a 4th grade level an accountant. If I turn the lights off in a room, am I a wizard? How do you wipe your ass? Is there a team of your inbred family members there to help?
Quit crying.
Very inciteful. People like yourself, and your approach to a conversation is why we have LiL Pump and Lil Xan to deal with nowadays. Thanks. Sarcasm.
You got a point.
So De La made a bunch of music they really don’t have the right to use, but they’re mad its gonna get released digitally? Do they want people to forget who they are? Their days are over they should grasping for any platform they can get to showcase their music…wtf is this the twilight zone?
Yeah. No one else gets that. It’s some victim, exploitation, racism, inaquality shit that these millionaires are dealing with. Very sad, only not. This happens to rock bands all day. They don’t bitch, or they gather up enough money to buy their own albums back. Prince went out like a bitch when he signed a deal, spent up the money, then wasn’t happy that they wanted pop music, not whatever jam session he wanted to call an album. He then tried to change his name to a symbol to work around that. It didn’t work.
Fcuk everyone…burn everything
Tom ( ( ( Silverman ) ) )
He’s just another ((( White ))) goy!
😉
De La Soul is a bunch of whiny bitches. Between this and needing a Kickstarter to fund your album they come off looking like fools.
Really starting to se the hatred, jealousy and racism of these white cavemen when black people demand equality and stand together agaisnt the owners. Nothing changes i see. Notice how they wanna claim racism doesnt exist now. Meanwhile comparing everything to rock and roll while leaching of black music like usually
They been jealous from the start and will stay jealous.
Just ignore them and keep moving up because they just trying to bring confusion.
White people go and listen to eminem and beastie boys and stay out black people business like we stay out of yours
Looks like someone has chosen the wrong target! ((( White ))) is not White, but one day you’ll learn.
How did a race of cavemen ultimately invent everything?
Not EVERYTHING. black folk invented Rock, Hip-Hop, jazz, peanut butter and stop lights. The white man only invented the car, the computer, the watch, the clock, the (modern) firearm, the use of solar power, oil, atomic energy, space travel, 99.9% of significant scientific discoveries, most of the instruments used in modern music, electricity, the internet, modern medicine, the telephone, satellites, glasses, modern cloathing, the sexing and cultivation of modern potent marijuana, Cognac, Whisky, Vodka, the list goes on and on. Damn Cavemen are pretty clever, right? I’m a Latino BTW.
But the cavemen didn’t build the pyramids.
Yeah, those are CRAZY useful in everyone’s day to day life. Idiot
Here we go. Rock and Roll was also invented by Americans of African decent. How does the fact that these dudes signed a contract, and say plainly that they have no legal recourse, amount to racism? Before they signed to Tommy Boy, there were plenty of underground, self released artists, mainly in CA, putting out their own shit and making millions. Who in this situation is demanding equality and standing against their owners? Are you implying they are slaves? Is anyone’s Opinion that’s contradictory towards yours racist? What if the people here are Latinos or Asians commenting? Doesn’t that make you racist, buddy? Get over all of this victim bullshit pal. De Lá have great music. QTip was sleeping on a couch when the first ATCQ álbum came out, and received $5000 for his participation. They got sued HEAVILY for their first album, it’s actually a landmark case for sampling etc., they got fleeced due to Prince Paul making dope eats and not worrying about sample clearing. Countless Jazz, blues and rock artists were seriously screwed by labels. 98% of Elvis’ music was written by black men, who were literally paid in pennies and never given credit. Educate yourself a bit before throwing the race card around.
all contracts can and should be renegotiated…. this is about a company raping a artist. after three ft high and rising blew De la realized their monetary worth and the asshats at Tommy boy screwed them out of millions. That is what this is about. You dudes are really going sit here and tell me that you would let someone screw you out of money for ish you created? All of you are idiots who don’t have a clue.
I still dont understand why people are mad that De La Soul are looping to renegotiate their deal. Why should they stick in a bad deal? A bad deal is a bad deal. They can renegotiate. Renegotiating does not guarantee anything. They can also ASK fans to boycott as well. They are not bewaking the LAW. In fact rock bands can do the same. Its the benefiet of living in a democratie country. If you are a struggling hip hop artist out there in a bad deal. You can AMD should renegotiate.
You don’t get it? LOL. They signed a DEAL. They agreed to the terms they’re subject to today. The deal they made 30+ years ago made them famous. Without it, they wouldn’t be here. It’s the price you pay. They are all millionaires now, easily. De Lá charges $50K plus a show. The last several albums they put out (which were all meh, IMO), were thru different deals with different labels. Are they going to cry about those too in a few years. Take it like a motherfucking man. Bunch of dindu bullshit. I’ve had my car for 3 years, but I’m going to roll up to the dealership and demand they renegotiate my payment terms. Loser.
Can’t they just release it and renegotiate the terms while it’s available? I was really looking forward to streaming 3FH&R and DLSID. I haven’t heard either album in years.
i wonder if they are really willing to renegotiate or they simply want more points
What is De la offering to Tommy boy?
i hope they figure it out
next de la soul album needed- have public enemy do guest vocals
ive been waiting to get a copy of de la soul is dead for years..can we hurry this up?
Black privilege at it again. LOL. Yeah, that deal we made 30 years ago that made them millionaire today, isn’t enough… what kind of duckers is this. Idiots support this? Hahahaha.
Do you know their networth?