3 Feet High and Rising

"The Magic Number" redirects here. For other uses, see Magic number.
3 Feet High and Rising
Studio album by
De La Soul
ReleasedFebruary 6, 1989
Studio
Genre
Length67:24
LabelTommy Boy
ProducerPrince Paul
De La Soul chronology
3 Feet High and Rising
(1989) 		De La Soul Is Dead
(1991)
Singles from 3 Feet High and Rising
  1. "Plug Tunin'"
    Released: June 1988
  2. "Potholes in My Lawn"
    Released: November 1988
  3. "Buddy"
    Released: December 11, 1988
  4. "Me Myself and I"
    Released: April 1, 1989
  5. "Say No Go"
    Released: August 24, 1989
  6. "Eye Know"
    Released: September 1989
  7. "The Magic Number"
    Released: December 11, 1989
  8. "Tread Water"
    Released: 1990

3 Feet High and Rising is the debut studio album by the American hip hop group De La Soul, released on February 6, 1989,[2] by Tommy Boy Records. It was the first of three collaborations with the producer Prince Paul, and was the critical and commercial peak of both parties. The album title comes from the Johnny Cash song "Five Feet High and Rising".[3] The album contains the singles "Me Myself and I", "The Magic Number", "Buddy", and "Eye Know".

The album was a critical and commercial success. It is consistently placed on lists of the greatest albums of all time by noted critics and publications, with Robert Christgau calling it "unlike any rap album you or anybody else has ever heard".[4] In 1998, it was selected as one of The Source's "100 Best Rap Albums"[5] and in 2020 was ranked 103 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list.[6] It was selected by the Library of Congress as a 2010 addition to the National Recording Registry, which selects recordings annually that are "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".[7] As of 2023, it is the only De La Soul album to be certified platinum by the RIAA.[8]

Along with the rest of De La Soul's back catalog, 3 Feet High and Rising was not made available for digital purchase or streaming until 2023, due to concerns about the legality of the samples for digital releases.[9]

  1. ^ Richard Harrington. "DE LA SOUL'S MIND-BENDING RAP". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 2020-08-22. Retrieved 2023-03-23.
  2. ^ Lindsey, Darryl (30 January 1989). Armstrong, Graham (ed.). "Rap Up" (PDF). The R&B Report. 2 (21). Burbank, California, USA: The Rhythm And Blues Report, Inc.: 32. Archived from the original on 2022-04-01. Retrieved 2024-05-20. Coming from Tommy Boy, February 6, is the debut album from the group critics have called Psychedelic Hip-Hop--De La Soul. 3 Feet High And Rising was produced by Prince Paul{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  3. ^ Brian Coleman (12 Mar 2009). Check the Technique: Liner Notes for Hip-Hop Junkies. Random House Publishing. p. 152. ISBN 9780307494429.
  4. ^ "Playboy Feb. 1989". Robert Christgau. Archived from the original on 3 July 2011. Retrieved 2011-08-16.
  5. ^ "Source Magazine's 100 Best Albums". Raquenel.com. Archived from the original on 2011-07-24. Retrieved 2011-08-16.
  6. ^ "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time". Rolling Stone. 22 September 2020. Archived from the original on 4 August 2021. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
  7. ^ "The National Recording Registry 2010". Library of Congress. Archived from the original on April 10, 2011. Retrieved April 10, 2011.
  8. ^ Ayiku, Vernon (March 7, 2023). "De La Soul's Albums Ranked from Worst to Best". Exclaim!. Archived from the original on March 9, 2023. Retrieved March 9, 2023.
  9. ^ "De La Soul's music catalog makes streaming debut". 4 March 2023. Archived from the original on 26 March 2023. Retrieved 7 May 2023.