When David “Trugoy the Dove” Jolicoeur of influential rap group De La Soul died last month, fans who wished to hear their work on music streaming services would have been unable to do so due to legal and copyright issues.
But on Friday, De La Soul’s first six albums spanning from 1989 to 2001 finally debuted on Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal and similar music services.
De La Soul’s digital arrival is the culmination of a decades-long battle against copyright constraints and multiple labels, including Tommy Boy Records, the group’s first. The Tommy Boy music catalog was acquired by Reservoir Media in 2021, opening an avenue for the group to appear on streaming.
The pioneering group was formed in 1988 by Jolicoeur, Kelvin “Posdnuos” Mercer and Vincent “Pasemaster Mase” Mason after they attended high school together in Amityville, New York.