At the dawn of the ‘90s, when the most popular hip-hop was neck-deep in intimidating street tales, New Yorkers De La Soul offered an alternate take, striving for peace and harmony with creative rhyme styles on their critically acclaimed debut 3 Feet High and Rising. Prince Paul’s heavily sample-based production style and inventive skits remain massively influential, even as hip-hop aesthetics have shifted from the jazz, soul, and classic R&B sounds he drew from. The group continued to evolve, leaving behind the flowery aesthetic that mistakenly branded them as “hippies” for a darker tone on records like De La Soul is Dead and Buhloone Mindstate. Though this current lineup is without Trugoy the Dove—who passed in 2023—the group has experienced a resurgence of interest with new 2025 release Cabin in the Sky. They’re joined by Bronx legend Pete Rock, producer and occasional MC best known for his collaborations with CL Smooth (“They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)”) and his production work on classic albums by Nas, AZ, Rakim, and his cousin Heavy D. Widely considered one of the most renowned hip-hop producers of the ‘90s, his hazy, jazz-centric sample style is both distinctive and widely influential. His recent studio collaboration with Common, The Auditorium Vol. 1, earned him a GRAMMY nomination last year.