BY JAKE PAINE • SEPTEMBER 21, 2018

De La Soul’s third album celebrates 25 years of being on planet earth today (September 21). Of all the LPs from the Plugs, it can sometimes seem easy to lose Buhloone Mindstate in the lights of a discography as consistent and far-reaching as any in the Rap genre. Many Heads are partial to the two releases that came before it, the LP after, and the AOI series. Recently, fans have been enjoying the ongoing rollout surrounding De La’s 2016 Grammy-nominated …And The Anonymous Nobody LP. However, back in 1993, the group alongside mentor/producer Prince Paul gave the public a body of work that has aged with grace in a way that truly is “somethin’ like a phenomenon.” The moment showed Hip-Hop in a tug-of-war, and let many know that De La Soul is forever fighting the good fight.

The commentary De La made on “Ego Trippin’ (Part II)”—a song synonymous with its video—is still relevant 25 years later. In honor of the birthday, Tommy Boy Records has uploaded the visual that is among the crew’s most memorable during the ’90s. After grabbing attention with some rhythmic screaming, Dave kicks, “I’ve got the trees in my backyard, and it’s hard for them to tell a lie to me,” that line pulled Hip-Hop out of the city without compromising one iota of its ruggedness on the Jazz-tinged track. In one single line, he’s nodding to another L.I. icon in Billy Joel with the cadence, but also Boogie Down Production’s Hip-Hopping it on “Bridge Is Over.” The writing is arguably environmental, but presumably an explanation of why De La was not concerned with the rigmarole. This bar embodies one of the group’s secrets to success: they take pleasure in the simple things, like a home on some land, and time to reflect. It’s a far cry from “the merry-go-round” industry-universe that John Lennon tried to escape right before he was killed in the Big Apple 13 years earlier.

Much of “Ego Trippin” laughs at those without this same clarity. By 1993, rappers and Rap groups were living out their dreams in fantastic music videos. Models, low-riders, pool-parties, helicopters, chase sequences all enhanced the lyricism, with plenty of bubbly or malt liquor to go round–depending on the brand of Rap. De La Soul laughed at the posturing and inflated ideals. As they played along with decade-old Mercedes roadsters, mansion pool-parties, and hats made of cash money, the trio and affiliate Shorty No Mas still wear their Everyman layered t-shirts and baggy pants. Captions cue the viewer that it’s all a front; the car is rented, and Dave doesn’t live in the West Coast estate.

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