The album that changed Pharrell’s life: “It was a total game-changer”
Pharrell is a master of his craft, whether it comes to rapping or producing. But the chart-topping, hit-producing artist wouldn’t be the musician he is today if it wasn’t for some inspiring music coming out in his youth.
During an interview, Pharrell named De La Soul’s 3 Feet High and Rising and De La Soul Is Dead as two albums everyone needs to hear in their lifetime. He also credited Damon Albarn with showing love to Posdnuos, Maseo and Trugoy the Dove when they were going through their music royalty issues.
“All of De La Soul’s stuff is being rereleased [on streaming services],” he told The Guardian. “Everybody needs to get 3 Feet High and Rising and De La Soul Is Dead. Even when they were going through all their stuff [a protracted dispute over the rights to their catalogue], Damon [Albarn] from Blur put them on the Gorillaz albums, because he gets it. He knows those guys are responsible for making so many of us misfits feel like we actually fit.”
Then, he proclaimed that 3 Feet High and Rising was the album that changed his life. “The De La tribe were the forefathers and founders of the way we see things,” he said. “I was nearly 16 when 3 Feet High and Rising came out. It was a total game-changer. It changed my life, period. Would I like to work with them? I would do anything for them, they know that. If they don’t, they should.”
Released in 1989, 3 Feet High and Rising is considered one of the greatest rap albums of all time, featuring classic songs such as ‘Eye Know’, ‘Magic Number’ and ‘Me Myself and I’. The follow-up, De La Soul Is Dead, which arrived in 1991, is also mentioned as one of the best LPs. Prince Paul produced both albums.
Trugoy passed away in February 2023. Following his death, Pharrell paid tribute to the rapper, writing on X (formerly Twitter), “Trugoy Dave from De La Soul has gone up to be with the day of the stars with the Master. Sending love, light and positive vibrations to his family, The Soul and everyone whose lives have been touched by his existence. Oodles and Oodles and Oodles of O’s.”
While 3 Feet High and Rising was the album that changed his life, a song also did. After hearing Afrika Bambaataa and The Soul Sonic Force’s ‘Planet Rock’ in 1982, his world was never the same again.
“This record changed my life,” he admitted. “It was a phenomenon. The whole neighbourhood was playing it on boomboxes. I didn’t understand what the hell it was. It was like some space shit. Pharrell also shouted out a couple of other tracks from Run-DMC and Art of Noise in soundtracking his breakdancing days.
He added, “Then, just after ‘Planet Rock’, there was Run-DMC’s ‘It’s Like That’. Those two records were incredible. And Art of Noise [‘Beat Box’]. I was a breakdancer back then. I didn’t know I was going to be musician at that stage.”