Hip-hop has never been my genre of choice, but there was one exception back in the late 80s / early 90s: De La Soul. Their beats were warmer, the humour sharper, and the flow more playful than anything else I heard coming out of hip-hop. They sounded curious, inventive and most of all joyful. Seeing them on stage almost three decades after I first saw them, those qualities still shine through.
When De La Soul took the stage at Rosendal Garden Party, it was obvious they still exhuded those positive vibes and a sense of fun. At the same time it was inevitably bittersweet, as the group continues in the shadow of the loss of David “Trugoy the Dove” Jolicoeur, who passed away in 2023. His absence is impossible to ignore, as 3 is indeed the magic number. “Posdnuos” and “Pasemaster Mase” did turn their eyes up to the skies more than once, as they brought a live performance that was a wonderful celebration of what the trio created together.
At Rosendal, the atmosphere matched the music. Surrounded by the greenery of Djurgården and the chill festival setting, De La Soul brought a smile on people’s faces, and made them sing and wave and jump in unison.
It did of course feel nostalgic, but at the same time it felt fresh. The grooves are still irresistible and the rhymes flow as effortlessly as ever. And the chemistry between the remaining members carries that spirit that made them stand out from the crowd all those years ago.
De La Soul is most definitely not dead.
All photos © Nina Uddin
