“Make Those Records You Make”: Prince Paul Recalls the Making of ‘De La Soul is Dead’

In the summer of 2008 The Smoking Section let me write an extensive oral history of De La Soul’s first four albums. The two-part piece included interviews with authors Ethan Brown and Brian Coleman, V103 DJ and Scratch Atlanta instructor DJ Jaycee, graphic designer and mixtape DJ Scott Williams, and Prince Paul. Jaycee even made an unbelievable De La Soul mixtape to help promote the article. It was one of the most fun collaborative efforts I have ever been a part of. Writing the article cemented my love of all things De La and Prince Paul. It also made me an even more obsessive student of their work.

On May 13th, 2016, De La Soul is Dead will turn 25 years old. After my Smoking Section piece I aspired to write a oral history about the making of, reception, and legacy of the album to coincide with the anniversary. I love 99% of De La Soul’s output, but for me, De La Soul is Dead is their Mount Rushmore and my favorite album of all time. During my various attempts to write the book 7L, 88-Keys, DJ Neil Armstrong, and Prince Paul were all kind enough to do extensive interviews with me. While they provided me with some great material, a book would require many more interviews with artists and admirers of the album.