“Millie Pulled A Pistol on Santa” is Based on a True Story
For anyone picking up a copy of De La Soul is Dead in 1991, it should have been evident at first glance that the group was headed into uncharted territory. After the Long Island trio and Prince Paul staked their claim in the game through the positive, socially conscious lyrics and layered production of 1989's 3 Feet High and Rising, many people expected more of the same on album number two.
Imagine their shock when they looked at the cover art for De La’s sophomore effort. Between the album’s design, song selections, and title, the message was clear — De La Soul had killed their former selves.
After an energetic and happy debut, this was a much more mature and angry group. But what led to this dramatic shift in their image and message?
Two years of touring all over the country changes people. In the time following the release of 3 Feet High, De La grew older and world-weary. Once they were mislabeled as hippie-hop, people started testing them at shows. “Punk little kids goin’ around and thinkin’ just because we got daisies in our video we’re soft,” Posdnuos told Spin magazine in a 1991 interview. “Just because we speak about peace doesn’t mean we can’t defend ourselves and kick much ass.”
“When we made 3 Feet High and Rising, we were younger and had less to worry about. Once it took off life got hectic.”- Posdnuos
Over time the squabbles with wannabe tough guys earned the group a negative rep. While touring with LL Cool J before the release of De La Soul is Dead, the frequent ass-whoopings they delivered caught up with them and they were asked to leave the tour.
In addition to the embarrassment of being removed from a major tour, they faced a $1.7 million lawsuit as a result of an uncleared Turtles’ sample used on 3 Feet High. Though they settled out of court for an undisclosed amount, this lawsuit added an element of tension not felt on the previous album. “Before, I just sampled things that I grew up on and loved, the music our parents listened to,’’ Maseo told Rolling Stone in 1991. “Now everybody is looking for De La Soul to sample them.’’
While the group dealt with frequent brawls and financial stress, they were also dealing with the scary truths of adulthood. “When we made 3 Feet High and Rising, we were younger and had less to worry about,” Pos told Spin. “Once it took off life got hectic, friendships and relationships changed, and we went through the whole nine of being in the public eye. Negative things happen and you learn how to deal with them.”
“Whatever we see, whether it’s from within us or what we learn or see in the streets, that’s what we write about.’’- Posdnuos
Several of the negative things that Pos mentioned were happening in his back yard. His older brother’s struggles with drugs drove him to write “My Brother’s a Basehead” and “Millie Pulled a Pistol on Santa”, perhaps the album’s darkest cut, was also inspired by real-life events.
On “Millie”, Dave and Posdnuos act as narrators, painting a disturbing tale of a high school friend who is sexually abused by her father. The father Dillon— a model citizen, Pos’s social worker, and a volunteer Santa at Macy’s during the holiday season — is a monster within the walls of his own home. Riding a somber Parliament loop, Pos tells us about the terrible suffering his friend Millie endures.
Yeah, it seemed that Santa’s ways were parallel with Dillon
But when Millie and him got home, he was more of a villain
While she slept in he crept inside her bedroom
And he would toss and then would force her to give him head room
At the end of the story, Millie gets her hands on a pistol and kills her father while he plays Santa at Macy’s. A young Dave and Pos showed remarkable maturity with how they handled such delicate subject matter. They make the listener feel sympathy for the victim in the story without exploiting her while bringing awareness to the important issue of sexual abuse.
Although the dramatic climax of “Millie” didn’t happen in real life, the storyline of an abused friend was very real. “I know a young friend who was going through that, her father was abusing her,” Pos told Spin. “I was really upset about that and just applied it to wax — that’s all that was.”
25 years later, “Millie Pulled a Pistol on Santa” is one of the all-time great storytelling rap records. Hopefully record labels can resolve the antiquated and ridiculous copyright laws that are keeping De La Soul is Dead out of streaming services and iTunes so more listeners can rediscover this remarkable album and song.
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