De La Soul reaches Kickstarter goal for new album

Just a day after passing the hat for contributions toward a new album, De La Soul has met their goal.

The beloved New York hip-hop trio are already on their way to doubling their initial ask toward the budget for a new LP. As of 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, the group’s Kickstarter page shows more than $180,000 donated, easily surpassing the $110,000 goal.

The LP will be De La Soul’s first original studio album in 11 years. Donors to the campaign are up for a bevy of rewards, ranging from a friendly email to original art prints, Twitter follows, new sneakers, one of the group’s personal boomboxes and the platinum LP for the band’s landmark “3 Feet High and Rising.” Collaborators include David Byrne, Damon Albarn and 2 Chainz, among many others.

De La Soul is one of hip-hop’s foundational acts. Members have long been well-regarded for their adventurous sampling, but for this album they’ve raised the stakes on that approach. The group tracked 200 hours of live-band recordings with professional studio musicians that they’ll use as exclusive sample material for this record.

Their groundbreaking approach to sampling has landed them in legal hot water before, and they were sued by the pop band Turtles in 1989 for uncleared use of their material. This tactic ensures a clear path for recording, and a bevy of one-of-a-kind sounds to cull from.

If Jay Z’s Tidal service doesn’t work out, it’s good to know that at least some classic artists have figured out how to get paid for their music, even if it means clearing out their awards closet.

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