De La Soul featuring Chuck D - The People

Whether it’s a gathering in celebration or rallying for a cause, there has always been power in number and unity. And during hip-hop’s golden age, a few of the best to understand this concept were the party jamming alternative hip hop trio De La Soul and revolutionary-minded anthemic rap crew Public Enemy. While it’s been over a decade since De La Soul has worked on a studio project, today the group dropped their most recent work “The People,” a political spoken-word piece in collaboration with P.E.’s authoritative and intellectual frontman Chuck D. Considering all the protests and riots that have been dominating the headlines this week, this release could not have come at a better time. Listen above and read the info about the track below.

The idea for the song came from a couple of samples, and the track’s vibe is earnest and has a pressing tone to it. The lyrics are commentaries of our struggles and successes, our weaknesses and strengths… the experiences… and trials and tribulations we have faced as human beings, a race, and as individuals. Lyrically Chuck brings a sense of authority and urgency. The power in his voice demands your attention. With Chuck on the track this is a dream come true for us.

Originally “The People” was suppose to drop in June around the same time the Chuck D/Hot 97/Peter Rosenberg situation took place. We chose to hold off and not add fuel to any fires. Our next aim was for a Black Friday release. Coincidentally the Ferguson tragedy took place, and more recently the non-indictment verdict. Somehow this song was destined to be a part of something more than just dropping a joint. We hope it will lend itself to something positive in these difficult times.