De La Soul Provides Details for Their New Album, 'and the Anonymous Nobody’

With the immediate success of their Kickstarter campaign for a fan-funded album, De La Soul has released the title and details on their upcoming album, and the Anonymous Nobody. The group put out the following statement:

“The Anonymous Nobody: that everyday individual who one day, when least expected, stands up and faces the challenger. He/she refuses to accept… They defy in the hopes of rebirth, growth, and change. They’re the ones who smirk at accolades and take the blow in exchange for the comfort of others. We are those nobodies. We want change from our industries past… labels and lawyers, shackles that kept us bound, at times unable to express our total creative voice. So we stand… bravely trying something new, facing that challenge, fighting for change, fighting against the sample police and fighting for our (and hopefully yours too) continued freedom.”

De La Soul recently offered their six-album catalog for free download presumably to combat never having their work available for digital purchase or on any streaming service. This is a result of Warner Bros. not paying required sample clearances. Thus, the Kickstarter campaign was initiated to support their first album in 10 years, free of industry restrictions. Within 24 hours and huge support from their fans, the campaign reached its $110k goal. As with any successful Kickstarter campaign, support comes with very interesting rewards including everything from handwritten lyric sheets and their new Nike SB Hi-Top Dunks to a 10-year concert badge. With 28 days to go and $318k pledged, the promise of live production from “200+ hours of music” created in “freestyle, unrehearsed, jam sessions” to build a very special project seems to be viable.

The album is available now for presale on Kickstarter, both digitally and on CD.

Written by: Rae Witte