but it’s been blowing up for three decades: Happy 30th anniversary to De la Soul’s immortal Buhloone Mindstate! It’s my favorite record of the ’90s and easily in my all-time top 5. Though I play it more than any other hip-hop album, I was actually listening to a De la compilation the day before I heard about the milestone. My favorite tracks are from the prior albums: Keepin’ the Faith from De la Soul is Dead and Say No Go from 3 Feet High and Rising (best use of Hall and Oates ever, unbeknownst to me for years until I heard the H&O source sample in a truck stop between San Antonio and Houston). But the Buhloone tracks have more oomph than anything on the GH except maybe their wondrous latter-day Chaka Khan collaboration. And thanks to this particular comp for adding In the Woods to the usual BM “hits” Ego Trippin’ and Breakadawn. My only corrective would be to add I Am I Be, along with Woods, Ego, and Patti Dooks the great set pieces on this dynamic soundscape with undeniable motifs highlighted by the recurring Maceo Parker riff. I only wish that the enormously missed MC Dave (aka Trugoy aka Plug 2) was still around to celebrate it with us.