THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

246-De La Soul-Say No Go.

1989-Number 18 single.

Best Bit-At 0.06. How do you explain De La Soul to someone who doesn’t know of them?

De La Soul (see also best songs 444) have been described as the ‘Hip-Hop Beatles,’ and also as the ‘Hip-Hop Hippies.’ Their debut Album ‘3 Feet High and Rising’ from 1989 was released at around the same time as when ‘Gangsta Rap’ was booming, performed by acts such as Public Enemy (see also best songs 578 and 37) and N.W.A. (see also best songs 664 and 128.) The respected American writer Robert Christgau in his revue of the ‘3 Feet High and Rising’ Album in the ‘Village Voice’ in 1989 wrote, ‘An inevitable development in the class history of Rap, De La Soul is new wave, to Public Enemy’s Punk’.

De La Soul can be filed under the musical genres of ‘Alternative Hip-Hop,’ ‘Progressive Rap,’ ‘Jazz Rap,’ and ‘Golden Age Hip-Hop,’ which refers to ‘Hip-Hop’ music created from the mid or mid-late 1980’s to the early or early-mid 1990’s, There were various types of subject matter, while the music was experimental and the sampling from old records was eclectic. The American music journalist Sway Calloway has said, ‘What made the era they inaugurated worthy of the term golden was the sheer number of stylistic innovations that came into existence… in these golden years, a critical mass of mic prodigies were literally creating themselves, and their art form at the same time.’ During the ‘Golden Age of Hip-Hop,’ samples were heavily used. The ability to sample different beats, riffs and patterns from a wide variety of sources gave birth to a new breed of producers and DJ’s who did not necessarily need formal musical training or instruments, just a good ear for what samples worked well together. During this ‘Golden’ period artists and record labels were not yet aware of the permanence of Hip-Hop culture in the mainstream media, and did not yet accept it as a legitimate institution. They believe the ruling made in ‘Grand Upright Music, Ltd. v. Warner Bros. Records Inc.’ (see also best songs 111) on December 17th, 1991, marked the end of the ‘Golden Age of Hip Hop’s’ sampling practices.

The discography of De La Soul, who have sold in excess of five million Albums in America, includes eight studio Albums released between 1989-2016, and 26 singles released between 1988-2020, there are also three extended plays, (EP’s) three mixtapes, four official compilation Albums, and one live Album available. In America on the Billboard Hot 100, they have charted on just two occasions within the top 40, with ‘Me Myself I,’ (1989) making Number 34, and ‘Feel Good Inc,’ by the Gorillaz, featuring De La Soul, (2005) reaching Number 14. In the UK, De La Soul have achieved 11 top 40 hit singles, with ‘Feel Good Inc,’ by the Gorillaz, featuring De La Soul, peaking the highest at Number 2.

‘Say No Go’ was the fifth of eight singles released from De La Soul’s debut studio Album ‘3 Feet High and Rising’ from February 1989, the Album’s title comes from the 1959 song ‘Five Feet High and Rising’ from Johnny Cash (1932-2003.) The Album has been critically acclaimed as not only one of the greatest Rap Albums, but is recognised as one of the most important Albums of all time, appearing in many ‘best of’ lists. The Album is acclaimed for it’s lyrical content, and clever use of it’s numerous samples, it is also credited with introducing the ‘Hip-Hop skit,’ a style of comedic sketch used both to introduce Rap albums, and as interludes between songs. ‘Say No Go’ has song writing credits given to all three band members, Kelvin ‘Posdnuos’ Mercer, David ‘Trugoy the Dove’ Jolicoeur, (1968-2023) and Vincent ‘Maseo’ Mason, along with the songs producer Paul Huston, who is better known by his working name Prince Paul. Although the track contains at least five prominent samples, only they are credited as writers. The songs samples include ‘I Can’t Go for That (No Can Do’) from Daryl Hall & John Oates, ‘That’s The Joint’ from Funky 4+ 1,’ ‘Baby Let Me Take You (In My Arms’) by The Detroit Emeralds, ‘Crossword Puzzle’ by Sly Stone, ‘Best of My Love’ by the Emotions, ‘Dragnet (Theme Music’) by Walter Schumann, and ‘I’m Chief Kamanawanalea (We’re the Royal Macadamia Nuts’) by The Turtles. The songs message is about the evils of drugs, in particular ‘Base,’ which is Crack Cocaine, the songs title is a reference to Nancy Reagan’s (1921-2016) 1980’s anti-drug campaign ‘Just Say No.’

During the 1980’s and 1990’s, the United States faced a severe crack cocaine epidemic. This crisis particularly impacted Black urban communities, leading to increased rates of addiction, violence, and incarceration. In this context, ‘Say No Go’ is a cautionary tale about the use of drugs, David Jolicoeur, (1968-2023) of De La Soul, who went by the stage name ‘Trugoy the Dove’ has said, ‘Crack. We grew up around neighbourhoods where there was an epidemic. We knew drug dealers and some of us actually stood on the corner ourselves. We didn’t know about songs where people were boasting about being drug dealers at that time, so for us, speaking about social issues and things that were going on in our neighbourhood worked. Those three words, ‘say no go,’ kinda caught our ear, and we thought we could make that about not doing drugs.’

‘Now let’s get right on down to the skit, a baby is brought into a world of pits, and if it could’ve talked that soon in the delivery room, it would’ve asked the nurse for a hit.’