Oliver Wang. Joe Philipson hide caption
Oliver Wang.
Joe PhilipsonOliver Wang is an culture writer, scholar, and DJ based in Los Angeles. He's the author of Legions of Boom: Filipino American Mobile DJ Crews of the San Francisco Bay Area and a professor of sociology at CSU-Long Beach. He's the creator of the audioblog soul-sides.com and co-host of the album appreciation podcast, Heat Rocks.
De La's absence from streaming sites has effectively erased their presence from the contemporary musical landscape and threatened to minimize their historical import. Now legally available on the internet for the first time, we revisit the classic catalog and its restored legacy. Jackie Lay/NPR hide caption
David Jolicoeur — also known as Trugoy the Dove and Plug Two — performs with De La Soul in Chelmsford, England in 2015. Tristan Fewings/Getty Images hide caption
Betty Davis in New York in 1969. Anthony Barboza/Getty Images hide caption
A new Dusty Springfield anthology collects singles from her time with Atlantic Records. Courtesy of Real Gone Music hide caption
Lil Baby performs during a Juneteenth voter registration rally on June 19, 2020 at Murphy Park Fairgrounds in Atlanta, Ga. One week earlier, he released "The Bigger Picture," a song protesting police brutality. Paras Griffin/Getty Images hide caption
Betty Wright in 1975, when she was 21 years old, stands with a display of some of her album covers. Wright was already a veteran by the time she was out of her teens, having released four studio albums that included multiple songs that would be career signatures. Central Press/Getty Images hide caption
Kanye West onstage during his Jesus Is King album and film event at The Forum on Oct. 23, 2019 in Inglewood, California. Kevin Winter/Getty Images for ABA hide caption
The Patrice Rushen compilation Remind Me: The Classic Elektra Recordings 1978-1984 revisits that formative period in Rushen's industry-spanning career. Patrice Rushen Archives/Courtesy of the artist hide caption
Marvin Gaye (and admirers) in London in the mid-1970s. John Minihan/Getty Images hide caption
The latest album from Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band, The Serpent's Mouth, walks a tightrope between embracing steel pan's melodious charm and its kitschy past. Sesse Lind/Courtesy of the artist hide caption
Nominees for song of the summer tend to be lively party anthems, but the grooves on The Internet's Hive Mind, out now, help score summertime's less boisterous but no less sublime moments. Alan Lear/Courtesy of the artist hide caption
Cut Chemist's latest album Die Cut incorporates new wave synth rock, country and pop into the DJ's spin cycle. Joseph Armario/Courtesy of the artist hide caption
Dr. Octagon's first album in 22 years is Moosebumps: An Exploration Into Modern Day Horripilation Courtesy of the artist hide caption
The Shacks have learned to boost its presence through smartly stacked overdubs and woozy sheets of reverb. Sesse Lind/Courtesy of the artist hide caption
Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings' final album, Soul of a Woman, is available now. Jacob Blickenstaff/Courtesy of the artist hide caption
Mr. Brown Eyed Soul, Sunny & The Sunliners' latest anthology album, is available now. Ramon Hernandez/Courtesy of the artist hide caption
Kendrick Lamar performs a DAMN.-heavy set on Sunday at the 2017 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. Kevin Winter/Getty Images hide caption
Chicano Batman's new album, Freedom Is Free, comes out March 3. Josue Rivas/Courtesy of the artist hide caption
Lee Fields & The Expressions' latest album, Special Night, is out now. Courtesy of the artist hide caption
