Damon Albarn pays tribute to Gorillaz collaborator Trugoy The Dove
De La Soul was one of Damon Albarn’s favourite collaborators throughout his work with Gorillaz. After featuring the trio prominently on the band’s hit single ‘Feel Good Inc.’, Albarn brought back the members of De La Soul two other times to rap on Gorillaz songs. Once was on 2010’s Plastic Beach for the song ‘Superfast Jellyfish’, and the other was on 2017’s Humanz for the track ‘Momentz’.
When De La Soul’s indelible Plug Two passed away on Super Bowl Sunday, it left a major hole in the history of the alternative rap genre. Trugoy’s death came at a time when De La Soul was primed for rediscovery: the band had just confirmed that they were getting all of their classic albums put on streaming services for the first time. A whole new generation of hip-hop heads were about to see why De La Soul were one of the most revered acts of the early 1990s, but unfortunately, Trugoy won’t be around to see it.
To pay tribute to one of his favourite collaborators, Gorillaz leader Damon Albarn has shared a short piano loop on his Instagram. The accompanying caption reads, “A loop for Dave. I love you”. The piano piece is a sombre one, which makes sense considering how Albarn is in mourning for his friend. It’s also delicate and beautiful, giving off the same light and affability that Trugoy himself brought to much of his music throughout his life.
Born David Jolicoeur, Trugoy the Dove was instantly canonised within the history of hip hop when he and his bandmates in De La Soul released their debut album, 3 Feet High and Rising, in the spring of 1989. A watermark for the emerging genre of alternative rap, De La Soul provided a counter to the emerging genre of gangsta rap that was taking over hip-hop at the time. De La Soul were pioneers in the jazz rap style that was born out of their native New York, becoming one of the main voices of the genre along with fellow Big Apple rap groups like A Tribe Called Quest and the Jungle Brothers.
For their follow-up, De La Soul decided to counteract their image as the hippies of hip hop by releasing 1991’s De La Soul is Dead. Dense with social commentary, biting sarcasm, and surrealism, De La Soul is Dead was specifically crafted to kill off the band’s previous “D.A.I.S.Y.” philosophy. Throughout the rest of their career, De La Soul would constantly tweak their sound and adopt new styles.
Along the way, they maintained collaborations with everyone from Snoop Dogg to Jessie J and The Black Eyed Peas. Although they crafted one of the most distinct discographies in hip hop, it was often hard for fans to access these albums. After disputes with their record labels over royalties and control of their catalogue, most of De La Soul’s albums were barred from appearing on streaming services like Spotify. The lack of representation on streaming services prevented De La Soul from being readily accessible to new generations of fans.
The group had resolved their disputes earlier this year, promising that their first six albums would be featured on streaming services by March of 2023. Unfortunately, Trugoy just missed out on seeing his music become fully available to new listeners. Check out Albarn’s tribute to Trugoy down below.
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