Update 01/03/2023 12:47pm:
In 2021, Talib Kweli revealed that De La Soul finally owned the rights to their music after a public back-and-forth with Tommy Boy Records. The record company sold the entire Tommy Boy catalog to Reservoir Media for $100 million, and Reservoir made it known they were willing to work out a deal “to bring the catalog and the music back to the fans.” Now, it appears that moment is coming for fans of the legendary hip-hop group.
According to De La Soul, their first six albums will be available on streaming platforms starting March 3, 2023. It was noted by Reservoir Media that a massive marketing campaign was created for the releases to streaming and that De La’s catalog will be distributed via Chrysalis Records. The group issued a statement on the news, saying: "We can’t believe this day is finally here, and we are excited to be able to share our music with fans, old and new.” Stay tuned for updates.
source: Twitter
Original 06/05/2021 1:34pm:
Legendary hip hop group De La Soul got into it with their former label Tommy Boy Records, who reportedly postponed putting the group’s catalog on streaming platforms. The group revealed the percentages from the streams, which were not in their favor at all. From there, they asked fans not to stream any of their music until the situation was resolved with Tommy Boy. Now, it appears that the situation may be coming to a close after Tommy Boy’s catalog was acquired by Reservoir Media for $100 million.
Reservoir noted they are down to create a deal with the group to get their early works onto streaming platforms, with a spokesperson for the company saying “We have already reached out to De La Soul and will work together to bring the catalog and the music back to the fans.” Stay tuned for more updates.
source: Variety
Original 08/08/2019 9:36pm:
De La Soul has been embroiled in a nasty legal battle over gaining their masters from Tom Silverman and Tommy Boy Records. The legendary hip-hop group is now urging fans not to stream their music after negotiations went awry. They took to Instagram to explain the situation, writing: "Well friends, after 30 years of profiting from our music and hard work... and after 7 long months of stalled negotiations, we are sad to say that we’ve been unable to reach an agreement and earn Tommy Boy’s respect for our music/legacy." The group added, "With some helpful consulting and long careful consideration, we’ve decided we will not do our 30+ years the disservice of settling on Tom Silverman’s terms."
After months of negotiations, both Tommy Boy Records and De La Soul have yet to reach an agreement. With both parties walking away without any resolution, De La is now spreading the word of their proposed boycott through the hashtags, #dontpressplay, and #tommyboycottcontinues.
The end with "Tommy Boy says they are 'not in the business of giving artists back their Masters.' We realize, there is a process in reclaiming ownership but we do not trust Tommy Boy in this process after so many years of disappointment. Therefore, our catalog will not see the light of day by way of our involvement or consent. This means, if you see De La Soul music/albums available for streaming or purchase anywhere, BE AWARE, all parties involved WILL profit but De La Soul WILL NOT benefit or earn deservedly/fairly. We really tried. More details to come."
Source: instagram.com
