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August 17th – Posdnuos of De La Soul was born Kelvin Mercer in The Bronx, New York, on this day in 1969.

Pos, who grew up in East Massapequa, New York, met Dave Jude Jolicoeur as a child.
Jolicoeur would become known as Truogoy The Dove, then Dove and now simply Dave in De La Soul.

While attending Amityville High School in Long Island, Pos and Dave met Vincent Mason who would become known as Mase in De La Soul and become the legendary group’s DJ.

De La Soul would change the face of hip-hop and all its preconceived notions, with their innovations in sound, presentation, fashion and subject matter.

The classic, trippy, 1989 debut album “3 Feet High And Rising” on Tommy Boy Records, with its skits which the group pioneered along with its unlikely sample sources, courtesy of groundbreaking production by Prince Paul, would turn the music world upside down.

“3 Feet High And Rising”, as an album, has been put on par, by critics and fans alike, on the level of works by The Beatles, Michael ,Jackson, Prince, Jimi Hendrix and The Rolling Stones.

The album still has a profound effect on contemporary hip-hop today.

Pos would go on to release six more classic albums with De La; 1991’s masterpiece, and underrated, “De La Soul Is Dead”, 1993’s “Buhloone Mindstate”, 1996’s “Stakes Is High”, 2000’s “Art Official Intelligence”, 2001’s “A.O.I.: Mosaic Thump” and 2004’s “The Grind Date.”

De La Soul has also released live albums as well as compilations of previously unreleased material.

Pos and Dave have a side project with French DJ duo Chocolate and Khalid called First Serve, whose album and its cinematic theme will be released at some point this year. Pos and Dave will play the roles of Jacob “Pop Life” Barrow and Deen Witter respectively.

Pos, who as a teen was first known as DJ Sound Sop, which when flipped backwards became Posdnuos, is considered one of the greatest MC’s of all time as well as one of the most underrated in the genre as well.

Pos’ electrifying live performances have equaled his brilliant work and verses on ground breaking records like “Pease Porridge”, “Eye Know”, “Stakes Is High” and “Patty Dooke.”

Pos has been known to develop new flows and cadences on every subsequent De La Soul albums, allowing the veteran New York MC to remain sounding fresh and innovative at all times.

He’s influenced several artists such as Mos Def, Dream Warriors, The Notorious B.I.G., The Roots, Arrested Development, P.M. Dawn and Kanye West.

Pos, along with De La Soul, were also a part of The Native Tongue Posse with The Jungle Brothers, A Tribe Called Quest, Queen Latifah, Monie Love, Black Sheep and Chi-Ali.

Pos is one of the most important, innovative and original MC’s in the history of hip-hop.