Legendary hip hop group De La Soul will premiere their highly anticipated documentary, “Chapter 3,” from June 7 to June 14 on YouTube, the band's Facebook, Twitter and official website. Chapter 3 chronicles the iconic studio sessions leading up to the 2023 re-release and remastering of De La Soul's catalog, one of the most celebrated collections of music in hip hop. These sessions marked the first time in nearly 30 years that Posdonus, Dave, Maceo and producer Prince Paul gathered in the same studio for a De La Soul project.
Chapter 3 captures the journey of four adults with a legacy to uphold, and the memories and moments that helped forge it. The documentary offers an intimate look into the creative process, friendship and passion that defined De La Soul's enduring legacy.
Fans can tune in to a series of live stream presentations that will be broadcast daily in different time zones. The schedule is as follows:
June 7 – Los Angeles, California, USA – 3:00 PM
June 8 – Sydney, Australia – 3pm
June 9 – Chicago, Illinois, USA – 3pm
June 10th – London, UK – 3pm
June 11th – Paris, France – 3pm
June 12th – Seoul, South Korea – 3pm
June 13 – Sao Paulo, Brazil – 3pm
June 14 – New York, New York, USA – 3:00 p.m.
On June 14th, the livestream of the documentary will redirect to the official music video premiere of “The Magic Number” at 3:30pm ET.
The “The Magic Number” music video explores two opposing concepts that have long plagued the De La Soul brand: soul and artificial intelligence (AI). With their Artofficial Intelligence (AOI) album, De La Soul proved to be ahead of their time by discussing the concept of AI and its impact on art. The video was created using generative art-based AI to make it a timely and unique piece. However, without the heart poured into it by the De La Soul members themselves, it is missing a crucial element of “soul” and reveals an important commentary on the place of AI in art.
The project began while Dave was still alive and transformed into something incredibly moving following his passing in February 2023. Pos and Maceo's efforts to support De La Brando during this critical time are a testament to their dedication and tenacity. “The Magic Number” is positioned as a supplement to the documentary, showcasing De La's final time as a trio and sadly the last time all three were together.
De La Soul's documentary and music video are part of YouTube's FIFTY DEEP Music Class of 2024, a multigenerational grants program that supports and champions Black artists, songwriters and producers in the field of hip hop. The group's ability to blend creativity with modern technology has been a hallmark of their career and earned them this prestigious recognition from YouTube.