What is the title of De La Soul’s 1989 debut album, widely praised for its playful sampling and inventive skits?

De La Soul’s 1989 debut album is titled 3 Feet High and Rising.

Released on March 3, 1989, the album was produced primarily by Prince Paul and became a landmark of alternative hip hop. Its bright, humorous style contrasted with the harder-edged rap that dominated much of the era.

The album is known for imaginative sampling, playful interviews, surreal humor, and recurring skits. Songs such as “Me Myself and I,” “Buddy,” and “Potholes in My Lawn” helped establish the Long Island trio as major figures in the Native Tongues collective.

A common mix-up is confusing the album with De La Soul’s 1991 follow-up, De La Soul Is Dead. 3 Feet High and Rising was the group’s first studio album and remains its most widely recognized release.