De La Soul has issued a strong statement denouncing High and Rising: A Book About De La Soul, a newly published biography by Marcus J. Moore.

According to Stereogum, the biography was released on November 19, 2024, and chronicles the legendary hip-hop group’s history, but De La Soul is making it clear that they had no involvement in its creation.

The group took to social media to voice their concerns, emphasizing that the book is “unauthorized” and stating they are exploring legal options in response.

In their statement, De La Soul expressed their commitment to telling their own story on their own terms. “We want to make it absolutely clear: this is an unauthorized book, and we are not connected to it in any way,” the group wrote.

They stressed the importance of controlling their narrative, particularly in light of their long-standing fight for ownership of their music catalog and battle to have music available on streaming platforms, with the catalog becoming available in March as announced in early 2023.

The group also highlighted the book’s title as a sign of its inauthenticity, noting the omission of the “3” from the phrase “3 is the magic number,” a core element of their identity.

De La Soul assured fans that something special is in the works, with plans for new content slated for Spring 2025, potentially their long-awaited release AOI 3.

While some fans have expressed support for the book as a tribute, De La Soul’s stance remains firm.

Photo credit: Raymond Flotat