De La Soul. Finally. The New York Times described the re-releases as “bittersweet” because they come just weeks after the death of Trugoy. They include everything, the songs, the videos, all of it newly-licensed and copyright-sanitised for generation whatever. In 1989, De La was the fresh, smart, happy, innuendo-laced, in-joke of choice for people who refused to support the cultural poisoning of Black people by traitors calling themselves artists. It’s no different today, and the songs still feel as fresh and smart as they did then.

There are tons of samples and references in this one song alone, so I’ve included the obvious sample for starters. Ironically, I can’t find the original Parliament Funkadelic version of “Knee Deep” on the streaming services now! The Soundcloud version is long, but George Clinton’s hits bear the length, especially when you’re dancing at the club. Sorry you can’t stream it with you, but one day those licenses will be released, too, and it will be another fun day for the funk.

This is all falling flat. I have so much to write and I’m exhausted. I wanted to write something much better for De La Soul and I wanted to tie it all in with the photos below. Do photographers steal souls, as some primitives – reportedly – believed? I don’t steal souls, but I certainly see them. Sometimes I see people I’ve photographed in real life and I greet them warmly, only to realise that they might not even remember that I took their photo. But I grew to like them because of their photo!

I take your picture. I see your expression before, during and after the pose. I study you, I fix the color of your skin, I brighten your eyes, erase your pimples. I see you. Closely. I meditate on you. Sometimes it hurts. People give themselves away in micro expressions, in micro seconds, and reveal themselves too deeply. Many times they reveal what they think of me, the clown behind the camera. This is a good example. I knew the girls were making fun of me as I took the shot, so this series kind of hurt, but then. . .  it didn’t. Take a look at this small emotional tableau and analyse it for a while.  And let’s meditate on De Anima of it all.

Good night.

Note: Sorry, I was so tired I forgot to click the correct button to post this. Done, now. Good morning.