3 Feet High and Rising is the debut studio album by the American hip hop group De La Soul, released on March 3, 1989[1] by Tommy Boy Records. It was the first of three collaborations with the producer Prince Paul, and was the critical and commercial peak of both parties. The album title comes from the Johnny Cash song “Five Feet High and Rising“.[2] The album contains the singles “Me Myself and I“, “The Magic Number”, “Buddy“, and “Eye Know“.
The album was a critical and commercial success. It is consistently placed on lists of the greatest albums of all time by noted critics and publications, with Robert Christgau calling it “unlike any rap album you or anybody else has ever heard”.[3] In 1998, it was selected as one of The Source‘s “100 Best Rap Albums”.[4] It was selected by the Library of Congress as a 2010 addition to the National Recording Registry, which selects recordings annually that are culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.[5] As of 2023, it is the only De La Soul album to be certified platinum by the RIAA.[6]
Along with the rest of De La Soul’s back catalog, 3 Feet High and Rising was not made available for digital purchase or streaming until 2023, due to concerns about the legality of the samples for digital releases.[7]
