CityLife

MIF: De La Soul - Twenty Years High And Rising

De La Soul play their iconic 3 Feet High And Rising album

IT'S been a seminal part of the legacy of hip-hop music for 20 years, but for the Manchester International Festival De La Soul are giving their breakthrough record 3 Feet High And Rising a startling twist.

Because for their Twenty Years High And Rising show, the New Yorkers perform a full, live version of the album with a 10-piece band at The Ritz nightclub for two nights on July 16 and July 17.

The appearance will be the second time the group has made an exclusive appearance at MIF; Trugoy and Posdnuos first appeared alongside The Gorillaz in 2006 at the the festival's trailblazing event Demon Days Live at the Opera House.

Expectations

The trio formed in high school and became global stars on the back of their 3 Feet High And Rising album before they were even out of their teens. The record also contains some of their best known singles, including Me Myself And I, Eye Know, The Magic Number and Say No Go.

De La Soul went on to create seven acclaimed records and are due to release their eighth studio album, You're Welcome, this year to coincide with 3 Feet High And Rising's 20th anniversary.

What to expect? From a unit that usually relies on the scratching skill of their third member, PA Pacemaster Mase, for all its sounds, a 10-piece backing group can only mean one thing: expect the unexpected.

De La Soul play Twenty Years High And Rising at The Ritz on July 16-17. £15-£25. Tickers are available from the MIF website link on the right.