Vincent Mason
Encyclopedia
Vincent Mason is a rapper, producer, DJ
, and one third of groundbreaking hip hop
trio
, De La Soul
. He is also known as Maseo.
, and Dave
had already begun a friendship when Mase joined the pair to form De La Soul in the mid 1980s. Through Mase's connections, the group met Prince Paul, who at the time was still a member of Stetsasonic
. Paul then took the newcomers under his wing, producing their first single
, "Plug Tunin'
", in 1988 and helping to create the album
, 3 Feet High and Rising
.
Mason's role in the group is primarily that of a DJ, although it is believed that he has as much of a say in the direction of the group as the other two members. On a few occasions, such as Jungle Brothers
' "Doin' Our Own Dang", he's stepped to the mic
, and showed himself to be a capable, if lighthearted, rapper.
Mason (who at that time was referred to as Maseo) was the one who did the famous laugh during "Feel Good Inc.
"
Mase is a member of the Spitkicker collective. Mason's son Tre' is a running back for the Auburn University
football team.
s used throughout the group's career. The following are the most significant:
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
, and one third of groundbreaking hip hop
Hip hop
Hip hop is a form of musical expression and artistic culture that originated in African-American and Latino communities during the 1970s in New York City, specifically the Bronx. DJ Afrika Bambaataa outlined the four pillars of hip hop culture: MCing, DJing, breaking and graffiti writing...
trio
Trio (music)
Trio is generally used in any of the following ways:* A group of three musicians playing the same or different musical instrument.* The performance of a piece of music by three people.* The contrasting section of a piece in ternary form...
, De La Soul
De La Soul
De La Soul is an American hip hop trio formed in 1987 on Long Island, New York. The band is best known for their eclectic sampling, quirky lyrics, and their contributions to the evolution of the jazz rap and alternative hip hop subgenres...
. He is also known as Maseo.
Career
PosdnuosKelvin Mercer
Kelvin Mercer is a rapper, producer, and one-third of the hip hop trio De La Soul. He is known more famously by his alias Posdnuos, or simply Pos. He was born in the Bronx, New York and grew up in East Massapequa, New York.Mercer and David Jude Jolicoeur were childhood friends...
, and Dave
David Jude Jolicoeur
David Jude Jolicoeur , also known under the stage name Trugoy and more recently Dave, is an American rapper, producer, and one third of groundbreaking hip hop trio De La Soul....
had already begun a friendship when Mase joined the pair to form De La Soul in the mid 1980s. Through Mase's connections, the group met Prince Paul, who at the time was still a member of Stetsasonic
Stetsasonic
Stetsasonic was an American hip hop group formed in 1979 in Brooklyn, New York City, New York. It is remembered as one of the first hip hop crews to use a live band, and the group's positive, uplifting lyrics made it forerunners of alternative hip hop and jazz hip...
. Paul then took the newcomers under his wing, producing their first single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
, "Plug Tunin'
Plug Tunin'
"Plug Tunin" is a 1988 single by the influential hip hop trio De La Soul released as the second single from their album 3 Feet High and Rising....
", in 1988 and helping to create the album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
, 3 Feet High and Rising
3 Feet High and Rising
3 Feet High and Rising is the debut album from American hip hop trio De La Soul, released in 1989.The album marked the first of three full-length collaborations with producer Prince Paul, which would become the critical and commercial peak of both parties. It is consistently placed on 'greatest...
.
Mason's role in the group is primarily that of a DJ, although it is believed that he has as much of a say in the direction of the group as the other two members. On a few occasions, such as Jungle Brothers
Jungle Brothers
The Jungle Brothers are an American hip hop group that pioneered the fusion of jazz and hip-hop and also became the first hip-hop group to use a house-music producer. The group began performing in the mid-1980s and released its first album, Straight Out the Jungle, in July 1988...
' "Doin' Our Own Dang", he's stepped to the mic
Microphone
A microphone is an acoustic-to-electric transducer or sensor that converts sound into an electrical signal. In 1877, Emile Berliner invented the first microphone used as a telephone voice transmitter...
, and showed himself to be a capable, if lighthearted, rapper.
Mason (who at that time was referred to as Maseo) was the one who did the famous laugh during "Feel Good Inc.
Feel Good Inc.
"Feel Good Inc." is a song by Gorillaz, on their album Demon Days, featuring De La Soul. The song was released as the lead single from the album on 9 May 2005 in the United Kingdom . "Feel Good Inc." peaked at #2 in the United Kingdom and #14 in the United States, at the time the band's highest...
"
Mase is a member of the Spitkicker collective. Mason's son Tre' is a running back for the Auburn University
Auburn University
Auburn University is a public university located in Auburn, Alabama, United States. With more than 25,000 students and 1,200 faculty members, it is one of the largest universities in the state. Auburn was chartered on February 7, 1856, as the East Alabama Male College, a private liberal arts...
football team.
Aliases
All three members of De La Soul have a variety of known aliases and nicknameNickname
A nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
s used throughout the group's career. The following are the most significant:
- P.A. Pasemaster Mase - The first alias used by Mason, "Pasemaster" (or "P.A.") was used as an alternative to "DJ". Though "Mase" is simply a nickname for Mason, Mason noted in an early interview that the name can be an acronym for "Making A Soul Effort". Later, with the release of De La Soul is DeadDe La Soul Is DeadDe La Soul Is Dead is De La Soul's second full-length album, released in 1991 . The album was produced by Prince Paul, whose work on 3 Feet High and Rising was highly praised by music critics. The album was one of the first to receive a five mic rating in the Hip hop magazine The Source...
, the nickname "Maseo" became widely used. - Plug Three - An early concept for 3 Feet High and Rising3 Feet High and Rising3 Feet High and Rising is the debut album from American hip hop trio De La Soul, released in 1989.The album marked the first of three full-length collaborations with producer Prince Paul, which would become the critical and commercial peak of both parties. It is consistently placed on 'greatest...
involved music being transmitted from Mars by three microphone plugs (each one representing a member of the group). Though this idea was abandoned, the titles "Plug One", "Plug Two" and "Plug Three" still became relevant on the album.