De La Soul, Are You In?: Nike+ Original Run
by Daniel Finn
I've decided I'm going to start running, which is probably the last thing anyone expected from me.
I’m moving into one of the most interesting names in the series: De La Soul.
De La Soul came out of Long Island, New York in the late 1980s and became one of the defining groups of alternative hip-hop. Their music mixed samples, funk, jazz, soul and playful lyrics into something completely different from the harder-edged rap coming out at the time.
Are You In? was their contribution to Nike's Original Run series.
What makes this one different is the personality. De La Soul's music has always had a lot of character, and this isn't simply a generic workout soundtrack with a beat underneath it.
There are grooves, samples and vocals constantly giving you something to listen to, which feels useful when you’re trying not to think about how far you still have to run.
This might be the one where the music does the most work.
If I’m distracted enough, maybe I’ll forget about the running entirely.
de la soul - ARE YOU IN? - Nike+ ORIGINAL RUN