Me Myself and I (De La Soul song)

"Me Myself and I"
Single by De La Soul
from the album 3 Feet High and Rising
B-side"Jenifa Taught Me (Derwin's Revenge)"
ReleasedApril 1, 1989[1]
Recorded1988
StudioCalliope Studios (Brooklyn, New York)
GenreAlternative rap
Length3:50
LabelTommy Boy
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Prince Paul
De La Soul singles chronology
"Eye Know"
(1989) 		"Me Myself and I"
(1989) 		"Say No Go"
(1989)
Music video
"Me Myself and I" Video on YouTube

"Me Myself and I" is a song by American hip hop trio De La Soul, released in April 1989 as a single from their debut studio album, 3 Feet High and Rising (1989). It was the group's only number one on the US Billboard R&B chart. The song also topped the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart.[2]

The song's number one position in The Netherlands was spurred by the VPRO television station, who made a documentary about De La Soul after meeting them when they were still unknown.[3] The record label Indisc acquired the local rights from Tommy Boy Records, and immediately seized the opportunity to release the song as a single. It ranked number 46 on VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of Hip Hop.

Background and composition

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De La Soul member Posdnuos stated: "The words were written pretty quick. [...] The press was referring to us as the hippies of hip-hop. This song became a way to express that this wasn't a gimmick, and that we were being ourselves. This is why in my first verse I say, 'You say Plug 1 & 2 are hippies, no we're not, that's pure plug bull.'"[4]

Prince Paul and Maseo sat down and came up with the idea of sampling Funkadelic's song "(Not Just) Knee Deep" for the beat of "Me Myself and I". When they played the beat to Posdnuos and Trugoy the Dove, they did not like it because the group was anti-radio and anti-establishment, but went ahead and reluctantly recorded their vocals over the beat.[5]

Critical reception

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Jerry Smith from Music Week wrote, "Hot dance band of the moment, De La Soul issue this engagingly loping track from their much acclaimed album, 3 Feet High and Rising. And its strong beat and rhythmic rap is sure to take it high chartwards."[6]

Music video

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As high school students, all three members of De La Soul are assigned to take a class taught by Professor Def Beat, to their dismay. Def Beat instructs his students to adopt prevalent rap/hip-hop mannerisms such as gold chains and track suits, and the trio earn the mockery of their classmates for refusing to do so. Duplicates of the three, dressed in brightly colored clothing, emerge from the back of the room and give them forms allowing them to drop the class. The original three members get up from their desks, throw the drop slips in Def Beat's face, and leave the room. Prince Paul, who produced the single, appears briefly at the start of the video to deliver an opening narration.

Posdnuos stated, "I'm a big Twilight Zone fan, so when it was time to figure out how to include Prince Paul in the video, we went with him being a hip-hop Rod Serling to set up the story." He also recalled: "[A standout memory was] shooting the scene where the teacher Def Beat throws the record into one of the student's heads. All the students were all fans of our music and were happy to have the opportunity to be in the video." Posdnuos commented: "This video underscored individuality - confidence in owning who you are and want to be, regardless of what others think. It was our first video with a budget."[7]

Ali Shaheed Muhammad and Q-Tip from A Tribe Called Quest appear in the video, with Ali shown writing "De La Sucks" on the bathroom wall.[8]

Track listing

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# Title Length
United States 12" single
A1. "Me Myself and I (Radio version)" 3:45
A2. "Ain't Hip to Be Labeled a Hippie" 1:54
A3. "Me Myself and I (Instrumental)" 3:35
A4. "What's More" from the soundtrack Hell on 1st Avenue 2:10
B1. "Me Myself and I (Oblapos Mode)" 3:38
B2. "Me Myself and I (Oblapos Instrumental)" 3:24
C1. "Brain Washed Follower" 3:01
European CD single
1. "Me Myself and I (Radio version)" 3:25
2. "Me Myself and I (Richie Rich Remix)" 7:25
3. "Ain't Hip to Be Labeled a Hippie" 1:54
4. "What's More" from the soundtrack Hell on 1st Avenue 2:10
5. "Brain Washed Follower" 3:01

List of samples

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"Me Myself and I"

"Ain't Hip to Be Labeled a Hippie"

"What's More"

"Brain-Washed Follower"

Charts

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Certifications

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[25] Gold 500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Compilation appearances

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References

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  1. ^ Steve Sullivan (2017-05-17). Encyclopedia of Great Popular Song Recordings, Volume 3. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 9781442254497. Retrieved 2019-12-05.
  2. ^ Me Myself and I Songfacts
  3. ^ Stichting Nederlandse Top 40, 500 nr.1 hits uit de Top 40, page 262, 9023009444 (Book in Dutch)
  4. ^ De La Soul - The Making of 'Me Myself and I' (Vevo Footnotes)
  5. ^ Prince Paul talks about the making of De La Soul's "Me Myself and I".
  6. ^ Smith, Jerry (April 8, 1989). "Singles" (PDF). Music Week. p. 21. Retrieved March 13, 2023.
  7. ^ De La Soul - The Making of 'Me Myself and I' (Vevo Footnotes)
  8. ^ De La Soul - The Making of 'Me Myself and I' (Vevo Footnotes)
  9. ^ "De La Soul – Me Myself and I" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved September 6, 2016.
  10. ^ "De La Soul – Me Myself and I" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved September 6, 2016.
  11. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 22, 1989" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved January 24, 2021.
  12. ^ "De La Soul – Me Myself and I" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved September 6, 2016.
  13. ^ "De La Soul – Me Myself and I" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved September 6, 2016.
  14. ^ "De La Soul – Me Myself and I". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved September 6, 2016.
  15. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 6, 2016.
  16. ^ "De La Soul Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved September 6, 2016.
  17. ^ "De La Soul Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved September 6, 2016.
  18. ^ "De La Soul Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved September 6, 2016.
  19. ^ "De La Soul Chart History (Hot Rap Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved September 6, 2016.
  20. ^ "Jaaroverzichten 1989". Ultratop. Retrieved January 24, 2021.
  21. ^ "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts". GfK Entertainment (in German). offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved January 24, 2021.
  22. ^ "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1989". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved January 24, 2021.
  23. ^ "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1989". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved January 24, 2021.
  24. ^ "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Year-End 1989". Billboard. Retrieved January 24, 2021.
  25. ^ "American single certifications – De La Soul – Me, Myself & I". Recording Industry Association of America.
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