De La Soul

David Jude Jolicoeur's alias, Trugoy, is "yogurt" (his favorite food) spelled backward. Vincent Mason's M.A.S.E. alias stands for "Making a Sound Effort." Kelvin Mercer's moniker, Posdnuos, spelled backwards is "sound sop."

De La Soul is to "alternative rap" what Nirvana was to "alternative rock." Groups that followed in their style include A Trive Called Quest, The Pharcyde, P.M. Dawn and Digable Planets.

Their debut album, 3 Feet High and Rising, introduced the trio's concept of the "D.A.I.S.Y. Age" philosophy (D.A.I.S.Y. stands for "Da Inner Sound Ya'll"). "The Daisy Age we talk about," Posdnuos explained to NME, "is an inner consciousness." "It's about 'Me Myself And I,"' added Trugoy, "being yourself, doing your own thing and not ever being afraid to do your own thing."