Plug Tunin'


"Plug Tunin is a song by hip hop trio De La Soul. It was released in June 1988 as the group's debut single as part of a double A-side with "Freedom of Speak ". A remix of the song, under the title "Plug Tunin' ", would later be included on their debut album 3 Feet High and Rising.
Lyrically, the song is idiosyncratic, however, musically it laid the foundations for the sound the group would realise more fully with their debut album.
In the end of year-roundups, the song placed at 40 in the magazine The Face list of best singles of 1988. In January 1998 was included on The Sources "The 100 Best Rap Singles of All Time" list. In 1999, Ego Trips editors ranked "Plug Tunin at 8 in their list of Hip Hop's 40 Greatest Singles by Year 1988 in Ego Trip's Book of Rap Lists. In 2013 was ranked by Complex at 5 on their list "The 100 Best Native Tongues Songs".

Sampling

De La Soul's label, Tommy Boy, offered a $500 reward for "the first person to identify a convoluted sample" on the song.
"Plug Tunin has also been sampled by other artists such as Nas, Common, and the Gravediggaz' "Defective Trip", which is also produced by Prince Paul.

Conception and composition

Lyrically, the song is idiosyncratic; "Transistors are never more shown with like / When vocal flow brings it all down in ruin / Due to a clue of a naughty noise called Plug Tunin' ", however, musically it laid the foundations for the sound the group would realise more fully with their debut album 3 Feet High and Rising.

Track listing

  1. "Plug Tunin' " – 3:41
  2. "Freedom of Speak " – 2:52
  3. "Freedom of Speak " – 4:16
  4. "Plug Tunin' " – 3:10
  5. "Strictly Dan Stuckie" – 0:38