De La Soul's Kelvin Mercer Opens Up: 'Lyrics Have Never Been a Thing for Me'

By Marcus Bennett, Arts & Voices

De La Soul's MC has admitted something rare for a rapper: "It seems weird for an MC – but lyrics have never been a big thing for me."

Speaking in an honest-playlist interview, the Long Island-bred artist, whose catalog with De La Soul spans nine studio albums, said he can recall production details far better than words. "I can tell you every drop and hi-hat," he said. "When I play with Mos Def, Black Thought or Gorillaz, I'm amazed that they can seemingly remember the lyrics to every song on Earth."

The one exception? "Top Billin'" by Audio Two, the 1987 hip-hop landmark — that, he says, is about his limit.

Where did it all begin?

His first musical love was inherited. His father sang in a choir and walked around the house performing Al Green's "Love and Happiness." The resemblance went further. "Because he looked so much like him on the cover, I actually thought he was Al Green," he recalled.

The first single he bought was "Underlove" by Melba Moore, from a mini record store inside Abraham & Straus, a department store on Long Island. He later learned it was produced by Kashif — and promptly fell for everything Kashif touched.

The life-changing record came in the Bronx. Hearing "Planet Rock" by Afrika Bambaataa and the Soulsonic Force, he remembered his reaction word for word: "What the fuck is this?" His mother told him off for cursing. The track, he said, made him "really want to do this rap thing."

What does an MC actually listen to?

The playlist ranges well outside hip-hop:

• Karaoke picks: "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" or "Shout" by Tears for Fears
• Party starter: "All I Do" by Stevie Wonder — "you can see it in people's faces"
• Guilty pleasure: "These Dreams" by Heart, played in the dressing room "when I think no one else is listening"
• Morning alarm: "Lovely Day" by Bill Withers, set for 6am
• Bedroom soundtrack: any Barry White record, or "Let's Get It On" by Marvin Gaye

Asked whether he has ever made love to his own music, his answer was blunt: "Hell no."

Which songs still move him?

Stevie Wonder appears twice. "I Love Every Little Thing About You" reduces him to tears. "Saying, basically, the only person I put before you is God, and nothing could top my love for you," he said. "I tear up when I hear that record."

He refuses to name songs he has fallen out of love with. "I don't want to name anyone in case they come and beat me up," he joked, noting he usually grows back into overplayed tracks.

For his funeral, he chose "I Am I Be" — a track by his own group, De La Soul.

What is out now?

The interview coincides with two current releases: "Stakes Is High," remixed by J Dilla and featuring Mos Def and Truth Enola, and "Cabin in the Sky," De La Soul's ninth studio album. Both are out now, and the playlist suggests the group's ear remains as wide as its catalog.