I'm glad you enjoyed "3 Feet High and Rising" by De La Soul. It's a classic hip-hop album from the late 80s and early 90s, known for its creativity and innovative sampling. If you're looking for similar artists and albums from that era, here are some recommendations:

1. A Tribe Called Quest - "The Low End Theory" (1991) and "Midnight Marauders" (1993)
2. Jungle Brothers - "Straight out the Jungle" (1988) and "Done By The Forces of Nature" (1989)
3. Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth - "Mecca and the Soul Brother" (1992)
4. The Pharcyde - "Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde" (1992)
5. Arrested Development - "3 Years, 5 Months and 2 Days in the Life Of..." (1992)
6. Digable Planets - "Reachin' (A New Refutation of Time and Space)" (1993)
7. Gang Starr - "Step in the Arena" (1990) and "Daily Operation" (1992)
8. Black Sheep - "A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing" (1991)
9. Main Source - "Breaking Atoms" (1991)
10. Eric B. & Rakim - "Paid in Full" (1987) and "Follow the Leader" (1988)

These albums and artists are known for their innovative production, clever lyrics, and laid-back, jazzy vibes that are reminiscent of De La Soul's style during that time period. Enjoy exploring these classic hip-hop gems!

"3 Feet High and Rising" by De La Soul is well-known for its extensive and innovative use of samples. Here are some of the original songs sampled on the album, along with the artist and release year:

1. "You Showed Me" by The Turtles (1969) - sampled in "Transmitting Live from Mars"
2. "Little Old Country Boy" by Parliament (1970) - sampled in "Ghetto Thang"
3. "I Can't Help It" by Michael Jackson (1979) - sampled in "Breakadawn"
4. "School Boy Crush" by Average White Band (1975) - sampled in "The Magic Number"
5. "Swan Lake" by The Cats (1968) - sampled in "Tread Water"
6. "Grease" by Frankie Valli (1978) - sampled in "Eye Know"
7. "Three Is a Magic Number" by Bob Dorough (1973) - sampled in "The Magic Number"
8. "Get Out of My Life, Woman" by Lee Dorsey (1966) - sampled in "Plug Tunin'"
9. "Funky Worm" by Ohio Players (1972) - sampled in "Me, Myself, and I"
10. "Sing a Simple Song" by Sly & The Family Stone (1968) - sampled in "A Little Bit of Soap"

These are just a few examples of the numerous samples used throughout the album. The eclectic selection of samples contributes to the unique and inventive sound that characterizes "3 Feet High and Rising."

I apologize for not providing a more comprehensive list earlier. Here are additional samples used in "3 Feet High and Rising" by De La Soul:

1. "Bra" by Cymande (1972) - sampled in "Change in Speak"
2. "The Crunge" by Led Zeppelin (1973) - sampled in "Cool Breeze on the Rocks"
3. "Kool is Back" by Funk, Inc. (1971) - sampled in "Cool Breeze on the Rocks"
4. "Are You Experienced?" by Jimi Hendrix (1967) - sampled in "Cool Breeze on the Rocks"
5. "Take the Money and Run" by The Steve Miller Band (1976) - sampled in "Cool Breeze on the Rocks"
6. "Loose Booty" by Sly & The Family Stone (1974) - sampled in "Do as De La Does"
7. "Hey Jude" by Wilson Pickett (1969) - sampled in "De La Orgee"
8. "Peg" by Steely Dan (1977) - sampled in "Eye Know"
9. "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay" by Otis Redding (1968) - sampled in "Eye Know"
10. "Isn't She Lovely" by Stevie Wonder (1976) - sampled in "Eye Know"
11. "The Jam" by Graham Central Station (1975) - sampled in "Freedom of Speak (We Got Three Minutes)"
12. "Pillow Talk" by Sylvia (1973) - sampled in "Jenifa Taught Me (Derwin's Revenge)"
13. "You Baby" by The Turtles (1966) - sampled in "Potholes in My Lawn"
14. "North Carolina" by Les McCann (1969) - sampled in "Say No Go"
15. "Crossword Puzzle" by Sly & The Family Stone (1973) - sampled in "Take It Off"
16. "Hit or Miss" by Bo Diddley (1974) - sampled in "Tread Water"

Please note that this is still not an exhaustive list, as "3 Feet High and Rising" contains over 60 samples. However, this should give you a better sense of the diverse range of music that De La Soul drew from for their album.

The dispute between De La Soul and their former record label, Tommy Boy Records, revolves around royalties, ownership rights, and copyright issues related to the group's early catalog. The main problem is the extensive use of samples in their music, which were not fully cleared at the time of release. With the rise of digital streaming platforms and stricter enforcement of copyright laws, these issues have resulted in De La Soul's music being largely unavailable on streaming services.

De La Soul signed with Tommy Boy Records in the late 1980s and released their first three albums under the label: "3 Feet High and Rising" (1989), "De La Soul Is Dead" (1991), and "Buhloone Mindstate" (1993). These albums contain numerous uncleared samples, which were common practice in the hip-hop scene at the time. However, as the industry evolved and copyright laws became more stringent, record labels were required to clear samples to avoid legal issues.

In 2019, Tommy Boy Records announced plans to release De La Soul's back catalog on streaming platforms. However, the members of De La Soul revealed that they were offered an unfavorable royalty deal, with only 10% of streaming revenue going to the group, while the label would receive the remaining 90%. The group felt that this arrangement was unfair, given their significant contributions to the music and the fact that they were not responsible for clearing the samples.

As a result, De La Soul urged their fans to boycott their own music on streaming platforms in protest of the unfair terms. This led to a public backlash against Tommy Boy Records, and eventually, the label postponed the release of the catalog on streaming services.

In August 2019, Tommy Boy's catalog was acquired by Reservoir Media, which expressed interest in resolving the issues with De La Soul. However, as of my knowledge cutoff date in September 2021, the situation has not been fully resolved, and De La Soul's early albums remain largely unavailable on streaming platforms.

The dispute highlights the complexities of copyright law, particularly when it comes to music sampling, and the importance of equitable arrangements between artists and record labels.

Specific financial details regarding the cost of clearing samples for De La Soul's early albums have not been made public. However, it is widely known that the clearance of samples can be an expensive and time-consuming process, especially for albums with as many samples as "3 Feet High and Rising."

Clearing samples typically involves obtaining permission from the copyright holders of the original work, which can include both the music publisher (for the composition) and the record label (for the sound recording). The cost of clearing a sample can vary greatly depending on factors such as the popularity of the original work, the length of the sample used, and the prominence of the sample within the new song. In some cases, the cost of clearing samples can reach tens of thousands of dollars per sample.

Given that "3 Feet High and Rising" contains over 60 samples, it is likely that clearing all of them would be a significant financial burden for the label and the artists involved. This may be one of the reasons why the dispute between De La Soul and their former label has been difficult to resolve, as the cost of sample clearance could impact the revenue split between the parties.

Unfortunately, without more specific information regarding the costs involved in clearing the samples for De La Soul's albums, it is difficult to provide a more detailed analysis of the financial aspects of the situation.

Here are some quotes from members of De La Soul discussing the dispute with Tommy Boy:

1. In an Instagram post from February 2019, the group wrote: "Dear fans... Just got wind that Tommy Boy was not happy about our last post. So we are reposting this one. When you don't respect the art, you don't respect the artist. When you don't respect the artist, you don't respect the fans."

2. In an interview with Sway on Sway's Universe from February 2019, Posdnuos said: "We signed these contracts that didn't give us the opportunity to have ownership or the masters. [...] They [Tommy Boy] have been the ones that said, 'we're gonna take care of it [the samples],' and they didn't do it."

As for the Q-Tip line, it comes from the song "Check the Rhime" by A Tribe Called Quest, and the complete line is: "Industry rule number 4080, record company people are shady."

Regarding GZA's issue with Tommy Boy, he did mention the label in his song "Labels" from the album "Liquid Swords" (1995). The line goes: "Tommy ain't my motherf*in' boy / When your fake moves on a n** you employ."

The song "Labels" is a critique of the music industry and the practices of various record labels, including Tommy Boy. The dispute between GZA and Tommy Boy dates back to the early 1990s when GZA was signed to the label under the name "The Genius" and released his debut album "Words from the Genius" (1991). The album was not well-promoted, and GZA felt the label did not properly support his career. This dissatisfaction led to him leaving the label and eventually joining the Wu-Tang Clan. In the song, GZA calls out several record labels, expressing his frustration with their business practices and treatment of artists.