Tribute to David Jolicoeur, featuring Sheldon Zoldan

Writer/editor Sheldon Zoldan pays tribute to David Jolicoeur, co-creator of the colorful rap trio De La Soul. This is one of 44 short yet illuminating episodes about significant figures in the music industry who passed away in 2023.

In addition to these tributes, Sheldon writes Song of the Day, a music-related story sent daily to an email list of subscribers. To get on his Song of the Day list, email shzoldan@comcast.net with the subject line ADD ME TO SOTD.

To listen to De La Soul's most successful song, “Me Myself and I,”  visit YouTube. If you like it, check out the entire album. Here's a link to it on vinyl. Or go to chapters to see the cheerful cover design. 

The tributes in this series are fascinating glimpses into the lives and impact of those who made the soundtracks of our lives. Although some of Sheldon's subjects are less famous than others, you may find that their songs and stories are equally worth your time. I sure did.

Audio engineer Mike Villegas (who’s also a musician) and I will publish all 44 tributes in the coming weeks. Hope you enjoy them.

This is Kate Jones. Thank you for listening to the show!

Available on Apple, Spotify, Audible and in other directories, and on YouTube.

Transcript

Kate:
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Hello, and welcome to Everyday Creation,

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a show about living our purpose and lifting

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our vibes for ourselves and the world.

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I'm Kate Jones here with a tribute to

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David Jolicoeur,

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co-creator

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of the colorful rap trio

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De La Soul.

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This is one of 44

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short yet illuminating

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episodes

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about significant figures in the music industry

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who passed away in 2023.

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My guest Sheldon Zoldan, a longtime writer and

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newspaper editor,

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wrote these tributes and recorded them.

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Here's what he says about Jolicoeur, who

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died on February 12th last year.

Sheldon:
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The obit for David Jolicoeur

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was as much an obit about the hip

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hop group he helped create,

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De La Soul.

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The publicist for the group confirmed his death

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on February 12th

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but didn't say when or how he died.

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Jolicoeur talked in recent years about his

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battle with congestive heart failure.

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He was 54.

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Jolicoeur

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and two high school friends created the rap

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trio.

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He took on the name Trugoy the Dove.

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Trugoy was yogurt spelled backwards

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and his favorite food.

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He was also known as Plug

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and Dave.

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The trio was unlike most of the rappers

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at the time.

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They wore colorful flowered shirts and their songs

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were whimsical and positive,

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unlike the rap of NWA

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and Public Enemy,

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They were an immediate success.

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Their first album,

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"3 Feet High And Rising,"

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came out in 1989

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and reached number 24

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on Billboard's 200 album chart.

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Our song of the day, "Me, Myself and

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I" was a single from that album.

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It was the trio's most

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successful single.

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It reached number 1 on Billboard's

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R & B chart and 34 on Billboard's

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Hot 100 singles chart.

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De La Soul never recreated

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their early success,

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partly because of legal issues.

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The group would use samplings in their songs,

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snippets from other recordings.

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The group the Turtles filed a lawsuit against

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them and settled out of court.

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Their music was hard to find because streaming

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services wouldn't make it available because of the

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copyright issues.

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The trio finally reached a settlement where their

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catalog would start streaming March 3rd,

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a month after Jolicoeur's

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death.

Kate:
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This is Kate again.

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Sheldon also writes Song of the Day, a

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music-related story sent daily to an email

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list of subscribers.

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All of those stories and these tributes

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include links to the featured songs.

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In this episode's description,

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you can link to the trio's most successful

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song,

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"Me, Myself, and I" on YouTube,

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as well as get information

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on how to join Sheldon's subscriber list.

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If you enjoyed this tribute,

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please check out the next one about rockin'

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Huey "Piano" Smith,

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and share the tributes with anyone who might

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appreciate these well-researched glimpses

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into the lives of the talented people

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who created some of the music we love.

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Thank you for listening to Everyday Creation.