In the late eighties, rap music was engulfed by Public Enemy's politically charged messages and N.W.A.'s anger. So when De La Soul's 1989 debut 3 Feet High and Rising brought forth a sound built on fun and positivity, heads turned to take notice. Six albums later, De La Soul's greatest hits compilation, Timeless: The Singles Collection, makes for a true hip-hop aural treat.

In my eyes, Prince Paul's warm beats and sometimes unpredictable production played the biggest role in helping establish De La Soul as a revolutionary hip-hop group. The compilation only furthers my theory, as those singles produced or co-produced by Prince Paul clearly outshine the others. I just can't get enough of songs like 'Plug Tunin,' 'Ring Ring Ring (Ha Ha Hey),' and 'Me Myself and I.' Nonetheless, newer singles like 'Baby Phat' still grab me because they're chunked full of positivity, while relaying great messages.

Timeless: The Singles Collection is a necessity for any true rap fan not already in possession of all of De La Soul's albums, especially their earlier works. It portrays light-hearted childhood innocence mixed with warm old skool beats capable of winning over some of the harshest critics.

Click here to buy the album at amazon.com