Some numbers mean more than mathematics, and in hip-hop, the number three has long held a special place. That is the idea celebrated by De La Soul in “The Magic Number”, a classic originally released in 1989 on the New York trio’s debut album, 3 Feet High and Rising.
Inspired by Bob Dorough’s “Three Is a Magic Number”, written for the educational television series Schoolhouse Rock!, this playful hip-hop tribute to the number three became one of the defining moments in De La Soul’s career. Blending inventive sampling, playful rhymes and their unmistakable sense of humour, the group created a track that still sounds fresh today. Its appearance in the closing credits of Spider-Man: No Way Home introduced the song to another generation of listeners.
Perhaps this is the perfect moment to revisit an old hip-hop lesson: sometimes, there is a little magic in the numbers! And when it comes to the number three, De La Soul made their point back in 1989.
Give “The Magic Number” another listen and decide for yourself!
