A lot of producers have eclectic resumés, but Prince Paul is the only one who can boast one with both Father Guido Sarducci and Mars Volta on it. (These unlikely performers are among the many who've collaborated with Handsome Boy Modeling School, Paul's duo with Dan "The Automator" Nakamura.) Extend that to include artists that he's sampled, and the spectrum stretches exponentially to include folks as equally diverse, from Antonio Vivaldi to the Muppets. Without the influence of Prince Paul's patented appreciation for the good (and quirky) in all music, there would certainly be a lot fewer hiphop producers taking wild risks in their musical choices today.

The man born Paul Huston has made remarkable achievements in both hiphop and comedy, though they've been largely behind the scenes (which seems to be the way he likes it). His work for De La Soul's debut, 3 Feet High and Rising, both launched an international supergroup and set a blueprint that is still followed in the rap world with its sampladelic landscape as well as its pioneering use of comedy skits as interludes. Paul has also earned two Grammys for Best Comedy Album with Chris Rock (1997's Roll with the New and 2000's Bigger and Blacker).

Last year, Antidote Records came out with Hip Hop Gold Dust, a handy compilation of Prince Paul productions that includes unreleased songs performed by him, De La Soul, and his old groups Stetsasonic and Gravediggaz. Inspired by that effort, we've assembled our own widescreen version of Prince Paul gold dust that doesn't require digging for records in crates found in moldy basements.

Stetsasonic

"Music for the Stetfully Insane"

(from In Full Gear, Tommy Boy, 1988)

The old-school hiphop group where Paul got his start had a hidden classic with In Full Gear, exemplified by "Music for the Stetfully Insane," which sampled P-Funk years before Dr. Dre did. Released one year before 3 Feet High and Rising, the track reveals that the foundations of that LP's wild cut-and-paste aesthetic are already in place.

De La Soul

"Say No Go"

(from 3 Feet High and Rising, Tommy Boy, 1989)

Reviving the cool quotient of Darryl Hall and John Oates wasn't easy in the late '80s, but De La and Paul more than came through with this catchy hit that samples the Hall & Oates hit "I Can't Go for That (No Can Do)."

Prince Paul

"Vexual Healing (Vacillation)"

(from Psychoanalysis: What Is It?, Tommy Boy, 1997)

From his most introspectively demented album comes this little nugget, a charming hybrid of go-go jaunt and Jamaican flair. Whether on record or in a live show, Paul never fails to surprise with what he might blend together.

Chris Rock

"No Sex" and "Table Dance"

(Bigger and Blacker, DreamWorks, 1999)

Ripping out just a song or two from a complete album produced by Prince Paul is like choosing favorites among one's children—it's an undiplomatic choice that no one wants to make, especially since his albums are always best appreciated as a whole. It's especially hard to pick between "No Sex," a ditty featuring R&B crooner Gerald Levert that demystifies the strip-club champagne room, or "Table Dance," which begins with Paul riffing on a ragtimey piano before busting into full-on Miami bass glory, a genre he's parodied since his earliest recordings.

Prince Paul, featuring Chuck D and Ice-T

"Politics of the Business"

(Politics of the Business, Razor & Tie, 2003)

With its thumpy rumble and newsreel feel, this song should be mandatory listening for every MC who signs a contract. The wise Chuck D and Ice-T slap some reality sense into overinflated egos cluttering the rap map. An honorable mention goes to "Chubb Rock Can You Please Pay Paul His $2,200 You Owe Him (People, Places, and Things)" from the same album.

The Dix

"Here Comes the Dix"

(The Art of Picking Up Women, Smacks, 2005)

A jaunty little introduction of a tune from a fictional 1960s R&B group (formerly the Bangkoks) whose members included Dik Gracin, John Handcock, Tro Jon, the Jonsun Brothers, Peter O'Tool, and Orgynius. Check their DVD The Rise and Fall of the Dix, where the group laments their lack of pop stardom because they feel like they came in the back door.

editor@thestranger.com