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De La Soul Album: “Grind Date”
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Release Date:2004-10-04
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Type:Unknown
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Genre:Hip-Hop/Rap, East Coast Rap, Mainstream Rap
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Label:Sanctuary
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Explicit Lyrics:Yes
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UPC:5050159029624
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Review - :
{$De La Soul} were interrupted just before they could deliver the third volume in their AOI series -- projected to be a DJ album -- to {@Tommy Boy}. (The label perhaps bailed out from a 15-year relationship precisely because the group was going to release such a commercially bankrupt title, one that was planned instead to appear on an independent label run by {$Maseo}.) {$De La Soul} quickly realized they couldn't go ahead with the plan after signing their {@AOI} label to {@Sanctuary}, so they wrote a new record, {^The Grind Date}. Although it may see them settling into a holding pattern, at least the pattern of 2001's {^AOI: Bionix} is one that any {\hip-hop} fan won't mind hearing repeated. Better yet, it boasts productions from an excellent cast of figures -- partner in crime {$Supa Dave West}, author of the best tracks on their AOI series, {$J-Dilla}, who's stretching out his patented (read: overdone) sound to embrace classic {\hip-hop}, an only slightly commercialized {$Madlib}, and young phenom {$9th Wonder}. {$Madlib} gets what must be the first lead single of his career, a bright, antimaterialist tale called {&"Shopping Bags (She Got From You)"} that thumps like a {\club} tune, but lurches as only {%the Beat Conductor} could do it. {&"Verbal Clap"} finds {$J-Dilla} allowing some grit into his productions, and {$Supa Dave} only continues floating the most fluidly catchy productions of any {\rap} producer in action. Meanwhile, {$De La Soul} voices {$Posdnuos} and {$Dave} balance their time breezing easy on bumping message tracks with a few old-school shots that show them a bit defensive about the passing of time. (Check out {&"Come On Down,"} a {$Madlib}-produced shot with {$Flava Flav}, or {&"Days of Our Lives"} featuring {$Common}.) Without a concept to tout, {^The Grind Date} doesn't gel like {^AOI: Bionix}, but it does show {$De La Soul} keeping everything together more than 15 years after their debut. After all, you certainly wouldn't see {$MF Doom} guesting on a {$Tone-Loc} record. ~ John Bush, All Music Guide
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