The Grind Date [PA]

Performer: De La Soul
Artist: Flava Flav; Carl Thomas; Ghostface Killah; Common
Engineer: Carlos Cano; Dave Dag; Stephen Glicken; Joe Nardone; Brian Garten; Carlos Cano; Ryan
Producer: Supa Dave West; Jake One; Jay Dee; Madlib; 9th Wonder; Supa Dave West; J Dilla
Distributor: BMG (distributor)

Notes: De La Soul: Maseo, Posdnous, Trugoy (rap vocals). Personnel: David Jolicoeur, Dennis Coles, Yummy Bingham, Danea Mitchell Wallace, Daniel Dumile, Flava Flav, Vincent Mason, Kelvin Mercer, Lonnie Lynn, Bonz Malone, Carl Thomas (vocals). Additional personnel: Common, Ghostface Killah (vocals); Butta Verses, Yummy, Flava Flav (rap vocals); Carl Thomas. Audio Mixers: Gimel Keaton; Troy Hightower. Recording information: Audiovision Studios, Miami, FL; Cutting Room, New York, NY; Duck Studios, MD; Right Track Studios, New York, NY; Soho Studios, New York, NY; The Record Plant, Los Angeles, CA. Introduction by: Spike Lee. Photographer: Mo Daoud. Hip-hop fans can always count on De La Soul; the Long Island trio never released a truly weak record, after exploding out of the box with their groundbreaking 1989 debut, 3 FEET HIGH AND RISING. Both mentally engaging and musically inventive, De La has a track record that few acts can match. With 2004's THE GRIND DATE, Posdnuos, Dave (formerly Trugoy), and DJ Maseo keep that streak intact. THE GRIND DATE marks De La's departure from the Tommy Boy imprint on which they began, and, as chronicled by the title track, the break was anything but amicable. However, as they state there, they aren't bitter, and, unlike some artists, none of their animosity bleeds onto the rest of the record. As with its predecessors, THE GRIND DATE glides with ease from mood to mood, from defiance ("Verbal Clap") to reflection ("It's Like That") to social observations ("He Comes"). As usual, Pos and Dave's minds are spinning at an impressive clip. (How many rappers would name-check Nas and Carly Simon in the same breath?) De La Soul has influenced legions of hip-hop acts, and THE GRIND DATE is proof that they've maintained their credibility.

Spin (p.118) - "[T]heir jabs cut and the beats burn..." - Grade: B Entertainment Weekly (p.117) - "[T]hese boho-rap forefathers return revitalized with inspired head nodders..." - Grade: B+ Alternative Press (p.114) - "Essentially one long wakeup call to the next generation....[With] colorful, soul-drenched production from underground heavyweights like Madlib and Jay Dee..." - 3 out of 5 The Wire (p.73) - "[The album] thumps you with heart..." Vibe (p.162) - 4 discs out of 5 - "[T]hese pioneers of alternative hip hop have outsmarted the denizens of today's bulletproof-vest scene with sophisticated compositions and insightful lyrics."

Skit comedy, abstract rhyming, samples from pop's left field, and a self-consciously intellectual approach to rap became hip-hop staples after De La Soul's 1989 debut, 3 FEET HIGH AND RISING. But despite the group's widespread influence, no one ever has ever come close to appropriating their singular style.

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