GRIND DATE

Recording information: Audiovision Studios, Miami, FL; Duck Studios, MD; Right Track Studios, New York, NY; Soho Studios, New York, NY; The Cutting Room, New York, NY; The Record Plant, CA. 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.