SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: DE LA SOUL – THE GRIND DATE (20th ANNIVERSARY EDITION)

DE LA SOUL
THE GRIND DATE (20th ANNIVERSARY EDITION)
DAISY AGE INC.

Despite seeing a latter career revival following their return to streaming platforms and a series of expanded reissues, De La Soul remains one of the most unique yet criminally underrated groups in hip-hop. As testament to this, the group has released The Grind Date (20th Anniversary Edition), which includes previously unreleased tracks and a series of instrumental versions for their 2004 release.

The Grind Date remains essential. Featuring production by Supa Dave West, J Dilla, and Madlib, along with verses from the likes of MF DOOM, Ghostface Killah, and Common, the album is a tour de force of alternative hip-hop. From the retro show-tunes energy of the opening track, “The Future” to the gospel inspired “Church”, The Grind Date is an inventive album that sees a myriad of influences seep into the beats, ensuring each song feels unique for the trio to rap over with a series of strong lyrical flows. Highlights include the boom-bap pulse of “Verbal Clap”, the stuttering symphonic shuffle of the title track, the soulful “He Comes”, the absolute bop that is “Shoomp”, and the cypher of a performance on “Rock Co.Kane Flow”, which sees Trugoy, Posdnuos, and Maseo trade verses with DOOM.

Of the newly released material to celebrate two decades of The Grind Date, there is a pair of new originals. The first is “Bigger”, a sauntering groove featuring Choklate, giving the track a classic R&B flavour. “Respect” follows and sees the trio return without any features for a track that feels nostalgic for both classic De La Soul and J Dilla, demonstrating the creative synchronicity between the two in full effect. Similarly, the instrumental cuts highlight the unique foundation of the group. “Verbal Clap -Instrumental”, “Shopping Bags (She Got From You) – Instrumental”, “The Grind Date – Instrumental”, and “Days Of Our Lives – Instrumental” showcases the work from producers J Dilla, Madlib, Supa Dave West, and Jake One, respectively. Through this, The Grind Date shines as an example of modern alternative hip-hop production at a time when the group had first departed from their original record label, Tommy Boy.

While The Grind Date (20th Anniversary Edition) only adds two new tracks and a handful of instrumental cuts, it serves as a necessary reminder to the brilliance and sheer, unadulterated creativity behind De La Soul. At a time when hip-hop was transitioning more into the mainstream, The Grind Date stood as a throwback to a decade prior that, to this day, remains fresh and experimental, demonstrating an undeniable relevance to the enduring legacy of De La Soul.

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