The Grind Date
Encyclopedia
The Grind Date is the seventh album from hip-hop
group De La Soul
, released on October 5, 2004. The album was originally intended to be the final album of the Art Official Intelligence (AOI) trilogy, but as the album quickly changed focus, the group decided to put AOI III on hold and finish The Grind Date as its own work.
(who was part of A Tribe Called Quest's production unit, The Ummah), Madlib
("Shopping Bags (She Got From You)
"), and 9th Wonder
("Church"). Producer Supa Dave West, who handled the majority of the AOI albums, also contributes five tracks to the album. "Rock Co.Kane Flow" featuring MF DOOM
, was produced by Jake One
, and sees Posdnuos addressing some recent trends in Hip hop with the line "Unlike them, we craft gems / so systematically inclined to pen lines / without sayin a producer's name, all over the track". The well received collaboration also brought attention to the then-unknown Jake One.
The album is light on guest appearances and features a total of four guest MCs, including Common. Unlike every De La Soul album before it, The Grind Date contains no skits at all, although a short musical interlude does precede the first song "The Future". The album's conceptual cover and sleeve booklet, based on a 2005 calendar, was designed by Morning Breath Inc.
, for instance, refused to play the "Shopping Bags" music video and stated that it did not appeal to their targeted audience. In addition, BET
claimed that De La Soul weren't relevant to BET
's viewers. Many hip-hop fans were likely outraged by this accusation, as De La Soul
is considered to be one of the most important and influential groups in hip-hop history; this opinion is shared by large-audience music critics Robert Christgau
, who writes "partly our ears have changed and partly theirs have, so that their brilliant hunches now sound like glowing accomplishments," and AMG's Stephen Thomas Erlewine
, who notes, "At the time of its 1989 release, De La Soul's debut album, 3 Feet High and Rising
, was hailed as the future of hip-hop." The video did end up on rotation on smaller outlets such as MTV2
, but it never received much (if any) airplay from MTV
or BET.
Ironically, the group's collaboration with Gorillaz
, Feel Good, Inc., was one of the biggest singles of 2005.
, the album has received an average critic score of 80%, based on 20 reviews, thus giving it the "generally favorable reviews " tag.
Pitchfork Media
writer Jamin Warren praises the album writing, "The Grind Date brings together an unimaginable team of the underground's hottest producers and meshes their idiosyncrasies without dissidence." RapReviews who rewarded the album with a perfect score write, "They were just waiting for the right time to kick precisely the right rhyme, so that "The Grind Date" would go down not just as an important date in rap history but in the pantheon of all musical endeavours since the dawn of mankind. It's that damn good."
De La Soul, who, previously known for their skits gained a lot of support from Stylus Magazine
writer Josh Drimmer who puts, "The Grind Date is as notable for what it lacks—skits, filler, bullshit—than for what it has." Lost At Sea
also favored the no skits on The Grind Date, "The Grind Date is almost shockingly excellent. This is De La Soul at their most focused – no skits, no filler, no weird interludes."
Despite generally favorable reviews and surprising positivity towards their new style, especially in production, there were those who didn't praise it. Rolling Stone
wrote, "There's little personality and no surprises here..." and regards to the production "...Flavor Flav's rote shucking on "Come On Down" to Madlib
's Chingy
-type beat for "Shopping Bags." On the closing track, "Rock Co. Kane Flow," Posdnuos raps, "We was told to hop for no one/S'what I dig 'bout Prince Paul
/We stayed original ever since y'all." But Paul is the one who's still sounding original."
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
group De La Soul
De La Soul
De La Soul is an American hip hop trio formed in 1987 on Long Island, New York. The band is best known for their eclectic sampling, quirky lyrics, and their contributions to the evolution of the jazz rap and alternative hip hop subgenres...
, released on October 5, 2004. The album was originally intended to be the final album of the Art Official Intelligence (AOI) trilogy, but as the album quickly changed focus, the group decided to put AOI III on hold and finish The Grind Date as its own work.
Music
The Grind Date is a notably brisker, and leaner work than the groups previous albums, and features a top of the line array of production talents including the late J DillaJ Dilla
James Dewitt Yancey , better known by the stage names J Dilla and Jay Dee, was an American record producer who emerged from the mid-1990s underground hip hop scene in Detroit, Michigan...
(who was part of A Tribe Called Quest's production unit, The Ummah), Madlib
Madlib
Otis Jackson Jr. in Oxnard, California, known professionally as Madlib, is a Los Angeles-based DJ, multi-instrumentalist, rapper, and music producer...
("Shopping Bags (She Got From You)
Shopping Bags (She Got From You)
"Shopping Bags " is the first official single to be released by De La Soul, from their seventh studio album, The Grind Date. The song was a diatribe about gold-diggers, and was produced by California-based producer, Madlib...
"), and 9th Wonder
9th Wonder
Patrick Douthit , better known as 9th Wonder is a hip hop record producer, record executive, DJ, professor, and lyricist from Raleigh, North Carolina, U.S.A. He began his career as the main producer for the hip hop group Little Brother, and has also worked with Mary J...
("Church"). Producer Supa Dave West, who handled the majority of the AOI albums, also contributes five tracks to the album. "Rock Co.Kane Flow" featuring MF DOOM
MF Doom
Daniel Dumile is a hip hop artist who has taken on several stage names in his career, most notably MF DOOM, where the "MF" stands for metal face, and for tracks he has produced, metal fingers...
, was produced by Jake One
Jake One
Jacob Dutton, better known as Jake One, is an American hip hop record producer from Seattle, Washington.-Biography:Dutton grew up in Capitol Hill and moved to the North End of Seattle when he was 15. He started making music on a Casio keyboard in 1992. He attended the University of Washington and...
, and sees Posdnuos addressing some recent trends in Hip hop with the line "Unlike them, we craft gems / so systematically inclined to pen lines / without sayin a producer's name, all over the track". The well received collaboration also brought attention to the then-unknown Jake One.
The album is light on guest appearances and features a total of four guest MCs, including Common. Unlike every De La Soul album before it, The Grind Date contains no skits at all, although a short musical interlude does precede the first song "The Future". The album's conceptual cover and sleeve booklet, based on a 2005 calendar, was designed by Morning Breath Inc.
BET controversy
The first official single, "Shopping Bags", received little recognition by the media. BETBlack Entertainment Television
Black Entertainment Television is an American, Viacom-owned cable network based in Washington, D.C.. Currently viewed in more than 90 million homes worldwide, it is the most prominent television network targeting young Black-American audiences. The network was launched on January 25, 1980, by its...
, for instance, refused to play the "Shopping Bags" music video and stated that it did not appeal to their targeted audience. In addition, BET
Bet
Bet or BET may refer to:* A wager in gambling* Basic Economics Test * Bet , the second letter in many Semitic alphabets, including Aramaic, Hebrew, Phoenician and Syriac* Brunauer-Emmett-Teller isotherm. See BET_theory...
claimed that De La Soul weren't relevant to BET
Bet
Bet or BET may refer to:* A wager in gambling* Basic Economics Test * Bet , the second letter in many Semitic alphabets, including Aramaic, Hebrew, Phoenician and Syriac* Brunauer-Emmett-Teller isotherm. See BET_theory...
's viewers. Many hip-hop fans were likely outraged by this accusation, as De La Soul
De La Soul
De La Soul is an American hip hop trio formed in 1987 on Long Island, New York. The band is best known for their eclectic sampling, quirky lyrics, and their contributions to the evolution of the jazz rap and alternative hip hop subgenres...
is considered to be one of the most important and influential groups in hip-hop history; this opinion is shared by large-audience music critics Robert Christgau
Robert Christgau
Robert Christgau is an American essayist, music journalist, and self-proclaimed "Dean of American Rock Critics".One of the earliest professional rock critics, Christgau is known for his terse capsule reviews, published since 1969 in his Consumer Guide columns...
, who writes "partly our ears have changed and partly theirs have, so that their brilliant hunches now sound like glowing accomplishments," and AMG's Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Stephen Thomas Erlewine is a senior editor for Allmusic. He is the author of many artist biographies and record reviews for Allmusic, as well as a freelance writer, occasionally contributing liner notes. He is also frontman and guitarist for the Ann Arbor-based band Who Dat?Erlewine is the nephew...
, who notes, "At the time of its 1989 release, De La Soul's debut album, 3 Feet High and Rising
3 Feet High and Rising
3 Feet High and Rising is the debut album from American hip hop trio De La Soul, released in 1989.The album marked the first of three full-length collaborations with producer Prince Paul, which would become the critical and commercial peak of both parties. It is consistently placed on 'greatest...
, was hailed as the future of hip-hop." The video did end up on rotation on smaller outlets such as MTV2
MTV2
MTV2 is a cable network that is widely available in the United States on digital cable and satellite television, and is progressively being added to analogue cable lineups across the nation...
, but it never received much (if any) airplay from MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
or BET.
Ironically, the group's collaboration with Gorillaz
Gorillaz
Gorillaz is an English musical project created in 1998 by Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett. This project consists of Gorillaz music itself and an extensive fictional universe depicting a "virtual band" of cartoon characters...
, Feel Good, Inc., was one of the biggest singles of 2005.
Reception
The album met with a great deal of critical praise, as of February 25, 2008 according to MetacriticMetacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
, the album has received an average critic score of 80%, based on 20 reviews, thus giving it the "generally favorable reviews " tag.
Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media, usually known simply as Pitchfork or P4k, is a Chicago-based daily Internet publication established in 1995 that is devoted to music criticism and commentary, music news, and artist interviews. Its focus is on underground and independent music, especially indie rock...
writer Jamin Warren praises the album writing, "The Grind Date brings together an unimaginable team of the underground's hottest producers and meshes their idiosyncrasies without dissidence." RapReviews who rewarded the album with a perfect score write, "They were just waiting for the right time to kick precisely the right rhyme, so that "The Grind Date" would go down not just as an important date in rap history but in the pantheon of all musical endeavours since the dawn of mankind. It's that damn good."
De La Soul, who, previously known for their skits gained a lot of support from Stylus Magazine
Stylus Magazine
Stylus Magazine was an online music and film magazine launched in 2002. It featured long-form music journalism, four daily music reviews, movie reviews, a number of different podcasts, an MP3 blog, and a text blog....
writer Josh Drimmer who puts, "The Grind Date is as notable for what it lacks—skits, filler, bullshit—than for what it has." Lost At Sea
LAS Magazine
LAS Magazine, also known as Lost At Sea or LostAtSea.net, is a daily online magazine founded in 1998 by Eric J Herboth. An online social group for the magazine list it in the "Entertainment & Arts - Online Media" category with a description of "Art. Bike. Music. Media. Literature. Photography....
also favored the no skits on The Grind Date, "The Grind Date is almost shockingly excellent. This is De La Soul at their most focused – no skits, no filler, no weird interludes."
Despite generally favorable reviews and surprising positivity towards their new style, especially in production, there were those who didn't praise it. Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
wrote, "There's little personality and no surprises here..." and regards to the production "...Flavor Flav's rote shucking on "Come On Down" to Madlib
Madlib
Otis Jackson Jr. in Oxnard, California, known professionally as Madlib, is a Los Angeles-based DJ, multi-instrumentalist, rapper, and music producer...
's Chingy
Chingy
Howard Bailey, Jr. , better known by his stage name Chingy, is an American rapper.Chingy grew up in the Walnut Park section of St. Louis and began rapping in earnest in his late teens...
-type beat for "Shopping Bags." On the closing track, "Rock Co. Kane Flow," Posdnuos raps, "We was told to hop for no one/S'what I dig 'bout Prince Paul
Prince Paul
Paul Huston, better known by the stage name Prince Paul, is an American disc jockey and hip-hop record producer. He was also a founding member of the Gravediggaz where he used the name The Undertaker.- Biography :...
/We stayed original ever since y'all." But Paul is the one who's still sounding original."
Track listing
| # | Title | Length | Songwriters | Producers | Performers | Samples |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "The Future" | 3:49 | De La Soul, Dave West, Eddie Fluellen, Jarmaine Jackson and Hazel Jackson | Supa Dave West | De La Soul De La Soul De La Soul is an American hip hop trio formed in 1987 on Long Island, New York. The band is best known for their eclectic sampling, quirky lyrics, and their contributions to the evolution of the jazz rap and alternative hip hop subgenres... |
Switch - Reaching For Tomorrow |
| 2 | "Verbal Clap" | 3:16 | De La Soul, J Dilla J Dilla James Dewitt Yancey , better known by the stage names J Dilla and Jay Dee, was an American record producer who emerged from the mid-1990s underground hip hop scene in Detroit, Michigan... , Rick Wakeman, Norman Landsberg, Felix Pappalardi, John Ventura, Leslie Weinstein and Daryl short |
J Dilla J Dilla James Dewitt Yancey , better known by the stage names J Dilla and Jay Dee, was an American record producer who emerged from the mid-1990s underground hip hop scene in Detroit, Michigan... |
De La Soul | Rick Wakeman Rick Wakeman Richard Christopher Wakeman is an English keyboard player, composer and songwriter best known for being the former keyboardist in the progressive rock band Yes... - Catherine Of Aragon, Mountain Mountain (band) Mountain is an American hard rock band that formed in Long Island, New York in 1969. Originally comprising vocalist and guitarist Leslie West, bassist Felix Pappalardi and drummer N. D. Smart, the band broke up in 1972 before reuniting in 1974 and remaining active until today... - Long Red |
| 3 | "Much More" | 4:05 | De La Soul, Skip Scarborough and Shuggie Ottis | J Dilla J Dilla James Dewitt Yancey , better known by the stage names J Dilla and Jay Dee, was an American record producer who emerged from the mid-1990s underground hip hop scene in Detroit, Michigan... |
De La Soul, DJ Premier DJ Premier Christopher Edward Martin , better known by his stage name DJ Premier , is an American record producer and DJ, and was the instrumental half of the hip hop duo Gang Starr, together with emcee Guru... and Yummy Bingham Yummy Bingham Elizabeth T. Wyce Bingham a.k.a. Yummy is an American R&B/hip hop singer, songwriter. She sings soprano with a 4 octave range.-Biography:Elizabeth "Yummy" Bingham was born on January 7, 1986 to Dinky Bingham and Patricia Wyce... |
L.T.D. L.T.D. L.T.D. is an American R&B/funk band best known for their 1977 hit single, " Back in Love Again," as well as their many ballads, such as "Love Ballad," "We Both Deserve Each Other's Love," and "Where Did We Go Wrong?."-Career:L.T.D... - Love Ballad, Shuggie Otis Shuggie Otis Shuggie Otis is an American singer-songwriter, recording artist, and multi-instrumentalist.... - Strawberry Letter 23 Strawberry Letter 23 "Strawberry Letter 23" is a song written by Shuggie Otis, although known most prominently by the version recorded by The Brothers Johnson. Otis wrote the song for a girlfriend who used strawberry-scented paper when she wrote letters to him. George Johnson of The Brothers Johnson was dating one of... |
| 4 | "Shopping Bags (She Got From You) Shopping Bags (She Got From You) "Shopping Bags " is the first official single to be released by De La Soul, from their seventh studio album, The Grind Date. The song was a diatribe about gold-diggers, and was produced by California-based producer, Madlib... " |
3:57 | De La Soul and Madlib | Madlib Madlib Otis Jackson Jr. in Oxnard, California, known professionally as Madlib, is a Los Angeles-based DJ, multi-instrumentalist, rapper, and music producer... |
De La Soul | |
| 5 | "The Grind Date" | 3:22 | De La Soul, Supa Dave West, Jon Anderson, Steve Howe, Chris Squire, Rick Wakeman and Alan White (Yes Yes (band) Yes are an English rock band who achieved worldwide success with their progressive, art, and symphonic style of rock music. Regarded as one of the pioneers of the progressive genre, Yes are known for their lengthy songs, mystical lyrics, elaborate album art, and live stage sets... ) |
Supa Dave West | De La Soul | Yes Yes (band) Yes are an English rock band who achieved worldwide success with their progressive, art, and symphonic style of rock music. Regarded as one of the pioneers of the progressive genre, Yes are known for their lengthy songs, mystical lyrics, elaborate album art, and live stage sets... - Ritual (Nous Sommes Du Soleil) |
| 6 | "Church" | 5:32 | De La Soul, Ninth Wonder and Marlon McClain | 9th Wonder 9th Wonder Patrick Douthit , better known as 9th Wonder is a hip hop record producer, record executive, DJ, professor, and lyricist from Raleigh, North Carolina, U.S.A. He began his career as the main producer for the hip hop group Little Brother, and has also worked with Mary J... |
De La Soul, Spike Lee Spike Lee Shelton Jackson "Spike" Lee is an American film director, producer, writer, and actor. His production company, 40 Acres & A Mule Filmworks, has produced over 35 films since 1983.... |
Pleasure - Reality |
| 7 | "Its Like That" | 4:36 | De La Soul, Dave West and Carl Thomas | Supa Dave West | De La Soul, Carl Thomas | |
| 8 | "He Comes" | 3:44 | De La Soul, Carl Thomas, Ghostface killah and Eugene Record | Supa Dave West | De La Soul, Ghostface Killah Ghostface Killah Dennis Coles , better known by his stage name Ghostface Killah, is an American rapper and prominent member of the Wu-Tang Clan. After the group achieved breakthrough success in the aftermath of Enter the Wu-Tang , the members went on to pursue solo careers to varying levels of success... |
Eugene Record - Here Comes The Sun |
| 9 | "Days Of Our Lives" | 3:51 | De La Soul, Common, Jake One, William Beck, Leroy Bonner, Marshall Jones, Ralph Middlebrooks, Marvin Pierce, Clarence Satchell and James Williams | Jake One Jake One Jacob Dutton, better known as Jake One, is an American hip hop record producer from Seattle, Washington.-Biography:Dutton grew up in Capitol Hill and moved to the North End of Seattle when he was 15. He started making music on a Casio keyboard in 1992. He attended the University of Washington and... |
De La Soul and Common Common (rapper) Lonnie Rashid Lynn, Jr. , better known by his stage name Common , is an American hip-hop artist and actor.... |
The Ohio Players Ohio Players The Ohio Players were an American funk and R&B band, most popular in the 1970s. They are best known for their double #1 hit songs "Fire" and "Love Rollercoaster".- Biography :... - My Life Contradiction (album) -Track listing:All tracks by Ohio Players# "Contradiction" – 4:37# "Precious Love" – 4:57# "Little Lady Maria" – 4:16# "Far East Mississippi" – 4:58# "Who'd She Coo?" – 4:32# "My Life" – 4:01# "Tell the Truth" – 3:37# "My Ladies Run Me Crazy" – 3:54... |
| 10 | "Come On Down" | 5:01 | De La Soul and Madlib | Madlib Madlib Otis Jackson Jr. in Oxnard, California, known professionally as Madlib, is a Los Angeles-based DJ, multi-instrumentalist, rapper, and music producer... |
De La Soul and Flava Flav | Esther Williams - Last Night Changed It All |
| 11 | "No" | 4:34 | De La Soul, Butta Verses, Dave West and Clifton Davis | Supa Dave West | De La Soul, Butta Verses and Yummy Bingham Yummy Bingham Elizabeth T. Wyce Bingham a.k.a. Yummy is an American R&B/hip hop singer, songwriter. She sings soprano with a 4 octave range.-Biography:Elizabeth "Yummy" Bingham was born on January 7, 1986 to Dinky Bingham and Patricia Wyce... |
The Jackson 5 The Jackson 5 The Jackson 5 , later known as The Jacksons, were an American popular music family group from Gary, Indiana... - Never Can Say Goodbye Never Can Say Goodbye "Never Can Say Goodbye" is a song written by Clifton Davis and originally recorded by The Jackson 5. Released as a single in 1971, it was one of the group's most successful songs... |
| 12 | "Rock Co.Kane Flow" | 3:06 | De La Soul, MF DOOM, Jake One, Paul Greedos, Diddier Marouani and Roland Romanelli | Jake One Jake One Jacob Dutton, better known as Jake One, is an American hip hop record producer from Seattle, Washington.-Biography:Dutton grew up in Capitol Hill and moved to the North End of Seattle when he was 15. He started making music on a Casio keyboard in 1992. He attended the University of Washington and... |
De La Soul and MF DOOM MF Doom Daniel Dumile is a hip hop artist who has taken on several stage names in his career, most notably MF DOOM, where the "MF" stands for metal face, and for tracks he has produced, metal fingers... |
Space - Deliverance |
| 13 | "Shoomp" (European Release Exclusive) | 3:41 | De La Soul | J Dilla J Dilla James Dewitt Yancey , better known by the stage names J Dilla and Jay Dee, was an American record producer who emerged from the mid-1990s underground hip hop scene in Detroit, Michigan... |
De La Soul and Sean Paul Sean Paul Sean Paul Ryan Francis Henriques , who performs under stage name Sean Paul, is a Jamaican pop rap and reggae singer.-1973–1996: Early life:... |
Tom Tom Club Tom Tom Club Tom Tom Club is an American new wave band founded in 1981 by husband-and-wife team Tina Weymouth and Chris Frantz, both also known for being bandmembers of Talking Heads.-Biography:... - Genius Of Love |
Album singles
| Single cover | Single information |
|---|---|
"Shoomp"
|
|
| "Shopping Bags (She Got From You) Shopping Bags (She Got From You) "Shopping Bags " is the first official single to be released by De La Soul, from their seventh studio album, The Grind Date. The song was a diatribe about gold-diggers, and was produced by California-based producer, Madlib... " |
|
| "Rock Co.Kane Flow"
|