4/5
Spirit In The Sky
Eye know you're going to love this. Gus from 'Breaking Bad', AKA Giancarlo Esposito, or Moff Gideon in 'Star Wars'', 'The Mandalorian', takes roll, like Key & Peele's classic 'Substitute Teacher' with that iconic voice of his. And it's one hell of a register. Killer Mike running the jewels on 'A Quick 16 For Mama' (the perfect lyrical gift for next Mother's Day). Contemporary Tribe's Q-Tip on 'Day In The Sun (Gettin' Wit U)', also featuring Yummy Bingham (Giancarlo likes that one), who also features on 'Will Be'. The great impressionist of Jay Pharoah with Gareth Donkin on 'Just How It Is (Sometimes'). Swedish Little Dragon singer Yukimi for 'Cruel Summers Bring Fire Life!" The 'Different World' of Gina Loring. The Roots of Black Thought on 'En Eff'. The praise be of 'Believe (In Him)' with a congregation of Stout and K. Butler & The Collective. And the 'Palm Of His Hand' and Bilal's. But when Mr. Espositio calls for De La Soul in the intro to this album, someone is missing from the frame. Kelvin 'Posdnuos Mercer? Here! Vincent 'Maseo' Mason? Check! David 'Trugoy the Dove' Jolicoeur? Dave? Dave?!
Legend has it that the penultimate album in the Mass Appeal series, that also featured the likes of Ghostface Killah, Raekwon, Mobb Deep and Big L, features songs with some of these artists that have formed like Voltron for a great year in hip-hop and a Marvel Comics crossover. Slick Rick, who set this all off, getting in 'Yours' with Common. And Nas ('Run It Back'), who is set to have the last album of the 'Legend Has It...' series, next month, to close out the year, with legendary producer DJ Premier. He also mans the tracks 'Sunny Storms', 'En Eff' and 'The Silent Life Of A Truth'. Whilst his own contemporary, Pete Rock, gets behind the boards of 'The Package', 'Different World', 'Yours' and 'Palm'. But even with more guest features than a Bizarro J.Cole. Not to mention references to both Superman and Lois Lane. This is a De La album, after all. And three is still the magic number as Trugoy The Dove, Dave himself, appears on six sweet tracks. Making this 'Cabin In The Sky' to Soul, what 'Infinite' was to Mobb Deep (rest peacefully, Prodigy), last month.
Amazing artwork, in Simpsons skies, will keep your head in the clouds, looking to the heavens of a rap God. All whilst those feet stay firmly on the ground, walking for all the people in the single that runs it back. And the '3 Feet High and Rising' legends prove they've still got it. De La Soul are far from dead, as this album, like 'The Grind Date', the 'Daylight' they showed an 'NBA Live' soundtrack, 'And The Anonymous Nobody' proves they've still got it. Even in this art official cage age, Prince was talking about, they bring back the year 2000s, 'Art Official Intelligence' feeling. From the millennium bug, to A.I., take that. Even reuniting with producer Prince Paul, this first album since David Jolicoeur's death, and the first in almost a decade, is a joy to behold. Especially as he never really left us. 'Yuhdontstop'! This ninth studio album really is a wonder, like the producer.
'The Package' left outside for your 'Day In The Sun' ("I walk through the city real slow/Like I've been pieced together by that dude named Frankenstein/And I only got one little thing on my mind: that's a whole lotta you/Hot on my tail be a whole lotta crew/After me they (searching) with their pitchforks and stakes/Try to backstab but they can't grab your attention away from me and vice versa/Mama always said there'd be days like this") are the singles that will be getting you through the fall, but it’s the real rhymes you'd stay outside in the cold for, crate digging. 'Good Health' is what you need, and that track eats like your vegetables. Whilst 'Patty Cake', is so good you should name it, and listen to it twice for the bakers, man! Yet in this cabin talk, after the terrific title-track for this soulful hip-hop, it's 'Don't Push Me' in cloud covering closing that will really take you to the edge...of heaven. "Tuesday morning, I ring upon the door/Wednesday morning, come knock a little more/Door cracked open they'll be like, "who is it"/it's the 86 come to pay that a## a visit." Meet Dave again. TIM DAVID HARVEY.
Playlist Picks: 'Run It Back (Feat. Nas)', 'Yours (Feat. Slick Rick & Common)', 'Don't Push Me'.
Spin This: De La Soul - 'The Grind Date'.
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