DE LA SOUL 黑胶唱片和CD

Review: AOI: Bionic was De La Soul's six full length album and came back in December 2001. At that point they were already legends in the game who had pioneered their own positive lyrical style and upbeat rhythms and this one kept up their momentum. Lead single 'Baby Phat' paid tribute to larger women, then 'Held Down' had an introspective style that muse don religion and fatherhood. The album is littered with skits from a Reverend Do Good character who tells various tales that adds extra depth to the tunes.

Review: De La Soul have been ever present in the hip-hop scene for some 40-odd years. They redefined the genre early on with their positive messaging and flower power energy, and have always managed to stay fresh ever since without ever jumping on the sonic bandwagon of the day. They pulled that trick off once more with Art Official Intelligence: Mosaic Thump which fuses r&b and pop with their usual hip-hop sounds, all finished with a nice and authentic raw edge. The guest are high-grade, too, with Redman, Xzibit, Busta Rhymes, Mike D and Ad Rock of the Beastie Boys, Freddie Foxxx and Chaka Khan amongst them.

Review: Chief among the multiple formats of De LA Soul's debut album is this lovely orange cassette edition. Often regarded as the inception of late 80s/early 90s 'alternative rap', the trio incited said era thanks to their declaration of the 'D.A.I.S.Y. Age' (da inner sound, y'all), consciously choosing a flowery, positive hip-hop sound, accessible to everyone. Trugoy, Maseo and Posdunos offer distinct personalities across the project, suggesting alternative ways in which to stay true to one's roots while keeping on the right path.