John Hult
In the volatile, competitive hip-hop world, the elder statesmen are never forgotten. Think about it. The genre was built upon the shoulders of giants through its reinterpretation of samples from former masters of old-school funk, dance and R&B.
It is only sensible that the originators and old-school innovators should receive props from the up-and-coming or still-on-top artist. The problem, it seems, is ours.
While the artists themselves usually jump at the chance to work with people like Run DMC, A Tribe Called Quest, Ice Cube or Biz Markie and grant proper respect to their legacies, the buying public always seems more interested in the new and the hot. With a few notable exceptions?think Busta Rhymes, LL Cool J or Dr. Dre?hip-hop artists seem to have about a five-year window during which their own creative efforts will be taken as seriously as the new and hot.
Sure, Biz Markie is in the “Girls, Girls, Girls” video. What does it matter?
Even with such lip service and guest appearances, most old-school innovators end up releasing their own material to meager sales and publicity.
A few years out of the spotlight can send an artist like Wyclef Jean into the production booth for someone else, destined to remain in the doldrums of relevancy?just under the radar. Everyone forgets them. And then they’re doing Pepsi commercials to pay the bills.
This never sucks worse than when an intelligent, creative force is committed to a record that almost no one will hear. At least on the radio.
That’s where I come in as the good-stuff middleman. So here’s one to jot down:
De La Soul. “///AOI:Bionix.” Remember this artist, remember this album.
“AOI” stands for “Art Official Intelligence,” a three-album project the group embarked upon in 2000. “Bionix” is the second installment, with the third to be released by the end of this year.
This album is absolutely spectacular. Just like MTV and commercial radio, I was guilty of forgetting about De La Soul. The group that gave the world a welcome break from MC Hammer and gangsta’ rap 13 years ago with the cool breeze of “3 Feet High and Rising” and its laid back single “Me Myself and I” is still great. Who knew?
Apparently Common, Jill Scott, Macy Gray and The Pharcyde, whose styles have kept the De La sound alive over the past 10 years.
There seem to be two formulas for continuing on as an elder statesman. You could either keep recycling the same songs and the same beats with the same persona you’ve had from the beginning?like Ice T or Snoop Dogg. Or you could tell new stories about the lessons you’ve learned and the changes you’ve made. De La Soul takes this more courageous route.
The boys truly seem to have become, to paraphrase a lyric from the album’s “Watch Out,” not street, but like a lamppost. There are mature and welcome observations on women (“It’s not your shape, but you that I’m interested in”), crime (“slingin’ crack like they don’t have another choice”) and domestic bliss (“I don’t ball too much you dig, I got a ball and chain at home”).
But the lyrics don’t make the album. The beats do.
“///AOI: Bionix” has a smooth, laid back flow from beginning to end. Even the obligatory interludes don’t sabotage the feeling. With help from Slick Rick, B-Real and Philly Black, there is enough variety to keep it interesting and enough consistency to tie the whole thing together.
De La Soul has been around for an eternity in hip-hop dog years. If they keep making superb albums like this, however, they’ll always be welcome in my stereo.
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