161000417m.jpgIf De La Soul drops a new CD and none of you Internet geeks pay attention, can I still big-up the album’s finest sounds? You damn right, I can. Yeah, at this point in their career, there’s not much I can do in my mag for the label-less trio from Strong Island. But therein lies the beauty of this Interent thing of ours: I can celebrate the shit that I personally fucks with it. Nothing more, nothing less.

I must confess I always had mad respect for De La Soul. Unfortunately for them, one of hip-hop’s greatest groups will forever be in the shadows of fellow Native Tongues A Tribe Called Quest (why because the ladies love Q-Tip?). Catalogue vs. catalogue, it’s close, but when it comes to fourth albums, each group’s final moment in the sun: Stakes is High bodies Beats Rhymes and Life.

More importantly, De La gets props for still keeping the group together after all these damn years. When groups fall off, they end up parting ways, pointing fingers and only get together for bullshit reunions shows. Not Pos, Dave and Mase. Their remarkable chemistry is still evident on the best moments of their last official album (2004’s Grind Date) and this slept-on mixtape. Maybe if you young whippersnappers put y’all paper where y’all mouths are (I see you Lupe), I would have more than handful of rappers to put on my cover.

For your listening pleasure, here’s YN’s EP version of The Impossible Mission:

Impossible (Intro)

One of their patented quirky sample-based interludes (Remember when you didn’t have to clear shit?)

Live @ the Dugout ’87

The Soul gets old school with those distorted mic effects popularized by those Whities, The Beastie Boys.

You Got It

Clever flip of the classic Bobby Byrd break. Slow down y’all, y’all killin’ ‘em.

Respect

Catchy butt I’m not sure if I even really like this one. It’s one of the few songs on here that could be on an actual album and not just a mixtape.

What The Fuck #1

A previously unreleased snippet from a gem called “De La Soul’s Poster.”

Just Havin’ A Ball

The fellas freak the Eugene McDaniels sample that their brethren Tribe made famous. Oh how ironic.

Freestyle (Dat Shit) 2006

Busta Rhymes and DJ Scratch aren’t the only ones listening to Diamond D’s first album.

What The Fuck #3

A previously unreleased snippet from a gem called “De La Slow.”

Freedom Train

Me thinks 9th Wonder is behind the boards on this one. When’s that solo album droppin’, my dude?

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