Note: This is De La Soul’s first album without a label. They boast about the creative freedom on the record and use it to make an album devoid of many of the industries’ conventions – a star-studded roster of guest MCs and slick, radio-ready beats and hooks.
Also Note: The Impossible Mission features mostly new De La tracks, but also some previously unreleased rarities and mix-tape-style beat borrowing.
Production: Old school scratches and funky breakbeats, plus newer school, laid-back positivity (think Common)
Lyrics: The classic smooth flowing and mic passing you expect with the brainy and off-the-wall creativity, along with some more somber reflections and a clear devotion to hip hop.
Look For: They dust off three previously unreleased tracks recorded in the early ‘90s. Each of them gets a set up and commentary and are titled “What the Fuck 1, 2 and 3.” All of them are great to hear, while #2, “Mindstate,” is exceptional.
Heavy Rotation tracks: “Friends”; “Respect”
Medium Rotation tracks: “Wasn’t for You”; “Voodoo Circus”; You Got It” featuring Butta Verses
Explicit Lyrics*: On pretty much every track. You’ll need the clean version if you’ve got to keep your music FCC-friendly.
Recommended: De La Soul seemed lost on their last two albums. It’s great to hear them returning to their roots and having fun again.
Grade: B+

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* Noting of explicit lyrics is for the benefit of radio music directors or anyone else that needs/wants to keep their music FCC-friendly.