This came out in 2004 – or at least that’s when I got it. Here’s what I said about it back then (with some minor editing):
Never let it be said De La Soul can’t take a hint.
After their plan to conclude their Art Official Intelligence trilogy with a DJ album reportedly cost them their record deal, the veteran hip-hoppers quickly regrouped, inked a contract with a new label and cut this more commercially viable offering. And when you consider those circumstances, The Grind Date is a fairly impressive achievement. Powered by straight-up beats and grooves, simple melodies and hooks, no-frills production and arrangements, and guest stars from Flava Flav and Ghostface Killah to MF Doom, these dozen tracks bounce and swing with the sort of immediacy and spark that can only come from the pressures of a deadline. Sure, it’s basically a stopgap release to get back in the game and thumb their nose at their old label — but unless The Grind Date is a fluke, De La Soul could benefit from a little more pressure a little more often.
