Growing old ain’t easy in Hip Hop. Some artists try to conform to the trends of the day, while others stick to their tried-and-true sounds that gained them fame. Time off can make things even trickier. Such is the case for De La Soul; it’s been four years since Posdnous and Dave released Plug 1 and Plug 2 Present…First Serve and 12 years since they dropped The Grind Date, their last output as a trio. With their newest LP, the question is posed: does And the Anonymous Nobody stand firm like Scarface’s Deeply Rooted or sink like Rakim’s The Seventh Seal?
The short answer is they’re operating more like Brad Jordan than the forgotten 18th Letter album. And the Anonymous Nobody is the acquired tastefulness of aged fine wine in the cellar, even if the product lacks cohesiveness.
De La Soul puts on a clinic for any veteran rapper or group aiming to assert their status without sounding like a grumpy ol’ MC and retain their elemental characteristics without sounding stale. They proudly proclaim their return over triumphant horns on “Royalty Capes,” with Posdnous spitting “Us three be the omega like fish oil.” Only De La could kick a simile about fish oil pills and manage to sound witty and bold. Dave knows just when to poke fun at himself, too: “Two ticks away from aww shit ‘cause I’m an old fart, go campaign Daisy Age/Dave Fresh like a pound of sage.” It’s remarkable that after 27 years in the game, the group that did a skit about having dandruff on their debut album hasn’t lost their sense of self-deprecative humor.
A song like “Pain” motivates the soul and the body with its vibrant production and uplifting lyrics and reminds all how De La excels when touching on profundity. “Let me see how many palms go up high if you’ve ever felt the world had you licked/And what you waving side to side symbolize didn’t help on the sand that you wander quick,” Pos’ rhymes. De La also flexes its storytelling muscles on “Greyhounds.” Pos’ tells of a girl whose big city dreams quickly turn to mean-street nightmares for trusting the wrong shark in disguise. The track is bolstered by an emotional hook from Usher, one of many unlikely but brilliant collaborations.
Usher isn’t the least likely collaboration on And the Anonymous Nobody. That would be 2 Chainz. De La Soul and the artist f.k.a. Tity Boi boast over a minimalistic beat that sounds more Magic City than “three is the magic number.” Though the braggadocio is entertaining — “When I’m in the booth I’m Kanye with a gun out,” 2 Chainz raps — the simplistic beat leaves much to be desired. Other collaborations prove more fruitful, such as Estelle’s dreamy crooning over elegant strings on “Memory of…(Us).”
Thematically and musically this album feels like it’s stuck on shuffle mode, and that’s exactly where And the Anonymous Nobody falls flat. The project is devoid of tie-ins for the cautionary “Trainwreck” with the philosophical “Snoopies” or the sentiment of “Memory of…(Us)” with the chest thumping of “Lord Intended.” The latter is a prime example of experimentation gone wrong, with Justin Hawkins’ vocals overstaying their welcome and an out-of-leftfield guitar solo that may leave you scratching your head. Meanwhile, “Drawn,” suffers from elongated vocals by Swedish singer-songwriter Yukimi Nagano over Far East-inspired production; Posdnous doesn’t even start rapping until there’s less than a minute left in the song. A lack of such topical and sonic ties doesn’t make the songs that connect less enjoyable, but it does keep the album from having a sharp focus.
The listener will still have been grateful for being blessed with a De La Soul album. On the penultimate track, De La harmonizes “we’re still here now.” It’s fortunate for us they are, because And the Anonymous Nobody is an album that, though lacking in congruence, displays De La’s staying power.
????????
You suck at giving reviews!!!!!!!!!!! This is a awesome album!! Very creative & ahead of its time, as all De la soul music. Yes, its not todays sound, but its refreshing. They stayed true to themselves. Everyone has the same sound today saying the same thing basically. Everyone trying to be Drake without admitting it. De la has always delivered quality music. Much more than you can comprehend….your favorite artist is probably, Designer or somebody wack!!!!!!!
Album is fire.
Not sure why my previous thoughtful and respectful comment has disappeared. I was critical of the review, but conducted myself with decorum. Don’t like dialogue about an album’s merits?
Yeah, this site delete comments. They deleted my comments on other articles when I didn’t use any cuss words, nothing offensive.
3.7??????? come on dx get on the trolley. album is class. i even really like the 2 chainz feature. so mu h better than the garbage comin out nowadays.
HHDX journalism is truly pathetic
You’re not fooling anyone HHDX, this album is fire
Amazing album, could’ve done without 2 of the tracks, but overall very good!
Clean your trap infested ears, mate. This album is excellent.
Not 3.7/5, a solid 5/5
So HIPHOPdx gives young thug a 3.9/5 yet gives de la soul 3.7/5. LOL. Why call yourself Hiphop if you don’t even support Hiphop? This is a joke, and this why these corny albums selling cos your promoting them to sell, yet the true grafters and people who study and work on the art form are classed as failures cos they don’t sell as well. Shame on you
In NO way should Young Thug get a better rating then De La Soul. This album is cohesive, it gets better with every listen. You guys are almost like The Source with your ratings. SMFH
This is not a rap album. There are two rap songs. I am very disappointed.
Doesn’t change the fact it’s still a hip hop album.
3.9? Say it isn’t so. *deep sigh* Cruel world we live in. De La Soul is so important to Hip Hop and this is the thanks they get?
Solid album. De La has never disappointed their fans by “selling out”.
Beautiful grown up music. Trying new ideas and being honest.
Class, elegance, and production on another level, not a bad bar of music or lyrics
I just never liked them. They always appeared to me as some nice fathers after a staff meeting in the kindergarden.
Very solid record. Pretty much love it from start to finish. Refreshing.
I like the record. A tie with Stakes is High but wasn’t as tight as Grind Date.
this is an absolute joke. at LEAST a 4.5/5.. one of the best hip hop albums released in the last 5 years easily! this site SUCKS
You’re right i agree 100%….DX is smoking crack now lol
Lookin’ forward to this album, 3 feet high and rising was the first album I bought. Still one of the best hiphop groups 2 do it
Great project!!! It may have to grow on some to be appreciated.
Really solid album. Gets better each time I listen. I hear something I didn’t before. The mark of a truly timeless album
For fucks sakes HHDX you couldn’t hear the difference between real hip hop and a pig getting fucked in the ass if it was played for you. Give Thugger a higher rating…
Read a few reviews on this album, writers giving it an average rating, users giving it an excellent rating…?
One of the best hiphop albums in recent years.
HipHopDX – This site is just not good at rating albums anyone more. Stremmlife 2 is better? Slim thug: Hogglife4 is only slightly worse? Really? Come on. Do it for the culture. Just because music is coming out faster than we can process does not mean that the reviews need to come at the same pace. Every review on this site now feels like it was written after ONE listening. Stop that. We can get hot takes everyyyyywhere else. Don’t you think it’s time your reviews meant something again? Because I’m telling you right now, they don’t anymore.
It just feels like you let someone write a blog piece – what happened to feeling that a consensus was reached among the editorial staff? You remember after the fiasco over The Minstrel Show at the Source and HipHopDX emerged as the new best rating? Those days are soooo far behind you now. For instance, “lack cohesiveness,” “in-congruent”? Out of all the albums that have been reviewed, THIS album lacks cohesiveness? I feel like the reviewer listened to a completely different album than me!
Now, I’m not an old head who hates new hip-hop, but you must admit that something has been missing from the game the last few years. I’m not saying this album is a savior, but it was much needed and I think it succeeded what it sent out to accomplish.
If reviews on this site were still passing an editorial board, as they should be, I think this album would have been a 4. I think that would have been fair. As it stands, this review is downright disrespectful.
It’s time to do something.
You’re assuming things that just aren’t true. I never review an album after just one listen. Ever. Also, every single review is thoroughly reviewed and edited by HipHopDX’s editorial staff.
well said..they dont put much in their reviews, and this has been consistent for years, its not their strong point…actually its become more of a gossip site than anything…
this album is so legit, 5/5. Every song is quality, not all rap, its got everything, gets better with each listen. I DL everything, I keep going back to this album, its fire.
I don’t agree with the reviewer, I think this is one of their best. It has to grow on you, the tracks he complain about is the ones I really like. I didn’t buy or don’t remember listen to their last album but I did buy grind date when it came out that year, though didn’t it was better than this album. I like the real instruments that they used, the guests (even 2 chain), and also the vibe. That AOI Bionix album still classic IMO.
This review is short and shitty. Do you guys even put effort into these, or just contract them out for peanuts? Seriously. Longtime reader but I’m about fed up with the quality of the editorials here. I don’t give a shit about the rating you chose; I largely agree with that. It’s the fact that NON-hiphop sites consistently offer more in-depth and thoughtful reviews that this one.
Length doesn’t equal a thoughtful review. It takes more skill to make a point in a clear and concise manner than it does prattle on and make the same point in twice the amount of words.
you nailed it…not much effort..from their review ud think the album was just so so, not much thought put into it..
So awesome!!!!!! Best album of 2016.
This is a very entertaining album, far more skillful than half the crap coming out of the hip-cop community. 4/5.
I’ve been listening to this album for a couple weeks now, and like everyone else has said, it just keeps getting better with every listen. I was listening right now and I just had a thought: “DAMN this album is good, holy shit… I wonder what DX rated it… ohhhh I bet they fuckin shit all over it, lemme go see…” and here we are, lol. Unbelievable. Of all the albums out this year, THIS has been the most ‘congruent’, ‘cohesive’ and ‘sharply focused’, all the words the reviewer said it WASN’T. Everyone here commenting and getting upset with the reviewer, don’t even stress over it. He obviously doesn’t know good music, and the majority here has spoken, so… let him have all the “Lils” & “Youngs” we’ll keep all the Hip Hop.
I hear you man! It’s just I miss The Source (what WAS The Source) and I guess I just wish HipHopDX could fill that void. It doesn’t seem like it would be hard to curate a high quality Hip Hop site, but I guess in the “hot take” world we live in now, its just not possible? DX is turning into a classier version of MediaTakeout, albeit with review (half assed reviews – but still).
Please DX! Please! Make your reviews MEAN SOMETHING again!!!!
How about this for clicks, RE-REVIEW IT!!!! Just for the entertainment value! Why not, it’s the Internet, you can do what you want! This album gets better after multiple listens anyway…. wait a minute, what am I talking about… this sites highest reviewed album this year has been LEMONADE!! Who here is even listening to that!??
Come onnnnn, Justin! Do better!!!!
Since when is a 3.7 “shitting all over” an album?
3.7 divided by 5 = 74.
If I took a test, and I got a 74 on it, that’s not a very good score.
I don’t consider this album a 74. It’s more like an 88, at least. A good, respectable grade.
Geez, where are the Travis and Isaiah reviews at? I bet DX is gonna give Travis a higher rating because its trap and something “different” and “unique”.
Best album of 2016. I had to sit down and listen to it from start to finish. I think it’s one of my favorites from them. It feels like true De La but also fresh. It feels like what hip hop could be if it got out of the trap house and the front row of New York fashion week. My favorite song keeps changing. Glad to see so many people are enjoying it and disagree with this review.
Even if you are not a fan of this type of hip hop (Young thug and future fans) you can’t help but feel how coherent and complete this album feels and sounds. Its how albums should be made. I won’t say its the best I’ve heard this year, but its the most unique hands down. I wouldn’t be surprised if it went over some heads. Because it almost went over mine.
So its safe to presume the reviewer and or staff hasnt like the last 3 Roots albums either. same criticisms you apply to this DeLa album are the same for recent Roots works and them shits bang. they talk about wordly matters, life and death issues, they are meant to relate to and inspire the listener
good album!
I also just logged on to see what the review was here
Respect its your opinion fully but disagree
I think it is a 5 Best Album of the year hands down
Classic De La
Original material
And also one of the few albums where Growth is really troughout
It really is such a refreshing feeling to hear something in my ears again that reminds me why this music we listen too is some special
Thank You De La for staying trough to yourselves and us your Fans
One Love ?
A breath of fresh f***** air!! Not only the reviewer but this album flew over thousands of heads. But for this type of flavor to make a comeback, we need more artists putting out music like this, or call it saran because it’ll all be a wrap!!
The song PAIN with Snoop Dogg was fire!
The most significant album of the year. Refreshing and invigorating. De La will never die and this masterpiece is proof. “We are the past, present and still the future.”
I cannot contemplate how this album can be rated anything less than perfect.
hip hop dx have never, and will never excel and reviewing albums…
would rather listen to weezy eeeeeeeeeffffffffff
Coloring book is way better