De La Soul De La Mix Tape: Remixes, Rarities & Classics CD

De La Soul: Posdnous, Trugoy, Pasemaster Mase (rap vocals).
Personnel: Mos Def, Truth Enola, Yankee B. (vocals); Pic Conley (flute).
Additional personnel: Mos Def, Prince Paul, Busta Rhymes (rap vocals); DJ Honda, Da Beatminerz (programming).
Audio Mixers: De La Soul; Prince Paul; Chris Conway; Sue Faber; Tim Latham; Troy Hightower; Bob Power.
Audio Remasterers: Dan Hersch; Steve Pokorny.
Audio Remixers: Jay Dee; De La Soul; DJ Spinna; DJ Joc Max; Badmarsh & Shri.
Liner Note Author: Chairman Mao.
Arrangers: De La Soul; Prince Paul.
The best thing about De La Mix Tape: Remixes, Rarities and Classics is that it's easy access to some rare B-sides, appearances on other artists' albums, and promo tracks. Unfortunately, it's not all of them, but the big find is the instrumental B-side "Piles and Piles of Demo Tapes Bi-Da Miles," with its rock-solid groove and crazy flute solo. The rest of the so-so rare tracks are upstaged by the group's appearances with other artists, including the great "More Than U Know" from Prince Paul's A Prince Among Thieves. A couple hits are included in their unaltered album versions. ~ David Jeffries
If this was a "mixtape" like the cover says, it would be a lot more fun. De La Soul's colorful sound would have been perfect in the hands of a quirky and smart DJ (old friend Prince Paul perhaps), and what if the quirky trio actually hosted it? The tracks on De La Mix Tape: Remixes, Rarities and Classics aren't mixed together. Even the way they're sequenced on the disc doesn't make sense, although the folks at Rhino mercifully spared listeners the chore of listening to the two (one too many) remixes of "Stakes Is High" in order. At the very least, you do get easy access to some rare B-sides, appearances on other artists' albums, and promo tracks, but not all of them. The big find is the instrumental B-side "Piles and Piles of Demo Tapes Bi-Da Miles," with its rock-solid groove and crazy flute solo. The rest of the so-so rare tracks are upstaged by the group's appearances with other artists, including the great "More Than U Know" from Prince Paul's A Prince Among Thieves. If De La Mix Tape didn't include so many unaltered album tracks, it would be easy to write this underwhelming hodgepodge off as "for hardcore fans only." Not mixed, not really that rare, and missing a bunch of hits, you've got to wonder who De La Mix Tape is aimed at. ~ David Jeffries
Attempting to assemble every De La Soul rarity, remix, guest shot, and B-side onto one collection would be pure folly, as there are simply so many excellent tunes in the group's catalog. Since overwhelming both critics and hip-hop fans in 1989 with their seminal debut, 3 FEET HIGH & RISING, the trio has been one of the more prolific ensembles in rap, constantly collaborating with various members of the loose-knit Native Tongues collective on numerous albums, singles, and assorted compilation tracks.
DE LA MIX TAPE doesn't try to be a definitive compilation (nor is it really a traditional mix tape, for that matter), but it cuts a swathe across De La Soul history. Classic album tracks, including "The Magic Number" and "Oodles of O's," share the stage with obscure cuts ("Piles and Piles of Demo Tapes Bi-Da Miles," a jazzy, flute-adorned instrumental version of 1991 single "Ring Ring Ring [Ha Ha Hey]"). Another rarity, the masterfully defiant "Trouble in the Water" (from a 1998 DJ Honda album), proves to be a highlight of this fun, funky journey through De La's past.