Art Official Intelligence: Mosaic Thump by De La Soul
Art Official Intelligence: Mosaic Thump is De La Soul's fifth full-length studio album, released on August 8, 2000. The album was the first in a planned three-disc installment, which was originally intended to be a three-disc album. Among the guests on the album are Redman, Tash and J-Ro of Tha Liks, Xzibit, Busta Rhymes, Pharoahe Monch (who goes uncredited), Mike D and Ad Rock of the Beastie Boys, Busy Bee, Freddie Foxxx and soul diva Chaka Khan. Unlike their previous album, Stakes Is High, Mosaic Thump returned De La Soul to chart territory again thanks to the hit singles "Oooh.", and "All Good?". The album was also nominated for a Grammy. The Japanese version of the album featured album art by celebrity hip hop-inspired manga artist Santa Inoue, owner of Santastic! Entertainment clothing line.
The four years De La Soul took off between <i>Stakes Is High</i> and 2000’s <i>Art Official Intelligence: Mosaic Thump</i> featured more than one tectonic shift in rap’s sound and vision—Puff Daddy’s shiny suits, No Limit and Cash Money Records’ explosive bass, multi-platinum JAY-Z and Outkast albums, and a shadow economy of the indie rap De La paved the way for. They returned once again as square pegs, this time sailing a lush funk ship, mostly self-produced and anchored with soulful choruses—including one from Chaka Khan. With beats that have the rickety quality of contemporaries like J Dilla and Madlib (who each provide one—“Thru Ya City” and “My Writes”, respectively), De La proved they have one of rap’s best long games: “While you fools claim corners, we gon’ claim theories/Y’all some stickball n****s, we the World Series,” raps Trugoy the Dove on “Foolin’”.
