De La Soul - Art Official Intelligence: Mosaic Thump

The first of their three-album Art Official Intelligence series, Mosaic Thump is a likable album, full of inspired moments. It's also the closest thing De La Soul have ever come to making a less-than-stunning LP. Maybe it's the contemporary production style that weakens songs like "U Can Do" and "I C Ya'll." Maybe it's the (far too) many cameos by bigwigs like Busta Rhymes and Redman and not enough by dark-horse newcomers like Indeed (who comes off nice on "Set the Mood"). De La haven't muzzled their intellectual bite on songs like "Declaration" and "View," and they can still get that rear in rotation with groovers like "With Me," and the funkalistic "Thru Ya City." But where they once left no doubt as to their status as hip-hop's brightest and most innovative group, De La now seem less extraordinary and more merely mortal. --Oliver Wang