On their sixth album, 2001’s AOI: Bionix—the second volume in a never-completed trilogy—De La Soul took on a gently robotic feel for their head-nodding-est project ever. There’s a little bit of hedonism in here, with a few breezy songs about what they used to call “buddy”: “Pawn Star” is like X-rated Curtis Mayfield, “What We Do (For Love)” features Slick Rick with an adult update of “Children’s Story”, mild hit “Baby Phat” is a celebration of thicker women. And there’s a little weed smoke in the air, too, on “Peer Pressure”—though, in true Delacratic fashion, Posdnuos abstains, even when going toe-to-toe with Cypress Hill’s B-Real. However, De La Soul had not turned into a mellow party crew, as the gospel-tinged “Held Down” and the child-chant-abetted “Trying People” attest—they are existential soul jams with raps about jealousy, growth and the changing rap world.
Tracklisting
| Position | Title |
|---|---|
| A1 | Intro |
| A2 | Bionix |
| A3 | Baby Phat |
| A4 | Simply |
| A5 | Simply Havin |
| B1 | Held Down |
| B2 | Rev. Do Good #1 |
| B3 | Watch Out |
| B4 | Special |
| B5 | Rev. Do Good #2 |
| C1 | The Sauce |
| C2 | Am I Worth You? |
| C3 | Pawn Star |
| C4 | What We Do (For Love) |
| D1 | Rev. Do Good #3 |
| D2 | Peer Pressure |
| D3 | It’s American |
| D4 | Trying People |
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Release Images
Release Information
| Key | Value |
|---|---|
| Wikipedia URL | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AOI:_Bionix |
| Format | 2× Vinyl LP, Album, Reissue |
| Label | AOI Records |
| Catalog Number | RMM-056-1 |
| Notes | The release date is August 11, 2023, in the U.S. and September 15, 2023, worldwide. The “MADE IN CZECH REPUBLIC” sticker is on the back shrinkwrap. |
| Discogs URL | De La Soul - AOI: Bionix |