Editing De La Soul (section)

=== 2000–2005: ''Art Official Intelligence'' and ''The Grind Date'' ===
[[File:DeLa Soul-mika.jpg|thumb|De La Soul in 2002]]
In 2000, De La Soul launched the [[Spitkicker Tour]], a U.S.-wide tour first hosted by De La Soul, Common, Biz Markie, Talib Kweli, Pharoahe Monch.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Harrington |first=Richard |date=2000-07-21 |title=SPOTLIGHT |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/2000/07/21/spotlight/6d7c759e-0a93-4fb2-a25a-63ce471ec9ed/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170828191417/https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/2000/07/21/spotlight/6d7c759e-0a93-4fb2-a25a-63ce471ec9ed/ |archive-date=2017-08-28 |access-date=2024-12-26 |work=The Wall Street Post}}</ref> That same year, they established the [[Spitkicker]] collective, which grew to include progressive hip-hop artists, comedian [[Dave Chappelle]], chef [[Marcus Samuelsson]], and others.<ref>{{Cite news |last=John-Sandy II |first=Rene |date=October 2006 |title=Spit Happens |url=http://www.spitkicker.com/spit_5_1/spit_5_1.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070723095713/http://www.spitkicker.com/spit_5_1/spit_5_1.pdf |archive-date=July 23, 2007 |access-date=December 26, 2024 |work=Spit |pages=18-19 |volume=5 |issue=1}}</ref> De La Soul also announced that they would release a triple album series entitled "Art Official Intelligence" (or AOI). All three albums were intended to be released within a year, beginning with the release of ''[[Art Official Intelligence: Mosaic Thump]]''. This was followed by ''[[AOI: Bionix]]'' in late 2001. After this, however, the third and final album in the AOI series was never released. For the next two years, the only De La Soul releases were singles or remix compilations. David "Trugoy the Dove" Jolicoeur stated in an interview that it usually takes about four years for the group to record an album, promote it with advertisements, touring and so on. The group was having trouble finishing the last AOI installment for many reasons, one of which being an ongoing struggle with [[Tommy Boy Records]],{{Citation needed|date=July 2010}} which had been releasing its albums ever since its debut.

In the summer of 2002, De La Soul toured with [[Cake (band)|Cake]], [[Modest Mouse]], [[The Flaming Lips]], [[Kinky (band)|Kinky]], and the [[Hackensaw Boys]] during the Unlimited Sunshine Tour. The band was briefly featured in the video game ''[[PaRappa the Rapper 2]]'' with the song "[[Say "I Gotta Believe!"]]", featuring [[Double (singer)|Double]], and also appeared on the soundtrack of the game.

In 2004, De La Soul released a new full album: ''[[The Grind Date]]'' on Sanctuary/BMG Records because the venture between Tommy Boy and Warner Bros. Records was shut down and the group's contract was shopped to the other [[Warner Music Group|WEA]] labels. The band thought about having its contract absorbed by [[Elektra Records]], but it decided to leave WEA altogether. Although it was not the third AOI album fans had been expecting, the album was released to some critical acclaim and was well received by most fans. The album features guests [[MF Doom]], [[Ghostface Killah]], Butta Verses and [[Flavor Flav]], with production from [[9th Wonder]], [[Jake One]], [[Madlib]] and more. The lead single "[[Shopping Bags (She Got from You)]]" did not fare very well and set the tone for disappointing commercial acceptance. In conjunction with the album's release, the group also offered up the track "Come on Down" featuring Flavor Flav for remixing on Sony's Acid Planet website. The winning remix was "Come On Down (KY Raised NY Glazed)" by Interlude Jones who said he tried to "take the influential sound of old New York hip hop and marry it back to its roots."