And the Anonymous Nobody...

{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2017}} {{Infobox album | name = And the Anonymous Nobody... | type = studio | artist = De La Soul | cover = And_The_Anonymous_Nobody_album_cover.jpg | alt = | released = August 26, 2016 | recorded =  | venue = | studio = | genre = Hip-hop | length = 67:59 | label = {{hlist|AOI|Kobalt}} | producer = {{hlist|De La Soul|Jordan Katz|Dave Palmer|Davey Chegwidden|Ethan Phillips|Joshua Matthew Lopez|Kaveh Rastegar|Money Mark|Pete Rock|Supa Dave West}} | prev_title = The Grind Date | prev_year = 2004 | next_title = Cabin in the Sky | next_year = 2025 | misc = {{Singles | name = and the Anonymous Nobody... | type = studio | single1 = Trainwreck | single1date = April 29, 2016 | single2 = Pain | single2date = June 1, 2016 | single3 = Royalty Capes | single3date = July 20, 2016 | single4 = Drawn | single4date = August 10, 2016 | single5 = Greyhounds | single5date = August 17, 2016 }} }}

'''''And the Anonymous Nobody...''''' (stylized as '''''and the Anonymous Nobody...''''') is the eighth studio album by American hip-hop group De La Soul, the group's first full-length album since ''The Grind Date'' and its last prior to group member Trugoy the Dove's death in 2023.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Gee |first=Andre |title=De La Soul's Trugoy the Dove Dead At 54 |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/de-la-soul-trugoy-the-dove-dead-obit-1234678463/ |magazine=Rolling Stone |access-date=February 12, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Sisario |first=Ben |title=De La Soul's David Jolicoeur, Who Rapped as Trugoy the Dove, Dies at 54 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/12/arts/music/trugoy-the-dove-dave-jolicoeur-dead.html |website=New York Times |access-date=February 12, 2023}}</ref> It was released on August 26, 2016, on AOI Records, executive produced by Jordan Katz. The group announced the track list on May 20, 2016.<ref>{{cite web |last=Schwartz |first=Danny |title=De La Soul announce tracklist |url=https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/49444-de-la-soul-reveal-tracklist-and-cover-art-for-and-the-anonymous-nobody-album-news |website=Hotnewhiphop.com |date=May 20, 2016 |access-date=May 20, 2016}}</ref>

The album has guest features from 2 Chainz, Damon Albarn, David Byrne, Estelle, Little Dragon, Snoop Dogg, Jill Scott, Justin Hawkins, Pete Rock, and Roc Marciano. It received positive reviews by critics, and peaked at 12 on the ''Billboard'' 200. The album was nominated for Best Rap Album at the 2017 Grammy Awards.

== Background == In early 2015, De La Soul created a Kickstarter in order to fund the album. In under ten hours, it surpassed the projected goal of $110,000.<ref name="nyt">{{cite web |last=Cohen |first=Finn |title=De La Soul's Legacy Is Trapped in Digital Limbo |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/14/arts/music/de-la-soul-digital-albums.html?_r=1 |website=The New York Times |date=9 August 2016 |access-date=7 September 2016}}</ref> Initially, the group announced that the album would be released on April 29, 2016.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/461244-de-la-soul-sets-new-release-date-for-upcoming-album-news |title=De La Soul Sets New Release Date For Upcoming Album |publisher=hotnewhiphop.com |author=Walker, Angus |date=November 21, 2015 |access-date=February 7, 2016}}</ref> Subsequently, releasing a new EP titled ''For Your Pain & Suffering'' on April 29, 2016, the group rescheduled the release of the album for August 26, 2016.<ref>{{cite web |last=Simmons |first=Ted |title=De La Soul announced that their Kickstarter-funded album would be delayed |url=http://www.xxlmag.com/rap-music/new-music/2016/04/de-la-soul-for-your-pain-suffering-ep/ |work=XXL |date=April 29, 2016 |access-date=April 29, 2016}}</ref> The first single, "Pain" (featuring Snoop Dogg), was released on May 31, 2016.<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/hear-de-la-soul-snoop-doggs-funky-cathartic-pain-37741/|title=Hear De La Soul, Snoop Dogg's Funky, Cathartic 'Pain'|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=May 31, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/news/65826-de-la-soul-enlist-snoop-dogg-for-new-song-pain-listen/|title=De La Soul Enlist Snoop Dogg for New Song “Pain”: Listen|website=Pitchfork|date=May 31, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.xxlmag.com/de-la-soul-snoop-dogg-pain/|title=De La Soul and Snoop Dogg Want to Ease the "Pain"|magazine=XXL|date=May 31, 2016}}</ref>

==Critical reception== {{Album ratings | MC=77/100<ref name="mc">{{cite web|url=http://www.metacritic.com/music/and-the-anonymous-nobody/de-la-soul|title=And the Anonymous Nobody |work=Metacritic|publisher=CBS Interactive|access-date=2016-08-25}}</ref> | rev1 = AllMusic | rev1Score = {{rating|3|5}}<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/and-the-anonymous-nobody-mw0002947120 | title=De La Soul – and the Anonymous Nobody | publisher=AllMusic | date=26 August 2016 | access-date=21 September 2016 | author=Sendra, Tim}}</ref> | rev2 = ''The A.V. Club'' | rev2score = A−<ref>{{cite web |last1=Bray |first1=Ryan |title=And The Anonymous Nobody… is De La Soul's long-awaited but inspired return |url=https://www.avclub.com/and-the-anonymous-nobody-is-de-la-soul-s-long-awaited-1798188650 |website=The A.V. Club |accessdate=26 August 2016 |date=26 August 2016}}</ref> | rev3 = ''Consequence of Sound'' | rev3Score = B−<ref>{{cite web | url=https://consequenceofsound.net/2016/08/album-review-de-la-soul-and-the-anonymous-nobody/ | title=De La Soul – and the Anonymous Nobody | work=Consequence of Sound | date=26 August 2016 | access-date=3 September 2016 | author=Eustice, Kyle}}</ref> | rev4 = ''Drowned in Sound'' | rev4score = 8/10<ref>{{cite web |last1=Miller |first1=Kellan |title=De La Soul - and the Anonymous Nobody... |url=http://drownedinsound.com/releases/19573/reviews/4150331 |website=Drowned in Sound |accessdate=26 August 2016 |date=26 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160827201551/http://drownedinsound.com/releases/19573/reviews/4150331 |archive-date=August 27, 2016 }}</ref> |rev5 = ''Exclaim!'' |rev5score = 8/10<ref name="exclaim">{{cite web | url=http://exclaim.ca/music/article/de_la_soul-and_the_anonymous_nobody | title=De La Soul - And the Anonymous Nobody | work=Exclaim! | date=August 30, 2016 | access-date=August 30, 2016 | author=Mullin, Kyle}}</ref> | rev6 = ''musicOMH'' | rev6score = {{rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite web |last1=Bemrose |first1=Bekki |title=De La Soul – And The Anonymous Nobody |url=https://www.musicomh.com/reviews/albums/de-la-soul-anonymous-nobody |website=musicOMH |accessdate=26 August 2016 |date=26 August 2016}}</ref> |rev7=''Pitchfork'' |rev7Score=6.4/10<ref name="pitchfork">{{cite web|last1=Patrin|first1=Nate|title=De La Soul: and the Anonymous Nobody|url=http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/22353-and-the-anonymous-nobody/|publisher=Pitchfork|access-date=7 September 2016|date=3 September 2016}}</ref> | rev8 = ''Q'' | rev8score = {{rating|4|5}}<ref>And the Anonymous Nobody delivers. [Sep 2016, p.104]</ref> |rev9=''Spin'' |rev9Score=8/10<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.spin.com/2016/08/review-de-la-soul-and-the-anonymous-nobody/|title=Spin Magazine Review|publisher=Spin.com|last=Williams|first=Stereo|date=2016-08-25|access-date=2016-08-25}}</ref> |rev10=''XXL'' |rev10score= {{rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.xxlmag.com/news/2016/08/de-la-soul-make-a-strong-return-with-and-the-anonymous-nobody|title=De La Soul Make a Strong Return With 'And the Anonymous Nobody' - XXL|work=XXL|access-date=August 14, 2017}}</ref> }} At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 77, based on 28 reviews, which indicates "generally favorable reviews".<ref name="mc"/> Writing for ''Exclaim!'', Kyle Mullin gave the album a rave review, calling it "one of the most thrilling, wide-ranging rap releases of the year."<ref name="exclaim"/>

==Commercial performance== In the United States, ''And the Anonymous Nobody...'' debuted at number 12 on the ''Billboard'' 200, with 23,000 album-equivalent units, marking the fifth highest debut of the week.<ref name="HipHopDX">{{cite web|last=Hernandez |first=Victoria |url=http://hiphopdx.com/news/id.40292/title.young-thugs-no-my-name-is-jeffery-lands-in-top-10-of-billboard-200 |title=Young Thug's "No, My Name Is Jeffery" Lands In Top 10 Of Billboard 200 |publisher=HipHopDX |date=September 5, 2016 |access-date=September 5, 2016}}</ref> It was the seventh best-selling album of the week, selling 21,000 copies in its first week.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/top-album-sales/2016-09-17|title=Top Album Sales|magazine=Billboard |access-date=September 17, 2016}}</ref> ''And the Anonymous Nobody...'' was the first De La Soul album to debut at number one on the ''Billboard'' Top Rap Albums.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vibe.com/2016/09/de-la-soul-and-the-anonymous-nobody-number-one-rap-album/|title=De La Soul's First Album In 12 Years Lands At No. 1 On Billboard Rap Albums Chart|date=September 7, 2016 |publisher=Vibe|access-date=September 8, 2016}}</ref><ref name="week1">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/pro/de-la-soul-crowd-funded-album-number-1-top-rap-albums-chart/ |title=De La Soul's Crowd-Funded Album Debuts at No. 1 on Top Rap Albums Chart |magazine=Billboard |date=September 9, 2016 |access-date=September 26, 2016}}</ref> The album was also streamed 2 million times in the first week.<ref name="HipHopDX"/> It was nominated at the 59th Grammy Awards for Best Rap Album.

==Track listing==

{{Track listing | total_length = 67:59 | extra_column = Producer(s) |headline=''And the Anonymous Nobody...'' track listing | title1 = Genesis | note1 = featuring Jill Scott | writer1 = | extra1 = The Anonymous Nobodies | length1 = 1:36

| title2 = Royalty Capes | writer2 = | extra2 = {{hlist|Plug Too|the Anonymous Nobodies{{ref|a|[a]}}|Davey Chegwidden{{ref|a|[a]}}}} | length2 = 3:46

| title3 = Pain | note3 = featuring Snoop Dogg | writer3 = | extra3 = {{hlist|Supa Dave West|De La Soul{{ref|a|[a]}}}} | length3 = 4:39

| title4 = Property of Spitkicker.com | note4 = featuring Roc Marciano | writer4 = | extra4 = {{hlist|Plug Too|the Anonymous Nobodies{{ref|a|[a]}}}} | length4 = 5:32

| title5 = Memory of… (Us) | note5 = featuring Estelle and Pete Rock | writer5 = | extra5 = {{hlist|Pete Rock|De La Soul{{ref|a|[a]}}|West{{ref|a|[a]}}}} | length5 = 4:55

| title6 = CBGB's | writer6 = | extra6 = {{hlist|Plug Too|Ethan Phillips{{ref|a|[a]}}}} | length6 = 1:20

| title7 = Lord Intended | note7 = featuring Justin Hawkins | writer7 = | extra7 = {{hlist|The Anonymous Nobodies|Joshua Matthew Lopez{{ref|a|[a]}}}} | length7 = 7:16

| title8 = Snoopies | note8 = by De La Soul and David Byrne | writer8 = | extra8 = {{hlist|Plug Won|West{{ref|a|[a]}}|Lopez{{ref|a|[a]}}|Money Mark{{ref|a|[a]}}|Chegwidden{{ref|a|[a]}}}} | length8 = 4:15

| title9 = Greyhounds | note9 = featuring Usher | writer9 = | extra9 = {{hlist|Phillips|the Anonymous Nobodies{{ref|a|[a]}}|Chegwidden{{ref|a|[a]}}}} | length9 = 5:26

| title10 = Sexy Bitch | writer10 = | extra10 = Plug Won | length10 = 1:31

| title11 = Trainwreck | writer11 = | extra11 = {{hlist|West|the Anonymous Nobodies{{ref|a|[a]}}}} | length11 = 3:17

| title12 = Drawn | note12 = featuring Little Dragon | writer12 = | extra12 = {{hlist|The Anonymous Nobodies|Dave Palmer{{ref|a|[a]}}|Kaveh Rastegar{{ref|a|[a]}}|Chegwidden{{ref|a|[a]}}}} | length12 = 5:33

| title14 = Nosed Up | writer14 = | extra14 = West | length14 = 3:57

| title15 = You Go Dave (A Goldblatt Presentation) | note15 = featuring David Goldblatt | writer15 = | extra15 = {{hlist|Chegwidden|Phillips|the Anonymous Nobodies{{ref|a|[a]}}}} | length15 = 1:20

| title16 = Here in After | note16 = featuring Damon Albarn | writer16 = | extra16 = {{hlist|The Anonymous Nobodies|Rastegar{{ref|a|[a]}}|Lopez{{ref|a|[a]}}|Chegwidden{{ref|a|[a]}}}} | length16 = 5:41

| title17 = Exodus | writer17 = | extra17 = The Anonymous Nobodies | length17 = 3:24 }}

; Notes *On the Kickstarter Exclusive CD, LP and digital editions of the album, "You Go Dave (A Goldblatt Presentation)" contains an additional track, "Unfold", after it, running for 6:00. * <sup>{{note|a|a}}</sup> signifies a co-producer

==Charts==

===Weekly charts=== {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |- ! scope="col"| Chart (2016) ! scope="col"| Peak<br /> position |- {{album chart|Australia|25|artist=De La Soul|album=And the Anonymous Nobody|rowheader=true|accessdate=September 3, 2016}} |- {{album chart|Austria|34|artist=De La Soul|album=And the Anonymous Nobody|rowheader=true|accessdate=September 8, 2016}} |- {{album chart|Flanders|14|artist=De La Soul|album=And the Anonymous Nobody|rowheader=true|accessdate=September 2, 2016}} |- {{album chart|Wallonia|31|artist=De La Soul|album=And the Anonymous Nobody|rowheader=true|accessdate=September 2, 2016}} |- {{album chart|BillboardCanada|51|artist=De La Soul|rowheader=true|accessdate=September 7, 2016}} |- {{album chart|Netherlands|19|artist=De La Soul|album=And the Anonymous Nobody|rowheader=true|accessdate=September 2, 2016}} |- ! scope="row"| French Albums (SNEP)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.snepmusique.com/tops-semaine/top-albums-fusionnes/?ye=2016&we=35|title=Le Top de la semaine : Top Albums Fusionnes - SNEP (Week 35, 2016)|date=June 10, 2013 |publisher=Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique|language=fr|access-date=September 6, 2016}}</ref> | 53 |- {{album chart|Germany|22|id=306234|artist=De La Soul|album=And the Anonymous Nobody|rowheader=true|accessdate=September 2, 2016}} |- {{album chart|Ireland|34|year=2016|week=35|rowheader=true|accessdate=September 2, 2016}} |- {{album chart|New Zealand|31|artist=De La Soul|album=And the Anonymous Nobody|rowheader=true|accessdate=September 2, 2016}} |- {{album chart|Scotland|14|date=2016-09-02|rowheader=true|accessdate=September 3, 2016}} |- {{album chart|Switzerland|12|artist=De La Soul|album=And the Anonymous Nobody|rowheader=true|accessdate=September 7, 2016}} |- {{album chart|UK2|16|date=2016-09-02|rowheader=true|accessdate=September 3, 2016}} |- ! scope="row"| UK Official Vinyl Albums (OCC)<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.officialcharts.com/charts/vinyl-albums-chart/|title=Official Vinyl Albums Chart Top 40 {{!}} Official Charts Company|website=www.officialcharts.com|access-date=September 4, 2016}}</ref> |1 |- {{album chart|UKR&B|2|date=2016-09-02|rowheader=true|accessdate=September 3, 2016}} |- {{album chart|Billboard200|12|artist=De La Soul|rowheader=true|accessdate=September 7, 2016}} |- {{album chart|BillboardRandBHipHop|3|artist=De La Soul|rowheader=true|accessdate=September 8, 2016}} |- ! scope="row" | US Vinyl Albums (''Billboard'')<ref>{{cite magazine | url={{BillboardURLbyName|artist=De La Soul|chart=Vinyl Albums}} | title=De La Soul – Chart History: Vinyl Albums | publisher=Prometheus Global Media | magazine=Billboard | access-date= September 8, 2016}}</ref> |1 |}

===Year-end charts=== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |- ! scope="col"| Chart (2016) ! scope="col"| Peak<br>position |- ! scope="row"| US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (''Billboard'')<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2016/top-r-and-b-hip-hop-albums|title=Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 2016|magazine=Billboard|access-date=April 13, 2017}}</ref> |66 |}

==References== {{reflist|30em}}

Category:2016 albums Category:De La Soul albums Category:Rough Trade Records albums Category:Albums produced by Pete Rock Category:Kickstarter-funded albums Category:Albums recorded at Electro-Vox Recording Studios Category:Albums recorded at Westlake Recording Studios