AOI: Bionix

AOI: Bionix, the sixth studio album from American hip hop group De La Soul, was released on 4 December 2001. Originally conceived as part of a three-disc installment, it became the final release by De La Soul under Tommy Boy.

The lead single, “Baby Phat,” featuring Yummy Bingham and Devin the Dude, celebrated women of larger sizes. Meanwhile, tracks like “Held Down,” featuring Cee-Lo, delved into introspective themes of fatherhood, religion, and fame. Notably, Slick Rick joined the lineup on “What We Do (For Love),” a humourous take on puberty and sexual discovery. Although plans were in place to release the Kev Brown-produced “Special” as the second single, the closure of Tommy Boy as a label curtailed further promotional efforts for Bionix.

The album featured skits with the character Reverend Do Good, providing social commentary and serving as intros and outros for songs. The final Reverend Do Good skit doubled as an advertisement for Ghost Weed, a concept introduced in De La Soul’s preceding album, Art Official Intelligence: Mosaic Thump. This skit featured a teenager transforming into Slum Village frontman J Dilla, who also contributed to the marijuana-themed song “Peer Pressure.”