Giant panda years ago) from the main ursine stock; since it is the most basal member of the group, it is equidistant from all other extant ursids. The giant panda has been referred to as a living fossil. Despite the shared name, habitat type, and diet, as well as a unique enlarged bone called the "pseudo thumb" (which helps them grip the bamboo shoots they eat) the giant panda and red panda are only distantly related. The word "panda" was borrowed into English from French, but no conclusive explanation of the origin of the French word "panda" has been found. The closest
Giant Panda (group) XXL. 2005 saw the release of Giant Panda's first full length, "Fly School Reunion" (Tres Records). "Fly School Reunion" received great reviews in URB (4 1/2 stars), XXL, XLR8R, HHC, NME, and a plethora of other international magazines. It was also a hit with college radio (3 on CMJ hip-hop charts). Giant Panda made URB's list of Next 100 in 2005. This buzz allowed the group to tour the West Coast with fellow Angelino hip-hoppers People Under The Stairs and Time Machine. In 2006 GP hit the road with Ugly Duckling for a European tour, and then once again that