Blackalicious

"Everybody's got something to say, so let me speak the opposite of what's hot now, and make that hot so it will get exploited and corporations will only back dudes who bite my style," or so says Blackalious' latest LP The Craft. After the musical behemoth that was 2000's Nia, Blackalicious took a creative sidestep, which in music is tantamount to a step backwards, with 2002's Blazing Arrow. Now, after three and a half years, the hip-hop maestros are showing us the mark of great musicians: evolution so subtly jarring that the listener thinks, "I've never heard this before, but of course they're doing it." The Craft shows a newfound maturity in both beats and lyrics that was somewhat lacking on their sophomore release.

Blackalicious-comprised of DJ/producer/executive beat maker Chief Xcel and heavyset lyricist Gift of Gab-walks a fine line on The Craft between maintaining their underground rap roots and angling for mainstream success. With their most accessible and consistently best album, they have joined the collective of rappers like The Roots, Jurassic 5 and DM and Jemini who are attempting to wrest mainstream hip hop away from the cut-and-dry gangsta rap MTV communal. While listening to The Craft's opening track "World of Vibrations," Gift of Gab's boast "Emcees are puppets/Me, I'm Jim Henson," will become painfully obvious.