Blackalicious

I've been listening to Blackalicious a lot lately and since it's been a while since I've done such I was reminded of how incredible their music is. For those that don't know, GET TO KNOW THEM! They are composed of MC Gift of Gab and DJ Chief Xcel and hail from Oakland. Their music is strictly and purposefully "conscious." They are the antithesis of everything that is played on the radio today and they deserve recognition from the industry. I have seen them live and they are great performers. Gift of Gab is one of the most skilled MCs in hip-hop and he demonstrated that in their show. He spit a freestyle for about a minute at the pace of Twista (the better- known Chicago MC) and everyone in the crowd was enthralled by his lyrical aptitude. If you want to get a good sampling of their music, I would recommend the songs "Shallow Days," "Make You Feel That Way," and "First in Flight." To summarize this entry, do yourself a favor and pay homage to hip-hop in its truest form, free of commercialized tomfoolery.