(Om/Stomp)

Bay Area duo rise up from West Coast underground

DJ/producer Zeph has paired up with slam poet champion Azeem to produce an album that is as equally as party-rockin’ as it is heady. The album’s title track, Rise Up, has a rootsy-rebel energy akin to Dead Prez, but with a laidback West Coast vibe.

Track-for-track, Zeph’s dub, soul, funk, Latin and jazz infused instrumentals compliment Azeem’s smooth vocals (think Living Legends) and clever, conscious wordplay. At times, the duo are reminiscent of Soul Position (RJD2 and Rhymesayers’ Blueprint), especially on Come One Come All, which samples Brand Nubian’s Sadat X. Roots vocalist Tony Moses and Joyo Velarde, the Solesides/Quannum songstress, are featured on the dubby aria, Time To Wake Up.

That Type of Music and Play The Drum might vie for underground hip hop anthem of the year, although bets are on the latter with its catchy, nursery rhymesque chant, I want to play my drums/In such a crazy way... The album is short, with a couple of purely instrumental tracks and some unnecessary interludes, but quality definitely outweighs quantity.

**** ½

ELAINE MITROPOULOS

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