Blackalicious

Xavier Mosley (Chief Xcel) and Tim Parker (Gift of Gab) got together as Blackalicious back in 1991. They came out of the Sacramento/Davis underground rap scene, which released records as Solesides and Quannum Projects. Over the nine years until they released their first full-length album, they cut a handful of singles and two EPs and contributed some of the best things on comps such as Solesides Best Bumps and Quannum Connection. But while their basic shtick wasn't unusual for alt-rap -- Gab's torrent of gangsta-free words flooding Xcel's utility beats and turntableism -- they showed quite a knack for memorable hooks such as, in the seven-cut A2G, the alphabet sequence of "A to G," the p-funky chorus in "Rock the Spot," or the "by any means necessary" refrain to "Making Progress."

By the time they assembled Nia (Swahili for "purpose") they had 45 songs to choose from; the biggest problem with the nineteen that they chose (including three repeats from A2G) is that hooks and messages pile up so fast that it's hard to keep them straight. But "Ego Trip by Nikki Giovanni" (whose protagonist created the pyramids and the Nile, sent an ice age to Europe and burned out the Sahara, gave oil to the Arab world, and can fly) stands on its own, not least because Erinn Anova handles the vocal. Then there's the speech at the end of "Cliff Hanger," the "Blackalicious, we keep it fat, delicious" chorus on "Smithzonian Institute of Rhyme," the "un-huh"s that stomp home "Reanimation," the subliminal "drifting"s on the lullaby "Sleep."

Given that the market for underground rap is a good hundred times that for, say, underground jazz, major labels beckoned, and for better and worse, Blazing Arrow was the result. The deal gives them access to samples from the likes of Harry Nilsson, on "Blazing Arrow," and De La Soul, on "Paragraph President," and the guest stars queue up, although they still hang with old friends such as DJ Shadow and Cut Chemist. But in the end it's still much the same record: fast beats and scratches, lots of words, a few less hooks, but the refrain on "Sky Is Falling" (lifted from one of those B-boys -- Beethoven, I think) is awesome. Two lines sum them up nicely: "passion, the drive to press, to strive for best," but especially, "aural pleasure, y'all." (TOM HULL)

From 2004's The New Rolling Stone Album Guide