Brolin: Urban Music Editor

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  Kamackeris — Artz & Craftz

  You may have heard him on MF DOOM's Operation: Doomsday or perhaps on the exceptional M.I.C. project Escape From Monsta Island!. If you're an older head, you might remember a 1993 single called "Khadijah," performed by Dirt Nation and featured on the soundtrack to Sugar Hill. The artist in question is a Queens emcee named Kamackeris (aka Kwite Def, aka KD), arguably the best rapper you never heard of. Despite being released extremely under the radar, his long overdue solo album is a triumph, a potent combination of hardcore ruggedness and reflective introspection, set to grimy yet catchy production from veteran New York beat assassin X-Ray. Outstanding hip-hop from a slept-on rhyme master.

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  Melina Jones — Swearing Off Busters

  We've been a big fan of her work for a while now, but the Bay's own Melina Jones continues to impress with her fantastic debut album. Produced mostly by another homegrown favorite, Deedot, Swearing Off Busters is proof positive that you can be a female emcee without falling victim to the four major traps: shameless slut-rap, hippy-dippy neo-soul, grrrl-power battle cries, or gangsta-rap that tries to outdo the fellas. MJ does her own thing, delivering quotable verses and quality singing atop knocking beats and funk-laden loops. Watch for her to blow up in 2008.

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  Prodigy — Return of the Mac

  As a group, Mobb Deep has been on the decline for many years. The duo's last few albums were inconsistent at best, and Blood Money, its recent G Unit effort, was undoubtedly its worst work to date. Many former fans had given up on the group completely, but then this CD hit like a bolt of lightning. Prodigy has always had the ice cold voice, perfect for blood-drenched rhymes and Queensbridge thug stories. On Return of the Mac, he sounds hungry again, with a swagger and urgency that had been missing for a minute now. Longtime Mobb collaborator Alchemist comes through something serious, with an assortment of moody sample-heavy tracks that serve as the perfect sonic accompaniment. Hopefully P will make it out of his upcoming jail bid in one piece. Look for his new solo joint H.N.I.C.2 dropping soon.

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  Ghostface — The Big Doe Rehab

  It is no secret that Ghostface has long since eclipsed his fellow Wu-Tang warriors in terms of both star power and critical acclaim. Of all the original members, he is by far the most musically consistent, as well as the most prolific and beloved by the media. This trend continues on his seventh solo album (his third in less than two years), another choice collection of vivid storytelling, epic soul samples, and breakneck beats. Rehab is everything you expect/hope for from a Ghost record--layered lyricism, '70s source material, a couple of weird skits, and charisma for days. It's waaaaay better than the new Wu-Tang Clan album and another big win for Tony Stark. "Yolanda's House" alone is worth the price of admission.

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  Wise Intelligent — The Talented Timothy Taylor

  Back in the early 1990s, New Jersey's Poor Righteous Teachers were unstoppable. Known for their positive yet hardcore rhyme schemes, knowledge of self message, and ridiculously funky production, the trio released four full-lengths, even scoring a few mainstream hits. Frontman Wise Intelligent put out an amazing solo record in '96, but because of its racially charged artwork, it was never promoted. Dude kind of disappeared for a while but has been making moves the past few years with new material and dope live shows. His long awaited sophomore solo piece is well worth the wait. The beats have been updated a bit, while his revolutionary stance, deft verbalism, and patois-laced delivery sounds as sharp as it did 15 years ago.