Dilated Peoples
' debut album was hugely anticipated in the
hip-hop
underground, thanks to a handful of excellent singles and guest appearances that began several years prior. When it was finally released in 2000,
The Platform
thrilled some and mildly disappointed others.
Dilated
is very much a part of the back-to-basics, old-school-worshipping wing of the underground, most often compared to fellow southern Californians
Jurassic 5
. They've got
DJ Babu
of
the Beat Junkies
working turntables, adding an extra dimension of authenticity to
Iriscience
and
Evidence
's well-honed microphone technique. Therein lies the rub: the trio's skills are all beyond question, but sometimes the album can feel like a formalist exercise. That's largely due to the lack of variety in lyrical content, which generally consists of one purist-friendly battle rhyme after another. It's all well-executed, but considering how far
has come, it's hard not to want a more personal statement, or a few topics other than wack MCs and keeping the culture real. But other than that,
is an excellent debut. The production (chiefly by
the Alchemist
) is lean and inventive throughout, supporting the two MCs' abstract poetics with a subtle flair. Plus, their single-minded love of
brings a tremendous enthusiasm to the best tracks. The title track,
"Triple Optics,"
and the underground classic
"Work the Angles"
are particular highlights, and guests
B Real
,
Tha Alkaholiks
Planet Asia
, and
Aceyalone
all put in memorable appearances (especially
, on
"Right On"
). If it's occasionally uneven,
is still better than the vast majority of its competition, and whether or not they ultimately prove to be the saviors of
(as some would have it), their promise is undeniable. ~ Steve Huey