As a DJ and connoisseur of fine hip hop, I am often asked for recommendations by friends and acquaintances. And while tempted to rattle off my own personal favorites... the reality is that many people aren't interested in the sort of violence, misogyny, and materialism found in a lot of my favorite hip hop. I must have a high tolerance for that sort of thing. But I guess I can see how listening to a sordid litany of cliches isn't high on the priority list of many people. For all these sensitive listeners, who seek wholesome and nutritious musical soul food, what I have done here is make a list of about a dozen hip hop artists who have only nice things to say about the world. These are artists who not only refrain from making cheap stereotypes of themselves, but also make some damn appealing music as well. My friend Stephen once asked my why rappers are always calling each other out, and ridiculing people, and concocting bogus rivalries. It was a good question. I told him that vague antagonism is the very essence of hip hop. You see, hip hop is a dialog. Hip Hop is a big call and response between hip hop artists and the larger community. And most hip hop artists use this forum to tell everyone how great they are, how terrible their enemies are, and how the world has trouble understanding these realities. Admitedly, even with some of the artists on this list here, there are some brief spats of antagonism, and name calling, and disses, etc. I apologize. But they mean well! Antagonism is a somewhat unavoidable part of hip hop because hip hop artists are addressing the world. And basically, the world is a fucked up place, right? But don't be afraid -- for all you tender listeners out there -- I promise that this is a group of artists who balance their restlessness and discontent with some much needed thoughtfulness and sensitivity. Hugs not thugs! EMANON Anon & On Aloe Blac is not just a thinking person's emcee... he is a poet's emcee. Combined with the often emotionally penetrating instrumentals of Exile, Emanon is a rare combination of style and substance. Whereas many thoughtful and sensitive hip hop artists fail to grasp the importance of hip hop's style conventions, Aloe and Exile are masters of hip hop style. While other artists calibrate their image, based on the flavor of the month, Emanon does what is natural. And you can hear it in the music. Exile's beats are sometimes playful and fun (check out "Detour"), other times hard hitting and aggressive (as on "Nature of the Beast"), but mostly you hear openness and good times. Aloe takes this very flexible audio canvas and uses it to touch on subject matter not commonly found in dope hip hop. Of particular note to all you thoughtful and sensitive people our there is "What Can I Do." This song is probably the finest coming-of-age song in all of hip hop. Essentially, it is about a young political activist realizing that his dream of changing the world at any cost, must take a backseat to the difficult task of living a happy life. After you hear this EP, you will realize that Aloe and Exile are not just a great hip hop duo... they are good people too. FREESTYLE FELLOWSHIP To Whom It May Concern (+Version 2.0) & Innercity Griots These two albums were landmarks for both the West Coast and national hip hop scenes. They represent something far beyond hip hop. In the process of being made, thousands of years of lyrical and musical tradition focused itself on South Central Los Angeles and blessed the minds of Micah 9, P.E.A.C.E., Self-Jupiter, and Aceyalone. Each of these emcees is known as a force in his own right. Together, they channel a synergy far greater than the sum of hip hop's fragmented parts. Echoing the spirit of jazz horn players and expanding upon the stylistic foundation of open mic sessions, methods previously unrefined were honed and pioneered by the Fellowship. The Fellowship's method is actually quite simple: utilize all the possibilities of vocal delivery: speed, pace, repetition, harmony, stuttering, volume, stacatto, falsetto, and anything else one could imagine. And the acapella and role call vocal segments throughout both albums illustrate a stunning command of the full spectrum of compositional structures: soloing, acapellas, choruses, and of course... going off the top. Throughout both albums, subject matter often becomes secondary to the purely musical qualities of the vocal delivery. But tracks such as "Inner City Boundaries" and "Park Bench People" show the Fellowship to be thoughtful and sensitive as well. And the posse cut, "Heavyweights," with its spastic dancehall-style beat, is a West Coast upstage of the Main Source posse classic "Live At The Barbeque." Both albums take many turns and twists. One thing the Fellowship has never been accused of is relying on one style. Of special note is the "Version 2.0" of To Whom It May Concern, which takes the original vocal acapella versions and gives them completely different instrumentals. This Version 2.0 is the product of J Sumbi, who makes some of the -- already classic -- songs even better. THE JUGGAKNOTS Clear Blue Skies Hailing from deep within the Fondle Em family tradition, Breezly Bruin and Buddy Slim represented all the dreams and aspirations of the New York "underground" hip hop scene of the mid-1990s. Their beats were never flashy, often moody and inspiring... sometimes pensive. And like the beats, neither Bruin nor Slim hit the listener over the head with their lyrics. To be fair, they were just about as deft and agile as anyone. But that didn't seem to be the point. The Juggaknots struck a chord with hardcore hip hop heads because they had good lyrics. It's that simple. Instead of dwelling in superficiality, they tackled serious subjects. And the whole time, one can smell the streets of New York and see the steam rising through the steel grates of their poetry. The Juggaknots represented a shift taking place within hip hop's creative epicenter. Much of the Fondle Em roster seemed to pursue a somewhat somber and more pensive approach, eschewing the use of cliches and played-out references. And While the Juggaknots have only put out one album in the last eight years, other artists who started out alongside them such as Company Flow, Necro, Cage, and Non-Fixion have all paved the way for a darker, lyrics-first approach to hip hop. J-ZONE Music For Tu Madre & A Bottle Of Whup Ass Seemingly out of nowhere, with a DIY style that bespeaks a true powerhouse, J-Zone's first two albums are carnivalesque romps through what seem both homages and a parodies of contemporary hip hop. Hip Hop has never heard so many quirky riffs and vaudevillian melodies. Bumrushing the pantheon of self-contained MC/producers, J-Zone takes his place alongside veterans Godfather Don and M.F. Doom, for his prowess at both elements. J-Zone's debut, Music For Tu Madre, was actually a college music production project gone horribly correct. Not content with mere wordplay and posturing, J-Zone harkens back to a time in hip hop when MCs told stories and shared genuine personality. On the parody side of things, the lead single from Whup Ass, "No Consequence," is a hypothetical romp through a day when J-Zone wakes up to find that all laws have been temporarily suspended and he is free to wreak whatever havoc he pleases. But the nihilism of "No Consequence" that is so ubiquitous in contemporary rap music is somewhat of an anomaly here. In contrast to artists who endlessly parade their egos and spend entire albums telling you how great they are... J-Zone sounds like he could be that kid next door who spends all night making dope tracks in his basement. KMD Mr. Hood & Black Bastards Anyone who follows hip hop can tell you that it often takes years for the mainstream to discover artists that have already become underground heroes. In the early 1990s, everyone knew about A Tribe Called Quest, Brand Nubian, Black Sheep, De La Soul, and 3rd Bass. Without taking away from those groups, the shadow they cast obscured one of New York's finest group of that era. KMD's first album actually sold descent units for a group with such an understated and personable style. Their sound was crunchy and raw. While other groups sound like a studio, KMD debut sounded like a basement, a street corner, or a barbershop. You get a feel for their environment. KMD's playfulness and spontaneity is similar to the Pharcyde's debut album. But whereas the Pharcyde were able to cross over, courtesy of their exquisitely produced album, KMD had to settle for reaching only hip hop's core audience. But those who heard the album and really gave it a listen can tell you that what made KMD different was their unassuming, unpretentious vibe. Maybe it was the fact that two of the group's members -- ZevLove X and Subroc -- were brothers. Maybe it was their relative lack of commercial ambitions. Whatever it was, KMD were fun-loving and silly, yet also ready to stand up for what they believed in. KMD's debut album, Mr. Hood, is somewhat of a concept album. Songs are interlaced with cleverly edited recordings from what must have been a foreign language instructional record and other "found" dialog. The end result is a lively and whimsical romp through the world of KMD, from the pawn shop to the barbershop to just straight chillin' on the block. With such an auspicious and promising first album under their belts, KMD went into the studio to record a follow-up. After finishing most of the album, tragedy struck when Subroc was hit by a car. Needless to say, the blow was devastating to the group. To make matters worse, Elektra was unhappy with the more aggressive tone of the 2nd album and decided to drop the group from its roster, citing the proposed cover art as its reason. In the years following, many of the sophomore album's shelved recordings were gradually released on Bobbito Garcia's Fondle Em label. What the recordings showed was something hardcore hip hop fans had known all along: KMD didn't deserve to get dropped. Yes, the recordings were a notable departure from the playfulness of Mr. Hood. Yes, the songs were not nearly as accessible as those on the first album. But the beats were hard hitting, and the trio rapped as hard and eloquently as on their debut. One thing quite noticeable on their sophomore album is that they seem to be rapping as much for their own personal love of hip hop as they are for an audience. If Mr. Hood is the happy-go-lucky vaudeville KMD, then Black Bastards is the independent, basement party KMD. M.F. DOOM Operation: Doomsday Rising from the ashes of KMD with a metal mask on his face, ZevLove X reinvented himself as a comics-inspired, hip hop supervillain and proceeded to release some of hip hop's most poetic and enigmatic lyrical escapades. Doom exudes mystery. And breaking through his metaphorical mask requires listening between the often disjointed and seemingly absurd phrases. It's all over the place. And yet somehow it fits together perfectly. In all these descriptions here, I have given gushy critiques and praises. But let's just say, if the music created by the artists in these reviews represents the life of hip hop... M.F. Doom is the afterlife. Doom is the resurrection and the redemption. He is the chariot-driving hero who can swing down to save your feeble understanding of hip hop. NAS Illmatic The appearance of Nas on this list might confuse people who started listening to hip hop after 1994. Make no mistake... when Illmatic came out, Nas was regarded as hip hop's most gifted and street-wise poet. He made a bold debut on the Main Source posse-cut classic "Live At The Barbeque," declaring that he "went to hell for snuffing Jesus." As if the anticipation weren't enough, Nas' debut was 100% solid from beginning to end, and just about every song became a hit single. Hundreds of hip hop artists have used snippets of his vocal acapellas in their music. When it comes to consistency, no album can top Illmatic! And far from relying on the typical cliches, pointless wordplay, and empty posturing... Nas rapped straight from the heart and painted a detailed panorama of life in the Queensbridge housing projects. Further elevating Illmatic was the production assistance of DJ Premier, Large Professor, Pete Rock, Q-Tip, and L.E.S. Anyone who knows hip hop knows this is the greatest assemblage of hip hop production talent, EVER. ORGANIZED KONFUSION S.T.R.E.S.S. If one thing distinguished Organized Konfusion from other artists, it was certainly their intensity. There are definite parallels between Organized Konfusion and contemporaries, such Freestyle Fellowship. But whereas Freestyle Fellowship were primarily intense about the art of hip hop, Organized Konfusion were just as intense about life itself. After yelling "Crush!! Kill!! Destroy!! Stress!!," Prince Po kills a cab driver, followed by Pharoah Monch making one of the most vitriolic and eloquent commentaries about life in New York. Never has human rage been so compelling. To be fair, much of the album exposes a thougtful and sensitive side of Pharoahe Monch and Prince Po. Yet it's always hard to foget what a beast resides below the surface. PEANUT BUTTER WOLF My Vinyl Weighs A Ton What sets Peanut Butter Wolf apart, from other artists on this list, is not the fact that he has a totally silly name. What sets PBW apart is that he headlines as a producer, not an emcee. And he is from the unlikely locale of San Jose, CA. And his debut album features about two dozen of hip hop's finest -- mostly West Coast -- artists. And if there is one thing that truly sets this album apart, it is that PBW has presented us with a complete hip hop experience. My Vinyl is like the ultimate underground mixtape, yet with all orginal material. Like any good mixtape, it's got TONS of dope skratching. The deejay names are a Who's Who of modern turntable pioneers, heroes, and superstars: Q-Bert, Babu, Shortkut, J-Rocc, A-Trak, Z-Trip, Rob Swift, Cut Chemist, Kid Koala, Vinroc, Rhettmatic, Design, Quest, and Hands. To be honest, it does wear thin at points like most skratch albums, but when it heats up it's HOT. If you want to introduce someone to hip hop, you can't do much better than this album. PEOPLE UNDER THE STAIRS O.S.T. Thes One and Double K epitomize a situation in which many hip hop artists have found themselves, time and time again: two friends wanting to make a living off hip hop. Unlike a lot of aspiring artists who fanatasize about fame and wealth, Thes and K keep their feet firmly on the ground. They are happy being able to scrape by, doing what they love: making dope hip hop for dedicated fans. O.S.T. -- as the title suggests -- is the O.riginal S.ound T.rack of two very fresh hip hop artists. PUTS mostly avoid one-liners and cliches in favor of giving each song a theme or revolving it around an incident or an experience. We get honest and sometimes intimate potraits of these two: all-night parties, Los Angeles pride, smoking weed, and carousing with the ladies. The subject matter may sound tired, but it is a testament to PUTS that they make otherwise played-out subjects sound fresh and relevant. While many fans side with their first two albums, I say with confidence that this third album will stand the test of time as some of their finest music. All the more impressive is the fact that Thes One And Double K produced the entire album, as with the first two. And make no mistake... the secret to the success of this album is the production. Above all else, Thes and K make some damn funky beats. THE PHARCYDE Bizarre Ride To The Pharcyde Never has there been a more mischievous and frolicking romp through the escapades and follies of youth as the Pharcyde's debut album. It sounds like these guys were rigorously trained and disciplined artists... and then all of a sudden hit puberty and went bonkers, drinking and smoking weed and raising whatever hell possible. Tre, Imani, Bootie Brown, J-Swift, and Fat Lip tell stories, crack jokes, lament record label woes, reminisce about run-ins with the law, and generally keep things flowing through all types of weather (mostly sunny). This album was our party anthem my freshman year of college. Somehow, every night, we could put it on and the party was guaranteed to pick up. After hearing it about 200+ times, it has worn a little thin. But the first few times you hear this album are guaranteed to be some infectiously good times. SOULS OF MISCHIEF '93 Til Infinity & DEL THE FUNKY HOMOSAPIEN'S No Need For Alarm The funny thing about '93 Til Infinity is that it often plays second fiddle to Del's No Need For Alarm. But while Del may have the more colorful personality and one of hip hop's most distinct voices, the reality is that Opio, Phesto, A-Plus, and Tajai made an album even more impressive than the classic No Need For Alarm. The first key to the success of '93 Til Infinity is the production. Whereas the beats on Del's sophomore album suffer from a somewhat flat production sound and repetitive loops, the Souls debut album provides a full, rich platter of mostly jazz-inspired beats. Overall, the sound is crisp and clean. Second, while it is true that the lyrical style of Del and the Souls primarily reflects the aggressive wordplay of battle rapping, somehow the Souls manage to have a little more urgency in their delivery. No doubt, this is because there are FOUR Soul's and only ONE Del. But in all fairness to Del, it should be pointed out that he did actually produce three of the dopest songs on '93 Til Infinity. And what this goes to show is that the secret of the Soul's timeless debut is the collective energy they shared with the entire Hieroglyphics crew.