Okay, show of hands. How many of you have heard other gems dissing wack rappers? Yeah, I know the topic is kinda played, but this joint has me wanting to check thier stuff. Epidemic brings the heat to the sucka emcees by letting them know "it ain't where you from, it's where you are." The content, delivery, and production are all definitely off the hook. Nice choice of samples too (Raekwon). Don't sleep!

Jupiter - "Mayday"

It took me a few listens for the piano sampling to grow on me. This one is on a different level courtesy of Freestyle Fellowship member and project Blowdian, SELF Jupiter. Remember K-Otix's style in "Questions" where every line was a question? Well here (just about) every line starts with "May" and continues with a statement of positivity about a lot of things ranging from making it in the game to "that bullshit you never concerned yourself with." Check it out.

Evidence - "Search 4 Bobby Fisher" 

After Eminem let the cat out of the bag about his beef with Dilated on "Quitter" heads were wondering if Evidence was going to drop a comeback. Many speculated that Dilated weren't the battle type. Of course, all of the Dilated fans know better. Kutmaster Kurt drops a phat ass beat for Ev and Babu to rip all over. It gets really personal at times: "Hungry for props and ready to rock / Except your stage show is so weak you're always just READY to rock" "I heard you're making beats/ Don't program the drums?/ Don't program the keys?/ Don't program the base?/ Producer? Liar./ Doing that shit's like hiring a ghost writer./ You might as well you little fake Chino XL/ At target practice you strictly blast weak empty shells/ It's an upset you lose the title!/ But first lose the haircut, you're biting George Michael." He also drops some lines on his family. But in the end Ev hints at an even nastier comeback in the future. As if that weren't enough, Em gets "chopped by Babu," who throws in a couple of cuts, including some Eazy E and the line from "The Last Line of Defense:" "Sound clash with us, you flirt with disaster." It will be interesting to see what Eminem has to say. This will be a good one to watch.

Deltron 3030 - "Virus"/"Things You Can Do"

I'm sorry; I just don't feel this 12" at all. While Del sounds like...well, um...Del in both joints, "Virus" is disappointing. Dr. Octagon and Kool Keith already killed the subject matter of the future, and hearing yet another joint about the future was enough for me to twiddle my thumbs, wondering when the repetitiveness over what he would do with a computer virus would end. Don't get me wrong, Del still brings his usual Hiero flows, spitting bar after bar given any subject. However, I have to wonder why he would base his whole rhyming scheme about a computer virus. Ditto "Things You Can Do."

Boulevard Connection - "Copenhagen" (Claimin' Respect)

Here's some Primo sounding flava brought to you from the other side of the pond, featuring Rakaa Iriscience, Babu, Maylay Sparks, and the Last Emperor to close it out. Out of the emcees Iriscience shines through on this joint (as usual), and the uptempo beat is quick to have your head noddin'. A nice little 12" to peep.

Royce Da 5'9 - "Boom" b/w "Soldier's Story"

Primo strikes again with his signature beats, and what could make it hotter than Detroit's Royce Da 5'9. You might remember him from "Scary Movies" off the Slim Shady LP. I have to wonder though: is he the "bad" or the "evil?" Either way he kills it in "Boom" with his battle-style lyrics. And he lets heads know that he is for real too with lines like: "Rappers think Detroit niggas ain't as down as them / Or think since I'm down with Slim that I sound like him..." (in reference to "Scary Movies"). The B-side is his story as a soldier on the streets. The lyricism was on point, and the beat was aight, but the hook was overkill. Still a dope 12", perhaps going down as one of the favorites of the year.

Shanti - "Blaxploitation"/"Feel This"/"Last Days of Rap"

The first time I ever heard of Shanti was on The Himalayan Project EP. I was quite impressed with his alent, but then I figured he was messing around with some production issh for his fellow college peers. Well here we are now with his debut 12", two years later. While most heads may have a hard time picking him out in "Blaxploitation" he does bring an impressive lineup: L-Fudge, Louis Logic, Kimani, and R-Son. The JJ Brown beat is almost like what I've heard on the EP but then again it sounds more up-tempo than what I've heard. On the other hand "Feel This" and "Last Days of Rap" are a little more laid back. As a whole the 12" demonstrates the different kind of vibes Shanti can bring. Don't sleep on this cat.

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