Most Underrated: Typical Cats

Typical Cats = my favorite hip-hop group. Period.

These three heads met on WHPK's Wednesday Night Rap Show back in the 90s in Chicago, and have since put out two of the most solid hip-hop albums of the last decade. I am not playing. Jazzy but hard beats reminiscent of De La Soul, sharp battle lyricism, acute storytelling abilities, and albums you can listen to easily straight front to back categorize these unknown microphone beasts.

We will not place our worth inside of a platinum chain
Will not trade reality or family for fame,
When we finish our 50 year prolific careers
We could look back & say that skill is how we got up in the game.
^ How it's done

TYPICAL CATS - THIN RED LINE

TYPICAL CATS - EASY CAUSE IT IS

TYPICAL CATS - THE DO

TYPICAL CATS - ANY DAY

TYPICAL CATS - THE TROUBLE

The New Wine

I've been in this guy's corner since day one. In fact I think he and his crew Typical Cats are the best kept secret in hip-hop. When they roll through NYC they play to like 30 heads who are die hards like me ... I will never fail to understand the slim numbers.

Qwel's new album The New Wine dropped today. It's next in a long series of solo albums that feature a new producer each time around. You've gotta open your mind for this kind of esoteric material if you haven't already--but guaranteed once you do, it's straight prolific.

We all gettin smarter, but no one gettin wiser.
^ Straight up.

QWEL - FROST SEEDING

Side note: Speaking of classic radio, I was just drinking a brew downtown with my girl Scar and came upon a full game of 5-on-5 with Bobbito's squad! Speaking of...