Back Again

Dilated Peoples Return With "20/20" Clarity

2006-07-18

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Back Again

Dilated Peoples Return With 20/20 Clarity

By Corey Bloom | Photo By Amanda Lopez

Few groups in hip -hop can boast a more devout fanbase than Dilated Peoples. Their music speaks truth to listeners, sparking awareness and reflection without going over heads with complexity or arrogance. Live on stage, they connect directly to the audience, harnessing each individual’s energy and returning it in true performance. Unaffected by the allure of fame or an easy fortune, the Los Angeles trio—made up of DJ Babu, Evidence and Rakaa Iriscience—have always maintained level heads and a firm grasp on reality. And for that reason, bound by raw skill, fans relate and love Dilated Peoples.

The three came up and thrived in the independent game with a string of vinyl singles through ABB Records (the label that still distributes all of the group’s vinyl), forging a relationship with DJs, something the group credits to their success to this day. Opting for a major label for their 2000 debut, The Platform, Dilated became one of a few groups to prosper in the big leagues as a result of the explosion of underground hip-hop in the mid- to late ‘90s. Six years later, they have stood the test of the industry, and maintained their identity and values. Back again with their fourth album, 20/20, the group speaks with excitement, carrying a sense of rejuvenation.

“We went in there making an album of 12-inches,” explains Rakaa. “Hanging out in Oakland at the ABB offices and getting into that vibe again was really the right thing to do instead of making a record coming off a bunch of tours and record label meetings. We spent time with family and friends, and personal shit was dealt with which caused a lot of cleansing and purging and rebuilding.”

After enduring a period of uncertainty regarding their future due to label politics and outside issues, the group settled with a new label, but only under their conditions. “We told Capitol very clearly, ‘we’re not a pop group, either fuck with us or don’t,’” exclaims Rakaa. “Cats came at us like, ‘send in some music for us to hear.’ We told them, ‘no you called us, you go down to Fat Beats and go into the Dilated Peoples section and pick a 12-inch.’ We got records out. They went and did that, and they came back like, ‘maybe we could put together a showcase,’ and it was like, ‘yeah we could do that, but we’d rather not, because instead we have three sold-out nights in a row at the Whiskey in Hollywood, and you could come check out one of those. We’ll put you on the guest list, and hopefully it won’t be too crowded by the time you get down there.’ We had to come at them like that and show them if you want to deal with us, you gotta deal with us how we get down. We didn’t knock on your door, we didn’t send you a demo, we didn’t catch you at the club and try to slip you a record or anything; you called us.”

With the business side settled, the only part left was the music. “With the new album, I feel we’ve finally accomplished a balance,” says Evidence. “When Rakaa and I rhyme together, it’s always been a battle because Rakaa rhymes with show energy, like real live and hype, and I’m real laid-back, so I’ve always had to get a little hyper, and he’s had to tone it down. I’m not out of my element and neither is he, but at the same time we’re complementing each other.”

One distinguishing trait of the group is that they are entirely self-sufficient, with one of the world’s greatest DJs in Babu as the backbone, who also doubles as a producer alongside Evidence. “When it comes to a Dilated song, even though it might say produced by Evidence, we spend so much time together as unit with these songs it’s really a group thing,” Babu claims.

While he admits he has a lot to learn in the art of production, Babu jokes about the competition between himself and Evidence when it comes to bringing the hottest beats. “Most of the times it’s friendly. In a lot of ways, he’s like my sparring partner. Being on the road so much, we dig together, and definitely trade a lot of notes and techniques.”

Notorious for extensive touring, often spending up to six months of the year on the road, there is a lot of time for the group’s favorite pastime: record shopping. “That’s the medicine right there, that and finding some weed. I’m not all groupie-crazy as I was when I first started going on the road, so I’m not really tripping on all that,” says Evidence.

The real question at hand is which he hits more, record shops or freaks, to which Evidence replies, “It’s about even. I’m not done, I just calmed down. But nah, more record stores definitely. A record store over that any day.”

When asked to reveal something funny about the other members of the group that people might not know, Evidence spared everyone else the embarrassment. “Babu is the humor, and Rakaa is the wisdom, and I’m caught in between somewhere. I’m the youngest of the batch, and Babu really wants to be young and hang out with me, but then his older self kicks in and Rakaa gives him the little no-no nod. It’s Vader and Yoda.”

However, Rakaa decided to capitalize on the opportunity to clown a little bit. “When I met Ev, he was 15 and already had a size 14 shoe. The funny thing is that the rest of his foot is the size of a normal foot, but his toes are hella long. He could slap the shit out of someone, like he could have a crazy Slick Rick four-finger ring on his toes.”

On top of making good music, the three men are all around good dudes. They don’t see themselves as rap stars, just musicians with a responsibility to give back to the people who invest time and energy into their music. As long as they have the opportunity they will continue to deliver.

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