Dilated Peoples

The Platform

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Editor's Review:

Though the members of Dilated Peoples — Evidence, Irascience and DJ Babu — have been making music in Los Angeles’ hip-hop underground for years, this is the first full-length record the group has released, and a shining example of lyrical and music prowess it is, though it took a couple of listens for me to realize that.

Though I can point to no specific problem or boring track on The Platform, Dilated have dropped so many dope singles and collaborations over the last few years that my immediate response was to weigh this release with the heavy power of the previous ones, rather than listen to it as a whole work. Sure, the freshest the singles are here, tracks like "Guaranteed," "Triple Optics," and "Work the Angles," which add a little familiarity — rough-and-tumble beats and cuts created by one of the baddest DJs in the land, coupled with the smooth but hard-charging vocal styles of the crew’s lyricist. But The Platform also contains new, destined-to-be-classics, like "Right On" (featuring Tha Alkaholiks), the album’s title track, and the super hype "Service," a lyrical and musical battle cut focusing on the principles of skill and on DJ Babu ("I think a wack rapper needs to catch service / I think a wack DJ needs to be nervous / my DJ’s so nice / he don’t slice, he severs"). The lyrical exploits of Irascience and Evidence show both the polished skill and level of understanding of hip-hop veterans, and the underground adherence and hardcore edge of rappers with plenty of time and distance to go.

As a complete package, The Platform is a great debut release, and though it might be too real for MTV and mass appeal, that fact exactly is the draw for true hip-hop heads.

- Max Sidman

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