Blackalicious’ newest album, “The Craft,” is a piece of hip-hop masterwork. Their fourth effort is full of political conscience rhymes and a unique beat that you don’t hear on the radio.Blackalicious includes six rappers and vocalists to make their sound much different from everyday hip-hop.The humorous “Side To Side,” is a parody about guys picking up girls in a club. The track sounds somewhat like Eminem’s D12, with more complex rhymes and beats that change throughout the song.”Black Diamonds and Pearls” is a track with a Kayne West-like style. The inspirational song is about kids getting ahead in life and gets political, asking “but then why are we at war, killing people in Iraq now?” “The Craft” is a masterwork that needs to be taken seriously. If Blackalicious is rhyming about getting drunk in a club or problems with California’s correctional facilities, they’re doing it with style.

5/5 stars