By Thomas QuinlanFresh from collaborating with Kool Keith for Project Polaroid, producer TomC3 serves up a flawless selection of underground hip-hop submerged in future funk freshness for yet another progressive hip-hop legend, oft-overlooked Organized Konfusion MC Prince Poetry. And it’s a perfect backdrop for Po’s confident machinegun flow. Saga of the Simian Samurai opens with "The Saga Begins,” an introduction to the ancient simian civilisation that returns with a vengeance for the rough and rugged title track. "Roota to the Toota” follows, switching gears with a fun bounce track that Po turns into a convincing lecture to "do whut chu gotta do and get on your grind.” After that, "Lessons In Drama” gets serious with "chronicles of the ghetto” over a sombre production, the only real downer on the album. What follows are sex raps ("Candy”), history lessons ("Now & Then”), politics ("Speak”), hate ("I’m Hatin’”) and more. And being a Threshold release, you also get guest appearances from Motion Man and Kool Keith, the latter with one of his best verses in a while, as well as D.I.T.C. MC AG and Hieroglyphics ringleader Del Tha Funkee Homosapien. Pharoahe Monch, better watch his back! (Threshold)
CONCERT: Colin Stetson The Great Hall, Toronto ON, May 19
SHARE IT! 
