Dan-e-o

The best indication that Dan-e-o has been involved in this hip-hop thing for a minute now? Back in 1991 — when folks used to turn on their television and watch people dance better than them — he won a rap-off on MuchMusic's Electric Circus at the age of 13. Countless trends, styles and reality show concepts have come and gone since then, yet Toronto's Daniel Faraldo is still writing letters to his first love. Proper solo LPs have been few and far between for Dan-e-o, who has dabbled in acting, radio, and in 2012 dropped a collaborative LP with MC Promise as Perfeck Strangers. Inevitable finds the 36-year-old vet rolling solo for the first time since 2004's See No Evil, Hear No Evil, and that familiar Monolith warmth still rings true. With Monolith co-founder Charisma handling the production exclusively, the 14-track Inevitable maintains a late-'90s groove, complete with En Vogue references and a Chip Fu cameo. While the sappy "Love Before" should push you to hit skip the way a late-career LL Cool J ballad would, Dan-e-o sticks mostly to quick-tongued punch lines and the always-welcome ragga influences on "Get Up On It," "Hoo Yuh Want?" and "Bossmon." Standouts include the grown man breath control on "Lil Elijah Say" and the somber "Return to Sender," a Dwayne Morgan-assisted sequel to Dan-e-o's most iconic tune, 1996's "Dear Hip Hop," that reveals there is shame in the game.