DL Incognito

Respected Ottawa-bred, Toronto-based hip-hop journeyman DL Incognito isn't necessarily the pay-the-bills type; he raps because he has to. His recent efforts have resulted in a fifth album, Someday is Less than a Second Away, a tight, potent record that utilizes his and his collaborators' strengths. He again relies on underrated counterpart Tech Twelve for the majority of his backing tracks. They complement each other well, both taking a traditional approach to hip-hop; Tech serves chopped-up soul samples while DL confidently tears into them with his witty boasts, and it's evident they've mastered this approach. Though DL Incognito commonly references the braggadocio of classic hip-hop, he maintains a refreshing angle to MCing with self-awareness and honesty. On heartfelt standout "Days Gone," he describes the confusion that comes with following his hip-hop dreams. A well-chosen guest spot from the melancholy D-Sisive illustrates DL's silver-lining positivity. While D-Sisive cunningly hints at discontent, there's a sense that DL wouldn't have it any other way. Throughout Someday, his engaging introspective verses balance the realities of his situation with an unassailable reverence for his craft and its related culture. The heads he made this record for will easily relate to one of the themes that ties the record together: DL will be happy, no matter how shitty things are, as long as he has hip-hop.