Styles Of Beyond

Soon after the release of the critically acclaimed 2000 Fold, Styles of Beyond split up. Most reunions of hip-hop groups have been incredibly underwhelming but on Megadef, Styles of Beyond retain and arguably improve on their foundation. Tak & Ryu trade rhymes with the same tenacity that they’ve done in the past, but what makes Megadef different is the musical approach. With DJ Sheaphot and Vin Skully rejoining them to be on board for the project, the group have shirked the sinister spy-themed beats for a harder edge. The duo delve into fuzzy rock samples actually pulling it off. On "Be Your Dog,” the rock influence is cast within the hip-hop frame rather than the opposite approach, which probably accounts for the high failure rate amongst such experimentations. These fusion efforts aren’t likely to get them on any mix show any time soon, but SOB cover their bases also serving up head-nod flavour on "Outta Control” and even inject some freshness into the classic Impeach The President break beat on "Mr. Brown,” making Megadef an impressive well-rounded and intriguing release.