Dilated Peoples - '20/20'

Back again is the cunningly entitled first single from Dilated Peoples' latest record '20/20' and considering the current climate in bling-loving la-la-land, thankfully it's true. Their good reputation for great live shows and clever lyricism has not decreased one iota since 2004's 'Neighborhood Watch'. Without doubt, the Peoples are one of the few well-known hiphop acts who don't feel the incessant need to slag off their contemporaries or demean women with misogynistic rhyme. They are firmly reliant upon their god given skills instead, and rightly so. Backed by Babu's simplistic but hard-hitting beats, they perform witty word-wriggling gems with a little help from Talib Kweli and Capleton among others. Incidentally, every skit is about smoking dope, imagine. [Marie Lindstrom]