The Craft
Blackalicious

With their third full-length release, Blackalicious has produced a record of such sonic depth and lyrical ambition that it can proudly stand alongside the work of Bay Area funk fathers SLY STONE and SHUGGIE OTIS, or hip-hop classics like OUTKAST's Aquemini and THE ROOTS’ Things Fall Apart. But The Craft is not nostalgic for some "golden era" that never existed; it surges past 2002's breakthrough Blazing Arrow into worlds Blackalicious' adoring fans have been waiting for them to explore. Lyricist Gab moves beyond the introspection of earlier albums, going deep on "Black Diamonds and Pearls" as a pregnant teen conquers her fears, while on the epic "The Fall and Rise of Elliott Brown", a lost, incarcerated boy transforms into a leader of his community. What Gab achieves lyrically, Xcel accomplishes musically, with beats that touch on classic funk sidling cozily alongside the orchestral sweep of Stereolab. “The Craft," Xcel says, "is our passion to bring discipline to this music, the passi...

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With their third full-length release, Blackalicious has produced a record of such sonic depth and lyrical ambition that it can proudly stand alongside the work of Bay Area funk fathers SLY STONE and SHUGGIE OTIS, or hip-hop classics like OUTKAST's Aquemini and THE ROOTS’ Things Fall Apart. But The Craft is not nostalgic for some "golden era" that never existed; it surges past 2002's breakthrough Blazing Arrow into worlds Blackalicious' adoring fans have been waiting for them to explore. Lyricist Gab moves beyond the introspection of earlier albums, going deep on "Black Diamonds and Pearls" as a pregnant teen conquers her fears, while on the epic "The Fall and Rise of Elliott Brown", a lost, incarcerated boy transforms into a leader of his community. What Gab achieves lyrically, Xcel accomplishes musically, with beats that touch on classic funk sidling cozily alongside the orchestral sweep of Stereolab. “The Craft," Xcel says, "is our passion to bring discipline to this music, the passion to keep growing, keep stretching, keep doing things we haven't before. The Craft is what we live for."

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