Dilated Peoples June 5, 2008

With just a few (mostly underground) releases, Dilated Peoples have energized the rap underground in similar fashion to fellow West Coast crew Jurassic 5. The duo of Evidence and Rakaa came together in the mid-'90s, when they met at many of the same hip-hop shows; after deciding to start making tracks together, they formed Dilated Peoples. Once they added to the fold an excellent turntablist, DJ Babu of the Beat Junkies, the group recorded the singles 'Third Degree' and 'Work the Angles' for ABB Records. The latter became an underground hit via hip-hop radio and clubplay, prompting Dilated Peoples' signing to Capitol. Releases include 'The Platform,' 'The Expansion Team' and 'Neighborhood Watch.' Their latest is '20/20.' Aceyalone is an American rapper, known for his passion for and command of words and language. Hailing from Harlem, New York, the band plays hip hop/soul/rock music and features 88-Keys and Roger Linn. Alan Daniel Maman, better known as The Alchemist, is one of hip hop's leading producers. After rising to prominence in the late 1990s as a close associate of Dilated Peoples and Mobb Deep, he went on to produce for many of hip hop's leading artists, including Nas, Fat Joe, Jadakiss, Ghostface Killah and Snoop Dogg. He has also remixed songs for bands and artists in other genres such as Linkin Park and Morcheeba.