Oakland-based MC and activist Ise Lyfe cites Langston Hughes as an inspiration and raps about equally intellectual subject matters in his work. The first single off his Prince Cometh album, “Bad Word Bounce” finds him making a play on Snoop Dogg and Pharell’s “Drop it Like it’s Hot,” imitating the minimal beats and soft rhymes, but replacing lyrics about Chandon and Rolexes with issues ranging from the media to the objectification of women. For the album, he enlisted Bay Area producer Nick James to handle production duties.

Ise Lyfe – Bad Word Bounce