Various Artists Def Jux 3
Other than the fact that some dude that sounds like El-P comes on every minute […]
Other than the fact that some dude that sounds like El-P comes on every minute in every song to remind me that I’m listening to a Def Jux promo, Def Jux 3 is an enjoyable, bracing peep into the future of indie rap’s most potent label. Of course, if you buy the disc, you won’t have to sweat the interruptive reminder, but you will get 13 tracks of disjointed beats, rhymes that would make Shakespeare turn green and more lyrical smackdowns than Run-DMC’s pre-God-squadding salad days. RJD2, as usual, makes the biggest impression with the pristine, poignant “Clean Living,” but El-P delivers some patented kicks to the grill on the harrowing “Oxycontin Part 2” and “Weathermen Radio.”