The Minstrel Show

9th Wonder's soul-sample production is the backbone, but the concept — a fake TV network satirizing rap's minstrel tendencies — is what got this one talked about for the wrong reasons. Atlantic barely pushed it, and Phonte and Pooh sound like they knew it. 'Lovin' It' is the best marriage of beat and verse on the record. Underground hip hop that aged into exactly the classic it wanted to be.

Filed underunderground hip hopconcept albumsoul samples2005