Blue Collar

Rhymefest had one of the sharpest pens in Chicago rap and this debut is stacked with it — specific writing, real subject matter, and enough charisma to keep it from getting heavy-handed. The production pulls from multiple directions without losing focus, and Kanye's contribution on 'Brand New' is one of the better beats on the record. It came out in a crowded year and didn't get the run it earned. Worth going back to.

Filed underMidwest hip hopChicagolyricismmid-2000s