Well after a couple years off, these forefathers of Latino rap are back on the scene with Merry Go Round, a collection of some of the dopest joints you'll probably never hear unless you get this disc. Employing a minimalist, stripped-down production philosophy, the opus is an uncompromising tour de force of urban alliteration in TWO languages that is equally infectious. Luckily they're both easily forgotten at the end of the disc. Course you do, if only because both tracks annoyed the hell out of you.
Results are mixed.
Other ill collabs include those with Kid Rock and Method Man, but be quick on the skip button with the Everlast, Sugar Ray and Third Eye Blind joints. They are not alt-country, alternative, indie or any other adjective that describes absolutely zero about music. The Hips play a brand of rock not unlike Wilco, early Eagles, the Black Crowes and late '60's Stones, fused with lyrical musings on bad motels, bad girlfriends and bad hangovers - both personal and chemical. Crowes singer Chris Robinson toured with them, sampled them on his answering machine and proclaimed them the best band in America. Producer Rick Rubin signed them to his American Records label and dropped 'em like Tyson the day before releasing their second album.