Hidden Stash 2
The Kottonmouth Kings' output--five albums in five years--is enough to make you question their status as ganja-happy slackers. Where 2000'sHigh Societycovered their love for the weed from every angle,Hidden Stash, Vol. 2gives us a Kings eager to self-mythologize their staying power and roots ("Welcome to the Suburbs" attempts a "Straight Outta Compton" for Orange County) while acknowledging a lack of new things to say about pot.To be sure, this is still the same hip-hop-hardcore-reggae outfit that once snaggedHigh Times' Band of the Year award. But onHidden Stash, Vol. 2, the Kings seem more committed to their general outsider ethos than ever, with grass just the biggest staple in their diet. Still, those seeking green-thumb anthems won't be disappointed by "All About the Weed," "Grow Room Jam," and the pulsing "Family Trees." However, all but the terminally baked will question the wisdom of a Kottonmouth rewrite of theGeto Boys' rap-noir classic, "Mind Playing Tricks on Me." --Rickey Wright