Love & Hate
Aceyalone might be the ultimate rapper's rapper, but like Chuck D, he doesn't "rhyme for the sake of riddlin'." His lyricism betrays a love affair with words and language, as he pours every facet of his complex personality through his verses. It makes for inspired wordplay certainly, and on his latest CD (his fourth solo effort), Acey continues to spill out a stream of consciousness that crashes upon the flood gates. "Junkman" continues his battle-rap tradition as he drums the dumbs, then he flips around and attacks the nation's spiritual ennui with "Ms. AmeriKKKa." He's even going after the party crowd with his bouncy "Lost Your Mind." The weak point remains the production, Acey's perpetual limitation, as the album includes some snoozers like the glitchy, electro "In Stereo." But on the whole, the album achieves a smart balance between hard-driving cuts like "Find Out" and the smoother lounge sounds of "The Saga Continues."--Oliver Wang