Warriorz
For some hip-hop fans being hard core means snarling on cue or adopting the thug pose of the week in order to impress the heads and scare the kids. True fans of the rugged know that such machinations may translate into pop success, but those hits often come at the expense of the hard-earned cred that rappers live and die for. M.O.P are far from household names, and even though they might offer in interviews that they would like to, if not grab the brass ring, at least touch it, you get the feeling that being grimy underground heroes suits this revered Brooklyn duo just fine. Protégés of the always superlativeDJ Premier, M.O.P's bite is bracing and fierce, and even when the duo aims for some accessibility (à la their raw but hook-laden single "Ante Up" or working with R&B; duo Product G&B; on "Everyday") their sound and stance is still unrefined and unrelenting.Warriorzmight be the Brownsville champions'  most commercially accessible offering, but if you're looking for sing-a-long melodies and rent-a-roughneck drama, look elsewhere. Even when these guys play nice they still can't play by the rules, which means that the faithful will be happy indeed.--Amy Linden