Duck Season 2
Unlike the mostly NY-centric focus by other DJs, Babu has always made sure his West Coast peers get equal time. While NY stalwarts likeTalib Kweli("Raise the Bar"),KRS-One("Underground"), andGang Starr("Deadly Habits") are in the mix, so are the Bay Area'sPlanet Asia("Right or Wrong") and L.A.'s Chace Infinite ("Do For Self"),Defari("Behold My Life" remix), and of course,Dilated Peoples, who pop up three times, most effectively on Rakaa's solo joint, "Ends to Means." Duck Season 2 is markedly consistent in sound and pacing, which, on one hand, bespeaks Babu's expert mixing skills. However, it'd also be nice to hear Babu reach out more, beyond just the underground independent world, and diversify the sound of his mix-CD with different kinds of artists besides certified mic rippers. Duck Season 2 preaches effectively to the choir, but Babu could stand to get his message to a bigger congregation too.--Oliver Wang