Formed in Los Angeles in 1992 by rapper-producer Evidence, rapper Rakaa, and Beat Junkies DJ DJ Babu, Dilated Peoples carried the West Coast underground's turntablist, boom-bap ethos into the 2000s on albums like 'The Platform' and 'Expansion Team.' The trio's dense, multisyllabic rhyme schemes and scratch-heavy production kept classic hip-hop craft alive through an era increasingly dominated by mainstream gloss. Their reputation as a backpack-rap reference point made them a touchstone for hip-hop scenes well outside Los Angeles.

the sound in question

2001

Worst Comes to WorstDilated Peoples