Since 2001, the CunninLynguists have been redefining the sound of Southern hip-hop. With their fourth LP, this trio, consisting of MCs Deacon the Villain and Natti along with producer-on-the-mic Kno, further smoothes out its sonics with laid-back, bumping beats accompanied by gritty, grown-man reflections. Kno’s lush sample- and synth-infused productions provide consistency throughout this disc, but it’s the raps of Deacon and Natti that keep listeners anticipating what’s to come. These Kentucky denizens can both buck police brutality (“Gun”) and talk about checking for top-shelf chicks (“Wonderful”) while sounding like they mean every word. Dirty Acres is what honest hip-hop sounds like, delivered from Southerners treading just far enough under of the mainstream radar.