Haiku D'Etat Haiku D'Etat

• Words: Eric K. Arnold
• Label: Project Blowed
• XLR8R Rating: /10

LA underground poet laureates Aceyalone, Mikah 9 and Abtsract Rude rise to the surface like ancient prophecies from another time, on yet another mission to raise hip-hop's lyrical level-and its consciousness. "On the m-m-microphona, no more my sharona," Mikah 9 spits on "Mike Aaron & Eddie," the opening track, which introduces the three personalities and sets the album's tone with its polyphonic vocal tones. The hepcat slang-fest "Kats" segues naturally into "Dogs," which spotlights the g-funked-up side of Haiku (thought you knew, fool). All that jazz poetry is indeed all that-we're talking slapped-silly acoustic basslines wrapped around murderous vocalese riffs, tight concepts, and an overall artistic vision that makes this the most focused Fellowship/Project Blowed-affiliated release sinceInner City Griots. Don't sleep, peep game.