EMC’s The Show delivers enough classic boom bap to make rap nerds strap on their backpacks in search of a cipher and that mid-’90s feeling. Juice Crew veteran Masta Ace, Lyricist Lounge acts Punchline and Wordsworth, and Milwaukee MC Stricklin (the weakest link of the crew) combine their talents for this concept album that follows the quartet preparing for an out-of-town performance. Proving they’re still relevant with genuine chemistry and precise lyricism, the battle-ready MCs explore a range of topics while pulling the punchlines they’re known for over beats by hard-hitters such as 9th Wonder, Nicolay, and Marco Polo. Now if only they’d get rid of all those damn skits.