Those seeking witty, melodic hip-hop in the new millennium need not worry: Opio swerves sharply into contemplative lyrics and gripping melodies startling enough to shake aficionados awake. This MC/producer has long repped the Oakland hip-hop intelligentsia via the Souls of Mischief, and it‘s hard not to sense Opio‘s deep affection for his genre‘s roots throughout this old-school-styled record. Standouts include the slammin‘ Jurassic 5-like cut “Confederate Burning,” and “Talk Dirty,” which floats hustler lyrics over airy, jazzy grooves.